Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 2 · Verse 6
VER. 6.
And thou Son of man, be not afraid of them, be not afraid of their words, though bryers and thornes be with thee, and thou doſt dwell among Scorpions, be not afraid of their words, nor be diſmaid at their looks, though they be a rebellious houſe.
THe Prophet being ſtruck down with the ſight of his glory which ſate upon the Throne in the former Chapter, is lifted up and comforted by the Spirit in the two firſt verſes, and call'd to publique ſervice in the three next, and that among a wreched rebellious people. In this and the two next Verſes, the Lord Chriſt gives him inſtruction concerning his Office.
Firſt, negatively, in the 6th verſe, Be not afraid of them; I have made thee a Prophet, and it's not for a Prophet to feare the face of man.
Secondly, poſitively, in the 7th verſe, where hee informs him, whoſe words he muſt ſpeak unto them; Thou ſhalt ſpeak my words unto them; it's not for a Prophet to ſpeak his own words, but the words of him that ſends him.
Thirdly, both negatively and poſitively in the 8th verſe; Be not thou rebellious, like the rebellious houſe; they will not heare me, ſubmit to my Lawes, walk in my wayes, they go after their own counſels, wils, luſts, but be not thou like them; and then poſitively, open thy mouth and eat that I give thee.
In the 6th verſe you have:
1. The Appellation, Son of man.
2. The Inſtruction, Prohibition or Duty, Be not afraid, which is often repeated in the Verſe.
3. The cauſes and grounds of feare are ſpecified, which are divers:
Firſt, the quality of their perſons; thou maiſt pretend they are great,foreign Princes and Nobles, but be not afraid, Mehem, from them.
The ſecond cauſe is their words: they will reproach thee, and ſeek by evill ſpeeches to diſcourage thee, but, Be not thou afraid of their words.
The third is their looks; they will look ſtrangely, frown bitterly, ſwell againſt thee, and brow-beat thee; Be not diſmaid at their looks.
The fourth is their diſpoſition:
1. Metaphorically by Briers, Thorns and Scorpions, they will ſcratch and teare, ſting and kill.
2. Literally, They are a rebellious houſe.
Feare not, be not afraid, be not diſmaid, &c.
Theſe words are four times mention'd in the verſe, to ſhew our aptneſſe unto fear, and to ſhew the forwardneſſe of the Lord Chriſt to cure our fear. The word diſmaid (there is no difficulty in the other) it comes from a word that ſignifies to bruiſe or beat in pieces; be not thou ſo affected with feare, as to have thy ſpirit faint, broken, ſink, and diſcouraged within thee; be not diſmaid, let not thy ſpirit yeeld at all, ſtand it out; ſhew thy ſelf a man of courage, a man of God, carrying thy ſelf in thy place, befitting the Son of God that put thee in that place.
The greater difficulty lies in the other words; Briers, Thorns, and Scorpions.
Briers.
Sarabim, this Hebrew word is no where found in holy Writ,foreign. except in this place. The Rabbies ſpeak of twenty kinds of thorns in Scripture, whereof this is one, and notes Briers with ſharp pricks, which do fret and burn in the pricking, much like unto a Nettle; and therefore Kircker thinks the word here to ſignifie Nettles: the Jewes would be as Nettles unto the Prophet;Vrtica, ab urendo. foreign, inſanientes quaſi boves aeſtro agitati. Pertinaciter reſiſtentes, Buxt. Retractantes, Mont. foreign. and Nettles are ſtinging burning things. The Septuagint expreſſes it by a word which notes a kinde of madneſſe, as cattell that are bit with Flies which ſuck blood, and make them run as if they were mad; ſo they ſhould like wild beaſts, grow cruell and outragious againſt the Prophet. Shindler interprets it, rebellious, contumacious; others, refractory, drawing back, and ſtubbornly reſiſting.
Thorns.
Sallonim, Spina atuleatae; ſharp pointed thorns, Ezek. 28.24. Spina dolorifica, a pricking Brier, a grieving thorn. The Septuag. an offence of bitterneſſe, or, a bitter offence; the word here in our Text is in the Vulgar,Subverſores. ſubverters, becauſe thorns in a mans way do hinder and ſubvert him; therefore Kircker thinks ſillon is aculeus qui ſternitur, from Salal, which is properly viam aggeſta terra ſternere, to lay heaps of earth and ſtones in the way; and ſo here heaps of thorns which may prick and offend paſſengers.
There is one word more to open, and that is Scorpion.
Scorpion.
Ackrabbim, it ſignifies ſometimes ſpinoſam herbam, a plant that growes in the form of a Scorpion, whereof Inſtruments were made to ſcourge malefactors, 1 King. 12.14. Rehoboam would chaſtiſe them with Scorpions, that is, with whips that had hooks in them, reſembling the clawes and ſtings of Scorpions; it's alſo a living creature, venemous, hurtfull and ſtinging with its tail, Deut. 8.15. God led them through the great and terrible wilderneſs, where were fiery Serpents and Scorpions. Mercer thinks the word to be from Guakeb, Scorpion à foreign.the heel or hoof, becauſe this Serpent doth bite thoſe parts, and the name Scorpion is from its ſcattering and throwing its poyſon up and down.
Now the great buſineſſe we have to do, is to open unto you who are meant by theſe Thorns, Briers and Scorpions; and by theſe are meant wicked and ungodly men. I ſhall make that out unto you from two places of Scripture: Joſh. 23.13. They ſhall be ſcourges in your ſides, and thorns in your eyes; hee ſpeaks of the nations that were wicked and among them; and Luke 10.19. Chriſt tells the ſeventy, they ſhould tread upon Serpents and Scorpions, that is, wicked men, which are like unto thoſe venimous creatures; and thrice in Matthew, are wicked men call'd a generation of Vipers, Matth. 3.7.12.34.23.33.
I will ſhew you,
1. Wherein they reſemble Thorns.
2. Scorpions: and then draw ſome concluſions.
1. Ungodly men are like unto Thorns in theſe reſpects:
Firſt, they are worthleſſe things, of little uſe, they ſerve to make a hedge, to ſtop a gap, and that's all, they are not for great uſe and ſervice; and wicked men are worthleſſe things, Prov. 10.20. The heart of the wicked is little worth, the beſt part of a wicked man his heart is of little or no value, his lands may be worth ſomewhat, his ſhop, his clothes, his jewels may be of great value, but himſelf is a worthleſſe thing, Jer. 22.28. Coniah, King of Judah, becauſe wicked, is call'd a deſpiſed broken Idoll, a veſſell wherein is no pleaſure: an Idoll, ſaith the Apoſtle, is nothing, 1 Cor. 8.4. in the world, that is, a thing of no moment, of no uſe; what then is a broken Idoll? that's altogether inconſiderable: but may there not be ſome beauty, ſome ingraving, ſome guilding upon it that may delight? No, hee is a veſſell wherein is no pleaſure; hee is ſo far from delighting at all, that he is a veſſell loathſome, to be caſt on the dung-hill, and trod under foot: hence in Dan. Antiochus Epiphanes is call'd a vile perſon, Dan. 11.21. one ſo little worth, as to be ſcorn'd and rejected as a vile thing; and Job ſpeaking of ſuch men, tells us, they are viler then the earth, men to be trod and ſpit upon as the vileſt earth, Job 30.8.
Secondly, they are vexing and grieving things; Ezek. 28.24. there is mention made of the pricking brier, and grieving thorn, and wicked men are full of prickles and grievances, Numb. 33.55. If you will not drive out the Inhabitants of the land from before you, then thoſe you let remain of them ſhall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your ſides, and ſhall vex you in the land wherein you dwell.
Wherein lies this grieving and thorny diſpoſition of the wicked?
1. In their words; and that appeares:
Firſt, in their miſconſtruing the words and wayes of the godly, Matth. 26.61. ſaid the witneſſes againſt Chriſt, this fellow ſaid, I am able to deſtroy the Temple of God, and build it in three dayes; they miſtook Chriſt, who ſpake of the temple of his body, Joh. 2.21. Jer. 26.4.6. Thou ſhalt ſay unto them, thus ſaith the Lord, If you will not hearken to mee, to walk in my law, then will I make this houſe like Shiloh, and this City a curſe. Now in the 9th Verſe ſee how they miſtook his words, and perverted his meaning, Why haſt thou propheſied in the name of the Lord, ſaying. This houſe ſhall be like Shiloh, and this City deſolate? hee had told them it ſhould be ſo, if they did not hearken, repent and amend; but they left out that, and pretend hee had abſolutely ſaid, this houſe ſhall be like Shiloh: ſo many people miſtake the Miniſters, and ſay they preach damnation, when it's conditionally, if they repent not and believe, they muſt then certainly look for damnation.
2. In their calumniations: they forge lies and falſhoods, Job 13.4. Job's friends charged him with lies, hypocriſie, pride, &c. but he tels them, they are forgers of lies, you come to comfort mee, but you wound mee with your lies and ſlanders;Concinnarunt mendacia. Vatablus. and David found this, Pſal. 119.69. The proud have forged a lie, they trim up lies with ſhadowes of truth, and neat language; they have mints to frame their lies curiouſly in, and preſſes to print their lies withall, Neh…m. 6.6. Sanballat calumniates Nehemiah, that zealous and faithfull ſervant of God, and tells him, it's reported among the Heathen, and Gaſhmu ſaith it, That thou and the Jews think to rebell; that thou wilt be King, and haſt appointed Preachers at Jeruſalem to ſay there is a King in Judah; here was a malicious forgery, a trim lie, and no leſſe reproach then Rebell, Traytor, muſt be laid upon this great Worthy and Reformer in Iſrael. Nehemiah returns an anſwer, verſe 8. There are no ſuch things done as thou ſaieſt, but thou faineſt them out of thine own heart; the Devill is the father of lies, Joh. 8.44. and all his children are like him, forgers of lies, Jer. 20.10. Report, ſaid Jeremiah's back friends, and wee will report it; invent ſome ſlanders, ſome lie againſt the Prophet, and we will report it, ſpread it, carry it to the Kings Court and eare, and cauſe him to ſmart for his boldneſſe; Ieremiah heard the defaming of many; it was their daily work; they ſaid, Let us ſmite him with the tongue, Jer. 18.18. no man can have a beautifull and well favoured name for theſe briers, they will ſcratch it, and make it very bloody; it was their daily work: the Chriſtians in the Primitive time, were accuſed of all the evils fell out; if there were great floods,Chriſtiani ad Leones. Pluvia defecit Chriſtiani nominis gratia. famines, wars, earthquakes, plagues in the Roman Common-wealth, they cry'd, Away with the Chriſtians to the Lions; and Auſtin obſerveth, that they made it a Proverb, The rain fail'd, becauſe the Chriſtian name was ſuffered.
3. Daring, provoking words; Nehem. 6.2. Sanballat and Geſhem dared Nehemiah to meet them, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages: four times they ſent unto him in that manner, thinking by this way to have drawn out Nehemiah, and done him miſchief; daring, provocation comes from the wicked, and herein they are thorns and briers.
4. Scorning, ſcoffing ſpeeches; Nehem. 4.2. when the walls of Hieruſalem were building, Sanballat ſcoffs, and ſayes, What do theſe feeble Jewes? will they fortifie themſelves? will they ſacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the ſtones out of the heaps of the rubbiſh which are burnt: and ſo Tobiah, If a Fox go up, hee ſhall even break down their ſtone wall; theſe ſcoffs and jeers went to the heart of Nehemiah, and made him pierce the heavens for help: Heare O our God, for we are deſpiſed; the Hebrew is deſpight, we are not only deſpiſed,Luther was called Germana illa beſtia. but wee and our work are deſpight in the abſtract, mockings are biting things, therefore they are call'd cruell mockings, Heb. 11.36. Iſhmaels mocking of Iſaac, Gen. 21.9, it's call'd a Perſecution, Gal. 4.29. The ſervants of God have been mock'd and reproach'd in all ages.
5. Threatnings; Acts 4.17. Let us ſtraitly threaten them, to ſpeak no more in Chriſts Name; and verſe 21. When hee had farther threatened them; their tongues were tipt with threats, they were thorny tongues, minae ſunt ſpinae, threats are thorns, and pricked them on to the throne of grace, and made them pray as men pierc'd to the quick; for verſ. 29. Now Lord, behold their threatning, let not them wound and weaken us, but grant unto thy ſervants, that with all boldneſſe they may ſpeak thy Word; Saul, Acts 9.1. hee breathed out threatnings againſt the Saints, hee was Benoni, a Son of affliction to the Church: ſo are all wicked men, and their tongues are thorns. Hence they are ſaid in Scripture, to be whet, Pſal. 64.3. to be a ſharp ſword, Pſal. 57.4. a ſharp razor, Pſal. 52.2. and the words of it are call'd arrowes, bitter words, devouring words, Pſ. 52.4. deadly words, Prov. 18.21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, it comforts, it deſtroyes;Lingua ejus eſt gladius triceps Bernard. Felo de ſe: Mortis fere unicum oſtium lingua eſt, Chryſ. take the tongue of an evill man that ſlanders and back-bites, it's a great murtherer. Wee reade of ſome double-tongued, 1 Tim. 3.8. but ſuch a one is treble-tongued, and kills, as Bernard ſaith, three at once; himſelf that ſpeak, the perſon hee ſpeaks to, and him hee ſpeaks of; and the worſt is, hee murthers his own ſoul; therefor Chryſoſtome obſerves well, and ſaith, The tongue is almoſt the very gate of death, it's the death and ruine of moſt men in the world.
6. Their tongues are briers and thorns, in regard of their ſleighting and undervaluing of Gods ſervants: as Paul is call'd a babler, Chriſt a fellow, the Carpenters Son; and many of Gods ſervants are ſleighted in theſe dayes; ſuch words they meet with as are thorns and pricks in their ſides and eyes. Becauſe I will not multiply, take their blaſphemies, O what thorns are thoſe! thorns to God, and thorns to man. When the French had got ſome victory in Scotland againſt the reforming part there, the Queen regent brake out into theſe ſpeeches, Where is now Knox his God? now my God is better then Knox his God; here was a blaſphemous paſſage; and have wee not ſuch blaſphemies in our dayes: Where is now your God of Prayer and Faſting? What's become of all your hearing, preaching, and ſeeking of yo… God? I might adde another particular, which is the thorn… counſels that wicked men do give, 1 King. 21.9. what counſell …ezebel gave againſt Naboth, Proclaim a faſt, ſet him up on high among the people, and ſet two ſons of Belial before him, to beare witneſſe againſt him, that he blaſphemed God and the King; here were words of death, here was counſell from hell. It's not unknown what ill counſell hath been given his Majeſty of late, and likewiſe to many others.
Secondly, In their looks; that's in the Text alſo, there is much in the faces of men to daunt and trouble, mens ſpirits are much diſcern'd by their faces: Gen. 31.5. I ſee your fathers countenance is not towards me as before, by his face I find a difference in his ſpirit, ſaith Jacob to his wives, he found no favour in it; the face is the ſeat of favour or frowns, there is ſome Majeſty in the face and looks of man; and when he is angry, frowns, there is majeſticall terror in it: Prov. 25.23. there is mention of an angry countenance, and it's likened to a North-wind, which is cold and ſcattering; it drives away the clouds that have the rain in them: and oft times wicked men have ſuch Northern countenances, that they diſcourage, if not drive away, the Prophets, who come with the dewes of heaven. When men frown, knit their brows, look angerly, they have put on vizards, and they be ſcaring things: Job. 24.15. He diſguiſeth his face, hee is like a man that hath on ſome terrible vizard, which affrights thoſe behold it. One of the Nevils, Earl of Warwick, had ſo terrible a look when mov'd a little, that it was ſaid of him, every wrinkle in his forehead was a Sepulchre to bury a Prince in: he was of kin to that nation, Deut. 28.50. that had fierce countenances; and Antiochus a wicked King, is deſcribed in Dan. 8.23. to be of a fierce countenance, his very aſpect was terrible; and ſome have been blaſted by the frowns of mortals. When ſome men frown, look ſowre, and ſparkle with their eyes, they prove Baſilisks, and kill thoſe they look upon.
Thirdly, Like thorns in their catching nature; they catch hold of a man when he thinks he is rid of them, and intangle him more: ſo wicked men, when you think you have ſatisfied them, and done with them, they catch hold again, they ſeek new advantages, Jer. 20.10. All my familiars watched for my halting, ſaying, Peradventure hee will be inticed, and wee ſhall prevail againſt him, and we ſhall take our revenge on him.
The words, all my familiars, in the Hebrew are, every man of my peace, I thought I had ſatisfied all their cavils, ſlanders, objections, and that they had aimed at my peace and good, but they watched for my halting, they ſought to intice mee, and get advantage; this is the nature of wicked men. Chriſt, when he had to do with any ſort of them, he convinced them, ſtopt their mouths, they went their way and left him, and yet they were not ſatisfied, but ſent, and ſet men to catch him in his words, Mar. 12.13. When the godly fall into the Courts and Priſons where wicked men have ſome power, what advantages do they ſeek againſt them? and when nothing can be proved, no reaſon but they ſhould be diſmiſſed, fees are multiplied, oaths and proteſtations tendered, and unleſſe theſe thorns may ſcratch them and draw blood from their purſes and conſciences, they will hold them faſt, and liberty muſt not be had.
Fourthly, A Thorn will never alter its nature; ſet it in the Garden or Orchard, water it with milk or wine, do what you will to the thorn, when you have done all, a thorn is a thorn: ſo is the nature of wicked and ungodly men, tranſplant them whither you will, bring them from the countrey to the city, from the city to the court, put them in high or low places, bring them to the waters ſide, to the rivers of God, plant them in the Orchards of God, in Paradiſe it ſelf, under the means of grace; let them have the deaw of heaven, the ſhine of the Sun; a wicked man, he abides wicked ſtill, hee will not alter his nature, hee will be no more changeling, he is a Blackmore, and he will be a Blackmore, hee will live and die in his way, though he periſh in that way.
Fifthly, Thorns are for the fire; Pſal. 58.9. Before your pots can feel the thorns; the heat of the fire made with thorns, they are for burning, and that's the end of wicked ones. Iſa. 10.17. The light of Iſrael ſhall be for a fire, and it ſhall burn and devoure his thorns, and his briers in one day. In fire is light and heat, God would be light to Iſrael, comfort and joy, but heat and burning to the Aſsyrian; he ſent down fire to burn the ſacrifice, and hee would ſend a fire to burn the Aſsyrians which were briers and thorns to the Jewes, and that in one day; and when was this? when hee ſent an Angel, and ſlew 185000. here was fire from heaven, a Seraphim, a coal of Juniper, that burnt up ſuch a thicket of briers and thorns, and after this fire they fell into a worſe, even the fire of hell, which is the place prepared for all the wicked; Pſal. 9.17. The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God, there's their end, and hell is large enough to hold all, Iſa. 30.33. It's deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood; it is ſilva execrabilis, ſuch wood the earth brought forth upon the curſe, briers and thorns, Gen. 3.18. and the wicked are the fruit of the curſe. This phraſe much wood, ſome Expoſiters think hath reference to the fact of the Jewes, Muſc.when the 185000. Aſsyrians were ſlain in the valley of Tophet, they made great piles of wood, and burnt thoſe bodies. So God hath piles of wood, thauſands and millions of wicked ones, briers and brambles heaped together, and his breath like a ſtream of brimſtone kindles thoſe heaps.
In what hath been ſaid you ſee wherein wicked men are thorns and briers; now I muſt preſent to you wherein they are Scorpions. You may by briers and thorns, underſtand wicked men of a lower condition; and by Scorpions thoſe of a higher, that have more power, means and opportunity to do miſchief: and the Analogie between the Scorpion and them, lies in theſe particulars.
1. The Scorpion is animal inſidioſum, it lies lurking under the thorns and briers, hides it ſelf in holes, & occultis machinationibus ferit. Serpents are ſubtill creatures; Gen. 3.1. The Serpent was more ſubtill then any beaſt in the field, When they will ſting, tergavertunt, ut à nobis declinare videntur, Conrad. in Apocal.and ſtops his eare againſt the voyce of the charmer, Pſal. 58. and bites the horſe by the heel, ſo that the rider may fall, Gen. 49.17. And there is one word that ſignifies ſimplicity and ſubtilty that ſignifies plainneſſe and double dealing, when Adam and Eve were both naked, plain and ſimple, but the Serpent was gnarummim in a contrary ſenſe, crafty, ful of folds and windings; and wicked men are ſubtill, Come, let us deal wiſely with them, foreign.Exod. 1.10. The Sepiuagint is, Let us deal cunningly againſt them: and in Pſal. 105.25. it's ſaid, they dealt ſubtilly with his ſervants. How cunningly did the adverſaries carry their plot in the dayes of Nehemiah? Chap. 4.11. They ſhall not know nor ſee till wee come in the midſt of them and ſlay them. The Gunpowder-treaſon was, and ſome ſince have been, carried on with dark Lanthornes, with ſecrecie and craft. Had not the enemies a cloſe and crafty deſigne to make a conjunction between Papiſts and Proteſtants in Doctrine, Diſcipline, and Ceremonie? And had not the only wiſe God interpoſed, turned wiſe men backward, and made their knowledge fooliſh, England and Rome had met, and wee had been in conjunction with Antichriſtian Planets: and we may fear conjunction ſtill more then open violence. Are not things carried with that ſubtilty at this preſent, as makes the world to wonder? Men againſt us pretend Religion, King, Parliament, the liberty of the Subject, to be their quarrell: here is much of the Serpent, and little of the Dove.
The Scorpion is vigilant, watching opportuntty of miſchiefe.Tota aeſtate inſomnes ſunt quamdiu venenum viget. Plin. l. 8. c. 29. Semper in ictu eſt, nullo que momento meditari ceſſat, ne quando deſit occaſioni Idem. Pliny ſaith, ſome Serpents ſleep not all the Summer, but are alway thruſting out their ſtings, & waking leſt they ſhould miſſe their opportunitie: And wicked men are very wakeful, & watching their opportunity to doe miſchiefe, Prov. 4.16. they ſleep not unleſſe they have done miſchiefe, or cauſed ſome to fall. Ahab is ſicke and cannot ſleep, unleſſe he have Naboths vineyard. Amnon muſt have Tamar to ſatisfie his luſt, elſe he muſt lie awake all night. Wicked men cannot bee in quiet unleſſe they ſleep in wickedneſſe. When Chriſt came to his Diſciples, they were aſleep; but the wicked rout were awake, and comming to take him; they are reſtleſſe like the Sea, Iſai. 57.20. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot reſt, not when it is calme, but in its working, boyling, reſtleſſe condition, when it threatens ſtormes, to ſwallow up ſhips, to break over the banks, &c. Such are wicked ones, they ſtorm, they ſwell, and watch where to break out to empty themſelves of their eſtates to drown a countrey in the blood of a civill warre: Mich. 7.2.3. they all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every man his brother with a net, that they may doe evill with both hands earneſtly, &c. They have their net ſet, they hunt, they watch, and will not loſe an opportunity, if one hand will not ſerve, both ſhall, and the intention of their ſpirits alſo they are earneſt in the work. And as they are wife to watch their ſeaſon, ſo their feet are ſwift in running to the accompliſhment of them, Prov. 6.18. Were not our enemies watchfull and active to break Parliaments, to make Canons, to ſearch pockets, to fetch men into their Courts?
3. They are exceeding troubleſome to the countries where they are, they will get up their walls into their chambers and beds, as ſome Expoſiters obſerve;Eglinus in Apocal. and therefore to prevent ſuch evills, they ſet their beds remote from the wall, and the feet of their beds in pots full of water, and for feare of them, they lie in the higheſt roomes; they moleſt them much, and multiply their feares: in this they are not unlike them: Ahab was a troubler of Iſrael, wicked men are the incendiaries in Church and State; I muſt not name any, you know more then enough, that are not nick-nam'd when they are ſo term'd, they have troubled this State, this City.
4. They confederate and joyne together to do miſchief; one will ſtick faſt to the roof or wall, a ſecond unto him, a third unto the ſecond, and ſo make a chain, till they reach to the party aſleep, and the laſt ſtings him, and returns, and ſo every one back in order; this I find of the Scorpion in Eglinus upon the Revelation; here is both their craft and malice unto man, that they are ſubſervient one to another, and ſo linked together for ſuch a purpoſe; herein are wicked men truly Scorpions: Prov. 1.14. Come, let us all have one purſe: Nahum 1.10. the wicked are as thorns folden together, ſtick together as the ſcale of Leviathan: Acts 4.5, 6. Rulers, Elders, Scribes, High-prieſt, Caiphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the High-prieſt, were gathered together againſt Chriſt and his Apoſtles.
5. The Scorpion, feeds upon the duſt of the earth; it feeds upon baſe and low things, upon vile and venemous things; ſo do wicked and ungodly men: as the Serpent licks the duſt of the earth, ſo do they lick the duſt of the earth, they feed upon malice, they feed upon blood, they feed upon that which is not their own, Amos 2.7. They pant after the very duſt of the earth, they pant after the eſtates and means that poor men have, in any place where they come, and they feed upon it, and ſatisfie their malice and revenge to the full, in ſucking the eſtates, and cruſhing the bones of the Saints of God.
Lambunt, pungunt, venenum infundunt.6. They kill, lenta morte, but gravi ſupplicio; when they ſet upon a man, they lick him, they prick him, they poyſon him, which quickly torments, and within a few dayes kils, Rev. 9.5. their terment was as the torment of a Scorpion when he ſtrikes a man; ſome Scorpions have double ſtings, and that they may be ſure to kill, they ſtrike with both; wicked men lick us with their treaties, and kill us with their treacheries: Pſal. 55.21. Their words are fofter then oyle, but they are drawn ſwords: in the treaties and flatteries of wicked men: if we were not blind, wee might ſee drawn ſwords, death at the throat of our eſtate, of our Religion, lawes and liberties. Haman flattered with Eſther, that ſought the deſtruction of the Jews, the decree is ſealed for the death of young and old, Eſt. 3. here was a Scorpion; and Jer. 38.4. the Princes beſeech the King to put Jeremiah to death; ſuch a Scorpion was Jezabel and Ahab, which ſtung Naboth to death, and got his Vineyard. Hence that law in Ezek. 46.18. The Prince ſhall not take of the peoples inheritance by oppreſſion, to thruſt them out of their poſſeſſions.
7. Scorpions are driven away, if any of them be burnt in the houſe where they haunt:Si aliqui eorum in med…o domus exurantur, ſay Palladius and Virga. when Joab and Shimei were put to death by the ſword of Solomon, then the other Scorpions in Iſrael were afraid, and hid themſelves; and the Kingdome was eſtabliſhed in the hand of Solomon, 1 King. 2.46. If we ſhake not our Vipers into the fire, they will do us harm. Thus you ſee wherein the reſemblance lies between the wicked, in regard that they are call'd Briers, Thorns and Scorpions in the Text.
The Obſervations that do ariſe from the Text are:
1. That he is the fitteſt man for publique imployment, is ſenſible of his own naturalneſſe, weakneſſe and inſufficiencie for place or ſervice: Son of man, be not afraid; I ſee Ezekiel, that thou art ſenſible of thy own naturalneſſe, earthlineſſe and inſufficiencie, be not thou afraid, thou art the fitter man for my ſervice: Moſes pretended that hee was a man ſlow of ſpeech, and unfit for the great work of delivering Gods people, and leading them out of Egypt into Canaan, but hee was the fitter man for God: So thoſe Miniſters or Magiſtrates that are ſenſible of their own weakneſſes, they are fitteſt for Chriſt and Church ſervice, and the Lord Chriſt will ſhew his power moſt in their weakneſſe.
2. Thoſe that are in Gods work, and do intend heaven, they muſt look for afflictions, they muſt look for trouble: Ezekiel, ſaith Chriſt, I'll put thee into my ſervice, but know, thou muſt not go a ſmooth way, thou muſt meet with thorns and briers, thou ſhalt meet with Scorpions and Serpents; there is a Scorpion in heaven, and Scorpions on earth too; let a man be in a heavenly calling, a Prophet; let a man be in a worldly calling, a Magiſtrate; hee ſhall meet with Scorpions and Serpents, through many afflictions wee muſt enter into heaven, and it is well wee enter through many afflictions.
3. The way and method of the Lord Chriſt is to propound unto us the hardeſt things at firſt; he deals ſo with Ezekiel here, he heares of Thorns, Scorpions, a rebellious Houſe, and heares of that which might have diſcouraged him; but Chriſts way is to let you know what you muſt look for, Matth. 10. You ſhall be hated of all men for my names ſake; you ſhall be carryed to the Court, you ſhall be ſcourged and whipped like rogues; you ſhall be brought before Governours; you ſhall be put to death; hee tells them all of theſe things:
Firſt, becauſe it was the way to arm them againſt thoſe evills: we ſay, praemoniti, praemuniti, men forewarn'd are forearm'd.
Secondly, that they may have no cauſe to complain they met with worſe matters then ever they heard of.
Thirdly, to ſtrengthen their faith when they ſhould ſee ſuch things fall out, they might ſay, theſe be the things which were foretold, and are tokens that we are in Chriſts way. God began the world with this method; Gen. 1. The evening and the morning was the firſt day, it is not the morning and the evening, but you muſt have night before day, a winter before a Spring, and thunder and lightning before a calm; and this is Chriſts way, therefore, if you intend heaven, think not to meet only with eaſe.
Theſe things are all generall; we come now to more particular Obſervations.
1. Then wee muſt walk warily; though wicked men be not to be fear'd, yet they are to be heeded; non timendi, ſed cavendi ſunt impii. When Chriſt ſent out his Apoſtles, hee tells them what Thorns and Scorpions they muſt be amongſt; men as cruell as Wolves, that would perſecute unto death, and what ſaith he, Be wiſe as Serpents, Matth. 10.innocent as Doves; keep your ſelves from their ſcratching, their ſtinging, their teeth, do not you inconſiderately run into their harms, give them no juſt cauſe or occaſion of miſchieving you, Be innocent as Doves, without horns, without puſhing,foreign. going, wronging any, only be wary, and defend your ſelves, as the next Verſe is: Beware of men, look to them, they are dangerous creatures, Wolves, Thorns, Serpents are not ſo dangerous as they, be exact therefore, circumſpect, yet not ſo cautelous as to prejudice duty, or multiply feares: for Ver. 26. it's ſaid, Fear them not; he had told them they ſhould be hated, Verſ. 22. courted, ſcourged, Verſ. 17. perſecuted from place to place, Verſ. 23. put to death, Verſ. 21. yet they muſt not feare, but they muſt beware of men; he ſaith not, beware of devils, they were ſubject unto the Diſciples through Chriſts name, but men would not be ſubject, therefore beware of them. Aelian tels us,O creatos dormi…e ſolerc. in Lybia men ſlept with their boots on, becauſe of the Scorpions, that they might not ſting them; let us not ſleep, but walk booted, I mean, let us be ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpel of peace, Epheſ. 6.15. be ſhod with a diſpoſition unto peace; let us be peaceable, harmleſſe, innocent and heedy of our converſation, that they do neither ſcratch nor ſting us.
2. Publique and great deſignes cannot be carried on with eaſe and ſpeed; there be Thorns and Briers in the way, yea, Scorpions, ſome difficulty or other; Sluggards pretend Lions in the way, but publique, active ſpirits, when they are upon weighty affaires, find Lions in the way: Joſhua, when about a great work, to take Ai, there was an Achan in the way to make a great demur, and had almoſt overthrown the deſign, Joſh. 7. Nehemiah had a great work in hand, and were there no obſtacles to let? Tobiah and Sanballat were in the way, they ſcoffed, they complied, they arm'd, threatned, yea, the Nobles of Judah give intelligence to Tobiah, Neh. 6.17. The work of reformation now is a great and good work, and are there no obſtacles in the way? yea, there be thorns, and heaps of them, which have prick'd and lam'd ſome; Scorpions which have bit and ſtung others, that they move not, or very ſlowly in this great work; ſome are unwilling, ſome unfaithfull, ſome inſufficient, ſome deeply guilty of foul fins, which puts the work more back in one day, then they can forward with their hearts, heads, hands, purſes, and lives in many dayes; there are men imploy'd that are Achans, Sanballat's, Judaſes; we have much policy and carnall wiſdome, and think by that to ſpeed great works to their period; but this is, I will not ſay, the only, but a principall Remora, while we will cart the Ark, and carry on things upon the ſhoulders of policie, we are in danger to loſe the Ark; yea, in danger to loſe all, we will not yet ſee, lay the finger upon the right ſore, and goe to the root of evils; things of weight in State or Church, have their lets, rubs, mountains, and come not to birth in the day of expectation; this ſhould keep our hearts from ſinking, and our tongues from cenſuring, when great deſignes ſticke, and come not to perfection:Moleſtum & impeditum curſum. Let us remember there bee Thornes, Scorpions in the way; Pitie and pray for the Parliament, Armies, Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, who have difficult and dangerous work.
3. Wonder not that men in place are ſcratched in their credits, and wounded in their eſtates, they dwell among Thorns and Scorpions, the fleece and fleſh ſuffer by them many times, Nehemiah is a rebell, Elijah a troubler of Iſrael, Chriſt an enemy to Ceſar, and Paul a ſeditious and peſtilent fellow; the Iſraelites could not goe through the wilderneſſe, without being ſtung with the fiery Serpents, Daniel eſcaped the teeth of the Lions in the Den, but not the ſting of the Scorpions in the Court. Men that goe into the war, muſt not think to eſcape all bullets and blowes; Magiſtrates and Miniſters are Gods Souldiers, they both beare the ſword, Jer. 1.19. they ſhall fight againſt thee, and it muſt not ſeem ſtrange if they get wounds. When Adam and Manaſſes are among the buſhes, can leſſe be expected then ſcratches? it's the nature of wicked men to blaſt and beſpot the name of others, they have learned and doe practiſe the Devils, or the Jeſuites doctrine, Reproach to purpoſe, Calumniare fortiter, & aliquid haereb t.and ſomthing will faſten. But let the wicked black, God will white, waſh the names of his; Daniels innocencie was cleared up to the King himſelfe, Dan. 6.22. Chriſt ſaith, Woe to you when all ſpeak well of you, Luke 6. He never ſaith, Woe to you when men ſpeake ill of you, he is ſo farre from that, as hee faſtens a bleſſing upon it, Matth. 5.11. Bleſſed are you when men ſpeake all manner of evill of you falſly for my ſake. Baſil ſaith, when men defame us, we are ſory for them, elſe I ſhould almoſt have ſaid, wee acknowledge thankes to them for their blaſphemies, as procurers of our bliſſe.Eorum detractatio eſt vitae tuae approbatio. It's honour to be reviled of the wicked, their calumniation is our commendation: then a man ſhewes himſelfe a man of God, and for God, when he diſpleaſes thoſe pleaſe not God. Seneca could ſee on which ſide Right was, when he ſaid, Argumentu… eſt recti malis diſplicere.
4. Seek not the acquaintance of wicked men, the Prophet Micah will give you reaſon for it, Chap. 7.4. The beſt of them is a brier, the moſt upright is ſharper then a thorne hedge. You think ſome of them are faire men, have good natures, good parts, great places, and you may bee intimate with them, lean upon them, and get good by them, if not doe good to them: but you are deceived, ſaith he, the beſt of them, for wit, parts, birth, breeding, place, is a brier, yea, the moſt upright, thoſe that are civill,What ſhall you, what can you have frō a Scorpion, but aculeum, vulnus, venenum clam & palam inſidiabuntur. Somper lanam, ſaepe vitam perdunt. When one commended Julian the Cardinall, to Sigiſmund the Emperour, he anſwered, Tamen Romanus eſt: And ſo when any wicked man is commended to you, anſwer, Tamen ſentis eſt. that have a form of godlineſſe, and walk according to their light, even they are ſharper then a thorn hedge. And becauſe it is incident to the nature of man to minde great ones, and ſeeke their acquaintance, he ſpeakes in the verſe before, of Princes, Judges, and great men, and beats men off from looking after & leaning upon them; the ſheep run to the hedge for ſhade in the heat, and ſhelter in the ſtorm; but what's the iſſue? If they eſeape with their lives, yet they goe off with rent garments: and if the beſt of them bee briers, what are the worſt of them? When David was become a Courtier, he met with a ſpear, and found Saul ſharper then a thorn hedge, his ſpirit was vext with him, and no marvell, wicked men vex the ſpirit of God, who hath more patience and wiſdome then man, who is without all corruption, and altogether holy, yet his ſpirit is vexed with them, Iſa. 63.10. Therefore the Spirit of God counſels us what acquaintance to ſeek, Job. 22.21. Acquaint thy ſelfe with God, and be at peace, and thereby good ſhall come unto thee: he will not be a brier or thorne to run into thy hand, he will not vex thy ſpirit, truſt him, he will not deceive or diſappoint thee.
5. See what fruit to look for from them, fruits ſutable to their nature, 1 Sam. 24.13. Wickedneſſe proceedeth from the wicked; it is a proverb, and they have much truth and ſtrength in them, and it was ancient then, and in all ages hath been made good, obſerv'd that wickedneſſe comes from the wicked; by it David cleares himſelfe, taxes his malicious enemies, and confutes Saul himſelfe. As for me, I am accuſed to be a ſeditious and traiterous fellow, a man that ſeekes thy life, O Saul, thou haſt followers and flatterers about thee to exaſperate thee againſt me, that put thee on to hunt me, as a Partridge on the mountain, and to ſpill my blood; but I am no ſuch man as they pretend, and thou conceiveſt: I had thee at advantage, was counſelled to take away thy life, and could have done it; but wickedneſſe was not in me, I cut off the lap of thy Coat when I could have cut off thy Head. I will make thee judge who is the wicked man, thoſe that accuſe mee, thou that purſuteſt the ſoule of an innocent man, or my ſelfe that have ſpared thee, having ſuch advantage. Wickedneſſe proceeds from the wicked; if I had been a wicked ſubject, as thou and others thought, thy life had gone: but thy Courtiers, thy Counſellers are wicked; yea, and thou art wicked, and nothing but wickedneſſe comes from you, and that proceeds as light from the Sunne, water from the fountaine, breath from the noſtrils. Chriſt tells us, wee muſt not look for good from them, Matth. 7.16. Doe men gather grapes of thorns, or figges of thiſtles? If you looke for ſuch fruit, you will be deceived; they may grow green as the vine and figge-tree, but their fruit is different: what fruit have Papiſts and Prelaticall ones brought forth in Church or State theſe many yeares? corrupt trees cannot beare good fruit, briers, thornes, brambles, may bring fruit for Gadarens and ſwine, not for Chriſt and his Diſciples, Judg. 9. The Olive tree had its fatneſſe, the Figge tree its ſweetneſſe and good fruit, the Vine its pleaſant wine, (they would not leave their places for promotion: For uſually when men are promoted, they loſe of their excellencie, the Olive trees, Figge trees, Vines, they loſe of their fatneſſe, if not all their fatneſſe; of their ſweetneſſe, if not all their ſweetneſſe) but what had the bramble? fire, and fire to conſume the Cedars of Lebanon: brambles are of aſpiring nature, and when they are got up, they fire States and Kingdomes.
6. Then it's no great loſſe when wicked men are taken away, when briers and thorns are cut down, and Scorpions killed, who is damnified by it?Spina ſunt peſtes terrae & frugum morbi, Plin. wicked men are the very plagues of the earth, they ſuck away the ſweet from the Vine, the fat from the Olive: It was ſaid of Nero, that he was venenum terrae, and when that pitcher was broken, it was gain, not loſſe, matter for praiſe, not mourning; the Husband-man is not grieved when the grieving thorn and pricking thiſtle are cut out of his corn: Prov. 11.10. When the wicked periſh, there is ſhouting; ſhouting on earth, that juſtice is done, his wickedneſſe at an end, the Church and State eas'd of ſuch a burthen, rid of ſuch a thorn; and ſhouting in hell, Iſa. 14.9. When Jehoiakim died, there was no lamentation made for him, hee was a wicked and worthleſſe King, his carkaſſe was no better then the body of an Aſſe, and hee had the buriall of an Aſſe, drawn and caſt out in the high-way or ditches, Jer. 22.18, 19. hee had an infamous buriall; and ſuch, ſaith Olimpiodorus, is the end of every Magiſtrate or Miniſter that teaches and governs well, but lives ill, his end is infamous, hee is buried in infamy; but godly men are of great worth: Heb. 11.38. the world was not worthy of them, thoſe precious ones mentioned there, and thoſe are living now, God valued, and values above the world; godly men are the Pillars of the earth, they are the marrow, blood and ſoul of the world; the world languiſhes and lies adying when they are pull'd away: Moſes, Exod. 32.10. held Gods hands, Moſes is a man that hath power in earth and in heaven; hee is a man, that when there is a danger, can go up to the heavens, and ſo put the Lord to it, that he ſaith, Let mee alone, that I may deſtroy this wicked people, and I will make thee a great nation; he would have hired him to have come to an accommodation; men are now upon accommodating, but a Moſes will not accommodate; no, not with God himſelf, when his people are in danger, but he will have a bleſſing upon good terms, hee will have Gods wrath removed, and a reconciliation between heaven and earth, or elſe Moſes will never be quiet with God; what a loſſe is ſuch a man? after his death, if God had not raiſed up a Joſhua, what had become of Iſrael? When Elijah was taken away, the horſemen and Chariots of Iſrael went.
7. See here a ground, why wee are ſo wary in having peace with our adverſaries; there's much ado about peace; wee all ſay peace, but give us leave to be wary when wee make a peace, when wee dwell among Thorns and Scorpions; Thorns have their prickles and grievances, Scorpions have their ſtings, and wee are unwilling to be ſtung; wee would not have our conſciences, our liberties ſtung; wee would not have our priviledges plucked from us, and all be in danger; wee are unwilling to come to this. When Scotland had made peace with England, Flanders and the Eaſterlings, it was ſaid, they had peace with the world, but their Prelates made war with God; ſo wee may have peace with men, but there are thoſe amongſt us, who, if we look not to it, will make war with God, with the Lamb, and thoſe that follow him. It's reported of the Spanyards, that they had peace with all the world, but were out with God: if we make ſuch a peace, as to have peace with men, and to be out with God, this would be a curſed peace; if wicked men will lay aſide their thornineſſe, their ſtings and ſubtilties, be Nathaniels, and not Achitephels, Doves, and not Serpents, we would willingly imbrace a peace; we have on the ſhoes of the Goſpel of the preparation of peace.
8. Seeing wicked men are Thorns and Scorpions, let thoſe in Authority look to it, and do their duty, that the Briers and Thorns grow not too high, too great; that Scorpions do not abound. It's ſaid, there were nine kinds of Scorpions about Jeruſalem and Syria, and very great ones, and twenty kinds of Thorns alſo; I fear we have all thoſe kinds of Thorns and Scorpions amongſt us;foreign. the Greeks have a Proverb, There is a Scorpion under every ſtone, and where almoſt can a man go among us, but there are Scorpions, Thorns and Briers, ſcratching, catching, and doing a miſchief? Let Magiſtrates tread upon thoſe Scorpions, and Miniſters hew thoſe Thorns, Pſal. 91.13. Hoſ. 6.5. Let Miniſters do as Chryſoſtome did, who would have his hand cut off, before he would ſuffer Scorpions and Thorns to come to the Table of the Lord, to poyſon that Wine and Bread, and to prick the ſheep that came to feed there: Magiſtrates likewiſe ſhould do what lies in them, that neither the Scorpions nor Briers do miſchieve the ſheep; you may finde Scorpions in more places then one, in your Courts, Markets, Shops, Fields, Ale-houſes, if you drive them not out of their holes,Numb. 33.55. they will be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your ſides, and vex you in the land wherein you dwell; you may make oile of theſe Scorpions, and meat of theſe Leviathans. Pliny and others obſerve, that if you burn one Scorpion in the midſt of the houſe, all the reſt will flie away: if Authority would execute Juſtice upon ſome of our Scorpions, cut down ſome of our Thorns, the reſt would flie away; wee are ſo fearefull and backward herein, that wee let Scorpions multiply, thorns and brambles increaſe, not only til our fleeces be ſcratched from us, but our fleſh ſtung about us, our liberties and lives indangered; wee will not ſee where our ſore is, nor ſearch to the bottome of it; and becauſe wee will not doe it, God may juſtly ſend fiery Serpents to ſting us, and afford no brazen Serpent to cure us. For your encouragement to deale with theſe, conſider, Pſal. 118.12. 2 Sam. 23.6. Ezek. 28.24. where it is ſaid, There ſhall be no more a pricking brier, or grieving thorn unto the houſe of Iſrael: for they ſhall know that I am the Lord God.
Another principall obſervation is, That we muſt not bee afraid of men what ever they be, eſpecially thoſe are called to publike place, as Miniſters, and Magiſtrates: Chriſt calls Ezekiel to publick ſervice, and foure times he is forbidden to feare in this verſe: Be not afraid of them, that is, their frownes, bee they great ones, Kings, Princes, Nobles, or whomſoever; bee not afraid of their words, though ſtormy, grievous, ſtout, contradictory, &c. becauſe words doe ſtick and ſtrike deep oft-times, it is repeated again, Bee not afraid of their words, let them not affect thee, nor be diſmaid at their lookes. The Hebrew word Techoth, ſignifies to be amazed, dejected, diſcouraged, and letted in ones way; but the Prophet muſt not be amazed, dejected, or diſcouraged with what ever he hears, ſees, or meets withall.
To give ſome few Reaſons concerning this, and ſome helps whereby to fortifie our ſpirits, that we may not be fearfull, having to do with Scorpions and Thorns.
1. Feares are prejudiciall; they take away our liberty;Tuus timor tibi eſt Nero, tua tentatio tibi eſt Iulianus. they put halters about our necks, and ſtrangle our comforts; they multiply and prolong our miſeries; they wound and diſable us; the work is to be done, bene, libere, intrepide; if we feare, that will fetter, infeeble and make us bungle. Iſa. 22.2. They were ſlain, not with the ſword, but with feares: Feare ſlayes a man while hee is alive; feare buries a man before hee is dead; feares are prejudiciall to thoſe that are in publique place.
2. They are to be men of courage who are in publique place, Exod. 18.21. Moſes was to provide able men to be Magiſtrates and Rulers; the originall is, men of ſtrength and courage: the word ſignifies vertue, ſtrength, a bulwark, riches, an army, all which do increaſe courage; ſo that a Magiſtrate ſhould have the courage of all theſe: of the vertuous, of the ſtrong, of one in a bulwark, of the rich, of an army; hee is to be a man of might, Dan. 3.20. He commanded the moſt mighty men; it's the ſame word, the men of moſt courage, that were of mighty courage to binde Shadrach, Meſhach and Abednego; thoſe God puts into publique places are to be ſuch: Joſh. 1.9. Be ſtrong, and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou diſmayed; where courage is required, feare is prohibited; and where feare is prohibited, as in our Text, there courage is imploy'd, Should ſuch a man as I flie? feare? ſaid Nehem. 6.11. no, I will not feare nor flie, but be couragious and ſtand it out againſt Sanballat and the reſt, their power, their ſcoffs, their threats, their plots: Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and all Gods people ſhould be men of courage, when Reformation and Temple-work are in hand, Hag. 2.4. Be ſtrong, O Zerubbabel, and be ſtrong, O Joſhua, and be ſtrong, O all yee people of the land, ſaith the Lord, and work. The work of Reformation and of the Temple will not go on, if you faint and flag. Samuel was a man of courage, when hee told Saul intreating him to return with him, that hee might worſhip, but hee would not return with him; for, thou haſt rejected God, and God hath rejected thee from being King; and thinkeſt thou that I will countenance thee? 1 Sam. 15.25, 26. ſo Elijah was no white-livered Prophet, but a man of metall, 1 King. 18.15, 17, 18, 19. As the Lord of hoſts liveth before whom I ſtand (ſpeaking to Obadiah) I will ſurely ſhew my ſelf to Ahab this day: I, but Jezabel hath vow'd thy death, and Ahab makes ſearch for thee all the land over, and if thou be found, thou art a dead man; Well, ſaith Elijah, I will ſhew my ſelf: and when he came into his preſence, what a ſalute had he? Art thou hee that troubleth Iſrael? I'll have thee diſpatched one way or other; is the Prophet daunted now? no, but replies, I am not he, but it's thou and thy fathers houſe: ſend and gather to mee all Iſrael, (what a commanding, what a ſuſpicious word was this? he might have thought that this man would get power about him, and offer violence to him and his houſe) thou thinkeſt to have my blood, but I will have the blood of all the falſe Prophets, &c. Who might not think that Elijah rather was King then Ahab? 2 Chron. 26.17, 18. When King Ʋzziah would have burnt incenſe to the Lord, the Prieſt reſiſted Ʋzziah, and thruſt him out of the Temple; they that are in publike place, are to be men of courage, and therefore they muſt not feare.
3. God is with his; thoſe hee calls and imployes in publique ſervice. Joſh. 1.9. Why ſhould hee be ſtrong, and of good courage? for the Lord thy God is with thee. Jer. 1.8.Jer. 1.19. Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee to deliver thee. Gods preſence ſhould put life into us: when inferiour natures are backt with a ſuperiour, they are full of courage: when the Maſter is by, the Dog will venture upon creatures greater then himſelf, and feares not, at another time hee will not do it, when his Maſter is abſent. When God is with us, who is the ſupreme, it ſhould make us fearleſſe, it did David, Pſal. 118.6. The Lord is on my ſide, my help, I will not feare what man can do unto mee, let him do his worſt, frown, threat, plot, arm, ſtrike, the Lord is on my ſide, he hath a ſpeciall care of mee, hee is a ſhield unto mee, I will not feare, but hope; as it's in the next verſe; I ſhall ſee my deſire on them that hate mee, I ſhall ſee them changed or ruin'd; our help is in the name of the Lord, but our feares are in the name of man. God takes ſpeciall care of men in publique place; the Angels of the Church are as the ſtars in his right hand, Rev. 1.16. hee holds them faſt, and it's ſaid of Chriſt, Iſa. 49.2. That he was hid in the ſhadow of his hand, in the protection of his hand is the Septuagint: Ʋmbra eſt ſymbolum protectionis, it defends from the heat of the Sun, that was in Judea exceeding hot; God hides Chriſt, yea, all are eminent, and under, who belong to him, in a ſpeciall manner, and delivers them from danger, Zach. 2.5. I will be unto Jeruſalem a wall of fire round about; who ſhall dare to come neer it then, to hurt the Magiſtrates, Miniſters or people there? Some think it alludes to the Cherubim, that with a fiery flaming ſword kept Paradiſe; others to the fiery Chariots round about Dothan, 2 Kin. 6.17. where Eliſha was: either of theſe is good, and notes protection, but there is another, and it may be more ſuitable interpretation; and it's this: When they travelled in the wilderneſſe, oft wilde beaſts would be aſſaulting them, ſpecially in the night, when they laid down to reſt, then they made a circular fire about them, and ſo no beaſt, Lion, Wolfe or Leopard dare middle with them, the fire was a wall to them; and hence the expreſſion ſeems to be taken, that God, when wilde beaſts, wicked men ſhould offer violence to Jeruſalem, hee would be a wall of fire round about it.
4. Thoſe are in publique place, are in Gods place; I have ſaid yee are Gods, Pſal. 82.6. Moſes was to Aaron in ſtead of God, Exod. 4.16. And ſo Miniſters, they are in Chriſts ſtead, 2 Cor. 5.20. and they muſt be like unto God, fearleſſe of men, but dreadfull unto men. It's an ill thing to ſee a drunken god, to heare a ſwearing god; and it's as ill to ſee a trembling, fearfull god, a Magiſtrate, a Miniſter afraid of man, when as they having the Image and authority of God ſtampt upon them, are to make others, eſpecially ſinners, to quake, Rom. 13.4. The Apoſtle bids evill doers, not the powers, be afraid; why, they are the Miniſters of God, and beare not the ſword in vain, they muſt not feare, but make others do it; ſo did the Apoſtles and Prophets, John made Herod quake, and Paul mad Felix tremble, here were Lambs ſcaring Lions.
5. They that are godly, true Chriſtians, their godlineſſe, their cauſe ſuffers by their fearefulneſſe; they have receiv'd another ſpirit then that of the world, 1 Cor. 2.12. even the Spirit of God, which is no timerous, cowardly Spirit; the Apoſtle denies that, 2 Tim. 1.7. God hath not given us the Spirit of feare, but of power, of love and a ſound minde: where there is a baſe feare, there is ſickneſſe of mind, no ſoundneſſe; and there is little love, and leſſe power: thoſe that have the Spirit of Chriſt, and the Spirit of God, it is not for them to feare; have you the Spirit of the Lord of Hoſts in you? have you the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt in you, and will you feare and tremble before men, that have the ſpirit of devils in them? the Spirit of the Lord of Hoſts is like himſelf, and the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt is like Chriſt himſelf, he was not afraid of any; if therefore men in place have this Spirit, they muſt not feare, for they do diſhonour Chriſtianity, and the Spirit they have received from their Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt.
6. There is not that in wicked men, as ſhould make us to feare them, if wee conſider they are Briers, Thorns, Scorpions, contemptible things, rather to be deſpiſed then fear'd; if they had truth, grace and God with them, then they might be feared; they have not God with them, they are a rebellious houſe, and hee is againſt them, they cannot pray to fetch in might to make them dreadfull; if they ſay a prayer, the prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord: they are full of feares themſelves, and have no true valour in them, that ariſes from other and better principles then they have, if they had truth of grace, God with them, then wee might feare them, but their guilt, their wickedneſſe doth weak… …hem, and multiply their feares; can wicked men be without feares? Iſa. 8.12. feare yee not their feare, they have a ſlaviſh, diſtracting, heart-ſmiting, tormenting helliſh feare: Saul feared the people, 1 Sam. 15.24. Is there not a ſpirit of feare upon many in Ireland and England too? have not Judges feared the Courts they have ſate in?
6. God will diſmay, confound us, if wee feare men, Jer. 1.17. Be not diſmayed at their faces, leſt I confound thee before them, or break thee in pieces. Jeremiah, ſaith God, If thou doſt feare them, and betray the truth I have committed to thee, I will forſake thee, leave thee to the hands, malice, cruelty, and breake thee to pieces before their faces: fearefulneſſe doth much provoke God; hee that ſees not ſufficiency in God to ſupport him, ſhall find enough to daunt and crnfound him; but if wee go on with courage, diſcharge the place and truſt committed to us;Stellae in nocte lucent, in die latent, Bern. in Cant. Videbis me plus poſſe dum torqueor quam ipſe dum torques. if wee ſhould fall into the hands of wicked men, and ſuffer, God will own us, let out himſelf unto us, ſupport us, ſympathize with us, deliver us, or make us and our ſufferings glorious: Stars ſhine in the night, they are obſcur'd in the day; when Vincentius was tormented by the Tyrant, hee ſaid, Thou ſhalt ſee mee more couragious in ſuffering, then thy ſelf in tormenting.
Some helps againſt feare.
1. Let your feare be exerciſed about God, he is an object fit to be feared; all fleſh is graſſe, all nations are a drop of the bucket, and the ſmall duſt of the ballance; Inhabitants of the earth are as a ſwarm of Flies, a troop of Graſs-hoppers, and ſhall wee feare theſe little things? the world is nothing unto God; there is no greatneſſe beſide God himſelf, hee hath made the world,Nihil magnum, niſi magnus Deus. Pſal. 119.120. he hath dried up the Seas, hee ſends out the mighty winds, hee changes times and ſeaſons, hee brings Princes to nothing, makes Judges vanity, hee tumbles nations into hell, and can deſtroy the ſoul and body eternally, him feare, ſaith Chriſt, Luke 12.4, 5. not men, that can but kill the body, but feare him, who after the body is dead, can kill the ſoul, and caſt into hell; I ſay unto you, feare him: and Iſa. 8.13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your feare, let him be your dread; let there be ſuch a frame of ſpirit in you as becomes the Lord of Hoſts, ſutable to his greatneſſe, his ſoveraignty and authority over you and all creatures, then you will not feare; when the feare of God is ſtrong in your heart, then the feare of man ceaſeth: when the Dictator rul'd at Rome, then all other Officers ceaſed; and when this feare of God rules, all other feares will be huſht; and that's not all, if God be ſanctified by us, hee will be a Sanctuary unto us.
2. Set faith a work; men in publique place ſhould have their hands at work on earth, and their faith in heaven; the juſt live by faith, and will not die by feare. Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.7, 8. when Senacherib was coming againſt Jeruſalem, and troubled the whole land, hee ſet his hands awork to fortifie the City, and his faith to fortifie himſelf: Be ſtrong and couragious, be not afraid, nor diſmayed, for the King of Aſsyria and his multitude, for there be more with us then be with him; with him is an arm of fleſh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battell; here was an army of 185000. to affright him, but here was faith in the Lord of Hoſts to eſtabliſh him; Heb. 11.27. Moſes feared not the wrath of the King, for he endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible: by faith hee ſaw the inviſible God, and that made him hold out againſt the King, though his wrath was hot, his looks fierce, his words terrible, his face cruell; Moſes knew, that what ever hee loſt for God, he ſhould finde in God, Prov. 29.25. The feare of man bringeth a ſnare, but who ſo putteth his truſt in the Lord ſhall be ſafe; mans feare brings a ſnare, and ſo death; had Moſes feared Pharaoh, hee had compounded with him, and ſo ruin'd himſelf and others, but hee that puts his truſt in the Lord ſhall be ſafe, The Hebrew is, ſet on high, like a bird upon the wing, that is, out of the reach of every ſnare and fowler, though never ſo cunning. Cardinall Borromaeus being told of great danger from ſome who lay in wait for him,Si Deus mei curam non habet, quid vivo? ſaid, An Deus eſt in mundo pro nihilo? Is God idle in the world? and Jahannes Silentiarius, being in the like caſe, ſaid, If God take not care of mee, why do I live?
3. Labour for purity and holineſſe; the moſt holy men are the leaſt fearing men: Paul was of great courage, hee had much holineſſe, 1 Theſ. 2.10. and when the Viper leapt upon his hand, he feared not, it could not kill him, but he could kill it; he ſhook it into the fire: Adam at firſt no creature could harm him, becauſe holy; in the lives of the Fathers, mention is made of one Abbas Paulus, who handled Serpents and Scorpions, and cut them in pieces without any hurt; and being asked how he came to this condition, ſaid, If a man be holy, all things are ſubject to him, as to Adam before his ſin in Paradiſe; if our hearts and conſciences be polluted, we ſhall feare, if not flie, 1 Sam. 18.12. Saul was afraid of David, hee had great riches, many forces, yet feares David a poor man, a baniſhed, reproach't man; and Herod feared John, he was a holy man; Magnas vires habet pietas, Job 17.9. The righous ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands, ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger, Prov. 28.1. The righteous is bold as a Lion; a man that is truly and thorowly godly, that knowes nothing by himſelfe, that hath purged out every ſpot, and gotten off all guilt, and needs not bluſh at any thing, paſt or preſent, hee is a Lion, hee is a braſſe wall, nothing ſhall daunt him, but the wicked flie when none purſue. Nehemiah was a holy man, and hee would not flie, but Manaſſeh a wicked King, hides himſelf among the thornes, and Adam runs to the thickets, they had prickings without, and worſe prickles within.
4. Value not life too much, let us be willing to lay out our lives in Gods ſervice, to ſpend and be ſpent for God: Acts 21.13. Paul ſaid, I am ready, not to be bound only, but to die at Jeruſalem for the name of the Lord Jeſus, he prized the name of Chriſt above his life; and if wee would prize ſomething above our lives, wee ſhould not ſo over-rate them, as through feare of man, to loſe better things to keep them; the Devill tels us, skin for skin, Job 2.4.and all that a man hath will he give for his life; true, all to ſave life, but there are ſome things of more worth than mans life, as the glory of God, the favour of God, the peace of God, truth of God, the name of Chriſt, &c. and wee ſhould ſo account of them, and be ready to ſacrifice our lives for them, Nehem. 6.11. hee would not go into the Temple to ſave his life, he knew the glory of God, the cauſe, work and people of God ſhould ſuffer by it, and therefore he would venture his life: So Baſil, when threaten'd with cruell uſuage and death, ſaid to him had the power in his hand, This body thou art Lord of only, not of our faith, or the cauſe we ſtand for; and whereas ſwords, wild beaſts, cutting of our fleſh,Potius nobis deliciae quam tormenta ſunt. &c. are threaten'd, theſe things are rather pleaſures then terrors to us; we look at better things then the world hath, for which we are not unwilling to lay out our lives: Rev. 12.11. the Worthies of thoſe times loved not their lives unto the death, they ſtood, bled, dyed for Chriſt and his Cauſe, who had ſtood, bled, dyed for them. Another obſervation is; That it's the lot of the righteous to dwell amongſt the wicked; the Prophet here dwelt amongſt Scorpions, and was amidſt Briers and Thorns, a ſad habitation, yet ſuch as is common to the Saints: Lot dwelt in Sodome, and his righteous ſoul was vexed, 2 Pet. 2.8. it was pained, tormented, as a man upon the rack; and David dwelt among thoſe were enemies to peace, and it made him cry out, Woe is me, that I ſo journ in Meſech: and dwell in the Tents of Kedar, Pſal. 120.5, 6. that is, with ungodly and barbarous people: and it's not the condition of ſome few, but the Church it ſelf, Cant. 2.2. which is as a Lilly among Thorns; ſo was the Church in Egypt, in Babylon, in the Primitive times amongſt the perſecuting Emperours, and their officers; ſo in the time of Antichriſt, and at this day, it is among Thorns and Scorpions; but here is the comfort of it, God takes notice thereof; Rev. 2.13. The Church of Pergamus dwelt where Satans throne was, where he bare moſt ſway, had moſt honour, a multitude of ſervants, where was great uncleanneſſe, hot perſecution; there did the Church of Pergamus dwell, and what ſaith the Text? I know thy works, and where thou dwelleſt; I know, that is, I take ſpeciall notice of all thy works, wrongs, how the Thorns do ſcratch, the Scorpions ſting thee, and I will reward thee for all. 2 Pet. 2.9. After mention being made of Lots being vexed with the Sodomites, it's ſaid, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation; he obſerves who they are among, how they are tempted, and knowes wayes of deliverance for them, and appeares amongſt them.