Exposition of Ezekiel 6-13, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 7 · Verses 16-19
CHAP. VII.
16. But they that eſacaped of them, ſhall eſcape, and ſhall be on the mountaines like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning every one for his iniquity.
17. All hands ſhall bee feeble, and all knees ſhall bee weake as water.
18. They ſhall alſo gird themſelves with ſack-cloath, and horrour ſhall cover them, and ſhame ſhall be upon all faces, and baldneſſe upon all their heads.
19. They ſhall caſt their ſilver in the ſtreets, and their gold ſhall be removed: their ſilver and their gold ſhall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they ſhall not ſatisfie their ſouls, neither fill their bowels, becauſe it is the ſtumbling blocke of their iniquity.
SUNDRY Calamities are ſet downe before, he perſiſts in the addition of more, every verſe hath his peculiar calamity. In the 16. is contained their flight; In the 17. their feebleneſſe; In the 18. their ſorrow and ſhame, and in the 19. ver. the inſufficiency of the creature to helpe in the time of trouble.
I begin with the 16. It's miſery to bee in danger, eſpecially of life, and to be put to flye for it, as theſe were, when the Enemy came to their wals and gates: ſome fled and eſcaped to the mountaines. The Originall is, their eſcapers ſhall eſcape; thoſe I have appointed to famine, ſword, peſtilence ſhall be conſumed by them: but thoſe I have appointed to eſcape they ſhall eſcape, and get to the mountaines, where they ſhall be like doves of the valleyes.
foreignThe Hebrew, Root, whence Doves comes, ſignifies to prey upon, to oppreſſe, circumvent, make ſad: and the Dove is ſubject to prey, oppreſſion, circumvention and mourning, as much as any Fowle.
Hence two things in the Dove are aim'd at, Fearefulneſſe and Mourning.
Firſt, the Dove is a trembling, fearefull creature, any little noiſe makes it flye, Hoſ. 11.11. They ſhall tremble as a Dove. The ſight of the Hawk, the noiſe of her bels, or wings, doth multiply fears in a Dove, and ſo ſhould thoſe Jewes that eſcaped be full of fears, flye to rocks and mountains as Doves, for fear of hawks, and dare not ſtirre; they ſhould hide themſelves there, and be affraid to ſpeak, to groan out their griefe, leſt they ſhould be diſcovered, and dye for it.
2. It's a mourning creature, Iſa. 38.14. I did mourn as a dove ſaith Hezekiah. And Iſa. 59.11. We mourn ſore like Doves.
Doves ſit ſolitary, and mourne when they have loſt their young, their mates, are wounded by any meanes; yea, it's their nature as to tremble, ſo to mourn, and ſo ſhould theſe Jewes ſit and mourn, they ſhould have no joy of their lives; their loſſes, the place they ſhould be in, yea, the thought of life ſhould be matter of mourning unto them.
Of the valleyes.
There were not Doves of mountaines, and Doves of valleyes, but they are ſo called, either becauſe they did oft feede and appear there; as Fowles of the Aire are ſo called, becauſe they are oft in the Aire, or for that being purſued by Fowlers, they fled to the valleys and hidde themſelves there, not enduring to be in open places; or becauſe they did breed in the holes of rockes, which were towards the valleys. In Job you have mention of clifts of the valleys, Job 30.6. Or becauſe they mourned in the valleys, there they made a mourning, or dolefull noiſe.
All of them mourning, every man for his Iniquity.
Here is the cauſe of their calamity, viz. their iniquity; this was a Serpent in the boſome, and gave them no reſt; had there been no Enemies at their gates, at their heels, their own ſins beſieged, purſu'd them.
Obſerv. 1 In common calamities, when danger is abroad, thoſe that have eſcaped, and got hiding places, think not themſelves ſecure; theſe were in the mountains, in the holes of the rocks, and yet as fearfull as Doves, trembling that the Babilonians were ſo nigh, fearing diſcovery and death every moment; a ſpirit of feare ceaſes upon ſinners at ſuch times, that impriſons reaſon, and holds them in bondage.
They are fallen into the hands of Divine judgements, which are dreadfull; thoſe were like Lyons before, were as ſilly Doves, Jer. 48.28.
Obſerv. 2 2. That the fruit of ſin is ſorrow; every one of them ſhall mourne for his iniquity: before they ſported in their ſins, now they ſhould ſigh for them; their conſciences were aſleep through cuſtome of ſinning, Gods judgments had now awakened them, and they brought their ſins ſo to mind, that they wept and ſorrowed ſorely for them; they had gone on in their idolatrous, oppreſſing, and provoking ways long, they ſaw no cauſe to be ſorry, all was well with them; but when trouble came, their ſinnes appeared, their ſoules were ſad and filled with apprehenſions, that drew bitter tears from them.
What is the fruit of wantonneſſe, whoredome, Prov. 5.11. Solomon tels you that ſuch a ſinner ſhall mourn at laſt, when his fleſh and his body are conſumed. That of Job is ſuitable for him; his fleſh upon him ſhall have paine, and his ſoule within him ſhall mourn, Job 14.22, Eves ſin had ſorrow, and ſorrow multiplied, greatly multipied, Gen. 3.16. God told them, Levit. 26.14.16. That if they ſinned, they ſhould have ſorrow of heart. And Deut. 28.65. Sorrow of mind. And they had that plentifully, Iſa. 65.14. Yee ſhall cry for ſorrow of heart, and ſhall howle for vexation of ſpirit. Sin cauſes howling & mourning: David when he had ſin'd, it made him to roar, Pſalm 32.3. only his terrors were penitentiall; theſe unprofitable, ſhewed their miſery, but made no way to mercy.
This ſorrow was the fruit of ſin, godly ſorrow is the fruit of the ſpirit; that lookes at the puniſhment, which removed, the guilt and filth of ſin ſtill abides, this at the ſinne, and would have that deſtroyed, though the judgments never be taken away, Hoſ. 14.2.
2. This changes the minde, not that, its foreign, the Prophets Sermons could not draw teares from them while there was hope, Gods judgments did it when it was too late.
Verſ. 17.All hands ſhall be feeble.
Fear made them flye, and fear made them feeble; where great fear fals upon any, there the hands grow weake, and are not able to doe their office; the ſpirits retire to the heart, to relieve that, leſt life ſhould faile, and thereupon the hands become weake. The trumpet was blown, all cal'd upon to make ready; but none went out to Battle: and why, their hands were feeble, they could not hold and handle their weapons to defend themſelves; their knees were feeble, they could not flye to ſave themſelves.
There is a treble feebleneſſe of hands, one naturall, as when a man hath naturally a weakneſſe, lameneſſe in his hands.
2. There is one accidentall, as when a mans hands are by ſome ſtroak, fall, wound, made feeble: but ſuch feebleneſs is not here meant.
3. There is a metaphoricall weakneſs which ariſeth from deſpondency of mind through fear and fearfull apprehenſions.
In this ſenſe wee are to take it, & ſo it's oft uſed in the Scripture, Jer. 6.24. The report of the Northern Forces was come to them, and what then; Our hands wax feeble, anguiſh hath taken hold of us, Jer. 50.43. 2 Sam. 4.1. Job. 4.3. Ezek. 21.7. Iſa. 13.7. Je. 47.3. In all theſe places is mention of weakneſſe, feebleneſſe of hands, which is to be taken in the metaphoricall ſenſe, their hands were not able to doe what they ſhould, and formerly could have done, and here when they had moſt neede of their hands, they had leaſt uſe of them.
All knees ſhall be weake as water.
Theſe words are in Chap. 21.7. The ſame they are here: and the Originall is, ſhall goe into water, or fl…w with water.
Some interpret it of ſweating; but in great pains, not fears do the lower parts of the body ſweat. Others expound it of urine and ſeed that in their feares ſhould flow from them, pollute and enfeeble them more with miſgiving thoughts; this might be, but I take the ſenſe to lie in this; That their knees ſhould be as water: which is a fluid, and weake thing, their legs ſhould not be ſerviceable unto them. It's a proverbiall kind of ſpeech, weake as water, and when applyed to any thing, or part of man, ſets out great feebleneſſe; they would attempt to flye, and feare would looſen the joynts of their knees, ſo that they ſhould have no ſtrength, nor ſtand them in any ſtead: and it was not the knees of ſome few or aged; but all knees, even of youth, and the ſtouteſt ones, Iſa. 40.30. Even the youths ſhall faint, and be weary, and the young men ſhall utterly fall. Their knees and legs ſhould fail them; as waters are driven this way and that way with the winds, ſo ſhould they with their fears.
Obſer. 1 That humane ſtrength is not to be confided in; let a State have multitudes of men, and all thoſe, men of arms, men of legs, of great ſtrength, in a time of moſt need and uſe of ſuch, their hands may become feeble, and their knees be weak as water, they may prove unſerviceable altogether to the State where they are. Strong men have fainted in the day of adverſity,Prov. 24.10. been without hearts when they have come to battle, Iſa. 33.7. The valiant ones ſhall cry without, and Embaſſadours of peace ſhall weepe bitterly. When Senacherib was before Jeruſalem, their valiant ones were ſo affraid that they cryed: The Hebrew word, ſome interpret their Seers, that is, their Prophets; others their Souldiers that were their watchmen, their hearts melted, and teares flowed from them: and thoſe that were ſent to treat with Senacherib, now when they ſhould have been fulleſt of courage, they had none, they made good what Abiſhai ſaid, 2 Sam. 17.10. He that is valiant, whoſe heart is as the heart of a Lyon, ſhall utterly melt. Their hearts melted away, and their hands became feeble, and knees weak. God cares not for the armes or legs of men, Pſal. 37.17.147.10. He brake the armes of Pharoah, Ezek. 30.22. And cauſed the ſword to fall out of his hands. He looſed the joynts of Belſhazars loynes, and made his knees war one againſt the other, Dan. 5.6. So Nineveh's heart melted, and knees knockt together, Nabum. 2.10. Let none confide in an arm of fleſh, ſee Jer. 17.5. and Iſa. 31.1, 2, 3. They ſent to Aegypt for help, and relyed too much upon horſes, men, Chariots, becauſe they were many and ſtrong, and looked not to the holy one of Iſrael; whereupon the Lord tels them, that the Egyptians are men, and not Gods, their horſes fleſh, and not ſpirit. And when he ſhould ſtretch out his hand, both the helper and helped ſhould fall and fail together.
Obſer. 2 2. That true valour lies not in a naturall boldneſſe, or habits gotten by mans induſtry; We conceive that if men have ſpirits, and by their actions and experience in the world, have acquired ſtrength to their ſpirits, ſo that they are reſolute feareleſſe, we conceive they are the valiant men, but we are miſtaken. Natural abilities, and habits purchaſed with our endeavors, are quickly ſeparated; their hands were feeble, their knees weake, becauſe their hearts and all in them failed. Kings, chiefe Captaines, great, rich, mighty men feared, and hid themſelves in dens and rocks, Revel. 6.15. True valour is the gift of God, that greatens mens ſpirits, and lifts them up above fears; Moſes feared not the wrath of the King, Heb. 11.27. He had more then his naturall courage, or acquired habits, he had a principle of grace given, continued, preſerved, and that made him truly valorous.
The trueſt valour is ever in a gracious heart that feares God, and ſo all other feares are ſwallowed up, that enjoys God, and hath divine influence to uphold it in all conditions, Joſh. 1.5.6, 9. I will be with thee, be ſtrong and of a good courage, be not affraid nor diſmayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whitherſoever thou goeſt. His courage, ſtrength, was upon Divine promiſe and preſence.
Verſ. 18.They ſhall alſo gird themſelves with ſack-cloath.
The firſt mention we have of ſack-cloath, is in Gen. 37.34. where Jacob upon the miſ-apprehenſion of Joſephs death, put ſachcloath upon his loins, this was an indicium of great miſery and ſorrow, when the famine was in Samaria, and death ready to eate up them had nothing to eate. The King had ſackcloath within upon his fleſh, under his royall garments, next his skin was courſe rough ſackcloath, 2 Kings 6.30. When Ahab King of Iſrael had beaten & ſore diſtreſſed the Aſſyrians, they put on ſackcloath, and ſued to him for pardon and the life of Benhadad, 1 Kings 20.32. Teſtifying hereby their miſery, ſorrow, humility, & it's ſometimes joyned with other ſigns of ſorrow, as Eſt. ….1. when the writings were ſealed and ſent out by Haman for deſtruction of the Jewes, Mordecai rent his cloaths, put on ſacke-cloath, with aſhes. That is, he ſprinkled the ſack-cloath with aſhes, and then put it on. So in Nehem. 9.1. you have ſack-cloath and earth joyned together; this was at a Faſt, and they were tokens of godly ſorrow, they profeſſed they were not worthy of any good cloaths, ſack-cloath was too good for them, only ſomewhat they muſt have to cover their nakedneſſe: and they had earth upon them, intimating they deſerv'd to be buried alive; but frequently ſack-cloath ſet out their common ſorrow for calamities, and ſo it is here, they ſhould be a miſerable mourning people, not for a few dayes, but many yeares. If they eſcaped death, they ſhould be girt with ſack-cloath, Job 16.15. I have ſowed ſack-cloath upon my skin. There was no removing of it, he continued in his dolefull condition; Gods hand was upon him, and his ſack-cloath abode with him as a thing ſowed to him.
Horrour ſhall cover them.
The word for horrour notes great trembling that comes from feare, Job 21.6. I am affraid, and trembling taketh hold of my fleſh. foreignIt's ſuch trembling as is in Earth-quakes, Job 9.6. Which ſhaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. Such an horrour, or trembling ſhould be upon them as ſhould hazard their beings, lives, wits, Iſa. 21.4. Fearfulneſſe affrights me. It's the ſame word with our Prophets, and affrightments are dangerous, and ſometimes deadly, and probably the meaning here for it was ſuch horror as ſhould cover them, oppreſſe them, and hide them from the living.
But there is another ſenſe of the word cover; horror ſhall cover them, that is, compaſſe them about; ſo the word cover is uſed, Job 21.26. The worms ſhall cover them. And Pſal. 109.29. Let them cover themſelves with their owne confuſion. Pſal. 44.19. Lam. 3.43. In theſe places covering notes compaſſing: And Jon 2.5. compaſſing is the ſame with covering; the floods and waters compaſſed me about, they did compaſſe and cover him. And here horror did cover them as a Garment, and beſet, compaſſe every part of them; neither hands, armes, body, legs were free.
Shame ſhall be upon all faces.
Shame is the bluſhing of the face upon the ſight, hearing,Pudor a rebus putidis Scal. apprehenſion, or doing of ſomething unſeemely, diſhoneſt, or fi…thy, as Rom. 6.21. Luke 14.9. 2 Cor. 4.2. Phil. 3.19. Shame notes two things.
1. Diſappointment, Pſal. 119.116. Let mee not be aſhamed of my hope.
2. Confuſion, Pſalm 35.4. Job 6.20. They were confounded becauſe they had hoped, they came thither and were aſhamed. And here diſappointment and confuſion were upon their faces, their expectations were diſappointed, and hopes confounded.
Shame was upon their faces, that they could not looke up to God whom they had provoked againſt them; this ſhaming of ſinners is expreſt in the Word divers wayes, Job 8.22. They ſhall be cloathed with ſhame. That is the garment they ſhall wear, Pſal. 44.7. Be put to ſhame, brought to ſhame, Pſal. 71.24. Have their faces filled with ſhame, Pſal. 83.16. Lye downe in ſhame, Jer. 3.25. Be covered with ſhame, Obad. 10. Beare it, Ezek. 16.52. Be conſumed with it, Jer. 20 18. All theſe were made good upon theſe Jews, they were cloathed, put too, and filled with ſhame; they bare their ſhame upon their faces, lay downe in it, were covered and conſumed with it.
Baldneſſe upon all their heads.
Their miſeries and griefs ſhould be ſo great, that they ſhould pluck off the hair of their heads and beards, though it were againſt rule, Deut. 14.1. God provided for the comelineſſe of their heads and faces, yet in their ſorrows they would disfigure themſelves as the Heathens did, and adde to their owne miſery.
Vid. Q. Curt. lib. 1. Hom. l. 1. Iliad Agam: Vellentem capili…s in dolore indu…ie.They deformed themſelves, Jer. 47.5. and 48.37. Mica 1.16. Amos 8.10. Iſa 15.2. Hair was an ornament, and baldneſs a reproach, 2 Kings 2.23. Come up thou bald head.
It was ſaid in the 11. verſ. there ſhould be no wailing for them, and here is mention of ſack-cloath and baldneſſe, ſignes of common and great ſorrow: There was no publique wailing and ſolemn mourning at their burials; but privately they bewail'd their friends, mourn'd for the evils upon them, or ſome few did appear that were not conſiderable.
I…'s queſtionable whether baldneſſe were upon all their heads, did all teare off their haire, and make themſelves unſightly? Doubtleſſe many of them did, and all had cauſe to doe it. The Prophet ſpeaks not what every one ſhould doe, but what their condition required; their calamity was ſuch as cal'd for all ſigns of ſorrow, ſack-cloath, horror, ſhame, baldneſſe.
Obſer. 1 The equity of Gods dealing with ſinners, he puniſheth them in the thing wherein they have ſinned, they had ruffled it in their ſilks, ſcarlets, and fine linnen, now God brought them to ſack-cloath made of hair and courſe materials that was as harſh to their fleſh as the other was delightfull. The ſcarlet men were brought to dunghils, Lam. 4.5. They that were confident themſelves of their ſtrength, now trembled; they were proud of their beauty, had haughty eyes, painted faces, &c. now were filled with ſhame, and they that gloried in their haire, now were made bald, here was the juſt hand of God, Iſa. 3.24. In ſtead of ſweet ſmels, there ſhall be a ſtinke, and inſtead of a girdle, a rent, and inſtead of wel-ſet haire, baldneſſe, and inſtead of a ſtomacher, a girding of ſack-cloath, and burning inſtead of beauty. Wherein they ſin'd, there God ſmote them, Pſalm. 68.21. God ſhall wound the hairy ſcalp of ſuch an one as goeth on ſtill in his treſpaſſes. They gloried in their hair then, as too many doe now, and God would wound them in that, their hairy ſcalps ſhould ſuffer; the Hebrew is, the Crownes of haire walking in its owne wickedneſſe.
The hair holds forth the pride and vanity of the Maſter therof, & God would wound it, and the head bare it; the word for wound, Muſcu: & Moller: interpret, ſhall make bloody, or dip in blood; they have oft powder'd their haire, to dry and ſweeten it, and God would dye it in their own blood.
They ſhall caſt their ſilver in the ſtreets.Verſe 19.
That which had beene much deſired, was gotten with great paines, they ſhould throw into the open ſtreetes for any to take up, they were flying for their lives, and their bags of ſilver were burthenſome: or they were faint with famine, ſo that ſilver would not relieve, or purchaſe reliefe for them, and therefore muſt throw it into the ſtreets as dung and filth; there was an inſufficiency in the creature to advantage them in this great diſtreſſe, and thereupon deſpairing, they threw away that they had formerly ſo prized, ſo laboured for, and ſafely kept a long time. When Seamen are in ſtormes and hazard of their lives, they will throw over board things precious, and this was the caſe here. By ſilver and gold underſtand not onelyonly coyne, but place, and all things made thereof.
Their gold ſhall be removed.
foreign Procul amovit.The Hebrew is, for a removall, the Chaldeans ſhall take it away and carry it into Babylon, a far off: ſo much the Originall root ſignifies, to carry it far from the place where it was; They had hoarded it up in Sion, and now it ſhould be caryed to Babylon. In ſterquilinium.The vulgar reads it, their gold ſhall be for a dunghil, their great heaps of gold made dunghils, and the word doth ſomething countenance it, which ſignifies ſeparation, ob immunditiam, ſuch as is in a menſtruous cloath which is throwne out to the dunghill. Their gold was the gold of their covetouſneſſe and oppreſſion, polluted with Idolatry, and ſo matter fit to be ſeparated from them, to the dunghill, that had lain ſo long by them, and was thought ſhould never be ſtir'd, that ſhall be for removall, either themſelves ſhall throw it out upon, or hide it in the earth, or dunghill, or the barbarous enemies ſhall carry it into far Countreys.
Their Silver and their Gold ſhall not bee able to deliver them.
They had conceits of, and confidence in their riches, that they would benefit them one way or other; if Chaldeans came, they would hire them to be gone, if they tooke the City, they would buy out their lives and liberties, they dream'd that money could do any thing with any ſort of men, but it was otherwiſe. If by gold and ſilver we underſtand their gold and ſilver Gods, they hoped for helpe from them; but they being without life, had neither counſell, power, or any bleſſing for them.
They ſhall not ſatisfie their ſoules, nor fill their bellies.
Such ſhall be the famine and want of bread, that all their wealth ſhall not purchaſe bread enough to relieve and ſatisfie them; though they have houſes ful of all wealth, yet their bellies ſhal have want, and ſoules faint for hunger. Soul here is put for the appetitive vertue, as in Math. 6.25. Take no care for the life what yee ſhall eate or drinke. The word is for the Soule, that is for the appetite, God will provide. Here they tooke care for their bellies and appetites, and had little or nothing.
Becauſe it is the ſtumbling blocke of their iniquity.
They had no uſe or benefit of their eſtates, when they had moſt need of them: and why? here is the cauſe, they were the ſtumbling blockes of their iniquity. By Iniquity, ſome Expoſitors underſtand puniſhment, and then the ſenſe is, That their ſilver and gold were the occaſion of theſe ſad judgements fell upon them: Their Wars, fiering of the City and Temple, and their leading into Captivity. The former tranſlation hath it; For this ruine is for their iniquity; it renders ſtumbling block, ruine, and ſhews the cauſe, its for their iniquity, and ſo iniquity is taken properly for ſinne, not puniſhment. They had ſinn'd, and this ruine or judgement of caſting away their ſilver and gold, of finding no help, of being hungry and unſatisfied was upon them for their ſinne.
This ſenſe is truth, but the Hebrew being thus, becauſe it hath been the ſtumbling blocke of your iniquity. It leads to this ſenſe, that their wealth was the matter and occaſion of their ſin, their ſilver, gold, and great eſtates occaſioned them to ſinne more fully, and more fowly, and therefore theſe judgements came upon them, their eſtates bred their ſins, and brought their judgments.
That wealth is the occaſion and fewel of ſinne appeares thus. Rich men in Scripture are ſet out as apt to truſt in their eſtates, to be high-minded, 1 Tim. 6.17. To glory in what they have, Jer. 9.23. They are liberal to their own backs and bellies, but hard hearted to the poor, Luke 16.19, 20, &c. They anſwer roughly, Prov. 18.23. They ſcorne others, Pſalm 123.4. They are covetous, deceitfull, having treaſures of wickedneſſe in their houſes, Mica 6.10. They oppreſſe the poor, corrupt Juſtice, and fill all with violence, verſ. 12. They keepe backe the wages of Servants and Labourers; they live in pleaſures wantonly, ſecurely, James 5.4, 5. They little mind Chriſt and his wayes, John 7.48. Matth. 19.23, 24. When Chriſt cals, they have their yokes of Oxen, which draw them ſo faſt from Chriſt, that all his ſweet invitations prevail not, they are prone to, and prodigall in falſe Idolatrous worſhip, Iſa. 46.6. What wickedneſſe doth not wealth prompt men unto, Jer. 5.27, 28. They are waxen rich, and what then, they are fat & ſhining, their faces, their apparrel gliſters; but it follows, they overpaſſe the deeds of the wicked, the richer they are, the worſer they doe; their riches are fuel to their luſts, and cauſe them to act with more heate and ſtrength. Hence Chriſt cals them unrighteous Mammon, Lu. 16.9.13. Riches are mens Mammons, gods that open the door wide for, and ſtrongly entice to unrighteous and wicked things, therefore wealth is cal'd wickedneſſe, Pſalm 52.7. Speaking of a wicked rich man, he ſtrengthens himſelfe in his wickedneſſe. In the margent, its ſubſtance, and notes wealth gotten by a mans labour. Wealth gotten moſt honeſtly hath ſome-what in it, which through our weakneſſe and corruption may draw us to wickedneſſe, and therefore here it fals under that notion.
Obſer. 1 That the creatures which promiſe the moſt help, and raiſe expectation higheſt in times of trouble, can do little or nothing for us. Their ſilver and their gold ſhall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: Things precious and powerful can doe nothing for the owners in the day of diſtreſſe, Zeph. 1.18. Prov. 11.4. They cannot deliver, they cannot profit in the day of mans jealouſie; wealth will not profit, much leſſe in the day of Gods wrath.
But its ſaid, Eccleſ. 7.12. Money is a defence. And Chap. 10.19. Money anſwereth all things. Money may defend from poverty, humane wrongs, but not from ſickneſſe, death, or the wrath of God: and it may anſwer for all our debts to men, but not for our debts to heaven. It's not the fruit of your body can anſwer for the ſinne of your ſoule, Mica 6.7. much leſſe the fruit of y…ur purſe.
The profit men labour for in their health, wil not profit in the day of Gods wrath. Judas 30. pieces could not ſtil one throb of his Co…ſcience. Herods royal Robes, Scepter, Crown, greatneſſe, could not protect him from the teeth of a few feeble worms; nor all Jeruſalems gold and ſilver the Jewes from the fury of the M…des, Iſa. 13 17, 18. It's not all your wealth can keep the plague out of the City, or ſecure your lives when its come.
In a Famine, is not one loaf of bread more ſatisfying than all the gold of the earth. Silver and gold are not eatable, greene hearbs are more ſerviceable in ſuch a caſe then they are; Let the counſel of Gods Spirit therefore prevail with you, Pro. 23.4, 5. Labour not to be rich; ceaſe from thine owne wiſdome. Wilt, thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainely make themſelves wings, they flye away as an Eagle towards heaven. Here are 3. arguments againſt it.
1. It's humane wiſdome, not divine to do ſo.
2. They are inconſiderable things, they have no being in them, they are not ſufficient to helpe and deliver you in your ſtreights.
3. They are uncertain things, they make wings to themſelves and fl…e away, they are like birds in the neſt that ſeeme to dwell there, but preſently their feathers grow, and they are gone, and their wings are Eagles wings, they flie ſwiftly, ſtrongly from you: A fire in a night, &…. therefore ſet not your hearts to get riches; or if they be gotten, ſet not your hearts upon them.
2. That wealth in the day of Gods wrath, when he deales with ſinners, i… ſo far from advantaging, that it prejudiceth and wounds: They ſhall caſt their gold in the ſtreets, &c. They found it did them hurt; In proſperity they plead prerogative, and muſt have their will: and in adverſity they have their prerogative above others, but it is a prerogative of woes. If any ſuffer, goe into captivity, they doe it firſt, Amos 6.7. N…buz…radan tooke the rich and fat ones with him, and left the poore that had nothing, to dreſſe the Vine-yards, and poſſeſſe the Land, Jer. 39.10. Theſe had the priviledg of ſafety, when others had a prerogative of miſery: The wealth of theſe men did multiply their woes.
1. One wound to them was, that they had not believed the Prophets threatning the ruine of their eſtates.
2. That they had gotten their eſtates by unlawfull meanes.
3. That they had done little good, but much hurt by them.
4. That they were diſappointed now, and could not bribe the Chaldeans with all their Eſtates to ſpare them, they regarded not Gold, Iſa. 13.7. Hence the Chaldee renders that in Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not; A Lye profits not; Riches are lying and deceitfull things, they diſappoint, and this wounded them.
5. They were ſo ſmitten with feare, diſtraction, and blindneſſe, that they ſaw not what to doe with their Wealth, but threw it away, they doe not carry it away.
6. That what they had laboured hard for, kept with difficulty, priz'd ſo high, muſt now in a moment be parted with and thrown away.
7. That all opportunities were now loſt of doing good to their friends or others with their Eſtates.
8. That they ſhould be expoſed to more ſhame, ſcorne, miſery, and be more ſenſible of the ſame then thoſe that never had any Eſtates, like one that hath warme cloathes, and being ſtript of them is more affected with the cold then Beggers that feels it every day.
9. That they had not ſought the eternall good of their ſoules with their Eſtates, but ſin'd with them, and made way for a dreadfull account.
10. And laſtly, that their lives were in the greater danger the more wealthy they were; Riches invite enemies to plunder, Jerem. 49.31. Fat Cattell are neereſt the ſlaughter; Wealthy men are called Fatt men, they are filled and fatted with their great Eſtates, and the wrath of God came firſt upon them, Pſal. 78.31. Judges 3.29. It was their Gold that cauſed the Jewes bellyes to be ript, when the Romans tooke Jeruſalem.
Obſer. 3 3. Note here the folly of covetouſneſſe, men tainted with that ſinne lay up wealth for they know not whom, for their Enemies; the Jewes were a covetous people, Mich. 2.2. Iſa. 57.17.
They were generally given to covetouſneſſe, even great and ſmall, Jer. 6.13. & 8.10. Their eyes and hearts were for nought but Covetouſneſſe, Jer. 22.17. Wealth was the onelyonly object of their eyes, and Idolls of their hearts; they had treaſures, but God could give tbem away to Spoylers, Jer. 15.13. Yea all their Treaſures, Jer. 17.3. Little did theſe covetous Jews thinke that the Babylonians ſhould be inriched with their l… bours, wealth and treaſures; they had vexed their heads, hearts, and hands to get Houſes and Vineyards, banks of Silver and Gold, and now meere ſtrangers, men their ſoules hated muſt poſſeſſe their deſirable things, and fill their pockets with their Treaſures; this miſery is upon all men, that they cannot foreſee who ſhall enjoy what they get, and therefore it ſhould prevaile with men to labour leſſe for the creature, ſeeing they work for they know not whom: It may be a Babylonian, ſome bloody Cavalier, Idolatrous Papiſt, or bitter Enemy to God and his Saints, ſome one he never ſaw, exchang'd a word with, had any reference unto; and what thou haſt been twenty or thirty yeares in gathering, he ſhall poſſeſſe in one houre: David, Pſal. 39.6. brands this practice with vanity and diſquietment of ſpirit: Surely every man diſquiets himſelfe in vaine; and why? He layes up riches, and knowes not who ſhall gather them, who ſhall be owner and take them into his cuſtody; Solomon upon this ground hated his labour in purſuite of the creature, becauſe he knew not whether the man came after him ſhould be a wiſe man or a foole, Eccleſ. 2.18, 19. You know neither the man nor his qualities who ſhall come after you, and why will you diſquiet your ſelves, for you know not whom, wiſe men or fooles, Saints or Devils,
You will ſay its for your Children:
If ſo, they are either godly or ungodly; if godly, they have wealth enough, God is their portion, he will bleſſe their endeavours, and provide ſufficiencies; if ungodly, a little is enough, if not too much for them: But you are not ſure to leave your eſtates to your Children, nor to keep them your ſelves; remember Thieves and Robbers are in the Land, and if you labour all day for Thieves at night what folly, will this be.
4. Abuſe of our Eſtates, defiles them, and brings the wrath of God upon them, their Silver and Gold they had hoarded up, confided in, maintained their pride, luſts, Idolatry withall, that muſt be ſeparated as an unclean thing, Levit. 14.55. The Leproſie defiled Garments, Houſes; and ſinne defiles perſons, whole Eſtates; when men divert their Eſtates otherwiſe, and to other ends then God hath appointed them, they wrong the creature, imbondage it to their owne luſts, they defile it, and bring the curſe of God upon it, Iſa. 24.5, 6. The earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed the Lawes, changed the Ordinances, broken the everlaſting Covenant: Therefore hath the curſe devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are doſolate: Their ſinne defiled the Land and fruit of it, and brought the curſe of God upon all: When Adam and Eve put the fruit of the Tree to another uſe then God appointed, they then brought the curſe upon themſelves and the whole Earth, Jer. 15.13. Thy Subſtance and thy Treaſures will I give to the ſpoyle, and that for all thy ſinnes: If you would not have your ſubſtance defiled, and curſed, take heed of abuſing it.
1. Firſt, acknowledge all you have to be the Lords, you are Stewards, not Owners, Hoſ. 2.9. God cals it his Corne and Wine, &c. not only receive them as from God, but acknowledge them to be the Lords.
2. Labour to ſee much of God in your Eſtates, moſt look at the outſide, the glaſſe, the gally-pot, not at what is within: God is in the creatures, Rom. 1.20.
3. Make uſe of all truths you heare about the inſufficiency and emptineſſe of the Creatures, ſay here is much Silver, Gold, Bread, but I live not by theſe, but the bleſſing of God, theſe are nothing without him.
4. Worke up your hearts nearer to God by them, Eſtates ſhould be as Ladders and Mountaines, when you are on them you goe up towards Heaven, and when at the top you are neareſt Heaven.
5. Have your eyes ever upon ſome thing better then your Eſtates, unto which make your Eſtates ſervicable.
6. Lay out your Eſtates for God, his Worſhip, Cauſe, the Publique, the Spirituall good of your Families and Friends, reliefe of the poor; Its Chriſts direction, Lay not up Treaſures, but lay out, give and it ſhall be given you, &c.
7. Meditate oft upon that Scripture, Come give account of thy Stewardſhip, Luke 16.2. as you do of your Silver and Gold.