Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 34 · Verses 26-27
Verſes 26, 27.
And I will make them and the places round about my hill, a bleſſing; and I will cauſe the ſhowre to come down in his ſeaſon: there ſhall be ſhowres of bleſſing.
And the tree of the field ſhall yeeld her fruit, and the earth ſhall yield her increaſe, and they ſhall be ſafe in their Land, and ſhall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of thoſe that ſerved themſelves of them.
IN theſe verſes as in the former, the Lord promiſes ſweet mercies unto his people.
Firſt, A bleſſing in generall, verſ. 26.
Secondly, Particular bleſſings, and they are theſe,
1. Seaſonable ſhowres from Heaven, verſ. 26.
2. Fruitfullneſſe of the earth, and that both of the Trees and Land, verſ. 27.
3. Safety, ibid.
4. Acknowledgement of God, ibid.
5. Freedom, ibid.
Thirdly, The time when all theſe ſhall be, ibid.
Verſ. 26. I will make them and the places round about my hill, a bleſſing.
The Jews being in Babylon were for a proverb, a reproach, a taunt, and a curſe, Jer: 24.9. Chap: 25.18. Chap: 29.18. but God would roul away their reproach, and make them a bleſſing. The Chaldee is erunt benedicti, they ſhall be bleſſed; its uſuall in Scripture to put the Abſtract for the Concrete, as Gen: 12.2. Thou ſhalt be a bleſſing, the Vulgar there is benedictus, thou ſhalt be bleſſed; take the word bleſſing here for the Concrete, and the ſenſe is, they ſhall be bleſſed with abundance and variety of bleſſings, they ſhall be happy and proſperous in all things; but take the word as it is in the Abſtract, a bleſſing, the ſenſe is, they ſhall be a bleſſing unto others, they ſhall be a bleſſing unto the Nations, as they were a curſe in the Nations, ſo they ſhould be a bleſſing unto them, Zech: 8.13. It ſhall come to paſſe, that as ye were a curſe among the Nations, O houſe of Judah, and houſe of Iſrael, ſo will I ſave you, and ye ſhall be a bleſſing, that is, a bleſſing unto the Nations round about them.
The word Hill, muſt be interpreted before we can well underſtand this place. By Hill is meant Mount Sion where the Temple was, and Jeruſalem, there God recorded his Name, ſet up his Worſhip, and therefore ſaith My Hill. Now theſe were Types of Chriſt and the Church in his time; as the Jews therefore came out of Babylon and other places to Mount Sion, to Jeruſalem, and the Temple when rebuilt, ſo to Chriſt and the Evangelicall Church. Gentiles flocked out of ſeveral Nations, and ſo the Church and Members of it, were a bleſſing unto them, as Mount Sion and the Inhabitants of it, together with them dwelt round about it in Judaea or Canaan, were a bleſſing unto the Nations. The bleſſing here, I conceive principally referrs to ſpiritual bleſſings; he ſpake before of a Covenant of peace wrought by Chriſt, and now of bleſſings they ſhould have by him; the Church under Chriſt ſhould be bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings, according to that Epheſ. 1.3.
And I will cauſe the ſhowre to come down in his ſeaſon.
The word for Showre is Geſhem, which notes a great and vehement rain, as Kirker ſaith, even ſuch as ſhakes the earth: Moſt make it ſignifie a ſtrong rain; but Ramban, a gentle rain; be it great or gentle, God would give them rain in ſeaſon. In Deut: 11.14. you read of the former rain, and the latter rain; the former rain was in October, or September, which was upon the ſowing of their Corn, and this rain came moderately, Joel 2.23. That ſo the Corn might ſwell with moiſture, root, and grow: Lente deſcendebat ut ſemina terris imprimerentur & imabuerenter humore ad gorminationem. Martin.the latter rain was in the firſt month, as Joel 2.23: that which we call March, though ſome others put it in May, and it was ut grana turpida redderet, to make the ear full; their harveſt was ſooner then ours, their Countrey being hotter. Under theſe ſhowres Heavenly things are figured unto us, as in Deut: 32.2. My doctrine ſhall drop as the rain, my ſpeech ſhall diſtill as the dew, as the ſmall rain upon the tender hearb, and as the ſhowres upon the graſſe. Here Heavenly Doctrine is likened unto rain, dew, ſhowres; and in our Prophet is ſet out by ſhowres, Heavenly Doctrine, and influences of the Spirit, which do make Gods people fruitfull in all good works, as the rain doth the earth and trees, in all kind of Hearbs, Corn and Fruit. In Chriſts time there were many ſuch ſhowres, he rained Heavenly ones oft upon the people. In 2 Pet: 2.17. & Jude 12. falſe teachers are ſaid to be Wells without water, and Clouds without rain; but Chriſts Apoſtles were Wells full of water, and clouds full of rain, and by thoſe did Chriſt water divers perſons and places.
There ſhall be ſhowres of bleſſing.
The Septuagint is foreign, the rain of bleſſing, or bleſſed rain: Piſcator renders the words, Erunt pluviae largiſſime, there ſhall be plentifull rains. They may be call'd ſhowres of bleſſing, becauſe they are from the bleſſed God, have a bleſſing in them, and benefit them they fall upon; ſome rains are ſo great, that they do much harm and little good: theſe ſhould not be ſuch, they ſhould be ſeaſonable and moderate, they ſhould have Heavenly Doctrines and bleſſings ſeaſonable, and as they were capable of them.
Verſ. 27. And the Tree of the field ſhall yeeld her fruit.
After the Heavens have ſent forth their ſhowres, the Trees and earth do ſend forth their fruit. Not only the Tree of the garden, but the Tree of the field, being watered brings forth. The Hebrew for Tree is Etz, which ſignifies any wood, and Synecdochically a Tree, becauſe it is wood.
And the earth ſhall yeeld her increaſe.
When there have been ſeaſonable rains, the earth hath brought forth abundantly, in ſome places thirty, in ſome ſixty, in ſome a hundred fold. The word for increaſe is Jebul, from Jabal to bring, becauſe the earth doth bring profit to the owners thereof. By Tree and Earth we may underſtand the higher and meaner ſort of people, who under the Goſpel and ſhowrs of it ſhould become fruitfull.
And they ſhall be ſafe in their Land.
In the 25. verſ. its ſaid, They ſhall dwell ſafely in the wilderneſſe: and here, They ſhall be ſafe in their Land; they ſhould have ſafety every where, and the words are repeated to ſhew the certainty thereof.
When I have broken the bands of their yoke.
This yoke was the Babyloniſh captivity, which is call'd a yoke, Jerem: 30.8. and it lay heavily upon them, Iſa: 47.6. The bands of this yoke were the Babyloniſh powers, Nebuchadrezzar, his Princes, and Officers; but God did break the Babyloniſh Empire in pieces by Cyrus and Darius, and ſo took the yoke off their necks, ſetting them at liberty. Yokes are burdenſome, reſtrictive, and reproachfull; this breaking yokes and bands, and bringing the Jews out of Babylon, typed out the ſpiritual liberty of the Church in Chriſts time, when Antichriſtian bands and yokes ſhould be broken, and people brought out of ſpiritual Babylon.
And delivered them out of the hands of thoſe that ſerved themſelves of them.
The Hebrew is, And ſhall deliver them out of the hands of them who made them to ſerve: the Babylonians made the Jews to ſerve and work for them, being captives among them; Exigebant ſervitutem ab ipſis, they exacted ſervice of them; their dealings with the Jews were like the Egyptians, who were cruel taskmaſters over them. foreign Avad ſaith Lavater, ſaevitiem in aliquem exercere ſignificat tanquam in ſervam.
Firſt, Obſerve;
Temporal and Spiritual bleſſings are from God; he makes people bleſſed, and gives them what bleſſings he pleaſes.
I will make them and the places round about my hill, a bleſſing. Gen: 9.1. God bleſſed Noah and his ſons, and ſaid unto them, be fruitfull, multiply, and repleniſh the earth: here God is the Authour of temporal bleſſings, Gen: 12.2. Of Abraham God ſaid, I will bleſſe thee, and make thy name great; and thou ſhalt be a bleſſing: and I will bleſſe them that bleſſe thee, and curſe him that curſeth thee; and in thee ſhall all familyes of the earth be bleſſed: Here God ſhews himſelf Authour of temporal and ſpiritual bleſſings, its peculiar unto God to bleſſe. Balak was out when he ſaid of Balaam, I wot that he whom thou bleſſeſt is bleſſed, and he whom thou curſeſt is curſed, Numb: 22.6. No its not in the power of any creature to bleſſe or curſe; men and Devils may utter words of bleſſing or curſing, but they cannot make bleſſed or curſed; its God who turns bleſſings into curſes, Mal: 2.2. and curſes into bleſſings, Nehem: 13.2.
Secondly, Obſerve;
Others faire the better for the Churches ſake.
I will make the places round about my hill, a bleſſing. On the Hill of Sion was the Temple, the place where God recorded his Name, there were the ſolemn aſſemblies, the divine ordinances, Gods preſence; and all that were near in Judaea, yea the Nations round about had ſome bleſſing and benefit thereby: they heard of the God of Iſrael that he differed from all idol gods; they heard of his Laws, that they were more righteous then the Laws of the Nations; they ſaw his Sabbaths, how ſtrictly they were kept; they heard of the Prophets that were in Jeruſalem and Iſrael; did not Naaman a Syrian get a bleſſing from Eliſha, 2 Kings 5. The wiſdome of Solomon had influence into all the places round about Sion, yea into all the Countries far off; The Queen of Sheba heard thereof, and it was a bleſſing unto her: from any Nation they might come to Sion, become Proſelites, and enjoy what mercies the Jews themſelves enjoyed, Micah 4.1, 2. In the laſt dayes it ſhall come to paſſe, that the Mountain of the houſe of the Lord ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the Mountains, and it ſhall be exalted above the hills, and people ſhall flow unto it and many Nations ſhall come and ſay, Come, let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord, and to the houſe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his wayes, and we will walk in his Statutes; for the Law ſhall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jeruſalem.—Theſe things are ſpoken of Chriſts times, when the Church ſhould be very eminent and conſpicuous, like the higheſt of hills, when the Law of faith and the Goſpel ſhould go out of Sion and Jeruſalem, and be a bleſſing unto all Nations.
Thirdly, Obſerve;
Gods bleſſings are ſeaſonable; both temporal and ſpiritual are in due time.
I will cauſe the ſhowre to come down in his ſeaſon, when it ſhall be a bleſſing, do much good; there ſhall be ſhowres of bleſſing, Levit: 26.4. I will give you rain in due ſeaſon, and the Land ſhall yield her increaſe, and the Trees of the field ſhall yield their fruit. Thoſe rains are ſeaſonable which cauſe fruitfulneſs; thoſe are unſeaſonable rains which hinder or deſtroy the fruit of the Trees, and encreaſe of the earth. The Lord obſerves times and ſeaſons to do ſinners good, both for body and ſoul; Iſa: 30.18. He waits that he may be gracious, he waits for fit ſeaſons wherein his mercies may come with advantage and acceptance unto men; Iſa. 55.10, 11. As the rain cometh down, and the ſnow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, which is an argument it came in ſeaſon, ſo ſhall my word be that goeth out of my mouth, it ſhall not return unto me void, but it ſhall accompliſh that which I pleaſe, it ſhall proſper in the thing whereto I ſent it. God gives his word ſeaſonably, as he doth the rain, Tit: 1.3. God hath in due times manifeſted his word through preaching; the Original is foreign, in his own times, and thoſe are the due times, the ſeaſonableſt times; Gal. 4.4. When the fullneſſe of the time was come, God ſent forth his Son made of a woman. Chriſts birth was at the fullneſs of time, when it was moſt ſeaſonable; ſo his death, Rom: 5.6. foreign, in due time, or according to the ſeaſon, Chriſt dyed for the ungodly: Pſal. 72.6. He ſhall come down like rain upon the mown graſſe, as the ſhowres that water the earth. As Solomon was to the people by his wiſdome and juſtice, like ſeaſonable rains to the graſſe and earth; much more is God and Chriſt ſo to the Church; what ſeaſonable dews, droppings, and influences of the Spirit hath it from them, which make it to grow green and flouriſh? Let us wait for his ſhowres and influences, none can give them but himſelf, and when he gives them its in ſeaſon.
Fourthly, Obſerve
The end of Gods bleſſings is, that we may acknowledge and honour him for them.
I will cauſe the ſhowres to come in ſeaſon; I will make the Trees fruitful, and the earth encreaſe; I will make them ſafe in their Land, and they ſhall know that I am the Lord. Gods bleſſings have ſomething of God in them; they are glaſſes, and ſhew us his power, wiſdome, goodneſſe and loving kindneſſe, each of which oblige us to acknowledge him the Authour of them, and to honour him for them.
Fifthly, Obſerve
Gods people are ſometimes in ſubjection and bondage to their enemies, who make them to ſerve, and ſerve themſelves of them.
The Jews were under the Babyloniſh yoke, they ſerved and ſuffered hard things under the Babylonians, Jer: 50.33. they were oppreſſed, held under, and put to do ſervile things; God had told them by the mouth of Jeremy, chap. 17.4. that they ſhould ſerve their enemies, and their enemies made them to ſerve, and advantaged themſelves by their ſervice, Lamen: 5.4, 5, 6. We have drunk our water for money, our wood is ſold unto us; they could neither have water nor fire, unleſſe they bought or earn'd the ſame with hard labour. Our necks are under perſecution, we labour and have no reſt; this iron yoke of Captivity is upon us, we labour and ſerve theſe Babylonians, and yet we have no reſt; We have not bread to ſatisfie our hunger. They made the young men grinders in the mill, ver: 13. This was the condition of Gods people in Babylon under Nebuchadrezzar, and Belſhazzar their grand enemies; and ſuch hath been the condition of Gods people ſince Chriſts time, they have been often in ſubjection and bondage to Antichriſt, to Princes and Prelates, who have tyrannized over their ſouls and bodies.
Sixthly, Obſerve
God hath his time to ſet his at liberty, to bre ak te bands and yokes which his are held in.
When I have broken, or ſhall break the bands of their yoke, and deliver them out of the hands of thoſe that made them to ſerve. The Jews found their bands and yokes ſo ſtrong, and faſt tyed about their necks, that they were without hope of ever having them looſed or removed, Ezek: 37.11. Our hope is loſt; this captivity we ſhall never ſhake off, nor our poſterity; and the Babylonians, they held them faſt and refuſed to let them go, Jer: 50.33. But when the ſeventy years were expired, (when Gods time was come) he brake the yokes and bands, he knockt them off, and ſet them at liberty; for ver: 34. Their Redeemer is ſtrong, the Lord of Hoaſts is his name. Let enemies ſtrength be great, let their yokes be of iron which they put upon his peoples necks and let them be tyed on with the bands of humane Laws, yet God is ſtronger then they, he will break Empires and Emperors in pieces, abrogate their Laws, looſe the bands, pull off the yokes, and ſet his people at liberty, he will throughly plead their cauſe, give them and their Land reſt, and diſquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. We were under Romiſh Antichriſtian yokes a long time, the bands of which were looſened ſomewhat under Edward the ſixth, and Queen Elizabeth, but they were tying faſt again by their Succeſſors, and became ſo heavy that multitudes of our brethren were glad to flye for the burdenſomneſs of thoſe yoaks; others cryed unto God to break them in pieces, and his time being come, he hath done it: our Antichriſtian bands, and Babyloniſh yokes are looſened and knockt off our necks; let us take heed (leaſt through the abuſe of our liberty) the Lord caſt us into a worſe and greater bondage then ever.
Seventhly, Obſerve
Eminent works of God do cauſe eminent knowledge of God.
And they ſhall know me, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them ou… …f the hands of thoſe that ſerved themſelves upon them. This was an eminent work of God to bring them out of Babylon, and this bred eminent knowledge of God in them, then they had large experience of Gods power, faithfulneſſe, and goodneſs unto them, that they ſaid, The Lord liveth which brought up, and which led the ſeed of the houſe of Iſrael out of the North Countrey, and from all Countries whether the Lord had driven them, Jer. 23.8. When their captivity was turned, then they had ſuch apprehenſions of God as fiill'd their mouths with laughter, and their tongues with ſinging, Pſal. 126.1, 2, 3. then they ſaid, The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.
Verſ. 28. And they ſhall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither ſhall the beaſts of the Land devoure them, but they ſhall dwell ſafely, and none ſhall make them afraid.
The Jews had oft been a prey to the Heathen; the Egyptians, Amorites, Moabites, Midianites, Philiſtims, Babylonians, and others had oft ſpoyled and ſerved themſelves of them, which the Lord laying to heart, doth here graciouſly promiſe, That they ſhall no more be a prey unto the Nations. The Hebrew word for prey is Baz, from Bazaz to ſpoyl, to pluck from; and the Engliſh word is from praeda, which ſome make to be corpora rerum captarum, the bodies of things taken; or thus, a prey is that which men get and devoure,Praeda eſt quam alius paedit cui non parata. Martinius. for whom it was not prepared or intended, as Heb: 10.34. They took joyfully the ſpoyling of their goods; their goods were not prepared or intended for thoſe that gat them. The word for ſpoyling is foreign which ſignifies a prey becauſe its violently gotten and taken.
Neither ſhall the beaſts of the Land devoure them.
The Land of Canaan was the glory of all Lands, Ezek: 20.6. yet was it not without wild beaſts which did tare and devoure, 2 Kings 2.24. & 2 Kings 17.25. But now God would chain up the Bears and Lyons, ſo that they ſhould do no harm. There is another ſenſe to be made of the words, which is, that God would ſo order the ſpirits of wicked Magiſtrates, falſe Prophets and vile turbulent ſpirits, that they ſhould not harm his flock; ſuch men formerly had eaten up many of Gods people, Ezek: 22.25, 27, 29.
But they ſhall dwell ſafely, and none ſhall make them afraid.
To dwell ſafely is a great mercy, to dwell ſo ſafely that none ſhall make afraid, is extraordinary mercy. Men are ſubject unto fears, even the beſt of men, and that ſeverall wayes; when fire breaks out in a Town, when famine or plague are in a City, when ſtorms and tempeſts are abroad, when wars begin, perſecution, impriſonment, banniſhment, and death are threatned, then fears ſeize upon perſons, and prevail too far with many: but here the Lord promiſes that his ſhall be free from all fears, none ſhall make them afraid. The word for making afraid is from Charad, which notes not a ſlight fear, but ſuch as is with trembling, outwardly manifeſted, and it ariſeth either from inward ſolicitouſneſſe of mind, or from apprehenſion of evill impending, and at hand.
Obſerve
Gods people are in the ſafeſt condition of any; they have promiſes of protection and ſecurity from all their enemies, from thoſe without, and thoſe within.
They ſhall no more be a prey to the Heathen; that is, thoſe without, he Nations abroad in the world: Neither ſhall the beaſts of the Land devoure them; that is, none within, none of them among whom they dwell, not the Magiſtrates, not the Prophets, nor the baſe and vile ones of the earth, none ſhall harm them, none ſhall make them afraid, but they ſhall dwell ſafely: Not to be harmed by the beaſts of the Land, is mercy; but not ſo much as to be made afraid by them, is greater mercy. None under Heaven are in ſo good a condition for protection and ſafety, as Gods own people, Job 11.18, 19. Thou ſhalt take thy reſt in ſafety: Alſo, thou ſhalt lye down, and none ſhall make thee afraid. Job himſelf, and all he had, ſhould be in ſafety, free from fear and danger. Jer: 31.10. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye Nations, and declare it in the Iſles afar off, and ſay, he that hath ſcattered Iſrael, will gather him, and keep him as a Shepherd doth his flock; Here the Lord makes Proclamation to the Nations, and layes it upon them to make it known to others, that he would have a ſpecial care of Iſrael, that is, his people, and keep them as a Shepherd doth his flock; he would not ſuffer the Wolves, Lyons, Bears & Dogs to hurt them, or make them afraid: Iſa. 27.3. Leaſt any hurt the Lords Vineyard, he will keep it night and day; he will not ſlumber nor ſleep, but alwayes watch over it; his care for his is the ſame in the night when wild beaſts are abroad, as in the day when they lye hid in their dens; Pſal. 31.20. Thou ſhalt hide them in the ſecret of thy preſence from the pride of man; thou ſhalt keep them ſecretly in a pavillion from the ſtrife of tongues. Gods people are hidden Ones, and ſo ſecured from the harm of enemies hands and tongues.
Verſ. 29. And I will raiſe up for them a plant of renown; and they ſhall no more be conſumed with hunger in the Land, neither bear the ſhame of the heathen any more.
This verſe ſpeaks out the goodneſs of God unto his Flock abundantly, in poſitive and negative mercies, he would raiſe up for it a plant, and that of renown, and he would free it from hunger and ſhame.
And I will raiſe up for them.
The words may be read thus, For I will raiſe up for them, and ſo be a reaſon of what went before, viz: They ſhall no more be a prey to the Nations, nor be devoured by the beaſts of the Land, but dwell ſafely without fear, for I will raiſe up a plant of renown for them. Its true, the Hebrew Particle Vedoth, ſometime ſignifies for, as Pſal: 60.11. Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man. Veſhaveh is the word; Ve is there for; …o Iſa: 64.5. Behold thou art wroth, for we have ſinned: Ve is rendred for; But the Prophet here is reckoning up variety of promiſes, mercies, and benefits, which the Lord makes to, and would beſtow upon his people; and therefore Ve or Va is here Copulative, continuing the ceries of mercies and promiſes, And I will raiſe up: You are like plants pluckt up by the roots, ſcattered here and there like dry branches; but I will raiſe up a plant for you, even a
Plant of renown.
The Hebrew is Mattah leſem, A plant for name; the Septuagint is foreign, A plant of peace; the Chaldee is Plantationem ut permaneant, A plantation that they may remain; the Vulgar is germen nominatum, A noble ſprigg or plant; Vatablus hath it, Plantulam celebri nomine, A plant of a famous name, that ſhould bring glory and renown unto them; Iren. ſaith, Plantam ad celebritatem, A plant for fame; Piſcator turns the words thus, Plantam nobilem, A noble plant; Campadius and Lavater are to this purpoſe, Plantationem, or plantam in nomen, A plant for name or renown, as both the French and our Tranſlation is. This Plant of renown is by ſome Expoſiters interpreted to be the Chriſtian Church gathered out of all Nations, and planted in Chriſt, which Iſa. 61.3. is call'd The planting of the Lord; & Iſa: 60.21. The branch of his planting. Others do expound it of Chriſt; ſo doth Jerome, Theodoret, and divers later Expoſiters; we may take in both, Chriſt and the Church which ſprings up out of him: but chiefly Chriſt is preſented to us by this plant of renown, which is the ſame with that in Jerem: 23.5. where its ſaid, I will raiſe unto David a righteous branch, and a King ſhall reign and proſper; he ſhews whom he means by that righteous branch, viz: Chriſt, who was to be King, and to execute judgement and juſtice in the earth: So here, the plant of renown is the righteous branch; God would raiſe the one and the other. Hence Iſa: 53.2. he is ſaid, To grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. God planted him in Sion, and he came from Joſeph and Mary, who were like dry ground: and he is oft call'd the Branch, and Branch of righteouſneſſe, and Branch of the Lord, Zech: 3.8. Jerem: 33.15. & Iſa: 4.2. In that day ſhall the branch of the Lord be beautifull and glorious; or beauty and glory, as the Hebrew is. Its evident Chriſt is the plant or branch, and not ſimply ſo, but a plant of renown; that which makes men renowned, is ſomething extraordinary; what is common extends not far, neither procreates renownedneſſe; but when things are beyond, or above the common courſe of things, then they ſpread and beget fame: now Chriſt had extraordinaries, not a few.
Firſt, His conception and birth were extraordinary, Iſa. 7.14. Matth: 1.18, 20. Luke 1.31, 32, 35.
Secondly, His gifts and graces were extraordinary, Iſa: 11.2, 3. Luke 2.46, 47. John 1.14. Chap: 3.34. Coloſſ: 1.19. Chap: 2.3.
Thirdly, He did extraordinary things, and many of that kind; He took away the ſin of the world, John 1.29. He brake down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile, and reconciled both to God, Epheſ: 2.14, 15, 16. He laid the foundation, and built the Chriſtian Church, Zech: 6.12. He brought in everlaſting righteouſneſſe: Dan: 9.24. Life and Immortality, 2 Tim. 1.10, He did many miracles, John 3.2. Chap: 7.31. Chap. 9.16.32. Chap: 11.47. Chap: 12.37. He fullfilled all righteouſneſſe, Matth: 3.15. He authorized and enabled men to caſt out Dev…lls, to cure all diſeaſes, Matth: 10.1. He revealed the father, Matth: 11.27. He forgave ſins, Luke 5.20, 21. He foretold things to come, Matth: 24. He ſent the Comforter, John 16.7. He did ſuch works as never any man did, John 15.24.
Fourthly, He ſuffered more then other men; his ſufferings were extraordinary, Iſa: 53.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. Luke 22.44. ſo Matth: 27. & Luke 23. He trod the wine-preſſe of the fierceneſſe and wrath of Allmighty God, Rev: 19.15. Pauls ſufferings made him famous, Phil: 1.13. much more Chriſts.
Fifthly, He had extraordinary Titles, as Immanuel, Iſa. 7.14. The ſtone of Iſrael, Gen: 49.24. The Lord our Righteouſneſſe, Jer: 23.6. The power and wiſdom of God, 1 Cor. 1.24. The heir of all things, Heb: 1.2. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Revel: 59.16. The Light of the world, John 8.12. The glory of Iſrael, Luke 2.32. The Prince of Life, Acts 3.15. Judge of quick and dead, Acts 10.42. The Image of the inviſible God, Col: 1.15. The Head over all things, Epheſ: 1.22. The Lamb of God, John 1.29. The Mediator between God and man, 1 Tim. 1.5. The Sun of righteouſneſſe, Mal. 4.2. His name is wonderful Counſellour, the mighty God, the everlaſting Father, the Prince of peace, Iſa: 9.6.
Sixthly, He had extraordinary honour: When he was brought into the world, God commanded all the Angels to worſhip him, Heb. 1.6. He ſtir'd up the ſpirits of the wiſe men of the Eaſt, directing them by a ſtar to come and worſhip him, Mat. 2.11. When he was baptized Heaven was opened, the Spirit deſcended like a Dove, and a voice from Heaven, ſaid, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed, Matth: 3.16, 17. When he was tranſfigured, Moſes and Elias appeared unto him; and the ſame voice of the Father was heard again with ſome addition, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, hear him; and he committed all judgement to the Son, that ſo all men ſhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father, John 5.23.
Take this plant of renown for the Chriſtian Church, and it is renowned for that it is planted in Chriſt, Col: 2.7. Eph. 4.15. bears the name of Chriſt, James 2, 7. is his Spouſe, Rev: 21.9. John 3.29. under his Government, Eph: 5.24. freed from the bondage of the Ceremonial Law, Gal: 4.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. hath cleerer manifeſtations of Gods love in Chriſt, Eph: 2.7. extends further then ever the Jewiſh Church did to the Gentiles, to all Nations, Iſa: 54.1, 2, 3. chap: 60.3. chap: 62.2. Rev: 21.24, 25. and had ſuch miraculous effuſion of the Spirit, upon many of the members of it, Acts 2.3, 4. 1 Cor: 12.8, 9, 10. and is the habitation of God, Epheſ. 2.22. viſible, and irremoveable as Mount Sion, Mich: 4.1, 2. Matth: 16.18. The ground and pillar of truth, 1 Tim: 3.15.
And they ſhall be no more conſumed with hunger in the Land.
In Jacobs dayes, there was a great famine, and his family had been conſumed, if Egypt had not afforded releif. In Davids dayes many ſuffered by the three years famine then, 2 Sam: 21.1. There was a ſore famine in Ahabs dayes, 1 Kings 18.2. and queſtionleſs many periſhed with hunger in the ſiege of Jeruſalem, Lam: 4.9. and many who were ſcattered abroad, not having to ſatisfie their hunger, became a prey to hunger it ſelf. The promiſe here is, They ſhall no more be conſumed with hunger; they ſhall have plenty of all good things, there ſhall be no corporal nor ſpiritual hunger, there Teachers had been removed into corners, Iſa: 30.20. There Prophets had been cut off, and were glad to be hid in Caves, 1 Kings 18.4. but God would ſet up ſhepherds over them, which ſhould feed them, and they ſhould not be lacking, Jerem: 23.4. Their eyes ſhould ſee them, Iſa: 30.20. The word for conſumed is Aſuppe, from Aſ…ph, which ſignifies to gather together, to take away and to conſume. In time of famine men get together, conſult how to relieve themſelves, and when all means fail, the famine conſumes them, and takes them away. The Septuagint is foreign, They ſhall not be few in number, they ſhall have abundance and multiply.
Neither bear the ſhame of the heathen any more.
The Hebrew word for ſhame is Celemmah, which ſignifies reproach; the Babylonians, and others where the Jewes were ſcattered, did reproach them, and ſaid, Sing us one of the ſongs of Sion, Pſal. 137.3. You are the holy people, have holy ordinances, and holy ſongs, ſing us one of thoſe ſongs; you thought your ſelves ſafe in your holy City, that your God would protect you from all the Nations; but where is your God? what's become of your City, Temple and Confidences? are you not in our hands? are you not in bondage and captivity? ye are ſervants unto us, and ſhall never be at liberty more; thus did they bear the ſhame of the Heathen, they were a reproach, a proverb, a taunt, and a curſe in all places, Jer: 24.18. but God would ſet them at liberty, roule away their reproach, and make them honourable; They ſhould be a praiſe, Zeph: 3.19. At that time I will undo all that afflict thee, and I will ſave her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out, and I will get them praiſe and fame in every Land, where they have been put to ſhame. And verſ. 20. I will make you a name and a praiſe among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity.
Firſt, Obſerve
The Lord Chriſt himſelf, his renown, and that the Church hath by him, is from the Lord.
I will raiſe up a plant of renown. Chriſt is call'd The Word, John 1.1. and God made that Word fleſh, verſ. 14. He is call'd a Rod, a Branch, Iſa. 11.1. and God cauſed that Rod to come out of the ſtem of Jeſſe, and that Branch to grow out of his roots. God planted Chriſt at firſt in the Virgins womb, and from thence he grew up (through Gods wiſe diſpoſing of things) to be a plant of renown. And Luke 1.32. The Angel ſaid to Mary, he ſhall be great, and ſhall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord ſhall give him the Throne of his Father David. This God performed, and ſo made him a man a plant of renown, he gave Chriſt to the Church, he planted him in Sion, Iſa: 28.16. and ſo all the glory the Church had by him (which was, and is exceeding much) came originally from the Lord; Chriſt is therefore call'd The gift of God, John 4.10.
Secondly, Obſerve
Christ is fruitfull, and yeelds good fruit.
He is a plant of renown; were this plant barren, or did it bear evill fruit, it could not be a plant of renown, it would be a plant of contempt. This plant is that Tree of Life (Rev: 22.2.) which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month. No barrenneſs at all was on this Tree, it had plenty and variety of fruit, Summer and Winter, and the goodneſs of this fruit the Church will tell you of, Cant: 2.3. I ſat under his ſhadow with great delight, & his fruit was ſweet to my taſte. If the ſhadow of this Tree was very delightſome, certainly the fruit of this Tree was exceeding ſweet: The man ſick of the Palſie found the ſweet of this fruit, when Chriſt ſaid unto him, Son be of good cheer, thy ſins are forgiven thee, Mat: 9.2. Thouſands can tell you how ſweet the fruit of this Tree hath been to their taſts, to their ſouls; Acts 10.38. He went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreſſed of the Devil; thoſe that laboured and travelled, he ſaid unto them, come unto me, and I will give you reſt, Matth. 11.28. You ſhall reſt under my Shaddow, and be refreſhed by eating of my fruit. There muſt needs be excellency and ſweetneſs in the fruit of this plant, becauſe all deſire to have it, Hag: 2.7. He is the deſire of all Nations: let him be the deſire of our ſouls, and let them feed more upon the fruit this plant of renown bears, ſo ſhall we live, and live more abundantly.
Thirdly, Obſerve
That the Church under Chriſt ſhall be freed from thoſe evils it hath formerly been ſubject unto, and ſhall enjoy the contrary good.
I will raiſe up a plant of renown, and they ſhall no more be conſumed with hunger; they had been, but now they ſhould have plenty, eſpecially of ſpiritual food, they thould know God from the leaſt to the greateſt, out of their bellies ſhould flow rivers of water: Neither ſhould they bear the ſhame of the heathen any more, they ſhould not be under their reproach, but ſhould be honourable: God hath promiſed to take away reproachful tearms, Iſa. 62.4. and to give glorious titles to Zion, thou ſhalt no more be called, Forſaken, deſolate; but thou ſhalt be called Hephzi-bah, Beulah: yea, he hath ſaid, She ſhall have abundance of glory, Iſa: 66.11. Whether the Church hath had ſuch glory is queſtionable: Chriſt was reproached himſelf when on earth, call'd a Samaritan, a Seducer, a Devill, and what not? ſo the Chriſtians in the Primitive times, were ſaid to be factious, infant-killers, &c. and to this day the Church of Chriſt hath layen under the reproach of Heathens and Antichriſt; but the time is coming that reproaches ſhall be wiped away, and the Church have abundance of glory, Rev: 21.3, 4, 10, 11.
Verſ. 30. Thus ſhall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, & that they, even the houſe of Iſrael, are my people, ſaith the Lord God.
Here is a further bleſſing, viz: Conviction of the Heathens, that God is the God of that flock that hath ſuffered ſo much, and is with them: When God ſhould gather his flock out of the Countreys where it was ſcattered, ſet up one ſhepherd, even his ſervant David to be a Prince over it, make a Covenant of peace with the ſame, ſet it at liberty from all enemies, cauſe it to be in ſafety on all ſides, take away its reproach, put honour upon it, and ſatisfie it with bleſſings, temporal and ſpiritual; when theſe things were done, then ſhould they, that is, the Nations, know that the Lord their God was with them, and thus ſhould they know: By thoſe gracious acts of God, and great mercies beſtowed upon the houſe of Iſrael, they ſhould be convinced; as when God begun the work in the Type, bringing them out of Babylon, the Heathens ſaid, The Lord hath done great things for them, Pſal. 126.2. The Babylonians and others ſaid, God had cast off his people, expoſed them to reproaches and curſing, that he regarded them not, but had left them to be a prey to all the world; but when they ſaw God appear ſo eminently for them, then they underſtood that God had not left or caſt off his people ſo, but that he was ſtill their God, and they his people.
The houſe of Iſrael.
The firſt mention of the houſe of Iſrael, is in Exod: 16.31. and the laſt is in Heb: 8.10. its moſt mentioned in our Prophet Ezekiel, well nigh as often as in all the Holy Scriptures beſides, if not more often. Gen: 32.28. tells you how Jacobs name was turned into Iſrael, whence his ſons and poſterity were call'd the houſe of Iſrael, and in proceſs of time, not only thoſe deſcended from his loyns were ſo called, but all that beleeved in the ſeed promiſed to Jacob were Iſraelites, and the houſe of Iſrael. Its not here to be confined to the Jews, but to extend to all believers.
Firſt, Obſerve
God hath a people in the world whom he doth own, and afford his preſence in a ſpecial manner.
I the Lord their God am with them, and the houſe of Iſrael are my people. God own'd the Jews of old above all the people of the earth, Deut: 7.6. The Lord thy God hath choſen thee to be a ſpecial people unto himſelf, above all people upon the face of the earth. There were multitudes of Nations, all which, or any of which he might have taken and left the Jews, but he choſe only that Nation, Deut: 10.15. and therefore ſaith, Amos 3.1. You only have I known of all the Families of the earth; that is, You only have I known to be your God, to be with you, to be mine; others I have known, but not to be in Covenant with them, not to afford them my ſpecial preſence and favours, Levit: 26.11, 12. God did dwell with, and walk amongſt them: And as then God had the Jews, ſo now he hath the Chriſtians for his people, whom he owns, and is preſent with, in a peculiar manner, 2 Cor. 6.16, 18. Rev: 2.1. & Acts 18.9, 10. where you may ſee how God was with Paul, incouraging him to preach, and upon what ground, For I have much people in this City, it was in Corinth; Rev: 21.3. Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they ſhall be his people, and God himſelf ſhall be with them, and be their God. God dwels in the Chriſtian Church, and is with it to beſtow variety of choice bleſſings upon it, and to protect it.
Secondly, Obſerve
Sometimes Gods dealings with his people are ſo diſtinguiſhing, that Heathens are convinced that they have God on their ſide, and enjoy ſpeciall favours from him.
Thus ſhall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the houſe of Iſrael, are my people. Thus, that is, by my dealings with them, which are different from my dealings with others. Dan: 3. When God preſerved the three children in the fiery Furnace, & delivered them from that Hell, then was Nebuchadnezzar mightily convinced, and ſaid, Bleſſed be the God of Shadraeh, Meſhach, and Abednego, who hath ſent his Angel, and delivered his ſervants that truſted in him, and have changed the Kings word, and yielded their bodyes, that they might not ſerve nor worſhip any God except their own God. Therefore I make a Decree, that every People, Nation, and Language, which ſpeak any thing amiſſe againſt the God of Shadrach, Meſhach and Abednego, ſhall be cut in pieces, and their houſes ſhall be made a dunghill, becauſe there is no other god which can deliver after this ſort, verſ: 28, 29. So in Chriſts time, and the Apoſtles times, the miracles done by them in ſeveral places convinced unbelievers, that God was with them. The great things done in our dayes have made enemies to ſay, God hath done great things for them.
Verſ. 31. And ye my flock the flock of my paſture are men, and I am your God, ſaith the Lord God.
This ver. is the key to open what was ſaid before: the Lord had ſpoken oft of his flock, & leſt any ſhould take the ſame litterally, here he unfolds his mind, and tells us plainly, his flock are men, not bruit creatures. The Hebrew word for flock is twice, and ye my flock the flock of my paſture, Some read the words in the Future, thus, Ye my flock of my paſture ſhall be men; hitherto ye have been brutiſh, ye have favoured the things of the earth, and followed after carnall things, but henceforward ye ſhall be men cleaving to God and heavenly things. We may take them as they are, and find that ſenſe in them, which Sanctius hath: I have told you of great things, that my ſervant David ſhall be your Shepherd, and a Prince among you, that ye ſhall dwell ſafely in wilderneſſes, ſleep in woods, and that none ſhall make you afraid; yea, I have told you, that I will free you from bondage, ſhame, famine, and that I will make you renowned, bleſſing you with variety and plenty of temporal and ſpiritual good things: but you ſee not how theſe things can be accompliſhed, you are men full of infirmities, ſhallow of underſtanding, apt to doubt and make objections, but I am God, and your God, I have promiſed and will perform, ſaith Adonai, Jehovah; my word is truth, and my power ſhall give being to whatſoever I have ſaid. There is yet another ſence of theſe words, ye the flock of my paſture are men; that is, men call'd out of the world, men renewed by the transforming of your minds, men walking in the Spirit, not after the fleſh, men given up to me and my wayes, men dealing juſtly and honeſtly, men fearing God and purſuing holineſſe, men of choice ſpirits and practices; this ſence I ſhould approve of, but that the word for men is Adam, which rather imports men with their frailties, then men with their excellencies.
My flock of my paſture.
God calls them the flock of his paſture, becauſe he provided for them food for their bodyes and ſouls, as a Shepherd doth provide paſture for his ſheep; he gave them Manna from Heaven in former dayes, and now he gives them his Ordinances, his Word, the fleſh and bloud of his Son. Gods flock is different from other Flocks, and hath different paſtures; they are of the world, and feed upon the Acorns and Husks of the ſame; but Gods Flock is picked out of the world, ſeparate from it, and feeds on Heavenly dainties.—
I am your God.
This is a great and gracious word; what can the Lord ſay more then this to any, I am your God? what can any deſire more then to have God theirs? Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee, ſaith Aſaph: Let others deſire what they will in Heaven or earth, I deſire nothing but God himſelf; Aſaph knew that in having him for his God, he ſhould have all things. When the Lord ſaith ſo, he doth ingage himſelf, all his attributes, and whatſoever he hath, unto the people or perſon he ſo ſaith.
Firſt, Obſerve
God hath a peculiar people on earth, which he owns and feeds.
Ye my flock, the flock of my paſture. God hath elect, call'd, juſtified, and adopted Ones, which make up his flock; ſee 1 Pet: 2.9, 10. Titus 2.14. & Zech. 13.9. I will ſay it is my people. God hath a people refined and tryed in the furnace of affliction, which he is not aſhamed of, but owns openly; and this people he provides for, Iſa: 65.13. Behold, my ſervant; ſhall eat, but ye ſhall be hungry; behold, my ſervants ſhall drink, but ye ſhall be thirſty; behold, my ſervants ſhall rejoyce, but ye ſhall be aſhamed. Gods people ſhall have meat and drink, and that with gladneſs, Acts 2.46. They have hidden Manna, Rev: 2.17. They are fed by the Lamb, and drink of living Fountains of waters, Rev: 7.17. They are a peculiar people, and have peculiar meat and drink.
Secondly, Obſerve
That of whomſoever Gods Flock doth conſiſt, yet they are weak and frail creatures.
The Flock of my paſture are men. Noah, Lot, Abraham, Jacob, Job, David, Jeremy, Peter, Paul, John, who were Worthies in Iſrael, yet had their weakneſſes, and ſhew'd themſelves to be men; Can God prepare a Table in the Wilderneſſe? ſaid the houſe of Iſrael; and Mary, whom all generations call'd bleſſed, we may call an Adamite, the Daughter of Adam, for ſhe ſhew'd her weakneſs when ſhe ſaid, How can this be, ſeeing I know not a man? Luke 1.34.
Thirdly, Obſerve
The happineſſe and comfort of Gods flock, lyeth in having God to be their God, and his manifeſtation of it.
Ye are men, feeble, helpleſs things, but I am your God, ſaith the Lord; whatſoever is defective in your ſelves is redundant in me; as there is nothing but impotency and miſery in you, ſo there is nothing but power, grace and happineſs in me; I have loved you freely, and taken you to be my flock, I have given my ſelf unto you, and all I have with my ſelf, and this I make known unto you.