Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verse 6
VER. 6.
And when I paſſed by thee, and ſaw thee polluted in thine owne Blood, I ſaid unto thee, when thou waſt in thy blood, live, yea, I ſaid unto thee, when thou waſt in thy blood live.
WEE are now at the third generall part of the Chapter, the commemoration of Gods dealing with this Iſraelitiſh metaphoricall Infant, when none pittyed her, but ſhe was caſt out, loath'd, in a periſhing condition, the Lord himſelfe had compaſſion, and beſtowed choice mercies on her, which are expreſſed in the enſuing verſe to the 15.
1. Is life in the 6. verſe.
2. Is increaſe, growth in the 7. verſe.
3. Is ſpirituall marriage, verſe 8.
4. Spirituall waſhing, and cleanſing and anointing. v. 9.
5. Coſtly proviſions of divers ſorts for ornament, cloathing, and delight for back and bellie, verſe 10, 11, 12.13.
6. Royall dignitie, verſe 13,
7. Great fame and glorie, verſe 14.
When I paſſed by thee.
Hebrew is, Tranſivi juxta te, God is immutable, and immoveable, he goes not from place to place, its ſpoken humanitus, after the manner of men, as if God like ſome great man were upon a journey, and in the way ſhould ſpie a poore Infant thrown out naked under a hedge, ready to periſh, and ſhould take pittie on it: ſo did God towards this Iſraelitiſh Infant. Tranſit dominus [quando ſe pate facit, ſimmul que admonet pate faciendo, …uid fugiendum, quidve ſequendum ſit, this paſſing by refers, to the time of Gods calling Abraham out of Ʋr of Chaldea, Gen. 12.1. The Lord ſaid unto Abraham, get thee out of thy Countrie, and to their condition in Aegypt, Exod. 12.12. I will paſſe thorough the Land of Aegyt this night.
This act of Gods paſſing by this Iſraelitiſh infant, ſeems caſuall and acicdentall, but it was nothing ſo; for knowne unto God are all his workes and creatures, and he doth nothing but upon fore-knowledge and counſell, he knew in what caſe this Infant was, where & how ſhe lay: the expreſſion of it in that manner is to ſet out the extreame miſerie ſhe lay in, that there was none ſhe could looke for in heaven or earth to ſhew pittie, and doe for her.
And ſaw thee polluted in thy owne blood.
Hebrew is, Vidi te conculcatum, in ſanguinibus tuis, Septh: foreign I ſaw thee mingled in thy blood; French ie T'ai veu eſtre ſoviller en ton ſang: ſullied in thy blood, Caſt. Conſpicatus in cruore tuo volutantem; Jun. Piſc. Pol. Viderem que te prebentem te conculdandam in ſanguine tuo. Wee may ſticke to our Tranſlation of the word, for that is trodden down is polluted, we muſt let you underſtand what is meant by blood.
Some judge it to be the red earth, whereof they made their brick, which looked like blood, and that God pittyed them, when they were ſo put to it by their Task-maſters, and were neare ruine by their hard labour, God paſſed by them, and beheld them in that condition.
But others by blood doe underſtand that inbred corruption is in man, and eſtate it hath put him into, he is without all ſpirituall good, full of all ſinne, in a miſerable, helples condition. A Lapid. expounds it, myſtically of originall ſin, which is that innate and inherent corruption, which is in man.
Blood doth in Scripture ſet out the corrupt nature of man, as Matth. 16.17. Fleſh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee; corrupt nature was never able to attaine unto it: ſo Gal. 1.16. 1 Cor. 15.50. Sinne being ſet out by blood in Scripture, we muſt conſider the reſemblances.
1. Blood is naturall; ſo ſinne, Pſal. 51.5. I was ſhapen in iniquity, and in ſinne did my Mother conceive me, corruption is hereditary, as Chaffe with wheat, barke with the Tree, ſenſe is not more naturall than ſinne
2. Blood diffuſeth it ſelf through the whole man: ſo doth ſin; its not in ſome one part, but in every part: as in the Sea, all parts of it are brachiſh: in wormewood, every part is bitter. So in man there is ſin, in every part in the heart, Mat. 15 19.
In the mind Eph. 4.17. They walkt in the vanitie of their mind.
In the will Matth. 23.37. How oft would I have gathered you, and you would not.
In the underſtanding, Epheſ. 4.18. Having their underſtandings darkned.
In the conſcience, Heb. 9.14.
In the memorie, Heb. 2.1. That is unfaithful, & let things ſlip.
In the eyes, 2. Pet. 2.14. They had eyes of adulterie.
In the Tongue, James 3.6. It defiles the whole bodie, and ſetteh on fire the courſe of nature.
In the Throat its an open Sepulcher, Rom. 3.13.
In the Hands Iſai. 1.15. They are full of blood,
In the Feet Rom. 3.15. They are ſwift to ſhed blood.
3. Blood defileth, Pſ. 106.38. the Land was polluted with blood, and ſinne pollutes, yea it is pollution, 2. Cor. 7.1. Let us cleanſe our ſelves from all pollution of fleſh and ſpirit. 1 Theſſ. 5.23. he prayes they may be ſanctified wholly: Pſal. 14.3. Man is altogether become filthie.
4. Loathſome, ſinne is ſuch, Prov. 13.5. a wicked man is loathſome; his ſinne makes him to be loathed. Job 42.6. I abhorre my ſelf, ſee verſ. 5. To the loathing of thy perſon.
I ſaid unto thee when thou waſt in thy blood, live.
There is ſome difference about the reading of theſe words, the Hebrew runs thus, I ſaid unto thee, and there makes the ſtop, in thy blood live; when thou waſt, is not in the originall: others read it thus, I ſaid unto thee in thy blood, and there make the ſtop, live: I ſaw thee in thy blood, and ſaid unto thee in that condition, live.
The moſt Interpreters doe follow the Hebrew, and rend…r it, in ſanguine tuo vive, or in ſaguinibus tuis vive: the French is, tu viuras en ton ſang: not as if ſo bee God would leave this Infant in her ſinfull or afflicted condition ſtill, thou art caſt into a miſerable condition, and that thou ſhalt continue in, the ſcope of the place prohibits credit to ſuch a ſence of the words: we may take the words therefore, ſtrictly according to the Hebrew, In thy blood live; in thy blood live; that is, thou art now in thy blood, in a polluted loathſome condition thou ſhalt live, I will give thee life.
In the Hebrew, an imperative is put for a future ſometimes, and notes power, efficacie, Deut. 32.49, 50. Get thee up into the Mount, and dye in the Mount; there is an imperative put for a future, and it notes power, I will cauſe thee to dye in the Mount: ſo in this place live, I will cauſe thee to live: and ſo it hath the nature of a promiſe, and carries thus much with it, though thou be in great affliction, yet thou ſhalt live, I will uphold thee in thy afflictions, they ſhall not ſinke thee; though thou be in thy naturall and ſinfull condition, dead, yet thou ſhalt live, thy ſinnes ſhall not undoe thee.
Live.
What life is here meant?
Some looke no farther then a naturall or politicall life, that God preſerved them, and made them proſper into a Kingdome, and the ground of this interpretation, is their referring of the words to their being in Aegypt, under ſad afflictions, in which God preſerv'd them, out of which he brought them, and caus'd them to grow into a political bodie. They were there in bondage (which was a kinde of death, as the Jewes were ſaid to be in their graves in Babylon) and yet by the hand of God, preſerved and freed, which is cal'd life.
But ſurely we are to look further than a natural, metaphorical political life, we muſt take in a ſpiritual life here, and that wil not beforced if we refer the words to Abrahams call, when their birth-day began, God found him in his blood, and the life he beſtowed on him was ſpirituall, a life of faith, for he was the Father of the faithfull, a life of holineſſe, for he walked before God, and was upright.
Obſer. 1. God lets men lye in their blood, as long as he pleaſes; take blood for affliction, or man's naturall condition, in either of theſe, men lye the Lords pleaſure, God paſſed not by preſently, they lay in an afflicted condition in Aegypt 200 years and more, before the Lord appeared, and led them forth. they laye 70. yeares in Babylon, before deliverance came, the two witneſſes muſt propheſie 1260. dayes in ſack-cloath, the Jewes have been now 1600. yeares in an afflicted toſſed condition, and the Lord hath not appeared unto them: Rev. 11.3. ſo for mans natural condition.
Abraham was 75. yeares old, when God ſpake to him, cal'd him out of his Countrie, and ſinfull condition. Gen. 12.4. the Gentiles laye in their blood, in their blindneſſe, unbeliefe, impenitencie, idolatries, prophaneneſſe, ſome thouſands of yeares, before the Lord granted them repentance unto life, ere he paſſed by them, and cal'd them: Nichodemus was a Doctor in Iſrael, before the Lord let him know the nature of regeneration.
2. The Lord takes notice of men in what condition they are, and lye in, I ſaw thee polluted in thy blood, he ſaw Abraham in his Idolatrie, Heatheniſme, he ſaw the Jewes making brick of red earth, in the houſe of bondage; there is no ſinfull afflicted condition, that any are in, but the Lord takes notice of it, when Adam hid himſelf in the buſh, the eye of the Lord was upon him, and he ſaw in what a condition he was, and all mankind in him, all ſinfull and ſinnners, all blood and bloodie. Gen. 6.5. God ſaw that the wickedneſſe of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, was only evill continually: he knew what a race came out of Adams loynes: Chriſt knew Jeruſalems condition, that ſhe lay in her blood, when he ſaid, O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, how oft would I &c. Matth. 23 Luke 13. ſo for Iſrael in her affliction, 2 King 14.26. the Lord ſaw the affliction of Iſrael, that it was very bitter; God takes ſpecial notice of the conditions men are in, and not only ſo, but viſits them in thoſe conditions, I paſſed by and ſaw thee polluted in thine owne blood, &c.
3. Jeruſalem the Church of God, in its primitive and naturall conſideration, was in a ſtate of death, I ſaid …nto thee, live; neither Abraham nor any of his ſeed by natu…e had any ſpirituall life in them, he and all his were dead in ſinnes, and treſpaſſes, they were Idolaters, unbeleevers, under the power of ſinne, Guilty before God, Rom. 3.19. Concluded under ſinne, Gal. 3.22. they laye in their blood without life, and this is the condition of every man by nature, though he hath a naturall life, yet he is morrally dead.
Matth. 8.22. Let their dead burie the dead, Let thoſe were dead morrally, burie thoſe were dead naturally.
The whole world is dead, John 6.51. Chriſt ſaith he will give his fleſh For the life of the world; it was dead before, and he brought life to it, therefore he is ſaid to aboliſh death, to bring life and immortallity to light, 2 Tim. 1.10. but the world is not quickned, it hath not received life, it Lyes in wickedneſſe, 1 Joh. 5.19. and the members of it are dead, 1 Tim. 5.6. the widdow That lives in pleaſure is dead while ſhe lives, and Luke 15.24. This my ſonne was dead, But is alive; whileſt he liv'd in ſinfull courſes he was dead.
4. God is the author of life, he is the living God, and gives life, all life is in him and from him, he breath'd into Adam the breath of life, he caus'd the ſpirit of life to enter into the witneſſes after they were ſlain: he gave life to this dying Infant; Abraham had his ſpiritual life from him: ſo hath the true Church and every Member thereof.
1. There is a life of righteouſneſſe or juſtification which lyes in the remiſſion of ſinne, the removall of the guilt, and deliverance from the curſe of the Law due to it, and acceptation of our perſons unto favour, and this life is from God, and is cald the Life of faith, Hab. 2.4. Rom. 5.18. Heb. 10.38. Juſtification of life, Rom. 5.18. and this is Of God. Col. 2.13. You being dead in your ſinnes, and the uncircumciſion of the fleſh, hath he quickned together with him, having forgiven you all treſpaſſes, and Epheſ. 1.6. He hath made us accepted in the beloved.
2. There is a life of holineſſe, 1. Joh. 3.2, 3. He that hath this hope, purifies himſelf, as he is pure. Rom. 6.11, 13, 19. Epheſ. 4.24. which lyes in conformitie to the will of God, and walking as Chriſt walked, and this life is of God, for we are his workmanſhip, Created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good workes, Epheſ. 2.10.
3. The life of glorie, which conſiſts in that happineſſe the Saints have in the enjoyment of God in the heavens, and this God is Author of; therefore is cald the Father of glorie, Epheſ. 1.17. and is ſaid, To bring many ſonnes to glorie Heb. 2.10. and to cal Ʋs unto his eternall glorie, 2 Pet. 5.10.
5. There is nothing in the Creature to move God to ſhew merciemercy, When thou waſt in thy blood, in thy ſin, I ſaid unto thee live. God ſaw nothing to incline or move him to do ought. or beſtow ought upon this Infant, he ſaw no diſpoſitions, or qualifications in Adam or Abraham, when he ſpake to them, and cald them; Adam was the greateſt Malefactor that ever was amongſt men, he deſtroyed the whole world at once; Abraham was amongſt Idolaters and Idolatrous, yet God ſet his heart upon them, ſhewed them merciemercy, ſaid unto them live; Adam had no repentance, Abraham no holineſſe, there were no praevious diſpoſitions, neither could they being fleſh. John 3.6. being dead Epheſ. 2.1. prepare themſelves for merciemercy, If men could by themſelves or others be fitted for merciemercy, then they ſhould be in a middle condition, between a dead man and a living man, a natural man and a ſpirituall man, an ungodly man and a godly; but the Scripture acknowledgeth no ſuch middle condition, what ever men have in them they are one of thoſe two, and if they be dead men, they are not nearer life by all they can doe, Rom. 9.16. It is not of him that willeth, &. there is nothing can have influence into the will of God; what ever he doth is free.
There be ſeverall things which move men.
1. Birth and progenie; royall and noble births have affected many, David taken with Sauls daughter, 1 Sam. 18.17.18. this moves not God, he powres contempt upon Princes, Job 12.21. he Choſeth the poore to be rich in faith, James 2.5. Believers are ſaid to be borne not of bloods. Joh. 1.13. which ſome referre to families of noble and royall blood, and 1 Cor. 1.26. Not many noble.
2. Beauty, Jacob was affected with the beauty of Rachel, Ahaſhuerus with the beauty of Vaſthi, Eſth. 1.11. God is not mov'd with beauty, if wee had it, there is nothing in man to affect his eye, Pſal. 14.3. We are altogether filthie, and God ſaw them in their blood.
3. Naturall parts prevaile much with men, Ahitophel his counſell tooke much with David and Abſolom: Joſeph, Daniel, had excellent ſpirits, great wiſedome, and they were advanced there upon, learning is perſuaſive and conquers many; but parts, and learning can doe nothing with God, 1 Cor. 1.26. Not many wiſe men after the fleſh, Ver. 20. Where is the wiſe? where is the Scribe? where is the diſputer of this world? hath not God made fooliſh the wiſedome of this world? for after that in the wiſedome of God, the world by wiſedome, knew, &c. Matth. 11.25. I thanke thee O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe, and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto Babes.
4. Profitableneſſe, ſerviceableneſſe: ſo Paul perſwades Philemon to take Oneſimus, becauſe he would be profitable unto him, men are taken with men, becauſe they bring in gaine unto them, its not ſo with the Lord, he is not profited by the righteouſneſſe of men, Job. 35.8. he receives nothing at any mans hands, and when wee have done all, wee are unprofitable Servants, we have meat drinke, wages, from him, and do all for our ſelves.
5. Neceſſity moves mightily, it caus'd Abiather to give the Shew-bread to David, 1 Sam. 21.6. the neceſſity of the Church mov'd the rich to ſel their Lands and Goods to diſtribute unto every man as they had need. Act. 2.45. this is no motive unto divine Majeſty, the greateſt part of the world lye in blindneſſe, darkneſſe, and they muſt periſh without the meanes of grace, and God doth not vouchſafe it unto them.
6. Intreatie, that hath a great prevalencie, Luke 11.5.8. When a man came to his friend to borrow bread of him at midnight, and us'd intreaties, importunity, he got what he deſired: but let men pray that are in their blood, and it moves not God, Prov. 15.8. The ſacrifice of the wicked is abhomination unto the Lord, Jer. 11.14. and 14.12. God tels them that when they pray, faſt, cry, offer ſacrifice, he will not heare, nor accept them; the deſire of the wicked ſhall periſh, Pſal. 112.10.
7. Hope of proving well, drawes forth men to do much; Parents for Children, and men for others, they conjecture that they may become inſtrumentall to Church, ſtate, and to Gods glorie in both, the Lord that knowes all, ſees nothing that will make him prove well, he knowes every man will runne the wrong way, if he doe not prevent, infuſe, change and alter nature, Jer. 3.5. they ſpake and did evill things as they could. There is nothing in the creature to move God to doe for it; not foreſeene workes, faith, uſe of free will, perſeverance: God doth beſtow his favour, where is nothing to invite, When I ſaw thee polluted in thy blood, I ſaid unto thee live; not when I ſaw thee waſhed out of thy blood, cleanſed and well qualified; not when I ſaw thee penitent, believing, obedient, but when I ſaw thee in thy blood, in the worſt condition of all: as nothing can incline God, ſo nothing can hinder God from ſhewing merciemercy, Rom. 9.15. I will have merciemercy on whom I will have merciemercy, &c. God will give gifts to Chriſt for the rebellions, and dwell among them, Pſal. 68.18. How rebellious was Manaſſes, how did he ſin againſt Heaven and earth, yet God had a gift for him, life for him; Mary Magdalen, Zacheus, Chriſt ſaid to them live, when they were in their blood: Paul when he was a blaſphemer, perſecuter, an injurious perſon, he ſhew'd merciemercy to him, and bad him live,Nec parvum, nec modicum, nec modiculum. theſe were his preparations to grace and merciemercy, he knew that legall acts could not diſpoſe him or others to receive grace, and therefore concludes, Rom. 3.28. that a man is juſtified without the deeds of the Law.
8. Nothing in the godly moves God, all they do is debt, Luke 17.10. when they had done all, it was but their dutie, beſides, the will and deed are of the Lord, Phil. 2.13. He workes in us, to will and to doe of his good pleaſure; and his diſpenſations of grace and merciemercy, are not according to our wils diſpoſitions, qualifications, but according to the good pleaſure of his owne will, 2 Timoth. 1.9. he ſaves and cals, Not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpoſe.
Obſ. 6. God doth all freely, and nothing can hinder the work of free grace, When I paſſed by thee, & ſaw thee in thine own blood, I ſaid unto thee live; when there was nothing to move in the creature, there was much in God to move him to ſhew compaſſion, the principle that ſets him on worke, is in himſelfe, and that is his foreign Ma th. 11.26. his good pleaſure, foreign Rom. 9.11. His purpoſe, foreign, Epheſ. 1.11. The counſell of his Will. The motive being within God, all he doth is free favour, meere merciemercy; if you will ſearch from Gods beginning with man, to his end, you ſhall finde, all to be of free grace and favour: Predeſtination and election are ſo, Rom. 11.5. God hath choſen the fooliſh, weake, and baſe things of the world, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28. and theſe are cald Veſſels of merciemercy, Rom. 9.23.
Calling is of free grace, 2 Tim, 1.9. Gal. 1.15. who cal'd me by his grace.
Juſtification is ſo, Rom. 3.24. Being juſtified freely through his grace.
Adoption, Epheſ. 1.5. Its according to the good pleaſure of his will.
Chriſt himſelf is free grace, Joh. 3.16.4.10.
Faith in him, Act. 18.27. They believed through grace.
Repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25. If God peradventure will give them repentance.
Love, 1 Theſſ. 4.9. You are taught of God to love.
Change of heart and ſpirit, Exek. 36.26.
Good workes, Eph. 2.10. Joh. 15.5. Without me ye can doe nothing.
Sanctification, 1 Theſſ. 5.23. The very God of peace ſanctifie, &c.
Perſeverance, 1 Cor 1.8. Who ſhall confirme you to the end; and Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walke in my Statutes.
Salvation, Eph. 2.8. By grace are you ſaved through faith, not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God, Titus. 3.5. According to his merciemercy he ſaved us.
Eternall life, Rom. 6.23. It's the gift of God.
Let the conſideration hereof draw your hearts to believe; cheare you againſt all doubts, feares, diſtempers, and cauſe you to give glorie to God, for what he hath done.
7. The Lord ſhewes merciemercy to men when they are in deſperate conditions; when this Infant was caſt out, loathd, lay polluted in her blood (for her Navell was not cut, nor heal'd, but ſhe lay bleeding to death) ready to be devoured by the beaſts of the Feild, the fowles of Heaven, &c. then God ſaid, live. Take life for preſervation, freedom and proſperitie, its true therein, when Moſes and other Hebrew Children were to be drownd, and ſo the male Jewes to have been ruin'd when their lives were grievous to them, under their Task-Maſters, the Lord preſerved them, delivered them. When in Babylon, all their necks were upon the block, by Hamans plot and power, the Lord ſhew'd them merciemercy, and ſaid, live: ſo Daniel in the Lyons den, the three Children in the fierie furnace, &c. God preſerved them, freed them from their dangers, enemies; and caus'd them to live. Take life for ſpirituall life, and you ſhal find that the Lord hath ſaid live, when men have been in deſperate caſes, and at the brinke of eternall deſtruction. The Thiefe upon the Croſſe met vvith life in the gates of death, and ſo the Jaylour Act. 16. One having a fiſh-bone ſticking in his throat, and ready to be ſtrangled, being reproved for ſwearing and curſing, at that time, was ſo wrought upon, that the life of ſin, was turn'd into the life of grace. Another being in a wood, and going to hang himſelfe, the Lord in his providence, caus'd one going by the wood, to heare a noiſe, who came in, counſel'd the man, ſo as that he was wrought upon at that time, and liv'd. You have heard of ſome that have come to godly Miniſters, who croſs'd them, in their preaching, with reſolution to murther them, but ere they parted, God ſaid to them live.
8. When ſinners looke not after God, he is pleaſed to to looke after, and finde out them. This Infant minded not God, inquired not after him, came not towards him: but God paſſed by, and ſeeing her in a bloodie and ſinfull condition, He ſaid unto her live.
God found out, and cald the Jewes, when they neither ſought nor cald: ſo was it with the Gentiles, Iſai. 65.1. I am ſought of them that asked not for me, I am found of them that ſought mee not, theſe words are paradoxicall, how could they ſeeke, that asked not? and how could they find, that ſought not? in them therefore is held out the preventive merciemercy of God. God came to them, ſought them, found them, before they ask't or ſought after him, Epheſ. 2.17. Chriſt came and Preached peace to them that were a far off; that was, the Gentiles; and Paul was to beare the name of the Lord before them, Act. 9.15. by him, ſalvation was ſent to them, Acts 28.28. and he was the Apoſtle of the Gentiles, Rom. 11.13. being prevented and converted by the grace of God, they ſought him whom before they knew not, nor asked for, and now they found him they had not formerly ſought, Rom. 10.20. the words run thus, I was found of them that ſought me not, I was made manifeſt to them, that asked not after me: when they were worſhipping falſe Gods, blaſpheming and diſhonouring my name, I unexpectedly came to them, offered them merciemercy and ſalvation, which they neither thought of, or ſought for, like men that digg in the earth for ſtones, and coales, and find a great treaſure.
Muſcul. reades the words in the future, I will be ſought of them that ask't not for me, I will be found of them who ſought me not, and ſo they are a gratious promiſe of Gods looking after, finding out, and manifeſting of himſelfe unto them, before they had a thought thereof: all their learning, wiſedome, moralitie, led them not to looke after God and ſalvation by Chriſt; by thoſe they were carryed the wrong way, and whilſt they were in the way to deſtruction, God met them, reveald and tendred ſalvation unto them: both Gentile and Jew had preventing grace, and were ſought out of God, before ever they ſought God; hence Jeruſalem had that promiſe or title, Iſai. 62.12. Thou ſhalt be cald ſought out; God had cald her Children, and ſought them out of many Nations.
9. God hath no need of any people; whatever he did to this people, was not becauſe he wanted them to doe him Service, to praiſe his name, to promote any of his deſigns, to ſuffer for his ſake. He paſs'd by, like ſome great man, that rideing forth, findes a poore diſtreſſed Infant, and out of compaſſion takes it up, and into his Familie, and doth much for it, not becauſe he needs it, but will ſhew kindneſſe to it of his owne good pleaſure: ſo dealt the Lord here, he paſſing by, and ſeeing ſo miſerable a creature, ſaid Live, not becauſe he had need, but becauſe he would ſhew merciemercy, Deut. 7.7, 8. The Lord choſe them, not for their number, but becauſe he lov'd them; and he lov'd them, not becauſe he needed them, but becauſe he would communicate good unto them, he is al ſufficient of himſelf, not depending on or beholding to any creature; if he needed people or Nations, he could create them, raiſe them up from the ſtones. Iſay ſaith, Chap. 40.15. The Nations are as drop of the bucket, and are counted as the ſmall duſt of the ballance; and ſurely God who is an infinite Ocean, an infinite being, needs not a little drop or a little duſt. The Samaritan had no need of the wounded man, Luk. 10 but he needed the Samaritanes wine and oyle: God hath no need of England.
10. The Lord beſtowes great mercies in a tranſient way; When I paſſed by and ſaw thee, I ſaid live; he tooke this occaſion, to doe good to this bloodie, helples, ſinfull Infant. The Samaritane, as he paſſed by the man wounded, tooke occaſion to bind up his wounds, and ſave his life. Chriſt in the 9. of John going by ſaw a blind man, and thereupon annointed his eyes, and cauſed him to ſee: ſo in Joel 2.14. you read of leaving a bleſſing behind him; God paſſes through Kingdomes, Families, and uſes to leave bleſſings where he goes, he takes occaſion from what he ſees, and finds, to diſtribute mercies: Chriſt when he was going out of the world, ſaid, Peace I leave with you, John 14.27. he would not leave them without a bleſſing.
Wee ſhould labour to be like unto God and Chriſt, take occaſions and advantages to doe good.
11. In beſtowing mercies God is ſerious and reall; this appeares from the ingemination of the words, live, live; when there is a doubling of the ſame word, there the intention, realitie, and earneſtneſſe of the Author ſpeaking is held out; be it in matter of judgement, or matter of merciemercy. Ezek. 5.8. I, even I, am againſt thee; God was ſeriouſly, and earneſtly againſt them, Ezek. 37.5, 6. Yee ſhall live, yee ſhall live; God was ſet upon it, viz. the giving life to drie bones, Iſai. 40.1. Comfort yee, comfort ye my people; the duplication of the words imports Gods ſeriouſnes to comfort them, Hoſ. 2.19. I will betroth thee unto me, yea I will betroth thee unto me, yea a third time, I will betroth thee unto me; the more iteration, the more affection, intention and reallitie. Iſai. 55.1. Come, Come, Come, ſaith God thrice, and this ſets out the real, and vehement deſire of the Lord to doe ſinners good; and how ſhould this make ſinners hearken unto the Lord, when he ſpeakes, and entertaine any offers of merciemercy from him?
12. When God hath done much for a people, and they are degenerate, ingratefull, diſobedient, the Lords way of dealing with them, is to ſet before them their originall condition, and his kindneſſe unto them, When thou waſt in thy bloud, I ſaid unto thee live, &c. ſo in Micah 6.2, 3, 4, 5. God had a controverſie with them, for their unkindneſſe towards him, and ſaith, O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? teſtifie againſt me: for I brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt, and redeemed thee out of the Houſe of Servants, and ſent before thee, Moſes, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, rememember now what Balack King of Moab confulted, and what Balaam the ſonne of Beor anſwered him, from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteouſneſſe of the Lord; that I kept Covenant, performed all promiſed to Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, &c. I gave you Prophets, and Propheteſſes, choiſe deliverers, I turned curſes into bleſſings, I led you by a pillar of fire in the night, and a cloud in the day: ſo in Jer. 2.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Thus ſaith the Lord, what iniquitie have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanitie, and are become vaine? Neither ſaid they, where is the Lord that brought us out of the Land of Aegypt? that led us through the Wilderneſſe, through a Land of Deſarts and of pits, through a Land of Drought and of the ſhaddow of death, through a Land that no man paſſed through, and where no man dwelt. And I brought you into a plentifull Countrie, to eate the fruit thereof, and the goodneſſe thereof; but when ye entred, ye defiled my Land, and made mine heritage an abhomination. The Prieſts ſaid not, where is the Lord? and they that handle the Law, knew not me, the Paſtors alſo tranſgreſſed againſt me, and the Prophets propheſied by Baal, and walked after things that doe not profit. Wherefore I will yet plead with you ſaith the Lord, and with your Childrens Children will I plead; God had done great things for them, and they had greatly corrupted their wayes, degenerated fearefully from the worſhip of God, therefore God reduceth them to conſider of their priſtine condition, and what a bountiful, merciful, gratious God he was to them. He had done ſuch and ſuch things for them, and they forgate him and all his kindneſſe, and made him ſay, Deut. 32.6. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh people, and unwiſe? Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and eſtabliſhed thee?