Exposition of Ezekiel 6-13, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 9 · Verse 4
VERS. 4.
And the Lord ſaid unto him, goe through the midſt of the City, through the middeſt of Jeruſalem, and ſet a marke upon the fore-heads of the men that ſigh, and that cry for all the abhominations that be done in the midſt thereof.
IN this verſe Divine pleaſure is made knowne to him had the Inkehorn by his ſide, and it conſiſts in a double command,
1. He is commanded to goe through the midſt of the City, and find out who ſighed and cryed for the abhominations therein.
2. He muſt ſet a marke upon the fore-heads of them who ſighed and cryed.
Set a marke.
What this was is much diſputed: Popiſh Expoſitors ſay it was the letter Tau, which prefigured the croſſe of Chriſt. Some Heb. by that mark Tau underſtand thoſe have perfect knowledge of the law: Some, thoſe who kept the law, Tau ſtanding for Thorah, ſignifying the law. Others underſtand believers in the Meſſiah, Tau noting a croſſe. Jerome and ſome with him thinke the Hebrew Tau was originally like the Greeke Tau, repreſenting a croſſe. and that Ezra returning from the captivity, found out new characters, which are thoſe we uſe: and Pradus ſaith, Arius Montanus had a ſilver ſhekel, in which the Hebrew letters were not unlike the Greeke, and this ſhekel himſelfe had ſeen; but it is not evident ſaith Sanct: that the moneys or ſhekels which were before the captivity had any letters upon them, they were not known by any ſtamp, but by their weight, and its not probable Ezra ſhould reject the originall characters of the ſacred tongue, and deviſe new himſelfe.Aſconius Pedianus cited by Alapid. Some that will have the mark Tau meant here, make it a ſigne of life, as foreign was of death, Iudges marked thoſe were condemned with a foreign, and thoſe were to be freed with Tau. If conjectures might take place, thus Tau is the baſis of the Hebrew Alphabet, and marking by Chriſt is the baſis of all true comfort and ſound profeſſion: but to leave conjectures, and to feed you with truth. Set a marke refers no more to one letter then another, not to the Greek Tau, or Latin T. becauſe the Lord ſpoke not in thoſe languages, but in the Hebrew: foreignand he meanes not the letter ח there, but a ſign in generall, as the word foreign not the letter ח ſignifies; for the originall is ſigne, a ſigne: Taf ſignum, from Tinuah ſignare, and ſo its uſed in Job, 31.35. Behold my deſire is, that the Almighty would anſwer me. The Hebrew is foreign Behold my ſigne is, that the Almighty would anſwer me. So it's rendred in the margent, in this ſenſe alſo the Sept. renders it,foreign. give or put a ſign, and ſo Symmachus and Aquila.
This ſigne was no corporall ſigne, as if the Lord had made ſome impreſſion in their fore-heads, wherby to diſtinguiſh them from others; for this was a viſion, not to be taken really, but in a ſpirituall ſenſe: The Lord Chriſt tooke ſpeciall notice of theſe, and did diſtinguiſh them by ſpeciall providence from thoſe who were to periſh in the deſtruction of the City; hee did not goe up and downe from houſe to houſe, and ſet a marke in their fore-heads, he applyed his blood and merits, and ſealed them by his Spirit; not that they were not waſh'd in the blood of Chriſt before; but now there was a new and ſpecial evidence of it.
Ʋpon the fore-heads.
Not on their backes, breaſts, armes, but on their foreheads. Some thinke the Prophet alludes to a practiſe of marking ſervants in the fore-head,Rhodigim, l. 5. c. 31. Vid. Sen. l. 4 de benefic. c. 37, 38. who had their Maſters names fixed therein, whence they were called inſcripti literati ſervi: and its the uſe among us to brand ſome Delinquents with a T in the ſhoulder, hand, or fore-head: and as before was ſaid, Judges marked thoſe who were queſtioned, and to be freed with Tau. Here was nothing writ upon their fore-heads, but ſomething is held out by theſe words unto us, Chriſt having intimated their election, effectuall calling,It may be taken from the practice of Generals, who when they beſiege Cities & intēd to ſpare ſome, give order that they ſhould bee marked as Rahabs houſe was. juſtification by his blood, interceſſion for them, providentiall care over them, in the dreadfull judgements comming upon them, doth by this phraſe declare his publique owning, and caring for them. The fore-head is an open place, expos'd to view of all, and what ever is there, is viſible, Rev. 13.16. The mark of the beaſt was in the hand and fore-head; one was ſecret, more private, the other more open. Chriſt would ſo deale by theſe perſons, and ſo deliver them, that it ſhould openly appeare he had diſtinguiſhed them from others.
2. Upon their fore-heads is ſpecified to let us ſee here was a perſonall, not a family deliverance intended.
Q. Were all delivered who were marked?
A. It's believed that ſome god…y ones ſuffered by the ſword and famine, that ſome alſo were carryed away captive. Jeremie himſelfe was not free from ſufferings.
Q. For what end were they then marked?
A. 1. To ſecure them of their eternall condition, that their ſins were pardoned, and perſons accepted.
2. To aſſure them that he was with them, and would worke all things for their good, and increaſe of their glory▪
3. To encourage their hearts againſt all oppoſition & hardſhip whatſoever.
The men that ſigh.
The word notes ſighing for griefe of minde: griefe is a heavy burthen, and cauſes men to ſigh as thoſe that are burthened, Exod. 2.23. The children of Iſrael ſighed by reaſon of bondage. The heavy bondage they were under made them groane and ſigh, and ſo theſe here had the burthen of Jeruſalems abhominations upon them, and that made them ſigh, Prov. 29.2. When the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn: It's the ſame word, they mee… with heavy preſſures make them ſigh.foreign Gravius ſonat. quam ח & ana ק graviorem notat gemitum quam ana ח.
That cry.
This notes ſuch ſorrow as exceedes ſighing, and muſt vent it ſelfe in a more full way, viz. with crying vehemently, as wounded men uſe to doe when they breath out their ſoules, Ezek. 26.15. The wounded cry when the ſlaughter is made. And Jer. 51.52. Through all the land her wounded ſhall groane or cry: It's the ſame word: ſo that the meaning is, they did ſigh greatly, and cry out bitterly for the abhominations were in Jeruſalem.
Obſer. 1.The Lord looks upon the world with a diſcriminating eye; ſome he looks upon to be marked, and ſome to be left unmarked, all are not equall in Gods thoughts or eye; ſome from eternity he predeſtinated, ſome he paſſed over, and now in time ſome he eyes for ſalvation,Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. ſome he ſets by for perdition, his eye diſtinguiſheth between the pretious and the vile, Pſal. 34.15, 16. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and the face of the Lord is againſt them that doe evill. He beholds both, but with a different aſpect; one ſort he beholds to doe good, the other to cut off, Pſalm 11.4. His eye-lids try the children of men, he lookes fixedly upon them, and as they are, ſo he deals with them, Iob 36.7. It's ſaid, he with-draws not his eyes from the righteous. They are the delight of his eyes, but the wicked are thorns, provocations to his eyes, Iſa. 3.8.
2. When the Lord proceeds to judgment of Cities, Churches, People, Kingdomes, he doth it judiciouſly, conſiderately: he doth not powre out wrath from heaven at all adventures, let it light where, and upon whom it will; but he makes enquiry who are fit to be puniſhed, and who to be ſpared, Pſal. 9.7. The Lord hath prepared his throne for judgement. And then verſ. 8. Hee ſhall judge the world in righteouſneſſe. And verſ. 12. He makes inquiſion for blood. The oppreſſed he will relieve, the oppreſſors he will cut off. When judgements are abroad, eſpecially Warres, all things ſeem to move confuſedly, and wicked men to doe what they liſt, they will deſtroy all before them: but they cannot, the judgments are the Lords, and he carries them on judiciouſly; there be eyes in the wheels, and a Divine ſpirit in them, and they doe not move, they cannot move otherwiſe than the wiſe God will have them.
3. In the worſt times God hath ſome who are faithfull, and ſerve him. Violence had fill'd the land, the Idoll of Jealouſie was ſet at the Altargate, chambers of Imagery in the wals of the Temple, the Antients of Iſrael worſhipped the forms of creeping things and abominable beaſts, the women wept for that ſhamefull Idoll Tammuz, corruptions abounded in Church and State, yet ſome faithfull ones the Lord had, that were undefiled. The Church of God did never totally faile, nor ever ſhall: When all fleſh had corrupted its wayes, the wickedneſs of man was grown great: When the earth was fill'd with violence, Gen. 6.5.11, 12. yet then, even then was Noah untainted, He was juſt and perfect in his generation, and walked with God, verſ. 9. In Ahabs dayes, when Jezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord, and he vexed the righteous with his will-worſhip, abominable idoletries, and forced them to flye to Jeruſalem, and things were ſo extreamly ill, the righteous ſo waſted, that Elijah a Prophet thought there was none left in Iſrael but himſelfe, even then the Lord tels him there were 7000. which had not bowed their knees to Baal, nor kiſſed him, 1 K. 1.18. They have ſhew'd that falſe god no reverence, contracted no pollution by doing as the reſt did: when Ahaz who is ſtigmatiz'd for his wickedneſſe, 2 Chron. 28.22. when he reign'd, cut in pieces the veſſels of the Temple, and ſhut up the door… of the Temple, and made Altars in every corner of Jeruſalem, verſ. 24. yet his own ſonne Hezekiah was godly at that time, and hated the wayes of his Father. When Chriſt came, there was a Joſeph, and Mary, a Zachariah, and Elizabeth, a Simeon, and Anna, with ſome few others, and the times were exceeding bad then. In the depths of Popery were pauperes lugdunenſes, of whom Reinerus a Popiſh Inquiſitor writes, that they had a great ſhew of godlineſſe, becauſe they liv'd juſtly before men, believed all things well concerning God and all the Articles of Faith, only they blaſphemed and hated the Church of Rome. God had his Hus, Jerome of Prague, and Luther, in times bad enough.
4. The number of men to be ſav'd in Jeruſalem is few, Commiſſion is given to the man with the Inkhorne by his ſide, to goe and ſearch through Jeruſalem, and where he found any mourning, ſighing, to mark them, and ſurely this number was very few; he is not to mark ſtree s, families, but particular perſons, which notes the paucity of thoſe that were truly godly, and to be ſaved. In Aegypt the bloud was upon the lintell and ſide poſts of the doore, and ſo whole families there eſcaped; but here in Jeruſalem the mark is not upon the door, but the fore-head; many doores, whole families were paſſed over, here and there one found and marked; take a place or two to this purpoſe, Jer. 5.1. Runne to and fro through the ſtreets of Jeruſalem, and ſee now, and know, and ſeeke in the broad places thereof if yee can finde a man, if there be any that executeth judgement, that ſeeketh the truth, and I will pardon it. Here God bids them ſearch and ſee if they could finde a man and bring forth, ſo that the City might be ſpared, but they could not find one. This ſatisfied not God, they might be careleſſe in that work, overlook ſome man that did it, God therefore will ſearch himſelfe, Ezek. 22.30. I ſought for a man among them, that ſhould make up the hedge, and ſtand in the gap before mee for the land, that I ſhould not deſtroy it, but I found none. Neither man nor God could finde any, theſe expreſſions ſhew that the number of the godly was very few; that thoſe were ſo durſt not appeare in publique, becauſe the times were ſo prophane and perillous, but hid themſelves and mourned in ſecret. Few is the number of true believers, and true mourners; there were two Prophets, Jeremiah and Ʋriah, the Rechabites, Baruch the Scribe, Ebedmelech the Black-a-moor, with ſome few beſide. The thought of the ſcant number of the good ones ſadded the heart of the Prophet Micah, Chap. 7.1. Woe is mee, for I am as when they have gathered the ſummer fruit as the grape gleaning of the Vintage, there is no cluſter to eate.
5. The Lord hath a ſpeciall care of his Saints when dreadfull and deſtroying judgements are comming upon others. Goe ſet a marke upon them that ſigh, &c. provide that they be ſecured, diſtinguiſh them from all the reſt, and let them have mercy in the common calamity: It appears,
1. From the perſon employed to doe it, and that is the Lord Chriſt, who was the man with the Inkhorn by his ſide; when God ſhall employ not a Prophet, not an Angell, but his owne deare ſon to doe this work, to mark the godly, it's argument of tender care towards them.
2. He muſt goe through the middeſt of the City, and looke into every place, make an exact ſearch, and find them out where ever they were hid; God would not have him neglect any place, leſt he ſhould paſſe by any Saint. Math. 28. Herod would have the wiſe men make diligent ſearch for the young child, and God would have Chriſt here make diligent ſearch for mourning Sts. they are his treaſure, and Chriſt would ſearch for them, as for hid treaſure.
3. He muſt ſurely mark them, vehithvitha Taf, you ſhall ſign them wish a ſigne, that is, certainly ſigne them; the doubling of the word notes Gods intention and care to have it done; It might have ſufficed to have ſaid, you ſhall ſigne them; but hee adds with a ſigne, to put it out of doubt.
4. From the perſons ſealed,
1. Men, it's put indefinitely, not confin'd to noble, wiſe, rich, learned, but any condition of men that were godly, any poore man, any ſervant, any child, any little one, let their grace be never ſo mean, if they had any grace at all, they ſhould have the ſeale as well as the beſt.
2. Mourners; when fil'd with ſorrow for the ſins of the land, with feares for the judgements were comming upon the land, all in a confuſion, every one at a loſſe, not knowing what to doe, which way to turne themſelves: Liberties, Ordinances, City, Sanctuary, all comforts, all friends being upon departure, now to be marked out for life eternall, now to have the conſc…ence ſprinkled with the blood of Chriſt, the ſpirit to bear witneſs and ſeale up the ſoule, with aſſurance of Gods love, this ſhewes God hath a great care of his in time of dangers.
Not only at this time, but in all times of judgments God hath been carefull of his. Lots righteous ſoule was vexed at the unclean converſation of the Sodomites: and when fire & brimſtone ſcorched, conſum'd Sodome, God ſent his Angels to finde,Gen. 19. haſten, and force Lot out of that wicked place. The flood that drown'd all the world, could not hurt Noah, Gen. 7.God put him into the Arke, ſhut him in, and kept him ſafe there. When the deſtroying Angel comes forth to deſtroy the firſt-born of Aegypt, Exod. 12.22,the Iſraelites poſts were ſprinkled with blood, and no blood muſt be ſhed there, they were marked for deliverance.
When Jericho was taken and deſtroyed,Joſh. 2. and 6. Chap. the ſcarlet thread in the window was a ſigne of deliverance to her and hers, Rev. 7.2, 3, 4, 5. Chriſt the Angell of the Eaſt, who had the ſeale of the living God, viz. the Spirit, forbids the Angels to hurt any, till the 144. thouſand were ſealed in their fore-heads. When Paul was brought before Nero, and all left him in the jawes of that roaring lyon, the Lord ſtood by him and ſtrengthned him: the more careleſſe others were of Paul, the more carefull was God of him. A little before Jeruſalem was taken by the Romans, a voyce was heard,Mal. 3.16, 17. Ite Pellam; the faithfull no ſooner eſcape thither, but the City was ruined, and all the fore-told woes accompliſhed in it.
6. It is the Lord Chriſt who is the marker of the Saints, all power in heaven and earth is given to him; ſealing and ſaving power, as well as rejecting and deſtroying power. He is ſaid to have the ſeale of the living God, Rev. 7. and to take order for the ſealing the ſervants of the Lord, Rev. 3.12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he ſhall goe no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is new Jeruſalem, which commeth down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name. Chriſt makes him a pillar in the Temple, that is great honour; but that is not all, Chriſt writes three names upon that man; the name of his God, of new Jeruſalem, and his owne name; hee cauſeth him to know he is the Sonne of God, a Citizen of the heavenly City, and ſhould have intereſt in the glory and dignity of Chriſt,Phil. 2.9. Heb. 2.7. which Divines call the new name given him after his paſſion and aſcenſion, ſuch marking have the Saints and faithfull ſervants of Chriſt. The Scripture tels us of another marker beſides Chriſt, and it's the Beaſt mentioned, Revel. 13.16, 17. who cauſeth all to receive a mark in their right hand & fore-head. Chriſt had ſeal'd his, Rev. 7. to ſeparate them from the world and danger: and the Beaſt ſeals his, to ſeparate them from Chriſts ſeal'd ones, & for the world, that they might buy & ſell: this ſealing was not for deliverance, but for deſtruction, Rev. 14.9, 10. If any man receive the beaſts marke in his hand or fore-head, the ſame ſhall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, and be tormented with fire and brimſtone. Rev. 19.20. The beaſt with his marke ones are caſt into hell.Here was a dangerous mark, whether it was the maſſe, ſigne of the Croſſe, profeſſion of Popiſh worſhip, ſubjection to the Pope as head of the Church, obedience to his canons & decrees, obſervation of his faſts, dayes, rite…s, whether auricular confeſſion, Popiſh orders, any vows or oaths to maintain the Pope and his power, ſuch as Otho took in the year 960.
7. God and Chriſt are not aſham'd of theirs in the worſt times, and greateſt dangers; God will have them marked,Rev. 22.4. His name ſhall be in their fore-heads, the beaſt had mark'd and own'd thoſe were here, & Chriſt would doe ſo by his, it was vindicationis nota. and Chriſt doth mark them in the fore-head. In Sodome God own'd Lot, in Rome he ſtood by Paul, 2 Tim. 4.17. When 4. deſtroying Angels were come abroad, the Lord Chriſt ſeals 12000. of every Tribe in their fore-heads, Revel. 7.3.5, 6, 7, 8. Chriſt ownes his here and hereafter, ſee John 10.3.14.27. He calls them his ſheepe, his friends, Chap. 18.15. his brethren. I aſcend to my father, and your father, to my God, and your God, John 20.17. When Chriſt was in heaven, he own'd Steven being amidſt his enemies, Acts 7.55.56. And he promiſes, Math. 10.32. to confeſſe and own the man before his Father in heaven, who ſhall confeſſe and own him here on earth. Its a great priviledge to be owned by the Lord, Heb. 11.16. God is not aſham'd to be called their God: Notwithſtanding all the Saints ſinnes and infirmities, God is not aſhamed of them. When they were in Aegypt, God owned them, Ezod. 3.6, 7. he tels Moſes he was the God of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and that he had ſurely ſeene the affliction of his people.
Victoria a holy Virgin under Diocleſian, being asked by the Proconſul if ſhee would goe with her brother Fortunatianus, a Heathen; anſwered, no, becauſe I am a Chriſtian, and they are my brethren which keepe the commands of God.
Let not us be aſham'd of God and his cauſe, but openly and truly profeſſe him and his wayes, wee ſhall looſe nothing by it, 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me, I wil honour, and they that deſpiſe me ſhall be lightly eſteemed. If we have ſhame with men, and honor with God, vilified on earth, & be accepted in heaven, we have no cauſe to be diſcouraged. Its likely the godly here were reproached, threatned, hardly uſed; but becauſe they honour'd God, God own'd them, and who ever honour'd God, and was not honour'd by him? The 3. children would not obey Nebuchadnezzars command, nor worſhip his image,Dan. 3. but honour the God of Iſrael, truſt in him for help; rather dye in his cauſe, then diſhonour him at all, and did not the Lord honour them with his preſence,Acts 3.18, 19, 20.31. with ſafety and deliverance. VVhen Peter and John were bold in the cauſe of Chriſt, and would preach the truth notwithſtanding the command of Rulers to the contrary; preſently after God honour'd them miraculouſly, ſhaking the houſe, and filling them all with the holy Ghoſt: and if you ask how you ſhall honour God; it's anſwered, by purging your ſelves from the corruptions of the times, 2 Tim. 2.20. If a man purge himſelfe, he ſhall be a veſſell unto honour, and by ſtanding for the truths of the times.
7. Another obſervation is, that the faithfull are ſo far from complying with the wickedneſſe of the times, that they ſigh and cry for the abhominations thereof.
1. They comply not; wickedneſſe is powerfull, and hath its arguments of pleaſure, profit, countenance, to draw good men to ſide with her; but they are things intractable: How can I doe this wickedneſſe, Gen. 39.9.and ſinne againſt God. David, hee would not ſit with the wicked, he hated the congregation of evill doers, Pſalm 26.5. And ſee what he reſolved upon, Pſal. 101.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. he would rather cut them off, then countenance them. Grace is as ſtrong in the Saints, as corruption is in the wicked. The vigor of faith, 1 John 5.4. The power of the Spirit, 1 John 4.4. And the efficacy of Chriſts prayer, John 17.15.20. doe keep the ſervants of God from complying with the wicked. When all fleſh had corrupted its wayes, yet Noah was incorrupt, Gen. 6.9. Noah was a juſt man, and perfect in his generation. Ahab could not get Micaiah to comply with the Court, and ſuit with the humour of the times. Godly are like fiſh in ſalt waters, they grow not brackiſh, they looſe not of their ſweetneſſe: Zacharie and Elizabeth, in the great corruptions at Chriſts comming, in the great ſcarcity of good men, yet they walked in all the commandements of the Lord blameleſſe, not in the commands of the high Prieſts and Phariſees:Iſa. 8.11. God hath ſpoken to the righteous with a ſtrong hand, and inſtructed them that they ſhould not walke in the wayes of the wicked; here the godly did not bow to the Image of Jealouſie, joyne with the 70. Elders in offering Incenſe, they wept not for Tammuz, they put not the branch to their noſe.
2. They ſigh and cry for the abhominations are in their times, they bewaile the ſins of others, Pſal. 119.53. Horrour hath taken hold on me, becauſe of the wicked that forſake thy law, verſ. 158. I beheld the tranſgreſſors, and was grieved, becauſe they kept not thy word.
Lot, 2 Pet. 2.7. was vexed with the filthy converſation of the Sodomites: Yea, vexed from day to day; what he ſaw and heard was a continuall vexation unto him. The Lord Chriſt,Mar. 8.12. He ſighed deeply in his ſpirit, & ſaid, why doth this generation ſeek after a ſigne. when they honour'd him with their garments caſt in the way, when they acknowledged him King, and magnified him, Luke 19.36.38. even then he weeps over Jeruſalem for her impenitency, others ſins, and the judgments of God comming upon her, verſ. 41.
The two witneſſes, Rev. 11.3. prophecy in ſack-cloath, which was the habit of mourners: Mordecai, Daniel, the Ninevites, and others, when they mourn'd, wore ſack-cloath: ſo did theſe witneſſes bewailing the abhominations and tyranny of Anti-chriſt, the deſolations of the Church, and deluſions of the people.
2 Cor. 12.21. When I come again I feare my God will humble mee among you, and that I ſhall bewaile many which have ſinned already and have not repented of the uncleanneſs, fornication, and laſciviouſ- which they have committed.
This mourning is 1. hearty reall, they ſigh, they groane, it's not a light matter, the abhominations were weighty, and preſſing upon their ſpirits, 2 Pet. 2.7. the word there for vexed,foreign. apud Laert: in lycone Morbo … confectus, debilitatus. is foreign, and its then to be rendred word for word, oppres'd under the converſation of the ungodly in wantonneſſe; the ungodli's wanton, wicked converſation is an oppreſſing evill unto the godly, and afflicts their hearts, as the Aegyptians afflicted the Iſraelites Acts 7.24. Moſes avenged the oppreſſed foreign, Lots ſoul was vexed, verſ. 8. foreign, he tormented, wracked his ſoule, a metaphor taken from engines they did torment withall, his ſoule was troubled as a man upon the wrack, Ier. 4.19. My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart. What was the matter, there was the ſound of the trumpet, and war.
2. As it was cordial, ſo it was conſtant and great griefe; they ſighed and cryed, a little ſufficed not, it continued, Ier. 9.1, 2. Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountaine of tears, that I might weepe day and night. The Prophet wiſhed himſelfe turned into waters, into a fountain, that weeping day and night, he might with a flood of teares carry downe the floods of iniquity which he ſaw. So Ezra, 9.3. when he ſaw the holy ſeed match with ſtrangers, the Princes and Rulers to be chiefe in the treſpaſſes, he rent his garments, plucked off the haire of his head and beard, and ſate downe aſtonied; his grief was ſuch as made him aſtonied.
3. Its inward and outward; they ſigh, they cry, there are expreſſions of their griefe, it was not hidden, but ev'dent; they declared how their ſoules were oppreſſed, how they were fil'd with griefe, and could not forbeare; Chriſt wept over Ieruſalem: Micah when hee conſidered the ſinnes of Samaria and Ieruſalem, with the heavy judgements were comming, Chap. 1.8. ſaith, I will waile and howle, I will goe ſtript and naked (as if ſorrow had bereft him of his wits) I will make a wailing like the Dragons, and mourning like the Owles. Vid. a Lapid. & Sanct. what they ſay of the Dragon and Owles mourning; great mourning with outward expreſſions are ſet out thereby, Iob 30.29. I am a brother to Dragons, and a companion to Owles or Oſtriches.
4. Univerſall, not for ſome few or great abhominations, but for all the abhominations, Church, State, City, Family-abhominations; they laid all to heart, and left none unbewail'd.
Why doe the godly ſigh and cry?
1. God is diſhonoured by the ſins of others, as well as by our owne, and the godly are grieved when God is diſhonour'd by any, Pſalm 119.136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, becauſe they keepe not thy law. Davids afflictions drew not ſo many tears from him, as the ſins of others; not his baniſhment by his ſonne, as the breach of Gods law by the wicked. Nothing went ſo to his heart as the diſhonour of God, whoſe glory ſhining in his word and Ordinances, is dearer to the godly then their lives. Elijah deſired to dye when he ſaw God ſo diſhonoured by Ahab and Iezabel. The eye is for two things, for ſight and tears; if we ſee God diſhonoured, preſently our eyes ſhould be filled with teares.
2. If we mourn not for the ſins of others, we draw them upon us, we make them ours; they mourned here for all their abhominations, left they ſhould be found guilty of any: And 1 Cor. 5. The Corinthians were d filed with the ſin of the inceſtuous perſon, becauſe they did not mourn and doe their duty to affect his heart, or remove him from their body: Bradford praid the Lord to forigve him his other mens ſins.
3. It's argument we mourn for ſin as ſin when we mourn for it in others. Sinne is the breach of the Law any where, and if I grieve, ſigh, cry for it in my ſelfe, and not in others, its ſome ſelviſh reſpect, not the nature of ſinne which cauſeth that mourning; he hates poiſon as poiſon hates it every where, in whoſe handſoever it be, and he mourns for ſinne as ſin, would neither himſelfe, nor have others violate the law of God.
4. The ſins of others are of a deſtroying nature as well as our own; they may deſtroy Armies, States, Churches, Councels, Eccl. 9.18. One ſinner deſtroyeth much good. One Achan, one murtherer may undoe a land, he defiles it, brings perill upon it:2 Sam. 21. 1, 2, 3. God appointed a ſpeciall ſacrifice to expiate murther, Deut. 21. and no ſatisfaction was to be taken for a murtherers life, Numb. 35.31. Saul ſlays the Gibeonites unjuſtly, and the 3. years famine is upon David and his people. The death of the Levites Concubine, and Benjamins refuſall to deliver up the Delinquents to juſtice, cauſed a bloody Warre, and the death of above 65000. men.
5. It argues ſtrength of grace to mourn for others ſins, cenſuring and reproaching of others for their ſins argues ſtrength of corruption; and mourning for them argues ſtrength of grace, a ſound ſpiritual conſtitution; ſuch an one was in Chriſt, he prayed for the hardneſſe of others hearts, Mar. 3.5.
6. They mourn for abhominations, they doe great ſervice for the places where they live, they ſtand in the gappe, they keep off Gods judgements. When the people had ſinn'd in making a Calfe, and Gods judgments were breaking in upon them, did not Moſes mourn, weepe, pray before the Lord, and keepe off the ſad things were haſtning towards them, Pſal. 106.23. He ſaid he would have deſtroyed them, had not Moſes his choſen ſtood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath leaſt he ſhould deſtroy them.Mordecai is bitterneſſe, he mourned for Hamans villany, bloodines, evil, befalling Gods people, and prov'd a deliverer of them, he was a ſon of contrition, and after a ſonne of conſolation. The mourners teares oft quench the fire of Gods wrath, divert judgements, if not, but deſtruction comes as here, yet the mourners have this teſtimony in their breaſt, that they drew not down the vengeance on the Church or State.
7. They are bleſſed that mourn, Math. 5. Theſe here were marked, had teſtimonies of Gods good will towards them: Jeremie was a mourner, Chap. 9.1. and Chap. 15.11. ſaith God there, I will cauſe the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evill. Here was a bleſſing promiſed, and the faithfull God could not but perform it: When the earth is watered by the heavens, its bleſſed; but when the earth waters the heavens, when we put tears into the Lords bottle, when wee mourn and weepe for the abhominations of the earth, there is a greater bleſſing, Pſal. 12.5. For the ſighing of the needy, I will ariſe and ſet, &c. Iſa. 57.18. I will reſtore comfort unto him and to his mourners.
8. Others mourn for the ſins of men that are not men,: The land mourns becauſe of ſwearing, Ier. 23.10. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in paine, Rom. 8.22.
For what ſhould we mourn,
1. For effuſion of ſo much blood in the Kingdome, and ſpoiling ſo many Townes: when Ziklag was burnt, its ſaid, David and thoſe with him wept till they had no more power to weepe, 1 Sam. 30 4. What would David do, if he were now alive & amongſt us, to ſee Countries and Kingdomes conſum'd with civill wars, Iſa. 22.4. Looke away from me, I will weepe bitterly, labour not to comfort me becauſe of the ſpoiling of the daughter of my people. For it is a day of trouble and treading downe, Joſh. 7.9.and of perplexity by the Lord God of hoaſts in the valley of viſion, breaking downe the walls, and flying to the mountaines, Ier. 31.15. A voyce was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refuſed to be comforted, becauſe they were not. Rachel was buryed in Bethlehem, Gen. 35.19. and Rama was not far from it, ſhe is put for the Bethlemiticall women, who wept bitterly for their children were ſlain, and carried that way into captivity: and ſhould not England weep becauſe thouſands of her children are not; many precious ones are gone, the ſword hath drunk their blood. If Martha and Mary wept for one Lazarus, the friend of Chriſt, why ſhould not all our Martha's and Maries weepe when ſo many Lazaruſſes, ſo many friends of Chriſt have been cut off, Iſa. 57.1. The righteous periſh, and no man layeth it to heart.
2. That Juſtice takes not place, but rather injuſtice and oppreſſion, Iſa. 59.11. We roare all like beares, and mourn ſore like doves, we looke for judgement, but there is none: And verſ. 14, 15. Juſtice ſtands afar off, equity cannot enter; he that departs from evill makes himſelfe a prey: and the Lord ſaw it, and it diſpleaſed him that there was no judgement. The oppreſſed cry.
3. For the ſinfull ſelviſh policy hath been in the great buſineſſes of the Kingdome which are to carry on Reformation; they carted the Ark, when their own ſhoulders ſhould have carried it; their prudence in the things of God made way for Ʋzzah's ſinne and ſuffering, and hindred the progreſſe of the work; there hath been too much of man ſeen in our undertakings! O the policy, falſhood, treachery, that hath been among us: what was it made Jeremie weep and mourn ſo, Ch. 91.2. it was becauſe they were adulterers, an aſſembly of treacherous men.
4. For the great and bitter diviſions are among us,Thou makeſt us a ſtrife unto our neighbours, & our enemies laugh among themſelves, Pſalm 80.6. not only among thoſe are wicked or indifferent, but even among thoſe are godly; they ſhoot their arrows one at another, even bitter words and bitter actions. Is it not ſadd when Chriſts Diſciples and Apoſtles fall out, Matth. 20.24. The ten were moved with indignation againſt the two brethren. It troubled Chriſt to ſee ſuch variance between them, and had he not wiſely and ſpeedily taken up the matter, the iſſue might have been very ill; when brethren wrong one another, it will affect a Moſes, Acts 7.26. Is it not to be lamented when our fountains run ſalt water,: When brethren ſpeake evill one of another, and ſo ſpeak evill of the law and Goſpel alſo, Gal. 5.15. It troubled Pauls ſpirit to ſee ſuch biting and devouring of one another. Certainly if we ſhould ſee two or three dogs biting of a man, it would much worke upon us, and move us to rate and beate them off: And can we ſee men biting men, and not be affected with it? to ſee men deſtroyed with a ſpirit of bitterneſſe, when they ſhould be reſtor'd with a ſpirit of meekeneſſe, is mourning to ſome, however it be muſicke to others.
5. That Gods judgements have been ſo long upon us, and done us ſo little good, God hath given us much phyſick, and it doth not work, we may be a dying people as theſe Jewes were, Ezra. 10.9.Amos 6.6. we drink wine in bowles, and anoint, &c. Intus vino, extus oleo. Its ſaid there that all the people ſate in the ſtreet of the houſe of God trembling, becauſe ſome were carryed away captive, and for the great raine, the great ſhowrs which beate down their fruit and corne. We have had many taken priſoners, carryed away captive, uſed barbarouſly; we have had great rains of blood, & have we yet trembled? have we learn'd righteouſneſſe, and beheld the Majeſty of the Lord, Iſa. 26.9, 10. may it not be ſaid, as its Jer. 5.3. Thou haſt ſtricken them, but they have not grieved, thou haſt conſumed them, but tey have refuſed to receive correction, they have made their faces harder then a rocke.
6. That ſo many thouſand have periſhed in their ſinnes and multitudes are in a periſhing way, Rom. 9.2. I have great heavineſſe and continuall ſorrow in my heart, & I could wiſh my ſelfe ſeparated from Chriſt, for my brethren, my kinſmen according to the fleſh, he feared they would periſh eternally, and therefore mourned continually. Granctenſis tels of a woman that wat ſo affected with ſouls miſcarryings, that ſhe beſought God to ſtoppe up the paſſage into hell with her ſoule and body, that none might have entrance. Doe not people periſh for want of viſion, and few lay it to heart.
7. That Gods name ſuffers ſo much amongſt us; Gods name ſhould be deare to us, the Scripture tells us its glorious and fearefull, Deut. 28.5.8. Great and terrible, Pſal. 99.3. Holy and reverend, Pſal. 111.9. Honourable, Pſalm 66.2. And that this name of God ſhould ſuffer by ſinfull wretched men is matter of ſighing and crying: ſome deſpiſe his name, Mal. 1.6. ſome prophane his name, Levit. 21.6. ſome blaſpheme his name, Iſa. 52.5. and moſt darken the glory of his name: and as it was to Ioſhuah a great griefe, bitter affliction when his name ſuffered, ſo it ſhould be to us.