Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 18 · Verses 24-28
VERS. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.
Yet yee ſay the way of the Lord is not equall. Heare now oh houſe of Iſrael, is not my way equall? are not your ways unequall?
When a righteous man turneth away from his righteouſneſſe, and committeth iniquity, and dyeth in them; for his iniquity that hee hath done ſhall he dye.
Againe, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedneſſe that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawfull & right, he ſhall ſave his ſoule alive.
Becauſe he conſidereth and turneth away from all his tranſgreſſions that hee hath committed, he ſhall ſurely live, hee ſhall not die.
Yet ſaith the houſe of Iſrael, the way of the Lord is not equall. Oh houſe of Iſrael are not my waies equall? are not your wayes unequall?
THe Jewes had complained of the Lords hard dealing with them in the 2. verſ. To which unjuſt complaint he makes a large anſwer to the 19 verſ. where they reply upon God the ſame thing ſtill; to which reply hee returns a ſufficient defence throughly ſatisfactory to any unprejudic'd, and that is in the 6. verſes laſt opened: but they not taking ſatisfaction from what the Lord gave in by the Prophet here, they come again to charge him.
In theſe verſes you have,
1. Their charge. The way of the Lord is not equall.
2. Gods anſwer to this charge, where
1. Attention is cal'd for, heare now O houſe of Iſrael.
2. An interrogation made; is not my way, &c.
3. A retortion of the accuſation upon themſelves.
4. The probation of the equity of his wayes in the 26, 27, 28.
5. A repetition of the charge, interrogation and recrimination, verſ. 29.
For the words, ſomething to the opening of them muſt be ſpoken.
The way of the Lord is not equall.
The Heb. word for not equall is, foreign which Montan. renders non dirigetur. The Sept. puts it actively, foreign, non dirigit; The way of the Lord ſhall not be direct; we look not upon it as ſo, but as crooked: or it doth not direct us, but lead us to think hardly of him; his way is ſuch as would make any ſort of men judge that he deales unjuſtly. Aecolampad turns it thus, non eſt parata via domini, the way of the Lord is not prepared, there is no art or induſtry in it; non rectificata, it is not rectified, it's a wrong way that he goeth in. Caſtal. hath it, negatis conſtare rationem domini, they deny that the way of the Lord conſiſts, hath any reaſon or equity in it. There is no good coherency between him and what he doth. The French is, la voye du ſeigneur n'eſt point a' droit; that is, the way of the Lord hath no right in it: but the moſt Expoſitors have it as 'tis here, the way of the Lord is not equall. The Hebrew verb foreign ſignifies to ponder, weigh, frame artificially; ſecundum numerum & menſuram certam, 1 Sam. 2.3. By him actions are weigh'd. Avenar. interprets the words thus; artificioſe fabricata ſunt opera, his works have much artificiouſneſſe in them, they are curiouſly wrought: ſo the word is to be taken in Job 28.25. & in Pſal. 75.4. where it's ſaid, I beare up the pillars thereof. foreign which Montanus renders thus, direxi aequilibrio columnas ejus; I have evenly order'd, fram'd, and ſet the pillars thereof, one is not higher, leſſer, or lower then the other: and Avenar. Ego fabricavi columnas ejus, I have numero & pondere, framed the pillars thereof. And he expounds the word in this Chap. artificioſe parare, and makes the ſenſe this, that the way of the Lord is artificiouſly prepared.
The charge here that Gods way is not equall, amounts to this; that his way is not well weighed, artificially fram'd, and exactly done, but irregular, crooked, and ſinfull: ſo M…nſter hath the words, non eque libratur, it's not equally carried.
way.
Heb. foreign The worke, action, dealing, judgments and proceedings of God with them: not ratio, as Caſtalio puts it, unleſſe it be taken thus; there is no reaſon in that God doth, or he hath no reaſon for what he doth.
Is not my way equall?
It's an interrogation which is more then a plain or naked affirmation: had the Lord ſaid my way is equal, what ever you think or ſay, however you carry your ſelves, it had not had ſuch weight, efficacy and ſtrength in it, as now the words containe; is not my way equall? what not my wayes? doe you doubt or queſtion the ſame? If there be not equity in my way, there is none in any way; all wayes are rough, crooked, perverſe to my ways, they are weighed exactly, wrought artificially, and done upon ſuch mature, rational, wiſe, and ſtrong grounds, that neither you nor any have cauſe to quarrell, and ſay my wayes are not equall, they are equall, yea equity it ſelfe.
There be ſome things which men catch at to make the wayes of God ſeem unequall, eſpecially theſe.
1. His puniſhments.
2. His choices.
3. His diſtribution of things to men.
4. Diſappointments.
5. His rewards.
1. For his puniſhments; great was the complaint and charge here in this Chap. that God did puniſh them for their fathers ſins, to which calumny ſufficient hath been ſpoken: That of Adam's ſinne, and all his poſterity to ſuffer for it, ſticks much with ſome; that millions ſhould periſh upon that account, makes the way of God ſeem unequall. But upon due conſideration it will appear otherwiſe; for Adam being a publique perſon, repreſented all mankind: and God covenanted with him, that if he ſtood and kept that image of God in which he was created, that then his poſterity ſhould be like him, and happy with himſelfe: but if hee fell that they ſhould ſuffer in him, and with him, and what unequalneſſe was here? Adam was the root of all men, had all in his loins, and as all loſt the image of God in him falling, Rom. 5.12.16, 17, 18, 19. So all ſhould have had the image of God in him ſtanding.
2. For his choiſes; God ſeems to reſpect perſons, becauſe he dealeth unequally with men that are equall, all men are fallen in Adam, equally guilty; yet ſome of theſe God chuſeth to life, others he leaves and paſſes by, all are his creatures, and he deales not alike with them. Beſides, he chooſeth the fooliſh, the weak, the baſe and deſpiſed, and ſets by the wiſe, mighty and noble, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27, 28. what equity therefore in his wayes? Yea oft times he takes great notorious ſinners, and thoſe are leſſe ſinfull are rejected.
To ſet all ſtraight here, conſider what it is to accept or reſpect perſons. It is to look at men upon externall grounds, ſome outward qualities, and thereupon to do for them, as riches, honour, birth, breeding, power, kindred, family, beauty, ſtrength, condition of life, learning, wiſdom, parts, policie, &c.
Now the Lord doth not look at any externall adjuncts or ornaments in his Elections and Choices of men: nothing in the creature or from the creature moves him, it is his owne good pleaſure and will ſets him a work to chuſe any, 2 Tim. 1.9. Eph. 1.5.11. Rom. 9.18.
Beſides this, know God is not bound to deal equally with men, being equally miſerable, for then he muſt deſtroy all, or ſave all, and ſo have the glory of juſtice alone, or mercy, alone, and not the glory of both, then he ſhould not have made Chriſt ſin for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. But have puniſhed Adam and all thoſe ſin'd in him; and what then had become of the world? hell had been full, and heaven empty. And for his choiſe of any out of thoſe are equall in ſin, or of greater ſinners, what doth this ſhew but the freedome of his grace, and his ſoveraignty over the creatures, to doe with them as hee pleaſes, Rom. 9.21. Shall that priviledg be denyed to God which is given to the Potter, and Gods way ſeeme more unequall in his dealing with men, then the potters is with the clay? And whereas God doth take the weak, baſe, fooliſh and deſpiſed things of the world, it's argument that he doth not reſpect perſons; he takes thoſe have nothing in them to move him: Should he take the wiſe, mighty, noble, rich & learned, then there would be ſome bottom for charging God with acceptation of perſons; but examine the Scriptures, and they quit the Lord abundantly from it, Deut. 10.17. 2 Chron. 19.7. Job 34.19. 2 Sam. 14.14. Acts 10.34. Rom. 2.11. Gal. 2.6. Epheſ. 6.9. Coloſſ. 3.25. 1 Pet. 1.17. In all theſe places the Lord is freed from regarding, reſpecting, or accepting of perſons.
3. For his diſtribution of things, the Lord, is accounted to deale unequally; why, ſay men of this humour, have many ſo much, and others ſo little, or nothing at all? ſome have Mannors, Lordſhips, Counties, Kingdoms, when others have neither houſe nor land; ſome have five Talents, others one; ſome are wiſe, and others ideots; yea that which ſhews the way of the Lord to be unequall, is, wicked men have great eſtates, high places, they ride, and the righteous goe on foot being poor and low.
For anſw. to this, know, that the Lord is a free agent, and may give what he pleaſes, when, where, and in what proportion ſeems good to himſelfe, and to his infinite wiſdome. Men blame not providence, that ſome trees are ſtronger, taller, bigger then others: If the Vine, Olive, and Fig-tree be lower then Cedars and Oaks, they are more fruitfull, and yeeld pleaſanter fruit. Is the Merchant blameable if hee fraught one ſhip with Coals, another with Corn, one with skins, another with ſilks, one with boards, another with the richeſt wines? Surely no; and may not the Lord put into theſe earthen Veſſels of men what he will, and as much as he will? If he make women the weaker veſſels, deny beards to them, which he hath given to men, is he unequall in ſuch diſpenſations? what if wicked men have much? it's but thick clay, Hab. 2.6. Meat that periſheth, John 6.27. Ʋnrighteous Mammon, Luk. 16.9. The luſt of the fleſh, eyes, and pride of life, 1 Joh. 2.16. Vanity and vexation of ſpirit, Eccleſ. 1.14. And that which will not profit in an evill day, Prov. 11.4. Better things then theſe are given to the righteous, Peace of Chr…ſt and God, which paſſeth underſtanding, John 14.27. Phil. 4.7. Joy unſpeakable and glorious. 1 Pet. 1.8. Pretious faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. The Spirit of power, love, and of a ſound mind. 2 Tim. 1.7. The great and pretious Promiſes, yea all things pertaining to life and godlineſſe. 2 Pet. 1.3, 4. Therefore though they be low in a Worldly ſence, yet they are lifted up in a ſpirituall ſence, and ſo highly exalted, that the world is not worthy of them. Heb. 11.38.
4. His diſappointing of men and means which are likelieſt to attain unto thoſe ends are aim'd at. Eccleſ. 9.11. The race is not to the ſwift, nor the battle to the ſtrong, neither bread to the wiſe, nor riches to men of underſtanding, nor favour to men of skil. To whom ſhould theſe be, if not to ſuch? when men uſe honeſt means, and with all their might, they are diſappointed and diſcouraged. If the race be to the ſlow, the battle to the weak, bread to the fooliſh, riches and favour to the ignorant and unskilfull; what equity is there in Gods wayes, and why ſhould we having talents uſe them, or uſing them be diſappointed?
This Object. ſeems to ſtrike deep, yet wounds not the honour of the Lord, and equity of his wayes. For,
1. Gods wayes are not unequall, becauſe we cannot ſee the reaſon of them, we are poor pur-blind creatures, and know little: The Lords underſtanding is infinite, Pſal. 147.5. There is no ſearching of it, Iſa. 40.28. His judgements are a great deep, Pſal. 36.6. There is no fathoming of them, his wayes are paſt finding out, Rom. 11.33. It's not ſafe therefore, becauſe wee ſee not the equity of them, to conclude they are unequall.
2. God diſappoints men of abilities uſing lawful and direct means to attain their ends propounded, becauſe they truſt in the means, idolize them, looking at God in the ſecond place, or not at all; acquaint your ſelves with theſe places, and you will find the reality of it, that men are apt to confide in their own abilities, to truſt in an arme of fleſh, to applaud their own preparations, and expect much from them. Iſa. 31.1, 2, 3. Jer. 9.23. Pſal. 20.7.49.6. Jer. 7.4. Ezek. 16.15. Amos 6.1. Hoſ. 10.13. If God diſappoint them for their own ſin, of their expectation, what inequality is therein Gods wayes? the wages of ſinne is death, death of deſigns and undertakings, as well as of men the undertakers.
3. Let it be granted, that men uſe their abilities & means conducing to their ends propounded, the right way, without confidence in the ſame, in ſubordination unto God, yet may the Lord diſappoint mens purpoſes, contrivances, aimes and ends, and that without ſin; for the Lord is above all ſecond cauſes, his providence rules and runs through all, and doth give check when, where, and how it pleaſes to all creature motions; and God will have men to fee, that without concurrence of his providence & aſſiſtance nothing can be done; it's not humane diſpoſitions, counſels, preparations, operations, uſe of any medicines that can produce any effect without God. Lam. 3.37. Who is hee that ſaith, and it commeth to paſſe when the Lord commandeth it not? Let Princes, Potentates, and Powers, conſult of, attempt what they will, if the Lord have not commanded the thing, if he do not co-operate with them in doing the thing, it proves abortive. 1 K. 12.21, 22, 23. 2 Chron. 25.6, 7. Iſa. 37.33, 34 36. 2 K. 7.5, 6, 7. Iſa. 19.3. Job 5.12. Iſa. 8.9, 10. The ſumme of all which is that in Pſal. 33.10. He makes the devices of the people of none effect. If men have that power to ſtop and fruſtrate great undertakings at Sea and Land, ſhall it be denyed to the great God of Heaven and Earth? God ſhould not be omnipotent, nor reign in the Kingdoms of the Earth, if men could carry on their deſigns, and attain their ends without him.
4. Events and ſucceſſes of things are hidden in the hand of God, men muſt therefore improve their talents, uſe all lawfull meanes for accompliſhing thoſe things are good in the ſight of God, and wait upon the Lord for diſcovery of his mind and good pleaſure therein. It argues an ill ſpirit to ſay we ſhall be diſappointed, and therefore we will ſit ſtill; how know we what ſhall be the iſſue of any undertaking? If one enterprize faile, another may take; if one arrow hit not the mark, a 2d or 3d may: If we hide our talents in napkins, wee ſhall be found ill ſervants, and the command is, what ever thy hand findeth to doe, doe it with thy might, Eccl. 9.10. Men muſt not be idle, but active, and active to they utmoſt.: For, there is a ſeaſon to every thing, and a time to every purpoſe, Chap. 3.1. What that ſeaſon and time will prove, no man knows, you muſt venture therefore. Eccleſ. 11.6. In the morning ſow thy ſeede, and in the evening with-hold not thy hand, for thou knoweſt not whither ſhall proſper either this or that, or whether they both ſhall be alike good.
5. If there be diſappointments, God may make them as advantagious to thee as enjoyments, or recompence it in another undertaking. Amaziah hired 100000. mighty men of valour out of Iſrael for 100. talents of ſilver, God ſends a Prophet, who bids him diſmiſſe them all; this diſappointment troubled him, what ſhall we doe for the 100. talents? the Prophet anſwered him, the Lord is able to give thee much more then this, 2 Chron. 25.9. So God is able to make up any diſappointment, and more too: what unequity or iniquity then is in his way?
5. The laſt thing propounded making Gods ways to ſeem unequall, is his rewarding men unproportionably to what they doe or ſuffer. Matth. 20.12. Theſe laſt have wrought but one houre, and thou haſt made them equall unto us who have borne the burthen and heat of the day. We have been eleven or twelve houres in thy Vineyard, we have wrought hard, the work hath lyen heavy upon our hands, we have endured the heat and ſcorching of the ſunne, done ten times as much as thoſe came in but an houre ſince; and what juſtice, what equity is it that they ſhould be equall with us in the pay, that were ſo unequall in the labour?
To quit the Lord, let us conſider only what the parable affords us, and therein is plentifull matter to juſtifie him from wronging thoſe that here did murmure and complain, For
1. Thoſe were hired earlieſt in the morning, and ſo were longeſt in the Vineyard, and at the work, the Lord agreed with them for a penny a day, verſ. 2. which he paid them, verſ. 10. and therefore did them no wrong, verſ. 13.
2. Thoſe were hired at the 3.6. and 9th houres, verſ. 3. and 5. the Lord promiſed them what ever was right and equall, verſ. 9. foreign What ever they had then, it was juſt; and where juſtice is, there is no ground of complaint: ſo for the eleventh houre, men they had the ſame promiſe, Verſ. 8. Goe yee into the Vineyard, and whatſoever is right, that ſhall yee receive. How is Gods dealing with them unequall and wrong, when he gave them that which was equall and right?
3. If the laſt did not deſerve the penny, yet God might give them the penny, and ſo he did, Verſ. 14. I will give unto this laſt, even as unto thee. God may give what reward he pleaſes unto thoſe do him the leaſt and lateſt ſervice, equalize them with the firſt, and thoſe do moſt, and that without partiality; for it's lawfull for him to doe what he will with his owne, v. 15.
Are not your wayes unequall?
You obſerve, complaine of my wayes, charge them to be unequal; but your ways, if examined, will be found the unequall and unjuſt wayes, the charge you lay upon mee will light upon your ſelves: The Vulg. reads it, non magis viae veſtrae pravae ſunt? you ſay my wayes are not right, but rather are not your wayes wicked and corrupt? Surely they are, you are blind, prejudic'd, and cannot judge aright of me and my wayes; but I am God, light and no darkneſſe, I know you and your wayes, and doe aſſert them to be unequall. You have forſaken mee, Iſa. 1.4. even me the fountaine of living waters, and hewed you out Ciſternes, euen broken Ciſternes that can hold no water. Jer. 2.13. You have fil'd the Temple with Idols, and the Land with violence. Ezek. 8. You have deviſed miſchiefe, and given wicked counſell. Ezek. 11.2. Driven out the brethren, Verſ. 15. You have ſcoffed at my Prophets & propheſies, Chap. 12.22. You have hearkened to lying Prophets and Propheteſſes who have dawbed with untempered morter. Sadded the hearts of the righteous, and ſtrengthned the hands of the wicked. Chap. 13.10.22. You have ſet up Idolls in your hearts. Ch. 14.3. You have juſtified Sodome and Samaria in all their wickedneſſe, and done more abominably then they, Chap. 16.46, 47. You have broken Covenant with Nebuchadnezar, King of Babylon, and revolted from him, & ſent to Aegypt for help, Chap. 17.15. And now conſider, are not your wayes unequall? yea moſt unequall: had you any cauſe to charge me? have not I juſt cauſe to charge you?
Of the 26, 27, 28. verſes hath been ſpoken before in the 24.21. and 14. verſes of this Chap. Only thoſe words in the 27. we ſhall ſpeak a little unto, namely
He ſhall ſave his ſoule alive.
The Heb. is, foreign ipſe animam ſuam vivificabit, he ſhall quicken his owne ſoule: the Sept. have it foreign, he hath preſerved, or ſhall preſerve his owne ſoule: Vatabl. ipſe animam ſuam vivam ſervabit, he ſhall keepe his ſoule alive. French is, iceluy viûifiera ſon ame, he ſhall make alive his owne ſoule.
This expreſſion appears contradictory to what is recorded in Pſal. 22.29. where it's ſaid, none can keepe alive his own ſoul; the Hebr. is venaphſho lo chijah, hee ſhall not quicken or make alive his owne ſoule.
1. Wee muſt ſearch out the meaning of the Hebrew word, and
2. See how to reconcile the places.
1. For the word vivificare, or vivificare animam, doth not note alwayes bringing to, or begetting life in the ſoule being dead; for how can that is dead act and produce life in it ſelfe; quickning from death either naturall or ſpirituall, is from the Lord, John 5.21. Epheſ. 2.5. Sometimes it notes ſparing of a mans life, 1 K. 20.31. Peradventure hee will ſave thy life, it's ſpoken of Benhadad, being in the hands of Ahab; the Hebr. is foreign peradventure he will quicken thy ſoule. Benhadad was alive, but in danger of death; the meaning therefore is, that if they tryed the King of Iſrael, he might free him from death, ſpare his life, and that was the quickning of his ſoule; in this ſenſe it's uſed, Gen. 19.19. Sometimes preſerving of life. 2 Kings 7.4. Say the lepers, Let us goe to the Syrians, if they ſave us alive we ſhall live: The Heb. is, if they quicken us. If they wil give us to eat and drink our lives will be preſerued, and ſo the word ſignifies, Gen. 6.19. Chap. 47.25. Sometimes it notes putting into a former cond…tion, as Neh. 4.2. Wil they revive the ſtones out of the heaps of the rubbiſh which are burnt? That is, will they reſtore the Stones burnt to aſhes, and ſet them in the wall as formerly. Sometimes to comfort, Ezek. 13.18, 19. So the falſe Prophets are ſaid to quicken, or ſave ſouls that came unto them, they by their fained, and faire words, did beget hopes in them of good things, and good days. The ſence we are to take it in here, is the firſt and ſecond, He ſhall quicken his ſoule, and make it alive: that is, ſave it from death, and deſtruction, which wicked men are ſubject unto, they doe that wickedneſſe which ſhortens their days, Job 36.6. He preſerveth not the life of the wicked. The Originall is, he ſhall not quicken the wicked, Lo jechaieh raſhang, He ſhall not deliver him from the death and judgement he hath brought upon himſelfe; he ſhall die for his ſin, but when a man ceaſes from wickedneſſe, he ſhall free his ſoule from death, and that this is the meaning, is cleare from the words in the 26. Verſe. Viz. For his iniquity that he hath done ſhall he die. A righteous man, turning from his righteouſneſſe, and ſinning, ſhall die; ſhall be cut off, a wicked man turning from his wickedneſſe, he ſhall ſave his life, and preſerve it in a comfortable condition, he ſhall ſurely live. For the place in the Pſalmiſt you may underſtand it of a naturall death; ſo no man can keepe alive his owne ſoule, that is, himſelfe; or thus, he ſpeaks of Chriſt in the Verſe, the rich ſhall worſhip him, and the poor ſhall bow before him, and as it follows, None can keepe alive his owne ſoule, that is, without him, without Chriſt, John 15.5. Without him none can free his ſoule from wrath, and eternall death; and if any will ſtretch Ezekiells words ſo far, that he ſhall ſave his ſoule alive from wrath to come, and the ſecond death, he muſt take in Chriſt, it's not mans owne acting will doe it.
The 29. Verſe is a repetition of the 25.; which is not in vaine, but,
1. Sets out the impiety, and impudence of thoſe charged Gods wayes to be unequall.
2. How ill God took it at their hands.
3. It tends to a further clearing of God. And,
4. A fuller conviction of the Chargers that they were guilty; all which I ſhall paſſe by, and come unto ſome few Obſervations.
Obſer. 1.
Men are apt to queſtion, quarrell, and carp at God, and the ways of God. They ſay the way of the Lord is not equdll. Sometimes men charge his ways to be grievous, and burthenſome. John 6.60. This is a hard ſaying, who can beare it. Amos 7.10. The Land is not able to beare all his words. Sometimes to be dangerous. Prov. 26.13. The ſloathfull man ſaith there is a Lyon in the ſtreets. If I walk in Gods ways, I ſhall meet with reproaches, perſecutions, temptations, and tempters, and theſe be all Lyons. Sometimes to be unprofitable. Mal. 3.14. Yee have ſaid, it is in vaine to ſerve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoſts: So, Iſa. 58.3. Wherefore have we faſted and thou ſeeſt not? wherefore have we afflicted our ſoule and thou takeſt no knowledge? all our labour is in vaine, there is no benefit in his wayes. Sometimes to be lying, and falſe, Ezek. 12.22. The dayes are prolonged, and every Viſion faileth, 2 Pet. 13.4. Where is the promiſe of his comming? Sometimes to be hereticall, Acts 24.13. and here they are ſaid to be unequall, and not onelyonly doe men charge Gods wayes, but himſelfe alſo; they bluſh not to ſpeake it out, that, God ſeeth not, that he hath forſaken the Earth, Ezek. 8.12: 9.9. Some in theſe dayes affirme, that God is the Author of ſin, that it's injuſtice in him to puniſh the ſouls of the wicked in Hell, while their bodies lye at reſt in the Grave: That God doth as much hurt as good, take one time with another. O the corruption, pride, impudency, arrogancy of men, that dare ſit in judgement upon God and his wayes, charge and ſentence him and them ſo unjuſtly? And that which is to be lamented, good men ſometimes have gone too far this way. See, Pſal. 77.7, 8, 9.73.13, 14. Jer. 20.12. Job. 10.3. Let us take heed of this wretched diſpoſition, humble your ſelves for failings this way, and learn not to judge of God and his wayes, by our Fancies, and ſhallow Capacities; though we cannot ſee the reaſon of his proceedings let us adore him, and juſtifie them, for,
2. Gods wayes are juſt and ſtraight whatever mens thoughts are of them, Are not my wayes equall? His wayes are full of equity; thoſe ſeem grievous are pleaſant, Prov. 3.17. thoſe are thought dangerous are ſafe, Prov. 1.33. Who ſo hearkeneth unto me ſhall dwell ſafely, and ſhall be quiet from feare of evill. Thoſe ſaid to be unprofitable are very profitable, Pſal. 119.56. This I had becauſe I kept thy precepts. Pſal. 19.11, In keeping of them is great reward. Thoſe are reckoned falſ, and hereticall, are moſt true, Pſal. 119.160. Thy word is true from the beginning, Ezek. 12.23. The days are at hand, and the effect of every Viſion. Rev. 15.3. Juſt and true are thy wayes, O thou King of Saints. God is a God that cannot lye, Tit. 1.2. That cannot deale unjuſtly, that cannot pervert his ways; and therefore he makes challenge to the Sons of men to prove it if they can; to produce one inſtance of that kind, if they can. Mic. 6.3. What have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wronged thee? teſtifie againſt me. Let your Kings, Nobles, Princes, Prophets, Prieſts, People, their wiſe men and ancient ones come forth, and teſtifie againſt me if they can. I have been amongſt you ever ſince I brought you out of Aegypt, now almoſt a thouſand years, and if there be any unjuſt Act done by me, if I have walked in any un-equall way, let me heare of it, ſpare me not? So Jer. 2.5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me? God put them to it, to make it out if there were any, but none could be found out. It did ſtand for a truth in Davids days, it doth ſtand now, and muſt ſtand for ever. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works. Pſal. 145.17.
3. When we have a controverſie with any, we ſhould not reproach them, be in paſſion, give them hard language, but gentle, ſweet, loving compellations, Heare now O houſe of Iſraell, what a loving tearm was this, what entreaty was here from the great wronged, and provok'd God? Mic. 6.2.3. The Lord hath a controverſie with his people, and he will plead with Iſrael. But how doth he plead? Not in fury, in an upbraiding, r…viling way, but in a loving manner, O my people, what have I done, &c. Men when they are charged unjuſtly, and have controverſies with others, they forget God, and themſelves: they are full of paſſion, bitterneſſe, reproaching, exaſperating, and dangerous expreſſions; they think they may take liberty to ſpeake and vindicate themſelves; true, but not in an unjuſt way, you muſt not ſpeake evill of any man. Tit. 3.2. you muſt not brawle, you muſt be gentle, ſhewing all meekneſſe to all men. Thus did Chriſt to a Reprobate, Matth. 22.12. thus did Michael to the Divell, Jude 4.
4. When men are once prejudic'd againſt God and his wayes, it's hard to unprejudice them. When corrupt opinions are once gotten into the head or heart, they roote, take ſuch hold, as it's a great difficulty to get them out againe. Theſe Jewes ſaid they ſuffered greatly for the ſin of their fathers; that his wayes therefore were not equall, the Lord ſpends this Chapter upon them to free them from that prejudice, to extirpate that miſ-conceit they had of him and his wayes, and to ſet himſelfe right in their thoughts; but yet yee ſay, verſ. 19. Yet yee ſay, verſ. 25. Yet ſaith the houſe of Iſrael, the way of the Lord it not equall, verſ. 29. The ſtrong arguments the Lord brought did not prevaile with them.
No marvail then that Miniſters cannot prevaile; people hold faſt errors, lies, deluſions, and will not let them goe. Many wonder that Learned men ſhould not convince thoſe are un-learned, and weake, and take them off from their Opinions: But ſee here, they ſtood it out againſt God. Men are very tenacious of erroneous, and falſe tenets, and being by them prejudiced againſt God, his truth, and wayes, they will not let them goe, they will rather die in, then depart from them. Ahab is prejudiced againſt Micaiah, and in him againſt God. He Propheſies no good, but evill concerning me. Hee's a man I hate, 1 Kings 22.8. Jehoſhaphat, though a good man, and great King, he could not take him, off from this prejudice he had againſt God, and the Prophet, but he perſiſted therein to his death.
One Rabbi Akibba being impriſoned amongſt the Gentiles, another Rabbi brought him as much water as ſerved to quench his thirſt, and waſh his hands; the keeper of the Priſon one day powred out halfe of it. Akibba ſeing not enough water, ſaid to the other Rabbi, give me that to waſh my hands, to which he replyed, there is not enough to quench your thirſt. Akibba anſwers, Quiſquis manibus illotis cibum capit, is mortis reus eſt, it will be better for me to die for thirſt, then to deſpiſe the tradition of my Elders. Buxdorf. Synag. Ind.
The Jews are ſo ſtrongly poſſeſt with untoward Opinions, that no reaſon, no time will keep them off from them; they ſtill think that neither Elias, nor Meſſiah are come, but look for them daily, and that God deals unkindly with them that he doth not ſend them; they hold that their Meſſiah ſhall not come in ſuch a clandeſtine way as the Chriſtians Meſſiah did. He ſhall have a glorious Kingdome here on Earth, many Wives, and leave Children to reigne after he is dead and gone. The Papiſts reteine their Opinions about images, tranſubſtantiation, Chriſts deſcent to Hell, Purgatory, &c. notwithſtanding all the Proteſtants Diſqutes, and writings to the contrary, they will die in their Errors rather then leave them to embrace truth.
5. Men faulty themſelves, are forward to fault others, even thoſe are moſt innocent; theſe Jews whoſe wayes were moſt unequall, they ſpie faults in God, as they conceive, and ſay his wayes are unequall. Jonas who run away from God, yet he was wroth with God for ſparing Niniveh, and deſtroying the Gourd, he thought the Lord did ill in both, Jon. 4. and ſo with men, thoſe are moſt guilty, and obnoxious, they are uſually cenſuring, accuſing, diſgracing, condemning. Ahab who had ſold himſelfe to doe wickedly, ſet up Idolls, and done more abominably then others, yet he ſets upon Elijah and accuſs him to be the troubler of Iſrael, 1 K. 18.17. The Scribes and Phariſees who were very wicked and notorious Hopocrites, were moſt forward to charge Chriſt.