Exposition of Ezekiel 20-29, Exposition · Chapter 21

Exposition of Ezekiel 20-29 · Exposition · Chapter 21

p. 147AN Expoſition continued UPON THE PROPHESY OF EZEKIEL.

CHAP. XXI.

Verſ. 1 And the word of the came Lord unto me, ſaying,

2 Son of man, ſet thy face towards Jeruſalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and Propheſy againſt the land of Iſrael.

3 And ſay to the Land of Iſrael, Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I am againſt thee, and wil draw forth my ſword out of his ſheath, and wil cut off from thee, the righteous and the wicked.

4 Seeing then that I will cut off from thee, the righteous and the wicked, therefore ſhall, my ſword go forth out of his ſheath, againſt all fleſh, from the South to the North.

5 That all fleſh may know that I the Lord, have drawn forth my Sword out of his ſheath: It ſhall not return any more.

IN this Chapter is a double Propheſy.

One againſt the land of Iſrael, and what was therein, from the 1. v. to the 28.

2 Another againſt the Ammonites, from the 28. to the end.

p. 148Ver. 1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying,

The Hebrew for Came unto me, is, was unto me, that is, was put into mee by divine inſpiration; hee ſpake not of himſelf, but from God.

Verſ. 2 Son of man ſet thy Face towards Jeruſalem drop thy Word, and Propheſy.

Of theſe words ſee the former Chapter, verſ. 46. where they were ſpoken of.

Towards the Holy Places.

The Temple which is put plurally, becauſe of the ſeverall Partitions of it, the Sanctum, and Sanctum Sanctorum, with the buildings contigual to it, which the Jews eſteemed holy.

Here hee ſhews what in the end of the former Chapter, he meant by the South, Forreſt of the South, and South-field, viz. The land of Iſrael, Judea, and the Temple,

Obſ. Holineſſe of Places will not priviledge unholy People. Sanctuaries are no protections againſt Divine juſtice. Canaan was the holy Land, Jeruſalem the holy City, and the Temple, more Holy than both; yet Son of Man ſet thy face towards Jeruſalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and propheſy againſt the Land of Iſrael, and ſay, thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I am againſt thee, &c. I will bring the Babyloniſh Army upon thee; which ſhall utterly deſtroy thee.

Verſ. 3 Behold I am against thee.

Here was ſad tidings to hear, that God was againſt Jeruſalem, ſee chap. 5.8.

And will draw forth my Sword.

By Sword is meant War, and the grievous evils accompany it, Lev. 26.33.

p. 149And will cut off from thee, the righteous and the wicked.

The Septuagint reads the words otherwiſe, foreign, I will deſtroy out of thee, the unjuſt and lawleſs; The Chaldy hath it, I will cauſe thy juſt ones to go out of thee, that I may deſtroy the wicked; but the Hebrew is, The righteous and the wicked: How this can bee underſtood of a man truely righteous, I finde not, for Pſalm 5.12. The Lord bleſſeth the righteous, and compaſſeth him with favour as with a ſhield, if hee cut him off, how doth hee compaſs him with favour, and favour as a ſhield; how doth hee protect him? Gen. 18.23, 25. Wilt thou deſtroy the righteous with the wicked? far bee it from thee, ſhall not the Judge of the earth do right? ſaid Abraham to God. Hee thought it an unjuſt and grievous evil that God ſhould cut off the righteous and wicked together; and the truely righteous were marked, Ezek. 9.4. that they might not bee ſlain.Junius. Piſeat. polan. Divers Expoſitors herefore, make the righteous here to bee ſuch as were reputed ſo, ſeemed to bee ſo, but were not in truth ſo. Pradus ſaith, Vatem juſtos appell…ſſe per catachreſin, eos qui tales videbantur, cum revera ſontes eſſent, & ſupplicium mererentur, and ſo righteous is taken, Mat. 9.13.Mat 8.12 Luk. 2.48.Matt 8:12Luke 2:48 I am not come to call the righteous, &c. The holy Scripture ſpeaks often according to the opinions and apprehenſions are had of men, or what they have of themſelves, Luke 18.9. the Phariſees thought themſelves righteous, and were reputed ſo, but fell ſhort of true righteouſneſs. Theſe were leſſe wicked than others, and ſo appeared righteous.

Verſ. 4 My Sword ſhall go forth out of his ſheath againſt all fleſh, from the South to the North.

This verſe is the ſame for ſubſtance, with verſ. 47. of the Precedent Chapter; fire there is the ſame, with ſword here, green tree, and dry tree, the ſame with righteous and wicked, the burning up of all faces from the North to the South, p. 150the ſame with the words, going out againſt all fleſh.

Verſ. 5. That all fleſh may know, &c.

All fleſh was to bee cut off in Judea, that all fleſh in other lands might know the ſevere judgements of God.

Obſ. 1 That wars are the Lords; They come not without his Commiſſion, he ſends them, orders them, and ends them at his pleaſure. I will draw forth my Sword out of his ſheath, My Sword. verſ. 4. ſhall go forth againſt all fleſh, from the South to the North, and verſ. 5 it ſhall not return any more, i. e. Till it had accompliſhed the Lords will; Nebuchadnezzar and his Army was the ſword, Babylon the ſheath, God brought them out of their own Countrey, into the land of Iſrael, which hee laid waſte-from one end to the other, and then having finiſhed the work of the Lord, hee returned.

Obſ. 2 Outſide righteouſneſs doth not ſecure men from the judgements of God. I will cut off from thee, the righteous and the wicked: Such righteouſneſſe findes not favour with God. Its no better in his account than wickedneſſe. Labour for true righteouſneſſe; What if Joſiah fell in warre, and other righteous ones have been cut off in publike calamities, yet know, Mors illis non poena, ſed gloria eſt.

Obſ. 3 From the 4. verſ. The Lord is ſevere in his judgements at laſt; He bare long with the Jews, but now hee would unſheath his ſword, and cut off the righteous and the wicked from the Land, yea, all fleſh, from the South to the North.

None ſhould eſcape his ſtroak, hee would finde them out where ever hid.

Obſ. 4 From the 5. verſ. That Gods end in bringing judgements upon a Nation, is to make known his Power, Juſtice, and ſeverity againſt ſinners, and their ſinful waies: that all fleſh may know, that I the Lord have drawn forth my ſword out of his ſheath. There is a knowledge of God by his works, as well as by his word, and by his judgements, as well as by his mercies; When Nebuchadnezzar and his Army, the great Sword of God, ſhould come and cut them down, all men ſhould ſee and ſay, God is, &c.

p. 151Verſ. 6 Sigh therefore thou Son of man with the breaking of thy loyns, and with bitterneſs ſigh before their eyes.

7 And it ſhall bee when they ſay unto thee, wherefore ſigheſt thou? that thou ſhalt anſwer, for the Tydings, becauſe it cometh: and every heart ſhall melt, and all hands ſhall bee feeble, and every ſpirit ſhall faint, and all knees ſhall bee weak as water; Behold it commeth, and ſhall be brought to paſs, ſaith the Lord God.

Here is a Command laid upon the Prophet, which is to ſigh. The manner of it is threefold.

1 With breaking of loynes.

2 With Bitterneſs.

3 Before their eies.

With the breaking of thy Loynes.

Sigh as if thy loyns were broken; Sigh greatly. Its ſuitable to that in Iſa. 21.3. My Loynes are filled with pain, pangs have taken hold upon me as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: a Woman in travail thinks her back broken, her loyns looſed, and ſighs grievouſly; yea, bitterly, as if her ſelf, childe, or both, were looſing their lives; So ſhould the Prophet ſigh here, really not fainedly, deeply not ſuperficially, bitterly, not to eaſe himſelf.

Before their eyes.

How could this bee, when as Ezekiel was in Babylon, and they at Jeruſalem? Its probable there were ſome of Jeruſalem, came to ſee and hear how things would go with them there, ſeeing they had lately revolted from Nebuchadnezzar, or if it were before the revolt▪ ſome might be there to bring the tribute they paid to the Babyloniſh King yearly.

In the 7. verſ. is the cauſe of this great ſighing, laid down, which is double.

1 Tydings, that is, of the Babyloniſh Army comming.

p. 1522 The effects thereof, which are four.

1 Melting of hearts.

2 Feebleneſſe of hands.

3 Faintneſſe of ſpirits.

4 Weakneſſe of knees.

Such fear ſhould poſſeſſe them upon the Tydings of the Babyloniſh Armies approaching, as ſhould make their rocky hearts melt, as Snow before the Sunne, or fat of Lambs before the fire, and the hands, ſpirits, and knees, of their ſtouteſt men to bee feeble, faint, and weak; ſo that they ſhould be inept unto all ſervices, eſpecially military ones.

Obſ. 1 The Goodneſſe of the Lord towards a ſtubborn, willfull, periſhing People, in that hee will have the Prophet to ſee, what propheticall ſigns will do, when Prophetical threats did nothing: Sigh ſon of man, with the breaking of thy Loynes, and with bitterneſs, &c. Theſe were Prophetical ſighs; repreſenting unto them the great evils were comming upon them; that ſo they might conſider: ſigh in like manner for their ſinnes, and prevent their deſtruction, or elſe certainly expect the ſame.

God laid an heavy burden upon the Prophet, to ſigh ſo.

Obſ. 2 Ill-tydings ſinks the hearts and spirits of Hypocrites and wicked ones; When they hear of warres and great Forces comming againſt them, not onelyonly doth their mirth ceaſe, but their hearts, hands, ſpirits, knees, fail them. When Nebuchadnezzar came, their hands were upon their loyns, they knew not what to do, whither to go, where to hide themſelves, Hath it not been ſo in Ireland?

But Pſal. 112.7. its ſaid of a godly man, Hee ſhall not be afraid of evil tydings, his heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord.

Verſ. 8 Again, the word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying,

9 Son of man Propheſy and ſay, thus ſaith the Lord, ſay, a Sword, a Sword is ſharpened, and alſo fourbiſhed.

10 It is ſharpened to make a ſore ſlaughter, it is fourbiſhed that it may glitter, ſhould we then make mirth? It contemneth the rod of my Son as every tree.

11 And he hath given it to bee fourbiſhed, that it may bee p. 135handled: this ſword is ſharpened, and it is fourbiſhed to give it into the hand of the ſlayer.

12 Cry and howle, Son of man, for it ſhall bee upon my people, it ſhall be upon all the Princes of Iſrael: Terrors by reaſon of the ſword, ſhall be upon my people, ſmite therefore upon thy thigh.

13 Becauſe it is a tryal, and what if the ſword contemn even the Rod? it ſhall be no more, ſaith the Lord God.

The Lord had ſaid before, hee would unſheath his ſword, and now orders the Prophet to cry out, a ſword, a ſword, and ſhews the approaching of it, for it was ſharpened and fourbiſhed, he drew it out for ſervice, to ſlay both people and Princes.

Verſ. 9 A ſword, a ſword.

By ſword, you may underſtand all thoſe judgements came with Nebuchadnezzar and his Army, or more ſpecially, thoſe warlike inſtruments, they prepared and brought with them. The word is doubled, propter vehementiam et certitudinem.

Is ſharpened and alſo fourbiſhed.

If it were blunt before, now it was whetted; if it was ruſty,Splendor enſis politi terret Hoſtes. now its ſcoured. Now Nebuchadnezzar was ready with all his military preparations, ſharpe and ſhining, full of terrour, and fit for execution.

10 Its ſharpened to make a ſore ſlaughter.

Hebrew is, Ad jugulandum jugulationem, to kill a killing, that is, to make a great ſlaughter, it was both fourbiſhed, and ſharpened, that it might terrify with its gliſtering, and cut more ſorely with its ſharpeneſſe.

Obſ. When God is bringing judgements upon a people, hee will fit inſtruments for accompliſhing of the ſame, and that to purpoſe: Hee will make that which is blunt, ſharpe; that is ruſty, glittering; and thoſe are ſpiritleſſe, full of ſpirit; he can make one to chaſe ten, ten one hundred, and one hundred a p. 154thouſand, his works ſhall never fail for want of inſtruments.

Should we then make mirth?

The Hebrew is, foreign vel gaudebimus, ſhall wee rejoyce? Vatablus ſaith, Quomodo gaudebimus, and ſo Lavater. Piſcator, An gaudebimus, ſhall wee rejoyce? no, in no caſe. So Pradus, O vel quomodo gauderemus.

Obſ. 1 Times of warre and judgements, are no times for mirth: The Sword is unſheathed, its whetted, its fourbiſhed, its approaching, ſhould wee then make mirth? that's as unſeaſonable as Snow in ſummer, and thunder in winter; that is a time for Faſting and Prayer, for Sackcloath and aſhes, for judging our ſelves, and rending our hearts; that's a time to mourn, and not to bee merry, Iſa. 22.12, 13, 14. In that day did the Lord God of Hoſts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldneſſe, and to girding with ſack-cloath, and behold, joy and gladneſs, ſlaying Oxen, and killing Sheep, eating fleſh, and drinking wine, &c. And it was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hoſts, ſurely this iniquity ſhall not be purged from you till ye dye. It provokes God exceedingly, that man calls for mirth, when he calls for mourning.

Obſ. 2 The Godly and Faithful, both Miniſters and People, are affected with judgements comming upon Church or State, ſhould we then make mirth? Iſa. 22.45. Look away from mee, I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort mee, becauſe of the ſpoiling of the daughter of my People; for it is a day of trouble and treading down, and of perplexity; So Jer. 9.1. Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, &c. So Chriſt wept over Jeruſalem, Luke 19.41, 43, 44. for the evils hee ſaw comming.

It contemneth the Rod of my Son, as every Tree,

Theſe words are difficult. The Hebrew ſtands thus, The rod of my Son contemning every tree.

The word Rod, ſhebot, ſome render Tribe, and ſo make the ſenſe to bee the Tribe of Judah, the Son of God, which Nebuchadnezzar the ſword of God, deſpiſed as every tree, but thus Tribe, Son, and every tree, do fall in to be the ſame.

p. 155Others make the ſenſe thus, This ſword, the rod of my Son, viz. my people, I have appointed to puniſh them withall, and however they have been able to indure other rods, yet this is ſtronger than they, and ſhall not bee broken or fruſtrated of its end, when I ſhall uſe it; this ſenſe is not to bee deſpiſed.

As if by Son, Nebuchadnezzar be meant, who being armed with power, contemned every tree, the green tree, and the dry tree, the high and the low tree, all the men of the land of Iſrael? if Cyrus who delivered Gods people, bee ſtiled but his ſervant, it were much that Nebuchadnezzar who deſtroyed them, ſhould be called his Son.

Others, Jun. and Pol. interpret the words of Chriſt, who is meant by Sonne; and rod, to bee the ſword in Chriſts hand; hee was reſolved now to cut down every tree by his judgement, and to break this nation in peices by the iron rod and ſword, hee had in his hand. The father ſpeaks concerning his ſon to the Prophet, and the 11. v. ſtrengthens this interpretation: Hee hath given it to be fourbiſhed. Who is that hee, but the Son? and who gave it into the hand of the ſlayer, but he? and that was Nebuchadnezzar.

Obſ. 1 Chriſt hath Rods and judgements in his hand, the rod of my Son. Chriſt is not all merciemercy, though full of mercy; the father hath committed all judgement unto him, Rev. 6.16. the Lambe hath wrath in him, as well as meekneſſe, Chriſt is a Lyon to tear in peices; as well as a Samaritan, &c. Pſal. 2.12.

Obſ. 2 When ſinners profit not, but are worſe under leſſer judgements, this provokes Chriſt to bring forth more heavy judgements: The Rod of my Son, contemning every tree; Though they ſtood it out againſt other rods, they ſhould not bee able to do ſo againſt this; when the Axe comes to the root of Trees, they muſt down; a knife they may deſpiſe, but an Ax deſpiſes them.

Obſ. 3 Some judgements are ſo grievous, as they ſweep away all; This rod deſpiſed every tree, the ſtrongeſt Oakes, the talleſt Cedars, the King, Princes, Nobles, Counſellers, Souldiers, Artificers, &c.

Obſ. 4 From the 11. v. Enemies cannot hurt unleſſe they p. 154duplicate page p. 155duplicate page p. 156have power and furniture given them: The Sword was fitted for and given into the hand of the ſlayer, Nebuchadnezzar could not have ſtird, deſtroyed a man in the Land of Iſrael, unleſs Chriſt had impoured him. Pilate had no power, but what was given him. No man or Nation hath power againſt another, unleſſe they bee armed from God or Chriſt. Had the Jews kept in with them, none ſhould ever have harm'd them.

Verſ. 12 Cry and howl, Son of man.

The word for Cry is foreign which ſignifies to cry out, propter anguſtiam & compreſſionem animi, Jer. 30.15. why cryeſt thou for the affliction? afflictions ſtraitned and preſſed the ſpirit of Jacob, ſo that be cryed out; you have the word in Ezek. 9.8. ch. 11.13. where it notes, crying from ſorrow and preſſure of minde.

Howle.

Beaſts do howle when pinched with hunger, or ſuffer ſome great miſery. The Hebrew word foreign ſaith Abenacius, hath affinity with foreign and foreign, words, which ſignify night,Quando aliquis eſt in ſumma auguſtia ut fere ad nihilum redigatur & non habet preter noctem & tenebras moleſtiatum tu…e incipit ululare & plorare. and reduction in a manner to nothing; and when men are incompaſſed with great calamities, and ready to periſh, then they howl, Iſa. 65 14. they ſhall cry for ſorrow of heart, and howle for vexation of spirit: the Hebrew is, for breaking of spirit; when their ſpirits ſhould bee broken, and they ready to ſink, and be ruined, then they ſhould howle.

For it ſhall be upon my people.

The Hebr. is, Hajetha, it hath been upon my People, its uſual with the Hebrew, to put a praeter-tenſe, for the future, to ſignify the certainty of the thing, and ſo its here. The French is, il eſt fait pour mon peuple, The Sword is made for my people, to eat their fleſh and drink their bloud.

Upon all the Princes of Iſrael.

In the 11. Chapter 1. you have Princes of the People. The p. 157word there is Sar, whence our Engliſh word Sir, which is as much; as Prince or Lord, here its Princes of Iſrael, & the word is, foreign Neſiee from Naſa to prefer, lift up, ſet on high.

Montanus hath it, in cunctis praelatis Iſrael, upon all the preferred ones of Iſrael. The Vulgar, In cunctis ducibus Iſrael, upon all the Dukes of Iſrael. Others, upon all the Princes.

Terrors by reaſon of the Sword.

The word for Terrors is, foreign which is variouſly rendered; The Septuagint is, foreign, and referres it to all the Princes of Iſrael, dwelling or ſojourning there.

Theodoret foreign, Thoſe that dwell nigh me.

The Vulgar is, qui fugerant, the ſword ſhall bee upon all the Princes and Potentate… that ſhould fly.

Montan. hath it, timores ob gladium, fears by reaſon of the ſword.

The French, Crainte de glaive, fear of the ſword ſhall bee upon my people.

Caſtal. Terrores a gladio imminent populo meo, Terrors from the ſword hang over the heads of my people.

Vatablus, Pavores ingruent ab hoc gladio in Populum meum.

Aecolampad. Formidines ad gladium erunt populo meo.

So Piſcat. Formidines propter gladium.

Lavater, Terrores gladii erunt Populo meo.

Junius and Polanus read the word thus, Detruſi in gladium ſunt, ſaith one, erunt, ſaith the other, cum populo meo, and in the margent of your Bibles it is, So they are thruſt down to the ſword with my People; that is, the Princes ſhall fare no better than the People, but together with them ſhall bee cut off.

The reading wee have, I like beſt, and moſt Expoſitors agree in it, and ſo the word is rendred, Lam. 2.22. Jer. 6.25. The ſword of the enemy, and fear is on every ſide.

p. 158Smite therefore upon thy thigh.

In the 6 Chapter 11. v. the Lord commanded the Prophet to ſmite with his hand, ſtampe with his foot, and here to ſmite upon his thigh; which were geſtures, to expreſſe grief and ſorrow,Traxit ex intimo ventre ſuſpirium, dentibus frendit, icit femur. Plautus in Truculento. in great and ſad calamities, Tundebant faemora palmis, they ſmote upon their thighs with their hands.

Obſ. 1 The Calamities of wars are matter of great mourning and ſad geſtures; cry, howle, ſmite upon thy thigh, Jer. 4.6, 7, 8. God would bring evil from the North upon them, Nebuchadnezzar the Lyon was comming, for this gird you with ſackcloath, lament, and howle.

Obſ. 2 The ſword makes no diſtinction of Perſons, it ſhall be upon my People, and upon all the Princes of Iſrael. They ſhould finde no more favor than others, not any, not the greateſt of them, ſhould be exempted from the evils of the ſword, Jer. 52.10. the King of Babylon ſlew the Sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, he ſlew alſo all the Princes of Judah in Riblah. Then he put out the eies of Zedekiah.

Obſ. 3 Times of war are times of fears, terrors, by reaſon of the ſword ſhall be upon my People. The ſword drawn is a terrible thing, Joſh. 2.9. ch. 10.12. Jer. 15.8. chapter 46.3, 4, 5. chapter 49.24, 29. The ſword is Magor-miſſobib, fear round about, it makes families, towns, Cities, Nations, to fear and tremble; when the ſword is without, there is terror within, and ſuch terrour oft times as is deſtructive, Deut. 32.25. mens hearts meditate ſuch terrors, as bereave them of their wits, ſenſes, lives.

13 Becauſe it is a tryal.

The word for Tryal is, foreign Bochan, from Bachan to Prove, examine, Try. By the Septuagint here its rendred, foreign, becauſe it is juſtified. Aquila, foreign, quia ſcrutatus eſt, becauſe it hath ſearched out and examined them.

Vulgar, Quia probatus eſt, its a ſword proved, and will do the work. Pagnine, qui ad probationem eductus eſt, it is brought forth to tryal. Tygurin, Quoniam explorator eſt, becauſe p. 159it is a Tryer. Others have it Tryal, the ſword and Terrors accompanying it, ſhould bee a Tryal to them, and ſuch a Tryal as they never had, they had had the ſword at their gates before, but had profitted little by it. Now they ſhould finde and feel the ſword more gliſtering, ſharpe, and deſtructive than ever.

And what if the ſword contemn even the Rod, it ſhall be no more.

Interpreters are perplexed about theſe words, as they are in the Original, and what to make of them as tranſlated, I know not. Thoſe words, The Sword, and more, are not in the Text, and puzzle the ſenſe. The Hebrew is thus, And what if alſo the Rod deſpiſing, hath not been, that is, what if the Rod heretofore or hitherto hath not been a deſpiſing rod, but rather deſpiſed; as Zedekiah and his Nobles deſpiſed the Oath and Covenant made with Nebuchadnezzar, chap. 17.16. yet now it ſhould bee a deſpiſing rod, and ſo it ſuits with that in the 10. v. The Rod of my Son, deſpiſing every tree: and that in the 12. ver. It ſhall be upon all the Princes of Iſrael; and with that in Habbakkuk, ch. 1.10.

They ſhall ſcoffe at the Kings, and the Princes ſhall be a ſcorn unto them, they ſhall deride every ſtrong hold.

Or thus, There is cauſe thou ſhouldeſt cry, howle, ſmite upon thy thigh, becauſe the ſword ſhall be a tryal, and what alſo if it ſhall not bee a deſpiſing Rod? if it bee a trying Rod, there is cauſe enough to mourn, but it ſhall bee a deſpiſing Rod, and ſo there is more cauſe to mourn. If this Rod make them not try their waies, repent, and turn, it ſhall bee a Rod to deſpiſe the ſtouteſt of them, and to deſtroy them.

Obſ. 1 That the judgements of God are Tryals, they diſcover and make known what people are. The fire tries the mettals, and declares what is good ſilver, good gold, and what is reprobate, Deut. 8.2. God kept them forty years in the wilderneſſe, to prove them, and know what was in their hearts; the hard things they met with there, diſcovered ſome to bee murmurers, ſome Idolaters, ſome Fornicators, ſome backſliders, Iſa. 8.21. It ſhall come to paſs, that when p. 160they ſhall be hungry, they ſhall fret themſelves, and curſe their King, and their God: when evil was upon them, then their wickedneſſe appeared, ſo Jehoram, 2 King. 6.33. belched out his vileneſſe in a time of diſtreſſe, ſaying, this evil is of the Lord, what ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? hee is a cruel God, deſtroies the people with famine, and puts them upon eating their own Children, therefore Ile wait no longer on him: When great winds are abroad, they tell you what trees are ſound or rotten.

Obſ. 2 God tryes before he deſtroyes, Rods of Tryal, come before Rods of deſtruction. When the ſword is drawn, fourbiſhed, and whet, the Lord tries men thereby, whether they will conſider their waies, repent and turn unto him, before hee cut and deſtroy therewith. Tydings and terrors of the ſword precede the ſtroaks of it, Amos 4.6, 9. the Lord ſent a famine amongſt them, but they returned not unto him, hee tryed them what they would do, hee looked for their return, 2 Chron. 7.13, 14. If I ſhut up heaven that there bee no rain, or if I command the Locuſt to devour the Land, or if I ſend peſtilence among my People, if my People which are called by my name, ſhall humble, &c. God tryes his people by threatnings, by bringing judgements neer unto them, by inflicting leſſer judgements upon them, before hee makes an utter deſtruction of them, that they may learn righteouſneſs, humble themſelves, and ſo either prevent the judgements, or have them turned into mercies.

Obſ. 3 When rods of tryal do us no good, then follows rods of Deſtruction, when the trying rod hath been deſpiſed, then comes the deſpiſing rod, the rod that will not regard young or old, high or low, Prince or People: At firſt God did lightly afflict Zebulun and Nepthali, but that being in vain, afterwards hee afflicts them more grievouſly, Iſa. 9.1. When Dimon profited not by her firſt ſtroaks, God laid more upon her, Iſa. 15.9. when ſmiting the lintell of the Door, and ſhaking the Poſts, did not prevail, then did the Lord cut and ſlay with the Sword, Amos 9.1. If fear work not, hee hath a pit, if that do it not, hee hath a ſnare, Iſa. 24.17, 18, when Paternal chaſtiſements profit not, God hath deſtroying judgements: hee will deal then with men, not as peccantes liberos, p. 161but hostes manifeſtos.

Verſ. 14 Thou therefore ſon of man propheſy, and ſmite thine hands together, and let the ſword bee doubled the third time, the ſword of the ſlain, it is the ſword of the great men that are ſlain, which entreth into their privy Chambers.

15 I have ſet the point of the ſword againſt all their Gates, that their hearts may faint, and their ruines bee multiplyed. Ah, it is made bright, it is wrapt up for the ſlaughter.

16 Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whitherſoever thy face is ſet.

17 I will alſo ſmite mine hands together, and I will cauſe my fury to reſt, I the Lord have ſaid it.

The Inſtruments, cauſes, and end, of the ſad judgements comming upon the Jews, being formerly declared, here the manner and circumſtances thereof are laid down.

Smite thine hands together.

The Hebrew is, Smite hand to hand, Caph notes the concavity and hollowneſſe of any thing, and ſo the hollow and palme of the hand. Whither this ſmiting of hands imports ſorrow or joy is queſtioned; ſome make it to ſignify joy, prefiguring the pleaſure of God in executing judgement upon the Jews, but when ſmiting or clapping of hands is referred to the creature to expreſs joy, other words are uſed, as Saphack, Job 27.23. Lam. 2.15. Macha, Pſal. 98.8. Iſa. 55.12. Takang or Takah, Pſal. 47.1. Nehem. 3.19. Beſides this, the Prophet was in a mourning frame, verſ. 10. when the ſword is comming ſhould wee then make mirth? and chap. 6.11. ſmiting with the hand, imported ſorrow, and ſo I conceive it doth here; ſmite thine hands together, once, twice, thrice, oft, for the evils that are comming.

p. 162Let the ſword be doubled the third time.

The word for doubled is, Caphal, which ſignifies alſo to repeat, iterate, reply. The ſenſe is, let the ſword come the ſecond and third time.

Some read the words thus, iterabitur gladius tertio, The Sword ſhall come the third time.

Others, iteretur gladius & tertietur, Let it bee iterated and tertiated. Nebuchadnezzar had come twice before in Jehoiakims and Jehoiakins daies, and after came in Zedekiahs, carrying him away to Babylon, and this is made the minde of the Lord in theſe words: but becauſe two of theſe were paſt, and the Lord ſpeaks of the time to come, wee may underſtand them of the ſword of Nebuchadnezzar upon Zedekiah, 2 Chron. 36. of the ſword of Johanan againſt Iſhmael, and the Jews, for murdering Gedaliah, Jerem. 41. and the ſword of Nebuzaradan when hee laid all waſte, carried all away, leaving onelyonly a few to bee vine dreſſers and husbandmen Jer. 52.

The doubling and trebling of the ſword, may note the oft comming of it, ſo Vatablus, non ſemel, ſed iterum atque iterum feriat, Let it come again and again, ſtriking more de…dly ſtroaks.

The Sword of the ſlain.

A Sword that is ready to ſlay, to ſlay the great ones, and to make great ſlaughter of them, when many are ſlain by the ſword, that ſword is the ſword of the ſlain, or ſlaying ſword.

It is the ſword of the great men that are ſlain.

It is a ſword appointed to ſlay the great men, in the Hebr. its in the ſingular number, the ſword of the great man ſlain, or, of great ſlaying, l'e ſpees de grand occiſion, a ſword that ſhall ſpare none.

p. 163Which entereth into their privy Chambers.

The Hebrew is Hachodereth lahem. Cubiculans eis, Chambering or lodging with them, Cheder is a Chamber, any ſecret cloſe place, it notes the inwards of mans heart, or ſoul, Prov. 18.8. the Sword ſhould enter into their chambers, into their bowels, and ſouls, the fear of it ſhould poſſeſſe them. The Septuagint expreſs it thus, foreign, thou ſhalt cast them into fear, or amazement; The ſword ſhall firſt enter into the ſecret of your ſouls, and fill you with terrors, and after enter into your bodies, and take away your lives.

15 I have ſet the point of the Sword againſt all their Gates.

The word for point is foreign which interpreters render, ſplendor, clamor, terror, ſlaughter, and theſe are all like the point …f a ſword to thoſe are beſieged; properly it notes the point or edge of the ſword, which God ſet againſt all their Gates, their publike gates of the City round about, and the pri…re gates of their ſeveral houſes, every where ſhould the Sword bee— both in City and Countrey, where they had Gates, any rule or power.

That their heart may faint.

In times of great fears and dangers, mens hearts do often faint and fail them, when they have moſt need of heart, they are without hearts. God ſent and ſet his ſword for to diſſolve, and melt their hearts, ſo the word foreign tranſlated to faint, ſignifies all their ſpirit, vigor, and courage, ſhould be diſſolved, and ſo they ſhould bee faint, feeble, heartleſs; the Septuagint is, foreign, That their heart might bee hurt or wounded.

p. 164And their ruines be multiplyed.

In the Hebrew it is, To multiply offences, the Souldiers would offend them, the ſword would offend them, their ſtraits would offend them, the ſlain would offend them, they met with nothing but offences, at which they ſtumbling fell alſo. If wee take the words paſſively as they ſtand, the meaning is, that their deſtructions might be many, that multitudes of them might fall.

It is wrapt up for the ſlaughter.

This expreſſion ſeems unſuitable for a ſword, and Expoſitors are put to it to make out the meaning of it. The word is Meuttah from foreign to Cover, cloath, put on, to haſten, and were better rendred, it is put on, or haſtened for ſlaughter, then cloathed or wrapt up for ſlaughter, its harſh to ſay cloathed with the hilt, or wrapt up in the belt, Sanct. makes the cloathing for ſlaughter, to bee the fitting of it thereto.

Verſ. 16 Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the, &c.

Here by an Apoſtrophe the Lord ſpeaks to the Sword, and under that to the Army of the Chaldeans, commiſſioning that and them to go through the Land of Judea, and to execute his pleaſure. The words in the Hebrew runne thus, Ʋnite thy ſelf, right hand thy ſelf, put, or ſet thy ſelf, left-hand thy ſelf.

Whitherſoever thy faces are prepared.

That is ſword, unite thy ſelf to the Souldiers, Souldiers unite your ſelves together, go the right hand, or left hand way, which you have moſt mind unto, which way your ſpirits incline you moſt to, on…ly ſee to it, that you execute my pleaſure upon all you meet. Bee not afraid at what befell Senacherib when he went againſt Jeruſalem, I was againſt him, but I am with you.

p. 16517 I will alſo ſmite my hands together.

In this verſe is Gods approbation of what the Chaldeans ſword and Army ſhould do, They ſhould conquer and deſtroy the Jewiſh Nation, and hee would rejoyce in it. Smiting of hands, before expreſſed grief, and here its an expreſſion of joy, ſo its uſed chapter 25.6. It notes not onelyonly Gods approbation of the Babylonians undertakings, but his incouragement of them to that work, that ſo hee might execute his vengeance upon them, and be at reſt; as it follows,

I will cauſe my fury to reſt.

Gods fury was ſtirred againſt them, and boiled in him, and when this fury ſhould bee poured out upon them by the Chaldeans Army, then ſhould hee bee at eaſe; and comforted, as it is Ezek. 5.13. where theſe words were ſpoken to.

Obſ. 1 Its no new thing for the Prophets of the Lord to propheſy in Sack-cloath: Ezekiel muſt Propheſy and ſmite his hands together, in token of mourning and heavineſſe, our Prophet was in ſack-cloath being a Captive in Babylon, ſeeing the ſad judgements were comming upon Jeruſalem; So Jeremy, Hoſea, Joel, Amos, had mournful ſpirits, and Propheſied in Sack-cloath, they ſmote their hands together, and dropped out ſad things. The times were black in their daies, they are not clear now, is not the ſword comming the third time? is it not putting on for ſlaughter? ſhall not the Prophets mourn and ſmite their hands together?

Obſ. 2 Where the word prevails not to reform a people, there the judgements of God will come in, one after another, to the deſtruction of a People. Propheſy and let the ſword be doubled the third time; He… had oft Propheſied, but there appeared no Repentance, no r…turning to God, therefore let the ſword come again and again. Had they repented of their ſinnes, God would have repented of the evils intended, Jer. 18.7, 8. but when People go on in their ſinnes, God will go on in his judgements even to deſtruction, See Leviticus 26. p. 16621, 22, 31, 32, 33, Deuteronomy 28.62.

Obſ. 3 When God will puniſh ſinners for their wickedneſſe, there is no hiding place to ſecure them from the ſtroak of God, be they great or mean ones; that is, the ſword of the great men which entereth into their privy Chambers, what ever holes, receſſes, vaults, hiding places, they had, the ſword would find them out. God knows where men are when hid, and his hand can reach them as well as his eye ſee them; when the Syrians fled to Aphek to ſecure themſelves from the Sword of Ahab, a wall fell upon twenty ſeven thouſand, and ſlew them, 1 King 20.30. In times of danger men think of ſhifting for themſelves, of hiding here and there, but what are Cities, Towers, Chambers, ſecret places? there is no ſafety in any of them, or any other place, See Amos 9.2, 3. the onelyonly ſafe hiding place, is in the ſecret place of the moſt high, Pſalm 91.1. that is, in God himſelf, Pſalm 119.114. Thou art my hiding place and ſhield, bee wiſe then, foreſee evil comming, and hide your ſelves in this hiding place, Prov. 22.3. A prudent man foreſees evil and hideth himſelf.

Obſ. 4 When the Lord intends the deſtruction of a people, he will order things accordingly. I have ſet the point of the ſword againſt all your gates; Hereby all flying was prevented, and if they thought to ſtand and fight it out with the inſtruments hee uſed, hee made their hearts to faint, he threw ſtumbling blocks in their waie, hee multiplyed their ruines; When the Lord is againſt a Nation, hee beſiedges them with evils; ſtops and ſhuts up all doores of hope, takes away their hearts, makes thoſe things matter of ruine, they made account would bee their refuge, Jer. 4.9. at that day the heart of the King ſhall periſh, and the heart of the Princes, and the Prieſts ſhal be aſtoniſhed, and the Prophets ſhall wonder, and why? the ſword reached unto the ſoul.

Obſ. 5 It is the Lords Commiſſion, incouragement, and Providence, which puts life into military undertakings, and makes them ſucceſſeful: Go thee one way or other, to the right hand or to the left, God bid Nebuchadnezzar, the Army, and Sword go, had hee not bid them go, been with them in their going, and ordered all their undertakings, they had been vain and fruitleſſe: Armies are but inſtruments, and p. 167if they do execution upon enemies, if they conquer and ſubdue, it is by the hand and power of God.

Obſ. 6 Execution of juſtice upon ſinful perſons and Nations, is pleaſing and delightful unto God; Hee put on Nebuchadnezzar to go and deſtroy the Jewiſh Nation, and when hee went, hee ſmote his hands together at it, hee rejoyced; by this means the Lord eaſed himſelf of his adverſaries, as hee ſpeaks, Eſay 1.24. reſted from his fury, and comforted himſelf; they had pleaſed themſelves in their ſinnings, but wearied God thereby. Now God would pleaſe himſelf in puniſhing them for their ſinnes, and weary them, yea, waſte them with his judgements.

Obſ. 7 That which is matter of mourning unto man, is matter of joy unto God. This riſes from the various ſenſe of the phraſe, ſmiting of hands, becauſe the ſword was come, therefore Ezek…e… was to ſmite his hands together, and manifeſt mournin… and becauſe it was to come, God would ſmite his hands together, and manifeſt Joy.

Verſ. 18 The Word of the Lord came unto mee again, ſaying,

19 Alſo thou Son of Man appoint thee two waies, that the Sword of the King of Babylon may come: both twain ſhall come forth out of one land: and chuſe thou a place, chuſe it at the head of the way, to the City.

20 Appoint a way that the ſword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jeruſalem the defenced.

21 For the King of Babylon ſtood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two waies to uſe divination: hee made his Arrows bright, hee conſulted with images, hee looked in the liver.

22 At his right hand was the divination for Jeruſalem to appoint Captaines, to open the mouth in the ſlaughter, to lift up the voice with ſhouting, to appoi…t battering rams againſt the Gates, to caſt a mount, and to build a fort.

23 And it ſhall bee unto them as a falſe divination in their ſight, to them that have ſworn oaths, but hee will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

24 Therefore thou ſaith the Lord God, becauſe ye have made p. 168your iniquity to bee remembred, in that your tranſgreſſions are diſcovered, ſo that in all your doings your ſinnes do appear, becauſe I ſay that ye are come to remembrance, ye ſhall be taken with the hand.

Theſe words do treat of Nebuchadnezzars conſultation about his military undertakings, and the way hee took to accompliſh the ſame, viz. Divination, and the event thereof in reſpect of the Jews.

Appoint thee two waies.

In the fourth chapter the Prophet was to pourtray out Jeruſalem upon a tyle, and to lay ſiedge againſt it, here he is commanded to foretel the comming of the King of Babylon, not verbally but typically, by way of repreſentation, and hee muſt draw out upon the ſame tyle, or ſome ſuch thing, two wayes; put before thee, or make unto thee, two waies.

That the Sword of the King of Babylon may come.

Much was ſaid before of the Sword, the drawing, ſharpning, fourbiſhing, and ſlaughtering of it, and here is a plain diſcovery whoſe Sword it was, the ſword of a King, and the King of Babylon.

Both twain ſhall come forth out of one land.

Theſe Two waies muſt come out of Babylon, he muſt firſt draw a line, and then branch it out into two, as a river runnes a long tract in one Channel, and then divides it ſelf into two.

Chuſe thou a place, chuſe it at the head of the way to the City.

The Hebrew for Place is, Jad, vejad baree, elige manum ſaith Mantanus; Locum, ſaith Lavater; Latus, ſay others, Chuſe you the hand, ſide, or place, where the King of Babylon, having muſtered up his Forces, may deliberate and conſult what to do, whither to go, which way to take, let it bee at p. 169the head of the way; where the beginning of the two waies was, that was the head of the way.

20 Appoint a way that the ſword may come to Rabbath.

Draw out one way leading to Rabbath, that ſo Nebuchadnezzar may ſee work for his ſword there. Rabbath was the Royal City, and chief City of the Ammonites, 2 Sam. 12.26. who were the poſterity of Ben-ammi the inceſtuous ſon of Lot, Geneſis 19.38.

And to Judah in Jeruſalem the defenced.

That the Sword may come not onelyonly to the Ammonites, but alſo to the Jews which dwelt in Jeruſalem, a City well fortified. Rabbath was ſtrengthened by waters, 2 Sam. 12.27. and therefore was called the City of waters: but Jeruſalem was compaſſed about with hills, Pſalm 125.2. had ſtrong Towers and Bulwarks, Pſalm 48.12, 13. and was called a ſtrong City, Pſalm 31.21.

21 For the King of Babylon ſtood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two waies.

Here is a praeter tenſe put for the future, the King of Babylon had not yet ſtood there, but hee ſhall ſtand at the parting of the way, El-Em haderech, at the mother of the way, when a way divides into, or begets two ways, the Hebrew calls the firſt way, the mother of the other, and head of them, as here, the head of the two waies.

To uſe divination.

He being doubtful what to do, whither to go, the right hand, or left hand way, ſhould make a ſtand, where the way parted to conſult, hee thought it not meet to divide his Army, and to go both waies at once, to ſet upon two ſuch great Cities, as Jeruſalem and Rabbath, each of them would require his whole ſtrength, and therefore hee would try p. 170by divination to which of them he ſhould go.

The Hebrew is, foreign likſom kaſem, ad divinandum divinationem, to divine a divination. The Septuagint is, foreign, to Propheſy a Propheſy. The Vulg. is, Querens divinationem, ſeeking a Divination. Vatablus, Ʋt divinando inquirat, That by divining hee might inquire. Piſcat. Ad conſulendum divinationem, To conſult a divination. The French, En demandant divination, in demanding a divination, and three kinds of Divinations are ſpecified here, as its conceived.

He made his Arrows bright.

This is the firſt kinde which Expoſitors call, foreign, ſeu foreign, a divining by weapons, or rods. The Hebrew for Arrows is, foreign which ſignifies an Arrow or Knife, ſo called from cutting or dividing, for foreign is from foreign to dividiate and cut in peices. Some render it Arrows, as the manner of divining by them, was either by writing the names of Jeruſalem upon one, and of Rabbath upon another, and then putting them with other Arrows into a quiver. The Arrow firſt drawn out with either of thoſe names upon it, determined the caſe. If the Arrow with Jeruſalem upon it was firſt drawn, then they went thither; if that with Rabbath upon it, then they went to Rabbath. Some affirm they made the Arrows to leap out of the quiver, by Magick Art, and that which leaped on the right hand led them to Jeruſalem, that on the left hand to Rabbath. So the Septuagint render the words, foreign, ad faciendum ebullire virgam, to make the Rod ſpring forth. Others make the manner of this divining to bee, by the Kings throwing up an Arrow into the Aire, which if it fell on the right hand, they went the right hand way; if on the left hand, the left hand way. Others render the word Knives, and ſo the ſenſe may runne thus; hee made bright his knives, to cut open the birds or Beaſts that were to bee Sacrificed; or take the word for Arrows or Knives, hee made them bright, he ſcoured and poliſhed them, that in the brightneſſe of the Iron or ſteele▪ they might diſcerne ſomething to direct.

p. 171He conſulted with Images.

This is the ſecond kinde of Divination which hee uſed; Shaal batteraphim, petiit in Teraphim, ſo is the Hebrew, and ſo rendred by Montanus, by Aecolamp. interrogavit Teraphim. Hee asked of, or conſulted with Teraphims. This word Teraphim is oft uſed in the Old Teſtament, and is divers times Tranſlated Images, whereas in the Hebrew its Teraphim, ſo you have it, Gen. 31.19, 34, 35. 1 Sam. 15.23. chap. 19.13, 16. Zach. 10.2. 2 King. 23, 24. its fit to inquire therefore what Teraphims were, not inſtruments of Braſs to diſtinguiſh the minutes or parts of houres, nor Aſtrological Images made to ſpeak, but as Shindler obſerves, Erant imagines fastae ad ſimilitudinem corporis humani, ut in illis videant futura; They were Images made like men, to this end, that they might in or by them know things to come. So Kirkar ſaith of Taraph, that it is, Imago in qua futura videntur, & Teraphim hominum imagines ad ſuſcipiendam virtutem ſuperiorum; They were images of men, made to receive and communicate intelligence from Heaven about things to come. The Teraphim Michal laid in the room of David, was like unto a man, 1 Sam. 19. and that it was a divining Image, may appeat by that you finde in Gen. 30.27. I have learned by experience ſaith Laban, that God hath bleſſed me for thy ſake. The Hebrew is, Nichaſhti, auguratus ſum, I have divined; hee had his Teraphims by which he could do it, and its conceived by the learned, that Rachel ſtole away her Fathers Teraphims upon this ground, that hee might not divine by them, which way ſhee and Jacob were gone. The Septuagint, Zach. 10.2. calls the Teraphim, foreign, Loquentes, and Hoſ. 3.4. foreign, Declaratio, which the Targum renders, Mechoni annuntiantes; all which do ſhew, that men held a divining vertue to bee in their Teraphims, and ſo Nebuchadnezzar conceived, and therefore conſulted with his Teraphims.

Hee looked in the Liver.

This is the third kinde of Divination, which the Greek p. 172word foreign, liver-looking, when they ſacrificed, they opened the Sacrifice, and obſerved the inwards, and entrails exactly, eſpecially the kidney, the heart, the milt, and the liver, whence they were called Extiſpices, and Aruſpices, becauſe they did it at the Altar. The Liver as Lavater ſaith, was Fons vaticinii, from thence they made their chiefeſt Divinations, if that were ſound and good without blemiſh, they made ſucceſſeful Divinations thereupon, but if vitiated or diſlocated, their Divinations were untoward and unhappy.

Such Divinations as theſe mentioned, were unlawful, Deut. 18.10, 11. There ſhall not bee found among you, any one that uſeth Divination, or an Obſerver of Times, &c. They are Abomination to the Lord, Divining in ſuch waies, was a grievous ſinne, 1 Sam. 15.23. Chattath keſemmeri, Rebellion is as the ſinne of Divination, which is not countenanced by that Prov. 16.10. Divination is in the lips of the King; for ſo the Hebrew is, here the word divining is taken in a good ſenſe, and is ſpoken of the King ſitting in judgement, whom God would guide, ſo that hee ſhould finde out the truth; for the next words are, his mouth tranſgreſſeth not in judgement. When the two Harlots was before Solomon, pleading each for the live childe, and the truth was obſcured by their pleading; God indued the King with a divining ſpirit, ſo that hee found out the truth, and gave a divine ſentence; but this makes nothing for the wicked Divinations here mentioned.

22 At his right hand was the Divination for Jeruſalem.

Here you have the iſſue of his Divinations, which determined him, being doubtful before, which way he ſhould goe, viz. the right hand way, and that was to Jeruſalem. The Arrows, Images, and Livers, did all concur, according to their Divinations, that Nebuchadnezzar ſhould go thither.

p. 173To appoint Captains.

The word for Captains is foreign Carim, from foreign Car, which ſignifies a Paſture, a Lambe, and battering Rammes, which were military inſtruments, uſed in ſiedges, and ſo it was rendred, Ezek. 4.2. and ſo its rendred in the latter part of this Verſe, where its ſaid, to appoint battering rammes againſt the Gates; but becauſe the word is twice in the verſ. its rendred in the firſt place Captaines; For the word ſignifies the heads, and chief men of an Army, ſo you have it, 2 King 11.4, 19. The King having conſulted now fell to Action, and appointed Captains to lead the Army to Jeruſalem.

To open the mouth in the ſlaughter.

It may bee read to open the mouth to ſlaughter, ſo Montan. Lavater and Vatablus read the words, and the ſenſe is, the Captains ſhould exhort, and ſtir them up to kill and ſlay their enemies; Or if you will, take opening the mouth here, for making a breach in the wall. For ſlaughter. Vid. Junium. The Captains ſhould come cloſe, beſiedge the City, make a breach, enter, and ſlay, and in their entrance and ſlaying, ſhould open their mouths, and make ſhouting; as follows,

To lift up the voice with ſhouting.

When great exploits are attempted by men againſt their enemies, oft they ſhout, and make a great noiſe, that ſo they may daunt and terrify them. Doubtleſſe the Clamor and ſhouts of theſe barbarous Babylonians, did much perplex the Jews, made their hearts faint and hands feeble; to ſee the Mounts. Forts, and Battering rammes at their gates, could not ut trouble them; but when they made breaches in their walls, entered and ſlew men with ſhouting, this affrighted them and ſunk their ſpirits. They afflicted Jeruſalem with ſhouting, and the Lord threatned Babylon in the ſame kinde, Jer. 51.14. I will fill thee with men as with Caterpillars, and they ſhall lift up a ſhout againſt thee.

p. 174Obſ. 1 The Lord knows things to come moſt certainly, yea, as certainly as if done already: Hee knew that Nebuchadnezzar would come out of Babylon, what way hee would come, and where hee would make a ſtand and conſult, which hee ſhews to the Prophet, and ſpeaks of as done already, ver. 21. The King of Babylon ſtood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two waies, to uſe divination. The Lord ſees things afar off, and knows what ſhall bee in ages to come. Hereby hee confounds all Idol Gods, and proves himſelf to bee the true God, Iſa 41.22 23. Let them bring forth, and ſhew us what ſhall happen, declare to us things for to come: ſhew the things that are to come hereafter, that wee may know that yee are Gods, if you cannot diſcover things that lye in the dark, if yee cannot foretell what ſhall bee many years hereafter, you are no gods; I can do it, and therefore am God, the true and onelyonly God, Iſa. 46.9, 10. I am God, and there is none like mee, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done: God had foretold things in Moſes daies, that were not accompliſhed in Iſaiahs, and hee foretold things in Iſaiahs daies, that are not yet all fulfilled; See Iſay 60. throughout, Chap. 65.17. Chap. 66.22. In Peters daies, the new Heavens and the new Earth were expected, 2 Pet. 3.13. and are not yet given out; ſo, many things hath the Lord foretold in the Revelation which wee wait ſtill to ſee fulfilled.

Obſ. 2 That even Heathens when they are in ſtraits, doubtful what to do, and how to proceed in their undertakings, will not neglect, but uſe variety of means for reſolution: Nebuchadnezzar uſes Divination, hee makes bright the Arrows, conſulted his Gods, hee looked into the liver; Theſe were ſuch means as hee conceived conducible to ſuch a purpoſe. though ſinfull. Heathens have been forward in their ſtraits, and doubts to get reſolution, Dan. 2.1, 2, 5, 6, 9, ch. 5.5, 6, 7, 8. Its incident to the nature of Man, both Heathens and others, to runne to unlawful means, in their neceſſities. Gods own People did it, Hoſ. 4.12. My people ask counſell at their ſtocks, and their ſtaffe declareth unto them, they conſulted with their; Images, which in diſgrace the ſpirit of God calls ſtocks, and from their ſtaves or rods they took divinations. Such practiſes p. 175let us abhorre, but uſe thoſe means God approves of, and hath appointed for our reſolution in our doubts and ſtraits. Inſtead of making bright the Arrows, let us purge and make bright our conſciences, and they will tell us ſomething; inſtead of conſulting Teraphims, Stocks, and Stones, let us conſult with God and his Servants; inſtead of looking into the Liver of Beaſts, let us look into the book of God, there wee ſhall finde light to diſpel our darkneſſe, and to direct our waies; David made Gods Teſtimonies his delight and Counſellors, Pſalm 119.24.

Obſ. 3. God over-rules the wicked acts of Men, and makes them ſubſervient to his will and ends; Nebuchadnezzar uſes Divinations which God had forbidden, and the Divination might have been at his left hand for Rabbath or Philadelphia, which is the ſame, but God had a purpoſe to bring him to Jeruſalem, to caſt up a mount, to build a Fort there, to ſet battering Rammes againſt the Gates thereof, and therefore ſecretly by his Providence, hee ordered the Divination, that it ſhould bee at his right hand for Jeruſalem; whatever the Lot is, whereſoever it bee caſt, the whole diſpoſing thereof is of the Lord, Prov. 16.33. Providence runnes through the evil Counſels of men, and makes uſe of them, their Counſels and Actions, to accompliſh the good pleaſure, and righteous ends of the bleſſed God, by the Arts, Policies, Methods, Wiles, Depths, Deſignes of the Devil, and devilliſh men, God carries on his own work; and nothing puts him or his work out of the way. Divinations of Heathens, promote the work of Heaven. This is a myſtery, but full of truth and admiration, that God makes the worſt Tools and Inſtruments, all wicked men, and their waies, to ſerve his Providence, further his ends, and advance his glory; the Devil did it in tempting Eve, and Judas, in betraying Chriſt.

23 And it ſhall bee unto them as a falſe Divination in their ſight.

The Jews at Jeruſalem would not beleeve this Typical Propheſy of Ezekiel, repreſenting the comming of Nebuchadnezzar, and beſiedging of their City, they looked upon p. 176what hee ſaid as a falſe and fooliſh divination: what, hath Nebuchadnezzar made bright his Arrows, conſulted his Teraphims, looked into the Liver? wee neither care for, nor fear him, or his comming. They ſaw not Gods hand in theſe things which ordered them ſo, however ſuperſtitious and wicked that Nebuchadnezzar was, he was confirmed in his work and way for their ruine.

To them that have ſworn Oathes.

The Hebrew is, Swearing Oathes to them. Rabbi David expreſſes the words thus, Propter juramenta juramentorum ipſis, for the Oathes upon Oathes made to them. The falſe Prophets had by many Oathes confirmed them, that the City ſhould never bee taken, whereupon they were ſecure as men that keep Sabbaths, who are at reſt. The Septuagint turn thoſe words, foreign, and Theodotion, foreign, which the Vulgar render, Sabbatorum otium imitans, but the words properly rendred, ſhould bee thus, weeking a week, or Sabbatizing a Sabbath. This variety riſes from the Hebrew word foreign which ſignifies ſeven, and thereupon a Sabbath, and alſo to ſwear. In this ſenſe wee take it, and the Jews might bee ſecure upon the Oathes of their falſe Prophets, but whither they made ſuch oathes is doubtful, rather becauſe of the Oathes beween them and the Egyptians, for having violated the Oath and Covenant with the Babylonians, they entred league with the Egyptians, Ezek. 17.15. who promiſed them help, horſes, and much people, and that againſt the Babylonians, if ever they ſhould come.

But he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

The word Hee being foreign in the Original, is Hoc, as well as hic, and may make the ſenſe thus, this thing, viz. their ſleighting the Propheſy, as a falſe Divination, and their oathing of it with the Egyptians, ſhall call to remembrance that iniquity for which they ſhall bee taken: or this thing, viz. p. 177this divination falling on the right hand of Nebuchadnezzar, and leading him to Jeruſalem, will bring to minde the iniquity, that is, the perfidiouſneſſe of Zedekiah, and the reſt in breaking the oath that they may bee taken. If wee read it, he, that is Nebuchadnezzar, hee will remember the iniquity of Zedekiah, Hehittapheſh, ut Capiatur, that he and thoſe with him might be taken.

Obſ. 1 That the meſſages and paſſages of the meſſengers of God, are matter of ſcorn to prophane and wicked men; It will bee unto them as a falſe divination in their ſight: when the Prophet pourtrayed out the way the King of Babylon ſhould come, the things he ſhould do, the ſiedge hee ſhould make about Jeruſalem, and the effects thereof, all theſe were reputed by them, lying things, falſe divinations. What hee told them in the latter end of the twentieth Chapter, they cryed out of as Parables, dark, and obſcure things, which they underſtood not, and here they account his typical threatnings, as falſehood and lyes. When the falſe Prophets fed them with lying viſions and divinations, they were honoured and beleeved, 1 King 22.11, 12. Ezek. 13.6. but when the true Prophets told them the minde of the Lord, they were reproached, as Jeremy, Thou ſpeakeſt falſely, chap. 43.2. they were ſmitten and impriſoned as Micaiah, 1 King. 22. their lives were ſought, Jer. 38.4. yea, they were put to death, 2 Chron. 24.20, 21.

Obſ. 2 That thoſe who break, and make oathes, for their own ends, making no conſcience thereof, God leaves them to injudiciouſneſſe of ſpirit, and to ſtumble at his word and threats: it ſhall bee unto them as a falſe divination in their ſight, to them that ſwear oathes: They ſware to Nebuchadnezzar, and violated what they had ſworn, for their own advantages, and then ſought for their ſecurity to the Egyptians; but what was the fruit hereof? they were given over to injudicious mindes, and impenitent hearts, ſo that they diſcerned not Gods proceedings towards them, nor the Prophets language to them: perfidious and injuſt dealings, do ſo blind and harden, that the word and waies of God become ſnares and ſtumbling blocks unto them.

Obſ. 3 The iniquities of Princes and People, do not alwaies p. 178ly hid, but in time appear for the ruine of thoſe have committed them, but hee, or this thing, will call to remembrance the iniquity that they may bee taken. Zedekiah, his Nobles, and People ſinned in breaking with Nebuchadnezzar, and falling in with Egyptians, they thought that time would bring a veil over thoſe paſſages, that they ſhould bee buried in the dark, lye ſtill and never ſee light more: but thoſe iniquities were brought to minde, when the Divination fell on the right hand, and drew Nebuchadnezzar to Jeruſalem; hee called to minde what cauſe hee had to invade their land, and beſiedge that City; hee remembred how perfidiouſly they had dealt with him, and thereupon rouſes up himſelf, and forces, to ſet upon them with all their might. Princes and States iniquities may bee couchant and dormant for a ſeaſon, but at laſt they will awake, appear, and prove Lyons rampant. Let not any great or ſmall, flatter themſelves, that their ſinnes are forgotten, becauſe they hear not of them; they will be call'd to minde to their detriment, if not their deſtruction. Sauls ſinne in ſlaying the Gibeonites, was unthought of; but by a Famine it was called to remembrance, and coſt the lives of ſeven of his ſons, 2 Sam. 21.

24 Becauſe yee have made your iniquity to be remembred, &c.

In this verſe the Lord gives a definitive ſentence concerning the Jews, they ſhall bee taken with the hand; and laies down the reaſons thereof.

1 They did thoſe things which made their iniquity to bee remembred, they gloried they had ſhaken off the Babyloniſh yoak, which brought their perjury and rebellion to remembrance; God remembred it, Nebuchadnezzar remembred it.

2 They went on in other wicked courſes, in all their doings, their ſinning appeared, they ſinned openly.

You have three words here which ſeldome meet in one verſe, iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſinne, the like is in Job 13.23. and in Exod. 34.7.

The word for iniquity is foreign avon, which ſignifies obliquity, p. 179crookedneſſe, perverſeneſſe, injuſtice, foreign Proprie obliquitatem & torvitatem ſignificat, & rectitudini oppon…tur. Rivet in Exod. Peccatum quod ſcienter & contumacitor committitur. Chattaah or chatah quaevie aberratio a lege divina.and is contrary to that is right and equal; which our Engliſh word Iniquity imports.

The word for Tranſgreſſion is, foreign Peſcha, which notes Rebellion, Obſtinacy, Maliciouſneſſe, ſcelus & actionem perfidam:

The third word is, foreign which is ſin, in a lower degree, any or every going aſide from the Rule, any aberration from the way of God, any failing in duty. The firſt of theſe the Septuagint tearm foreign, the ſecond foreign, the third foreign, injuſtice, impiety, ſin, or error. The French, Iniquité prevarication, peche.

You ſhall be taken with the hand.

By Hand, the Prophet means the Aſſyrian Army, which ſhould come, take the City, and them in it.

Obſ. 1 Open impudent ſinning, brings to minde former iniquities: They had caſt off the Babyloniſh yoak in an unjuſt and wicked way: they went on glorying in their ſhame, and their latter ſinnes brought to minde their former; their tranſgreſſions, were ſo open, diſcovered, their ſinnes ſo apparent in all their doings, that they made their iniquity to bee remembred; they provoked God to plague them for their preſent and former ſinnes. Theeves when taken in ſome wicked acts, their former theeveries and villanies come to light. As one ſinne begets another, ſo one ſinne diſcovers another. Many having ſinned in proſtituting their bodies to thoſe they ſhould not, after make away the Children had by them; So their ſinnes breaking out, former iniquities are brought to remembrance, and themſelves to puniſhment; Men diſcover their ſinnes, and their ſinnes diſcover them: Here they made their iniquities to be remembred, and their iniquities brought them to remembrance.

Obſ. 2 Publike ſins bring publike judgements: they had openly broken with Nebuchadnezzar, they gloried in what they had done, and went on in ſuch vile courſes as were apparent to heaven and earth, and becauſe it was ſo, therefore Nebuchadnezzar is ſent againſt them, to take and ruine p. 180them. The Lord never lets in publike deſolations upon a Church or State, til their ſins are become publike and incorrigible. It was ſo with Jeruſalem at firſt, 2 Chron. 36.14, 15, 16, 17. and it was ſo with Jeruſalem at laſt; Mat. 23.37, 38. Their ſinnes were publike, and God moſt juſtly brought publike evils upon them.

Obſ. 3 That God hath hands to apprehend ſinners withall: they ſhall bee taken with the hand: The Babyloniſh Army was the hand of God, and with it hee apprehended the ſinners in Sion, ſlew many of them, and led the reſt Captives into Babylon, the inſtruments God uſes to puniſh his people ſinning, withall, are ſometimes called Swords, Pſalm 17.13. ſometimes Axes, Saws, Rods, Staves, Iſa. 10.15. ſometimes his Battle-Axe, and weapons of war, Jer. 51.20. ſometimes his Net and Snare, Ezek. 17.20. his Pit, Chaines, chap. 19.4. all which are the hand of God, Pſalm 17.14. and in the hand of God, hee uſes them to do that which hands do; by theſe he takes plagues, and deſtroys ſinners.

25 And thou prophane wicked Prince of Iſrael, whoſe day is come, when iniquity ſhall have an end.

26 Thus ſaith the Lord God, Remove the Diadem, and take off the Crown: this ſhall not bee the ſame: exalt him that is low, and abaſe him that is high.

27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it ſhall bee no more, until he come, whoſe right it is; and I will give it him.

Theſe words are an Apoſtrophe to the Prince of Iſrael, declaring what ſhould befal him, and the whole Kingdome of Iſrael. Hee ſhould bee deprived of his Kingly dignity, the Kingdome ruined, and abide ſo, till the Lord ſhould give it to him it belonged unto.

Concerning the Prince of Iſrael he is

1 Deſcribed to …e prophane and wicked.

2 The Time is intimated of his miſery; both which are in the 25. verſ.

p. 181Verſ. 25 And thou prophane, wicked Prince of Iſrael.

This Prince of Iſrael was Zedekiah, and the titles given him are, not your ſacred Majeſty, or your excellencies highneſſe, but thou prophane, wicked Prince; his Prophaneneſſe and wickedneſſe doubtleſſe was great, though much bee not ſpecified in the word; yet ſomething is ſet down therein, 2 Chron. 36.12. Hee did that which was evil in the ſight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himſelf before Jeremiah the Prophet, ſpeaking from the mouth of the Lord: hee deſpiſed the word, and Prophet of the Lord, and ver. 13. hee rebelled againſt King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him ſwear by God, but hee ſtiffened his neck, and hardned his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Iſrael; Hee prophaned the holy name of God: being perfideous and obſtinate, hee fell in with Pharaoh King of Egypt, and ſought help of him againſt Nebuchadnezzar, Ezek. 17.15. and ſo truſted in man, and not in God; hee was like the other Lyons which learned to catch the prey, and devoured men, Ezek. 19. and ſo was cruel, bloudy, hee did evil according to all that Jehoiakim had done, Jer. 52.2. and hee did abominations, 2 Chron. 36.8. and in his daies was as groſs Idolatry in Jeruſalem, and in the Temple, as ever before, Ezek. 8. then was there the Image of jealouſy; then did the Ancients of Iſrael worſhip creeping things, abominable Beaſts and Idols; Then did they worſhip the Sun towards the Eaſt; then was Tammuz in the Temple, and women weeping for Tammuz; ſo that hee upheld the vileſt idolatry that ever Jeruſalem had, hee was the cauſe of their total ruine. Its not without cauſe therefore, that the Prophet affixes theſe Titles to the crown, Thou prophane wicked Prince of Iſrael: and prophaneneſſe was not peculiar to the Prince; but Prophets, Prieſts, and People were under that denomination, Jer. 23 15. From the Prophets of Jeruſalem is prophaneneſs gone forth into all the Land; the Court-Prophets, countenanced, and communicated all the Court-prophaneneſſe; and 2 Chr. 36.14. The chief of the Priests and people tranſgreſſed very much, after all the abominations of the heathen.

p. 182Vatablus reads the words thus, & tu ad occiſionem damnate princeps Iſraelis. And thou O Prince condemned to death, and he cites the Chaldy Paraphraſt, in which its to the ſame purpoſe: Tu autem gladio interficiende, O thou Prince of Iſrael, who art to bee cut off by the ſword. Munſter differs not from theſe, Tu interfectione digne, Thou who art worthy of death. So Caſtalio. Tu vero, O rei capitalis damnate, O thou that art condemned of a Capital crime.

The Prophet may ſeem here to forget himſelf in ſpeaking ſo opprobriouſly of the Prince which the Law forbad, Exod. 22.28. Eccl. 10.20. they might neither think nor ſpeak evil of the ruler, nor wiſh evil to him, and here Ezekiel calls Zedekiah the Prince of Iſrael, prophane, and wicked; and in ſo doing hee ſinned not; for being a Prophet, hee was to give out what the Spirit of God gave in, and moved him unto. So dealt Jeremy by Coniah, calling him a deſpiſed broken Idol, a veſſel wherein was no pleaſure, chap. 22.28. they would not flatter Princes, by being falſe to truth, — When its done Ex privato, & pravo affectu, from a private, and depraved ſpirit, then its ill.

Whoſe day is come, when iniquity ſhall have an end.

The words in Hebrew are, whoſe day of his is come, in time or ſeaſon an end of iniquity. O Zedekiah, the day of thy puniſhment is at hand, wherein ſhall bee an end of thy wickedneſſe; thou ſhalt no longer bee King, but ſuffer for what thou haſt done.

Some by Iniquity underſtand puniſhment, and ſo the ſenſe is,Cujus venit tempus, quo tempore iniquitas tua finem tibi regni afferet. Rabbi David. thy day is come when puniſhment, that is, deſtruction ſhall bee thy end; thou and thy Kingſhip ſhall be laid in the duſt. The Hebrew for when is, foreign eth, which is of the ſame ſignification as foreign is, it notes both time and opportunity of time, and whether by iniquity, ſinne, or puniſhment of ſinne hee underſtood, or both, is not much materiall; God will not ſuffer thee to go on any longer in thy prophane and wicked courſes, the time and ſeaſon is at hand, wherein hee will puniſh thee, and ſo put an end to thy ſinning, as before.

p. 183Obſ. 1 That Princes oft times are far from Piety, and juſtice: And thou prophane wicked Prince of Iſrael. Of all Princes in the world, the Princes of Iſrael had cauſe to bee holy and juſt, they were ſeated where the worſhip of the true God was, they had the Law of Moſes, and were commanded to read it continually, and not to depart from it, to the right hand or to the left, Deut. 17.18, 19, 20. they had the Sanedrim, the Prieſts, and Prophets to counſell and adviſe them; yet Princes of Iſrael were prophane, they minded not the Law of Moſes, or the worſhip of God, they deſpiſed Prieſts and Prophets, they were wicked, they perſecuted good men, and were perfidious to other Princes, both Johoiakim and Zedekiah were ſo to Nebuchadnezzar, 2 King. 24.1. and 20. verſes. The Prophaneneſſe and perfidiouſneſſe of Princes hath been great. Among all the Kings of Iſrael there was none good, they followed Jeroboam and Ahab, who were prophane and wicked. Few among the Kings of Judah were found good. How prophane was Pharaoh, when hee ſaid, who is the Lord that I ſhould obey him? Exod. 5.2. how prophane was Belſhazzar; when hee quaffed in the bowls of the Temple? Dan. 5.2, 3, 4. how prophane was Ahaz, that thruſt aſide the Lords Altar, and ſet up the Damaſcene Altar? 2 King. 16. how prophane was Jehoiakim, that cut the roll of Jeremy in peeces, and caſt it into the fire? Jer. 36.23. how prophane was Herod, who mocked Chriſt? ſet him at nought, and arraied him in a ſcornful manner? Luke 23.11. They were Kings that gave their power and ſtrength to the beaſt, and made war with the Lambe, Rev. 17.12, 13, 14. you may read the horrible prophaneneſſe of Antiochus in the 1 Macch. 1.46, 47, 48 49, 50, 51, 52. hee ſent letters to Jeruſalem to forbid what God had appointed; hee commanded them to offer Swines fleſh, and unclean beaſts; that they ſhould defile their ſouls, and pollute themſelves with uncleanneſſe; that they might forget the Law, and change all the Ordinances; and if they would not do ſo, they ſhould dye for it. Kings and Rulers have been the greateſt enemies to the waies of God and Chriſt, they above others have ſet themſelves againſt them, Pſalm 2.2, 3. Hence they are counſelled to be wiſe and to kiſs the Son, ver. 10.12.

p. 184Obſ. 2 That the Prophets and Miniſters of God, are not to fear the faces or frowns of the greateſt, but to reprove them ſharpely, being evidently guilty: Thus dealt Ezekiel with Zedekiah, Thou prophane and wicked Prince of Iſrael: though hee were great, yet hee ſpares him not, but brands him with his wickedneſſe, and ſets it upon record for after generations. John Baptiſt did the like by Herod, when hee was upon taking his Brother Philips wife, hee told him it was unlawful, and would bee an inceſtuous match, Mark 6.18. hee was faithful in his miniſtery, and would not flatter Herod himſelf. Neither Magiſtrates nor Miniſters ſhould fear or flatter the greateſt, becauſe they are Agents for, and Embaſſadors of the great God of heaven, in compariſon of whom the greateſt on earth are as Pot-ſheards.

Obſ. 3 That as Princes have their times for ſinning, ſo there bee times for their ſuffering: Zedekiahs day was come, when iniquity ſhould have an end, hee had his times to ſhew his prophaneneſſe and wickedneſſe, and God had his time to reckon with him for the ſame. Princes may abound in wickedneſſe, go long unpuniſhed, but there is a day, a time, comming, wherein they ſhall ſmart for their lewdneſſe. David tells you, the day of wicked men is comming, Pſal. 37.13. that is, the time and ſeaſon ſet for their deſtruction; which Peter expreſſeth thus, 2 Epiſt. 2.3. their judgement lingreth not, and their damnation ſlumbereth not, its making towards them, and comming on ſwiftly, and will bee bad to them when it comes, Jer. 50.27. wo unto them, for their day is come, the time of their viſitation. That day is a viſiting day; God is the viſitor, and hee will ſo viſit them as ſhall breed amazement, Job 18.20. Bildad ſpeaking of the calamities ſhould befall the wicked in his day, ſaith, They that come after him, ſhall be aſtoniſhed at his day, as they that went before were affrighted. The day of Gods viſiting thoſe are eminently wicked, as Princes and great ones, is ſo dreadful, as that it affrights the living which behold it, and aſtoniſheth the generations come after it. You may ſee what he doth at ſuch times, Job 12.17, 18, 19, 21. Pſal. 76.12. Pſal. 110.5. he ſtrikes thorough Kings in the day of his wrath.

p. 18526 Thus ſaith the Lord God, remove the Diad…m, and take off the Crown.

This verſe contains a judicial ſentence, againſt Zedekiah, and declaration of mercy towards Jehoiakin.

Remove the Diadem.

The Hebrew is, Haſir hammitznepheth, remove hidarim. The verbe here is infinitive which may bee read ſo, Thus ſaith the Lord, to remove the Diadem, that is, I am now reſolved to take the Diadem from Zedekiahs head, and to unking him: but its uſuall among the Hebrews to put infinitives for indicatives, and imperatives, and therefore ſome read it auferam, I will take it away; Others aufer, tolle, Take away, remove the Diadem. The word for diadem, is Mitznepheth, the ſame with Tzaniph, both from Tzanaph, to wrap, or compaſs about, and ſometimes its expreſſed by hoods which compaſſed the heads of women about, as Iſa. 3.23. Sometimes by Myters which compaſſed the heads of Prieſts about, as Zach. 3.5. Sometimes by Diadem, as Iſa. 28.5. which compaſſed the head of Kings, as here it did Zedekiahs. Some would have the high Prieſt here meant; by the word Mitznepheth, which they render hidarim and belonged to him, Exod. 28.4. but here is no ſpeech of the high Prieſt, its ſpoken of the King, and notes his Crown, not the High Prieſts Mytre, and ſo the next words import.

Take off the Crown.

In Hebrew its, Lift up the Crown, Diadema eſt foreign a circumligando.it now ſits cloſe to his head, and becauſe hee hath ſtrengthened himſelf by making a league with the Egyptians, hee thinks it ſo faſt, that it ſhall not bee removed, but lift it up, take it away, it ſhall no longer reſt there. Of the word Crown was ſpoken before, ch. 16.12. the word is ghaterah or atarah from foreign atar to ſurround, to cover on every ſide. Kings Crowns do compaſs and cover their heads. So did the King of Rabbaths, p. 186which Joab took from the Kings head, 2 Sam. 12.30. the weight of which was a talent of Gold, which the Annotations ſay, was ſixty pound weight, and Ainſworth on Exod. 38.24. ſaith, a Talent weighed one hundred and twenty pounds, and Diodate, one hundred twenty five; whatever the natural weight of the Crown and Diadem was, the metaphorical weight exceeded it, viz. the Cares, Fears, and troubles of it were exceeding great. Crowns and Diadems were inſignia regalia; and when the Lord ſaith to the Prophet, Remove the Diadem, take off the Crown; hee intends not that the Prophet ſhould do any ſuch thing with his own hand, but that hee ſhould declare by his Propheſying, that now the time was come, wherein Zedekiah ſhould bee ſtript of all his regalities, be unkinged, and made as another man.

This ſhall not be the ſame.

This, Not this, is the Original. The Septuagint, foreign, This ſhall not bee ſuch. This Crown ſhall not be this mans any longer; or this crown ſhall not be thine, O Zedekiah; or this Crown, viz. this Kingly government ſhall not be this, an end of it is now come, thou art the laſt that ſhall bee in Judea. Junius reads the words thus, Haec non futura eſt hujus. This Diadem, this crown ſhall bee no more. Hujus terrae, Of this land; Monarchical government ſhall down, great at axy and confuſion ſhall follow. This ſhall not bee the ſame. Thou dreameſt, through the deluſions of the falſe Prophets, that Nebuchadnezzar will not come to invade the Land, or if hee do come, that thou ſhalt vanquiſh him by the help of Egypt, and ſo that thou and thy poſterity ſhall reign ſtill; but this ſhall not bee, all regal power ſhall ceaſe from thee, and thy poſterity.

Exalt him that is low.

The word for Low is, Haſfaſhaphalah from Shaphal: which ſignifies to bee humbled, oppreſſed; and ſo low, is oppoſite to Proud, Haughty, and thoſe are lifted up; it referres to one is like a valley, not a mountain, and that was Jehoiachin, who p. 187yeilding himſelf, by the Counſel of Jeremy to Nebuchadnezzar was carried into Captivity, and there impriſoned; Gods eye was upon him, and him, being depreſſed, oppreſſed, and Low, hee would have exalted. Some read I will exalt, ſome Exalt, the Hebrew is infinitive, and may be read Indicatively, or Imperatively.

Abaſe him that is high.

The former words and theſe may be read thus, Heighten him that is low, and make him low that is high. This high perſon was Zedekiah, who through his pride and haughtineſſe of Spirit, would not indure the Babyloniſh yoak, but perfidiouſly breaking with Nebuchadnezzar, fell in with the King of Egypt, grew confident, and deſpiſed the Aſſyrian Power. Hee had high thoughts, high hopes, high confidences, hee was become very mountainous, but this mountain muſt bee levelled. Jechoniah or Jehoiachin being a valley, was exalted, Jer. 52.30. 2 King. 25.27. and Zedekiah being a mountain was abaſed, 2 King. 25.6, 7. Jeremy 52.8, 9, 10, 11.

Obſ. 1 The Lord doth ſtrip great ones, even Kings and Princes of their glory, depoſe and abaſe them for their iniquities: Zedekiah was prophane, perfideous, cruel, injuſt, and what ſaith the Lord? Remove the Diadem, take away the Crown, abaſe him that is high; Who ever bee the inſtruments, that take wicked Kings, that ſpoil and puniſh them, its God that commands and commiſſions the doing thereof. Nebuchadnezzar and his Army were the hand that did the things here; they took Zedekiah, they pulled off his Crown, ſlew his Sonnes, all the Princes, put out his eyes, bound him in chains, carried him to Babylon, impriſoned him there; but they could not have done theſe things, unleſſe they had had Commiſſion and power from above; when Kings are pulled down and removed, its the Lord doth it, Dan. 2.21.

Job 12.18. Hee looſeth the bond of Kings; Balteum regum diſſolvit. Qui ſolvit diſciplinam regum.The Vulgar ſaith, the Belt of Kings, that is, their authority and power, ſay ſome Expoſitors. Ʋatabl. hath it, Diſciplinam, that tyrannical Government they uſe he diſſolves, & caſts them into reproach, p. 188priſon, captivity, and ſo girds their loins with a girdle of ſackcloath and calamity.Poteſtatem a tyrannis auiert & non nunquam populum a tyrannide liberat, a conjecto invincula Tyranno, Vatabl. Vulgar is, precingit fune renes corum, he girds their loynes with a rope; and Verſ. 19. hee leadeth Princes away spoiled, the word is Cohanim, which though ſome turn Prieſts, yet it ſignifies alſo Princes and Rulers, 2 Sam. 8.18. and where our Tranſlation, who were much affected to Prieſthood, have put it Prieſt in the Text, as Exod. 2.16. Gen. 41.45. chap. 47.22, 26. yet in the Margent they have put Prince, and ſuch God leads away spoiled; ſpoiled, of their glory, their Diadems, Crowns, and Princely robes; ſpoiled of their power, their Souldiery, and ſtrong holds; ſpoiled of their ſtratagems, and deſignes; ſpoiled of their Territories, Dominions, and Revenues; ſpoiled of their Friends, Comforts, and Hopes; and whither doth hee lead them, in dementiam, ſaith Jun. and Trem. into madneſſe and Brutiſhneſſe: and ſo hee led Nebuchadnezzar for his Pride, and other ſinnes, to bellow and graze amongſt the beaſts. Into contempt ſaith Job Job 2.21. being led out of all deſirable and delightfull, Hee poures contempt upon them: that is, he fills them with contempt and ſcorn, who were wont to bee honoured of all, and conferre honours upon others, and how grievous this is you may judge by that of Zedekiah, who choſe rather to ſee Jeruſ…lem on fire, than to yeild himſelf into the hands of the Chaldeans, for fear of mocking, Jer. 38.18, 19. but afterwards hee had ſcorn and miſery enough, being roſted in the fire thereof. The Lord throws wicked Princes from their height of glory and greatneſſe, into extream miſery; you know how Adonibezeck w…s ſerved, and in Iſa. 22.15, 16, 17, 18. you may read of Shebna, who was a great man, Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty Captivity, and will ſurely cover thee; and with what would hee cover him? with miſery and ſhame; for it follows, Hee will ſurely, violently turn and toſs thee, like a Ball, into a large Country: There ſhalt thou dye, and there the charets of thy glory, ſhall bee the ſhame of thy Lords houſe: The Hebrew for, He will violently turn and toſs thee, is, Tzanoph jitznapheka Tzenephah, Convolvendo, convolvet convolutione, as Montanus renders i…; and Prad. is, Cidarizando, cidarizabit te cidari, by crowning or compaſſing, hee will crown, compaſs p. 189thee with a crown or compaſs. Vulgar hath it, Coronans coronabit te tribulatione, hee ſhall crown thee with miſery; God caſt this Shebna who was proud and high, into extream mifery and diſgrace; hee was driven out into a Forrain Land, where hee was either torn in peeces by Dogs,Vide Sanct. in locum. or buried with the Burial of an Aſs.

Obſ. 2 The Lord puls down, and puts an end to Kings and Kingdomes at his pleaſure. This ſhall not bee the ſame. This Crown ſhall bee no more for thy head, any of thy poſterity, or for the Kingdome of Iſrael. Here God puld down the Kingdome of Iſrael or Judah, when it had ſtood neer five hundred years, and put a period to Monarchical Government. Joſephus in his tenth book of the Jewiſh Antiquity; chap. 10. ſaith, that the kingly government laſted five hundred and fourteen years, ſix months, and ten daies, from the begining of Sauls reign, to the end of Zedekiahs.

Kingſhip beganne with them in Gods wrath, and ended in his fury, 1 Sam. 8. Ezek. 19.12. The Aſſyrian Empire laſted ſome one hundred and twenty years, and then God pulled it down, it was the ſame no more. The Athenian Government by Kings, was ſome four hundred and ninety years, and then the Lord ſaid, This ſhall not be the ſame, hee changed it into a popular government. The kingdomes of the earth are the Lords, and he deals with them as he ſees good, hee breaks them in peices, and gives them new forms, at his pleaſure; Dan. ….20, 21. wiſdome and power are his, hee changeth the times and the ſeaſons, hee removes Kings, and ſ…ts up Kings: Hee takes away one form of Government, and ſets up another, hee puts down Monarchy, and ſets up Ariſtocracy, After the continuation of Monarchical government amongſt us, neer ſix hundred years, the Lord hath ſaid, Remove the Diadem, take off the Crown, this ſhall not bee the ſame, hee hath put a new form upon us, which muſt have its time, and period alſo.

What the Lord hath done here, and did long ſince in Iſrael, hee is about to do in other kingdomes of the earth. The Ki…gs generally are ſo prophane and wicked, that the Lord h…th a controv…rſy with them and is ſpeaking to this effect, if not by his Prophets, yet by his Providences, remove p. 190the Diadem, take off the Crown. Theſe ſhall not bee the ſame.

Seeing it is God which makes ſuch changes, let not us ſtumble at his Providences and diſpenſations, wee are too apt to look at the tooles hee doth his work by, and to quarrel upon that account, and not to look at his hand which uſeth thoſe tools; if Kings looſe their Crowns; if their glory bee laid in the duſt, if poſterity bee excluded, if great alterations bee made, its the Lords doings, and ſhould be marvellous in our eyes, and not matter of murmuring.

Obſ. 3 That as God brings down the haughty and proud ones, ſo hee raiſes the humble and dejected: Debaſe him that is high, exalt him that is low; God minds the oppreſſed, Jehoiachin lay a long time in Priſon, and that in Babylon, even thirty ſeven years, but hee was not forgotten; God moved Evilmerodach to bring him out of Priſon, and lift up his head, Jer. 52.31. and ſo made that good, in Job 12.18. in another ſenſe then you heard before, Hee looſeth the bond of Kings, hee brings them out of their diſgrace, reſtraint and miſery, and girds their loynes with a girdle of honour, liberty, and comfort, Pſalm 138.6. though the Lord be high, yet hath hee reſpect unto the lowly, hee advances and honours them, Job 5.11. he ſets up on high thoſe that be low. Mary was low and he ſet her among the higheſt; which made her to ſing and ſay, Luke 1.52. Hee hath put down the mighty▪ from their ſeats, and exalted them of low degree; Let us take heed of high aſpiring thoughts, and remember what Chriſt hath given out, Luke 14.11. Whoſoever exalts himſelf, ſhall bee abaſed, and hee that humbleth himſelf ſhall bee exalted. Self exaltation makes way for abaſement, and ſelf abaſement, makes way for exaltation, Pſalm 147.6. The Lord lifteth up the meek, hee caſteth the wicked down to the ground. Thoſe are meekened and ſweetned by their afflictions, the Lord lifts up; but the wicked hee caſts them off, hee caſts them down, and down to the ground, into extream miſery.

27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn it.

This Verſe is a Threatning of the deſtruction of the kingdome, and the time of its continuance in that condition, p. 191which is, till he come who is the right owner.

Montanus renders the Hebrew thus, Perverſam, perverſam, perverſam ponam eam. Septuagint, foreign. Vulg. Iniquitatem, iniquitatem ponam eam. Vatablus, Obliquam, Obliquam, Obliquam, ponam eam. Tigur. Curvam, curvam, curvam. Fren. A la renverſe, a la renverſe, a la renverſe, je la mettray. Caſtal. Ad nihilum, ad nihilum, ad nihilum, eam ego redigam. Aecolampad. Diſtorte, diſtorte, diſtorte, ponam eam. Lav. Subverſionem, ſubverſionem, ſubverſionem ponam eam. The Hebrew word is, foreign Affa from foreign which ſignifies to do crookedly, perverſly, untowardly; all which do diminiſh the glory of what is done, and ſo here, God would diminiſh the glory of the crown, yea, the crown it ſelf: I will overturn it, and bring it to nothing (for it referres to the Crown) and that ſhould fall to the ground and bee no more, the kingdome ſhall bee utterly overthrown, and laid waſte.

The word is trebled, I will overturn, overturn, overturn, Perverſitatem, perverſitatem, perverſitatem ponam eam (coronam) i. e. funditus everſum & proſtratum etit regnum delerumque ex judicio meo iteratis cladibus. per Babylonium Gleſ. in Philo l. 3.to ſhew not onelyonly the certainty and evidence of the thing, but the gradation and continuance of it; for the kingdome of Judah by certain degrees fell from its height, and was under the dominion of ſtrangers, For after that Zedekiah was depoſed by Nebuchadnezzar; there was no Crown, nor King more in Judah; After the Captivity, there was no Kings, but Governours, Captains, Rulers, as Zerub…abel, Nehemiah, and others: after them, the High-Prieſts had the power, in whoſe hands it continued, even to Hyrcanus, who uſurping kingly Authority, ſaith Pradus, was miſerably ſlain. Herod a ſtranger ſucceeding.

Sanctius makes this Triplication of the word, to point out, the three great evils Zedekiah ſuffered.

1 The loſs of his Kingdome and revenues.

2 The loſs of his Sons and eyes:

3 His reproachful living in Captivity.

A Lapide, and ſome others, underſtand by the trebling of the word, the three notable deſtructions that befell the Jews, after this time; The firſt by Nebuchadnezzar, the ſecond by Antiochus, the third by Tytus and the Romans.

p. 192Others by this Triplication, judge the time of thoſe three, Aſſir, Shealtiel, and Pedajah to bee meant, in whoſe daies, the Kingdome of Judah was very low, if not quite overthrown; but beganne to flouriſh again in the daies of Zerubbabel, who was the Sonne of Pedajah, 1 Chron. 3.19. but Aſſir may bee read appellatively, and not as a proper name, (its in the 17. verſ. of that 3 Chron.) thus the ſonnes of Jeconiah the bound, for he was then bound, were a priſoner in Babylon, and ſo the word is uſed, Iſa. 42.7. to bring the Priſoner out; the Hebrew is Aſſyr, and if it be taken ſo, this triplication is marred.

Chemnitius hath another expoſition of this Triplication of the words, which the learned may ſee in his Harmony upon the Goſpel, the firſt part, third chapter, the latter end.

Men are various in their thoughts, about the triplicity of theſe words, but do generally agree in this, that the overthrow of the Kingdome, and kingly dignity is deſigned out thereby.

It ſhall be no more.

In Hebrew thus, Jam zoth lo hojah, even this hath not been, but here the preter tenſe is put for the future, and ſo the Septuagint reads it,Haec ſcil. mutatio non accidet ante adventum Nebuchad. foreign, Neither ſhall this bee the ſame. Ʋatabl. hath it, Etiam haec not fuit, which he interprets thus, This alteration ſhall not be before Nebuchadnezzar come, to whom the judgement belongs, and to him will I deliver Zedekiah, ſo hee. The French is, Et ne ſeraplus, it ſhall bee no more. The Crown ſhall bee no more, the Crown of Judah. No King ſhall reign therein any more.

All the Sonnes of Zedekiah were ſlain, Jeremy 52.10. and of Jehoiachin, Jeconiah, or Coniah its ſaid, Jeremy 22.30. Write yee this man childleſſe; a man that ſhall not proſper in his daies, for no man of his ſeed ſhall proſper, ſitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah; None of them ſhall ever come to kingly dignity.

p. 193Ʋntill he come whoſe right it is.

Hebrew is, Ad bo aſher lo hammiſhphat, which Jun. renders thus, Donec venerit is cujus eſt jus ipſum, till hee come whoſe right it is. Aecolamp. Donec veniat ei qui judicet, untill it come to him who may judge. Vatab. Donec is veniat cui jure convenit, till hee come to whom of right it belongs. The ſenſe is, the Crown ſhall neither fit nor bee faſtened to any head, till hee come that hath the true right to it; and that is neither Nebuchadnezzar, nor Zerubbabel, nor Ariſtobulus, Alexander or Hyrcanus, who aſſumed Kingly dignity to themſelves, in time of the Maccabees: but Chriſt the Meſſiah, who is the true heir and ſucceſſor of David, when hee comes, hee ſhall raiſe up the Kingdome of Judah, being miſerably afflicted, deſtitute, and loſt to the eye of the world; he changing it into a ſpiritual Kingdome, ſhall reſtore it to as high, yea, an higher glory than ever it had. The crown here was reſerved, and laid up for the Lord Chriſt, who was born King of the Jews, Mat. 2.2. to whom the Angel told Mary, that the Lord ſhould give the Throne of his Father David, and that hee ſhould reign over the houſe of Jacob for ever, and have an endleſſe kingdome, Luke 1.32, 33. upon this account it was, that Nathaniel called him the King of Iſrael, John 1.49. and that Chriſt ſaid, The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne, John 5.22. The Father had appointed Chriſt to bee King and Ruler, Micah 5.2. gave him power, Iſa. 9.6. hee was to ſucceed David, ſit upon his Throne and kingdome to order the ſame, verſ. 7. and his right thereunto, both Matthew in his firſt Chapter, and Luke in his third, do clear up, ſhewing how he deſcended from David.

And I will give it him.

Chriſt when hee comes, ſhall not bee kept off from his right, I will give it him, and hee ſhall have the Crown, it will fit his head, and ſit faſt upon it, though hee come in a mean, and low way, yet he ſhall be King and reign.

p. 194Obſ. 1 The Lord doth lay the glory of Crowns and Scepters in the duſt when hee pleaſes. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; There is no Crown ſo ſure to any Mortals head, no Kingdome ſo ſtable, but the Lord can pluck away the Crown, ſhake the Kingdom to peeces, throw out the poſſeſſors, and diſpoſſeſſe their Heirs; He pulled the Crown from Zedekiahs head, he brake his Kingdome in peeces, hee threw him out of his Throne, deprived him and his Sonnes of ever inheriting more.

Sometimes the Lord doth ſuddainly overturn Empires and Kingdomes as Belſhazzars by Darius the Median, Dan. 5.30, 31. Sometimes hee proceeds gradually, and ſo hee did with the Kingdomes of Iſrael and Judah, Hoſ. 5.12. I will bee unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the houſe of Judah as rottenneſſe: a Moth eats up a garment by degrees, now it makes one hole in it, and anon another; ſo Rottenneſſe enters by degrees into a Tree, firſt into one branch, then another, after into the body and root; So God by degrees, eat up, waſted, and conſumed thoſe Kingdomes. But bee it ſuddainly or gradually, hee overturns them when hee pleaſes. God overturned the Perſian Monarchy, by the Goat which had the notable Horn, Dan. 8.5. that was Alexander the Great, King of Greece, and when hee was grown very great, ruled according to his will, his Kingdome was broken, divided to others, and not to his poſterity, Dan. 11.3, 4. the Lord pluckt up his Kingdome, and quartered it among thoſe were not his Heires. The Lord made the Scepter depart from Egypt, Zech. 10.11. hee cut off him, held the Scepter from the houſe of Eden, Amos 1.5. hee breakes the ſtaves of the wicked, and the Scepters of the Rulers, Iſa. 14.5. Crowns, Scepters, Kingdomes, he tumbles down, and laies in the duſt.

Obſ. 2 When God overturnes Crowns, and Kingdomes, hee keeps them in ſuch a condition while hee pleaſes. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, and it ſhall bee no more, untill he come whoſe right it is: This was neer five hundred years, for from Zedekiahs depoſal to the birth of Chriſt were four hundred ninety and two years, which was a long ſeaſon for his crown and kingdome to lye in darkneſſe, and a deſolate condition. Hoſea told us long ſince, that the children of Iſrael ſhould abide p. 195many daies without a King, and without a Prince, ch. 3, 4. the Kingdom of Iſrael was overturned by the hand of God above one hundred years before the kingdome of Judah, and lyes overturned to this day, and ſo hath been above two thouſand years, in a ſad, dark, diſtreſſed condition; When Kingdomes, Scepters, and Thrones are once overturned, they are not quickly raiſed up again. Their ſinnes were great which cauſed the Lord to overturn them, and hee lets them lye under the puniſhment of their iniquity many daies and years. When Kingdomes are down, many ſtruggle to lift them up again to their former dignity, glory, and greatneſſe; but it muſt not, it cannot bee, till the Lords time come, till he pleaſe to put forth his hand and do it.

Obſ. 3 The Lord Chriſt, the promiſed Meſſiah was the true King of Judah, and Prince of Sion; Vntill hee come, whoſe right it is, and I will give it him. The Father had appointed him to bee King, given him the Kingdome, and made it known long before his comming in the fleſh. Hee was ſpoken of Gen. 49.10. Hee was the Shiloh, the Proſperer, unto whom the gathering of the People ſhould bee, hee gathered Jewes and Gentiles together. Hee was ſpoken of Numb. 24.17. There ſhall come a ſtar out of Jacob, and a Scepter ſhall riſe out of Iſrael. So in Pſalm 45.6, 7. The Scepter of thy Kingdome is a right Scepter, and God hath annointed thee. See Iſa. 11.1, 2. ch 42.1, 2, 3. Jer. 23.6. Ezek. 34.23, 24. Dan. 7.14.27. Zach. 9.9. In theſe places, and many other, the Kingdome of Chriſt, his right thereunto, and the Fathers donation th…rof unto him are ſpoken of. The Peoples hearts were towards him, and they would have made him a King, John 6.15. however hee appeared to the world, the Apoſtles beheld glory and majeſty in him, John 1.14. 2 Pet. 1.16 and Pilate writ over his head, This is Jeſus the King of the Jews, M…t. 27.37. Chriſt was not a contemptible perſon, whatever men thought of him, the Father deſigned him to bee a King, gave him a Kingdome, the Prophets foretold his Kingly dignity, he was born a King, dyed a King, he lives and reigns at this day King of Sion, and of all Saints Rev. 15.3. wee have no cauſe to bee aſhamed of our King, but ought to honour him as wee honour the Father, ſeeing all judgement p. 196is committed to him, Joh. 5.22, 23.

Obſ. 4 The wiſdome and goodneſſe of the Lord towards his, that when hee tells them of the ſevereſt judgement hee mingles ſome mercy; I will overturn, overturn, overturn: Overturn the Church, overturn the State, overturn them for a long time, which was very ſad and bitter; yet even now when hee is in a full carriere of overturning, hee tells them of the comming of Chriſt, who ſhould bee their King, wear the Crown, and raiſe up the Kingdome again. This was great mercy, in the depth of miſery, if they loſt an earthly Kingdome, they ſhould have a ſpiritual one; if they loſt a prophane and temporal King, they ſhould have a King of Righteouſneſſe, an eternal King. It is the method of the Lord, when hee is bringing in dreadful judgements upon his People, that have provoked him bitterly, to lay in ſomething that may ſupport and comfort thoſe have ſerved him faithfully, Amos 9.8 9, 10, 11. Behold, The eyes of the Lord God are upon the ſinfull kingdome, and I will deſtroy it from off the face of the earth, ſaving that I will not utterly deſtroy the houſe of Jacob, ſaith the Lord; There was mercy mingled with judgement, ſo in the next verſ. For Lo, I will command, and I will ſift the houſe of Iſrael among all Nations, like as corn is ſifted in a ſive, yet ſhall not the leaſt grain fall upon the earth; here again is mercy in the midſt of judgement. So again in the two next verſes. All the ſinners of my People ſhall dye by the ſword, which ſay, the evil ſhall not overtake nor prevent us, and what then? In that day will I raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and cloſe up the breaches thereof, and I will raiſe up his ruines, and I will build it as in the days of old, here is goodneſſe with ſeverity.

Obſ. 5 That how contrary ſoever Gods actings appear, yet he will make good his promiſes, hee is mindful of them, and will be faithful. The Lord had promiſed to ſet up his Sonne Chriſt, to bee King in Sion, the hill of his holineſſe, Pſal. 2.6. that the Government ſhould bee upon his ſhoulder, Iſa. 9.6. that hee would cauſe a branch of Righteouſneſſe to grow up unto David, and hee ſhall execute judgement and righteouſneſſe in the land, Jer. 33.15. what likelihood was there that theſe things ſhould bee, when the Lord overturns the p. 197land, plucks up all by the roots, and laies all in a dead condition, and that for many daies and years? They might have thought and ſaid, ſurely, This death of the Crown, of Church and State, will bee the death of all thoſe and other Promiſes; but it was not ſo, though a ſentence of death was upon the land, upon the Jews, yet the living God kept life in the Promiſes, hee minded them, and ſaid, I will give it to him, hee ſhall have this land, the Kingdome and the crown, hee ſhall ſit upon Sion, reign and execute judgement. The actings of God ſometimes are ſuch, that to mans apprehenſions they will make void the Promiſes of God, Pſal. 77.7, 8. ſaith Aſaph, will the Lord caſt off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his Promiſe fail for evermore? Gods hand was heavy upon him, his proceedings with him ſuch, as his ſoul was greatly afflicted, queſtioned the truth of his Promiſes, and was ready to deſpair, but what ſaith hee in the tenth verſe? This was my infirmity. There was no infirmity in God, hee had not forgotten his Promiſe, it was not out of his ſight, though out of Aſaphs; mans faith may fail him ſometimes▪ but Gods faithfulneſſe never fails him, Pſalm 89.33. God will not ſuffer his faithfulneſſe to fail. Gods operations may have an aſpect that way; the Devils temptations, and our unbeleeving hearts, may not onelyonly make us think ſo, but perſwade us it is ſo, when as it cannot be ſo, for the Lord will not ſuffer it, hee will not make a lye in his Truth or faithfulneſſe; ſo the H…brew is, hee is a God cannot lye, he is truth, ſpeaks truth, and not one of his Promiſes can or ſhall fail, which may afford ſtrong Conſolation unto all that are under any promiſe of God.

Verſ. 28 And thou Son of man, propheſy and ſay, Thus ſaith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach, even ſay thou, The ſword, the ſword is drawn for the ſlaughter, it is fourbiſhed to conſume, becauſe of the glittering.

29 Whiles they ſee vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lye unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are ſlain of the wick… whoſe day is come when their iniquity ſhall have an end.

p. 198In theſe verſes and the reſt to the end, is contained the Propheſy againſt the Ammonites.

Two waies were ſpoken of in the 19, 20, and 21. verſ. One leading to the Ammonites, the other to the Jews. Nebuchadnezzar uſing divinations to diſcover unto which of theſe he ſhould go, Divine Providence over-ruled the Divination, ſo that he was to make his military expedition unto Jeruſalem. Hence leaſt the Ammonites ſhould bee ſecure, and inſult over the Jews, whoſe judgements were now comming upon them. The Lord commands the Prophet to denounce judgement, yea, the ſame judgement unto them.

In his Propheſy we have,

1 The judgement, which is the ſword, ver. 28.

2 The Cauſes of it,

1 Reproach, ver. 28.

2 Impiety, and inhumanity, ver. 29.

3 The place where it ſhall be, verſ. 30.

4 The Similitudes to which the judgement is likened, verſ. 31.

5 The Event thereof, verſ. 32.

6 The Ratification of the Propheſy, ibid.

Concerning the Ammonites.

The Hebrew is Ad filios Hammon, To the children of Ammon. Theſe Ammonites came of the Jewiſh Race, for they were from Lot and his younger daughter, Gen. 19.38. who being with child by him, named her Sonne Ben-Ammi, who was the Father of the Ammonites, and for Lots ſake, who was the root of them, the Lord ſhewed them kindneſſe long after. Deut. 2.19. when the Jews came into Canaan, they muſt not diſtreſſe them nor meddle with them: the Ammonites land was given to the children of Lot for a poſſeſſion, and ſo the Moabites, verſ. 9. had their land upon that account; but the Ammonites though deſcended from the Jews, were bitter enemies to them, and made war againſt them, Judg. 11.4. 1 Samuel 11.1, 2. 2 Chronicles 20.1. They were notorious Idolaters; they had Molech and Milchom among them, 1 King 11.7. 2 King 23.13. They were cruel and bloody, Amos 1.13.

p. 199Concerning their Reproach.

Some would have the words taken paſſively here, for the reproach they ſuffred from the Chaldaeans, but they are rather to be taken Actively, for the Reproach which the Ammonites put upon the Jews. So Ʋatablus underſtands the words, and other interpreters. A lapide affirms,Opprobrium ſive ignominiam Ammonitarum vocat, quo Iſraelem affecerant. that the Ammonites upbraided the Jews, and their God as weak and unwarlike, becauſe Nebuchadnezzar was comming to them, and durſt not meddle with the Ammonites. Its certain the Ammonites bare the Jews no good will, and were glad of opportunities, to vent that ancient hatred they had againſt them; when therefore they ſaw that Nebuchadnezzar ſhould come, beſiedge their City, lay all waſte, and carry them into captivity, they inſulted over the Jews, they ſaid, where is your God? why doth hee not appear for you? defend you againſt that cruel Oppreſſor Nebuchadnezzar, and deliver you; wee ſee what your God is, our Molech, our Milchom doth more for us, than your God doth for you. Zeph. 2.8. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themſelves againſt their border. Our Prophet is more plain and full, bringing in the Ammonites ſcoffing at the Calamities of the Jews, Chap. 25.3, 4. Say to the Ammonites, hear the word of the Lord, Thus ſaith the Lord God, becauſe thou ſaidſt Aha againſt my Sanctuary, when it was prophaned, and againſt the Land of Iſrael when it was deſolate, and againſt the houſe of Judah, when they went into captivity. Behold, therfore I will deliver thee to the men of the Eaſt for a poſſeſſion, &c.

The ſword, the ſword it is drawn.

By Sword is meant war, all warlike inſtruments, and all thoſe evils attend the ſame. Here is an Epizeuxes, a doubling of the word; the ſword, the ſword, which is emphatical, and imports certainty and progreſſe of it to deſtroy. You Ammonites think the ſword is drawn onelyonly againſt the Jews, and that when they are ſlain it ſhall bee put up, but its not ſo. p. 200The ſword, the ſword is drawn for ſlaughter of you Ammonites, as well as the Jews, you have little cauſe to inſult, reproach, or flatter your-ſelves, you ſhall bee ſecure, your deſtruction is decreed, its comming, onelyonly the Jews is firſt, yours after.

The word for drawn is, Pethuchah, ſolutus eſt, it was bound up before in the ſheath, now its looſed, Deſgaines, ſaith the French,From foreign aperire, ſo…vere. unſheathed; now its at liberty and in readineſſe to do execution, even among you Ammonites at my pleaſure.

For the ſlaughter it is fourbiſhed.

Not onelyonly was it drawn, but it was fourbiſhed, Merutah, filed, ſcoured; foreign marat, whence it comes, ſignifies to pluck up hairs, or pul out feathers by the roots, to excoriate, or flea off the skin, and metaphorically, is applyed to things which contract ruſt, and ſignifies detergere rubiginem. When ſwords have been long in their ſheaths, undrawn, unuſed, they become ruſty, that ruſt is like an hairy, or feathery skin upon the blades, which muſt bee removed, and that is the fourbiſhing of them. The Sword here was not fourbiſhed for ſight, but for uſe, for ſlaughter. Letevach, ad jugulationem, ſaith Montanus, Ad occiſionem, ſaith Vatabl.

To conſume, becauſe of the glittering.

The Hebrew is, Lehachil, lemaan, barack, ad ſustinendum propter fulgur, To ſuſtain by reaſon of the ſhining, So Mont. Politus eſt ut ſuſtineat & propter fulgorem, So Vatabl. and hee gives this ſenſe thereof, it is fourbiſhed, that it may ſuffice for the ſlaughtering of many, and that it may terrify with its glittering,Politus eſt ut ſufficiat multis interficiendis & ut terreat ſuo fulgore perdendos. thoſe that are to bee deſtroyed. The Syriack Exacutus es & fulgens, Thou art whetted and ſhining. Lavat. Ut conſumat propter fulgur, That it may conſume, becauſe of the brightneſſe or lightening of it. The ſword and military instruments, were ſo glittering, that like lightening, they ſhould ſtrike ſuddain terrour into them, and quickly conſume them.

Obſ. 1 When God is bringing, or brings judgements upon his people for their in…quities, Then the wicked, then their enemies p. 201take advantage and revile them. The Ammonites underſtanding that Nebuchadnezzar was marching with his Forces to Jeruſalem, they reproach'd them, being glad that the day of their calamity and ſuffering was at hand. The Ammonites were their Neighbours, they were quaſi fratres, coming from the Brother of Abraham, yet they reproached the Jews, and added affliction to affliction, Zeph. 2.8. both Moab and Ammon reviled and reproached the Iſraelites, and magnified themſelves againſt their border.

The Rabbies ſay,Quando Chaldaei Judaeos ducebant in captivitatem Babyloniam & per terram Ammonitarum & Moabitarum tranſibant flentes, contriſtabant & affligebant eos, dicente… qu…d malum vos, affligitis Iudaei? quid ploratis? nonne in domum it is patris veſtri. R Salom. ut habet Lyra. that when the Chaldaeans carried the Jews Captive, through the lands of the Moabites and Ammonites, the Jews wept, and they reproached them, ſaying, Why do you afflict your ſelves? why do you weep? are you not going to your fathers houſe? they meant Chaldaea, which was Abrahams Country and habitation. Theſe, and many other reproachful ſpeeches doubtleſſe they uſed againſt the Jews, when they were ſpoild and led into Captivity, and magnified themſelves againſt their border; They ſaid, now their border, their land ſhould become theirs, and they did take the advantage, and invaded their poſſeſſions, Jerem. 49.1. Concerning the Ammonites, Thus ſaith the Lord. Hath Iſrael no Sonnes? hath hee no heir? why then doth their King (that is, the King of the Ammonites) inherit Gad, and his People dwell in his Cities; that is, ſeeing Iſrael hath Sonnes, and heirs of his own, and I have given the poſſeſſions of Gad, being carried away with the ten Tribes, unto Judah and Benjamin, why do the Ammonites uſurpe, and take poſſeſſion of that is none of their own? Thus they reproached and wronged the Jews. So likewiſe did the Edomites, Pſal. 137.7. In the day of Jeruſalem, that was in the day Nebuchadnezzars forces took and plundered it, they cryed, Raſe it, raſe it, even to the foundation. In reproach of, and deſpight to the Jews, they cryed out ſo; when Jeruſalem was deſtroyed, the adverſaries ſaw her, and did mock at her Sabbaths, they ſcoffed at all her feſtivals, religion, and worſhip. Where is your God whoſe daies you have ſo religiouſly obſerved? why did hee not defend you from this day of your ſufferings? either hee was infirme, and could not; or unfaithfull and would not?

p. 202Obſ. 2 The Lord takes notice of the enemies reproaching his People: He tells the Prophet of the Ammonites reproachings. Ezekiel was in Babylon, hee knew nothing of it, but God heard and obſerved it, Zeph. 2.8. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon: Gods ear is very open in this caſe, and though his People hear not, yet hee heareth, Jer. 48.27. hee ſaith in his indignation unto Moab, was not Iſrael a deriſion unto thee? put it off if thou canſt, deny it if thou dareſt? I ſaw it, I heard it. This is ſome comfort to the Church and People of God, that hee obſerves not onelyonly the wrongs wicked men do unto his, but alſo the reproaching ſpeeches they utter againſt his, Lam. 3.61. Jeremy comforted himſelf in this, Thou haſt heard their repro…ch, O Lord, and all their imaginations againſt mee: When we are reproached, and miſchief is imagined againſt us by wicked ones, let us make uſe of this Scripture, and comfort our ſelves therein, not breaking out into bitterneſſe and paſſion.

Obſ. 3 Reproaching and reviling Gods people, when they are in affliction, draws judgement upon the Reproachers and Revilers. The Ammonites reproached the Jews, when the Babyloniſh ſword came upon them, and here the Prophet muſt tell them the ſword is drawn, fourbiſhed for ſlaughter, and conſumption of them. Reproach in this kinde is a provoking ſinne, Gods Name, Truths, Ordinances, ſuffer when his People are reproached, for his correcting hand upon them for their iniquities. Jer. 48.26, 27. Make yee Moab drunken, that is, let the cup of Gods wrath bee given him, let him have judgement after judgement; drink ſo deep of divine fury, that he ſhall not bee able to ſtand: and why was this? hee magnified himſelf againſt the Lord, hee derided Iſrael, verſe 27. hee magnified himſelf againſt their border, Zeph. 2.8. and this is called magnifying himſelf againſt the Lord (for what is done againſt his People, and their borders, is done againſt him) and Moab muſt be made drunk for it; yea, Moab alſo ſhall wallow in his vomit, he alſo ſhall be in deriſion, he ſhall be derided & ſcorned in his miſery, as a drunken man who lys wallowing in his vomit; Moab for reproaching ſhould be re…roached▪ yea, grievouſly afflicted, yea, utterly deſtroyed, Zeph. 2.8, 9, p. 203Both Moab and Ammon reviled, reproached the Jews, and magnifyed themſelves againſt their border. Therefore as I live ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, the God of Iſrael, ſurely Moab ſhall bee as Sodome, and the Children of Ammon, as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and ſaltpits, and a perpetual deſolation. The meaning is, not that they ſhould bee conſumed by fire from heaven, as Sodome and Gomorrah were, but they ſhould ſuffer extream and ſevere judgements at the hands of the Lord, and be perpetually deſolate as they were.

29 Whiles they ſee vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lye unto thee.

The Hebrew is, Bachazoth lack shane, bickſom lack cazab, In ſeeing to thy ſelf a vain thing, in divining to thy ſelf a lye. The Septuag. runs to that purpoſe, foreign, In thy viſion for vanity, and in thy propheſying a lye to thy ſelf. The Ammonites like other Nations, had their falſe Prophets, Diviners, and Soothſayers, as you may clearly ſee from Jerem. 27.3. where the Prophet under the type of bonds and yoaks, put upon his neck, propheſyeth the ſubjection of the Nations unto Nebuchadnezzar, and among others the Ammonites; and verſe 9. hee forbids them to hearken to their Prophets, Diviners, Dreamers, Inchanters, Sorcerers, which told them, they ſhould not ſerve the King of Babylon. They held them a ſleep by telling them, either Nebuchadnez. would not come to them, or if he did, they were a ſtrong people, had ſtrong Cities, and needed not to fear any enemy. But they ſaw vanity, and divined a lye unto them, and this is the ſenſe of the words, both according to the Hebrew and our tranſlation.

To bring thee upon the necks of them that are ſlain.

Their falſe Prophets and Diviners, put them on, to inſult over and trample upon the Jews, when they were ſlain by the Chaldaeans; aſſuring them of ſafety.

Or thus, To give thee to the necks of them that are ſlain, ſo p. 204the Hebrew may bee rendred; and then the meaning is, thy falſe Prophets and Diviners, by their vanities and lyes do ſubject thee to the ſword of Nebuchadnezzar, and make way for thy deſtruction like the Jews.

Of the wicked whoſe day is come.

Theſe words, of the wicked, are joyned with the former in the Hebrew, El Tzauvere challe reſhaim, To the necks of the ſlain of the wicked, and ſo is the Septuagint, foreign. All Tranſlations and Expoſitors do joyn them, and they may refer either to the ſlain, or ſlayers, noting their wickedneſſe, ſome do refer them to the one, ſome to the other.In Hebraeo non eſt Syntaxis convenientiae, ita ut intellige…di ſint confoſſi improbi, ſed rect…onis ut intel igantur con…oſſi ab improbis. Piſcat. Piſcator by wicked, underſtands the Chaldaeans, and reads the words thus, Eorum qui ab improbis confoſſi ſunt, upon the necks of them who are ſlain by the wicked.

Whoſe day is come when their iniquity ſhall have an end.

The day of the Jews, that was come wherein Gods judgements ſhould cut them off, and put an end to their iniquity: of theſe words, ſee ver. 25.

Obſ. 1 When the Lord threatens ſinful Nations with ſore judgements, they have thoſe amongſt them which divert them from the truth, poſſeſſe them with deluſions, and put them upon deſtructive practiſes. The Ammonites were threatned here with the Babyloniſh ſword, but they neither beleeved Ezekiel nor Jeremy, who told them the ſame thing, chap. 27. Their falſe Prophets, their Diviners beat them off from it, poſſeſſed them with vanities and lyes, put them upon inſulting over the Jews, when the hand of the Lord was moſt heavy upon them, and ſo brought them to ſuffer by the ſame ſword the Jews did. Its juſt with God to give men and Nations over to beleeve lies, and lying Prophets which ſhall lead them to deſtruction, when they have ſtopt their ears againſt the true Prophets. Ahab would not beleeve Micaiah, but the falſe Prophets, who ſpake words according to his minde, but they were vanity, lies, and he ſmarted for it, 1 Kin. 22.

p. 205Obſ. 2 Though the Lord forbear ſinful Nations long, yet hee hath his daies and times of reckoning with, and puniſhing of them: the Jews day was come, and their iniquity had an end. The Ammonites day came, and their iniquity had an end. God puniſhed them ſeverely for their ſinnes, Ezek. 25. Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians were forborn long, but God had his time for them; Jer. 27.7. All Nations ſhall ſerve him, and his Sonne, and his Sonnes Sonne, untill the very time of his land come: then many Nations, and great Kings ſhall ſerve themſelves of him. Babylon and its King, had a time to ſinne, and a time to ſuffer. God ſtaid many daies, yet had his day, and came at the day appointed, Jer. 50.31. ch. 51.13. O thou that dwelleſt upon many waters, abundant in treaſures: thine end is come, and the meaſure of thy covetouſneſſe. Babylon was inſatiably covetous, robbing the Nations of their riches, but all her wealth could not purchaſe one daies reſpit from the wrath of God; nor all her waters preſerve her from the fire of his indignation; the fire God ſent in his day burnt up their habitations, and lickt up the water of Euphrates, whereon Babylon ſate; God bare long with us, and the Nations about us, but his day is come, hee is viſiting, wee, they, have had our times of ſinning, and now muſt have our times of ſuff…ring.

Verſ. 30 Shall I cauſe it to return into his ſheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou waſt created, in the land of thy nativity.

31 And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow againſt thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutiſh men, and skilful to deſtroy.

32 Thou ſhalt bee for fuel to the fire, thy bloud ſhall bee in the midſt of the Land, thou ſhalt bee no more remembred: for I the Lord have ſpoken it.

Some interpret theſe words of the Babylonians, as if God would deal with them after hee had done with the Jews, and Ammonites, which hee did according to the Propheſies, in Iſa. ch. 13. and Jerem. 25. the 50. and 51. but this Propheſy is againſt the Ammonites, whoſe land the Babyloniſh King p. 206laid waſte ſome five years after the final deſtruction of Jeruſalem, as Sanctius ſaith, citing the tenth book of Joſephus Antiquities for it.

Shall I cauſe it to return into his ſheath?

You Ammonites think that when the ſword hath done execution upon the Jews, it will bee ſheathed, quiet, and proceed no further: but ſhall I cauſe it to return into his ſheath? no I will not give it any ſuch commiſſion, or if I do, it ſhall bee for a ſhort time, it ſhall come to you, and ſlay you as it hath done them.Repone gladium in vaginam ſuam. Jun. Reduc gladium tuum in vaginam ſuam. Piſ. The Hebrew, Hoſhab is infinitive put for an Imperative, and ſo is rendred by ſome Expoſitors; Put the ſword, or thy ſword into the ſheath. Thou thinkeſt to draw the ſword, to defend thy ſelf againſt the Chaldaeans when I ſend them upon thee, but it ſhall bee in vain, thou ſhalt not bee able to ſtand againſt them. I will make thy ſtrength and weapons uſeleſſe.

I will judge thee in the place where thou waſt created.

That is, I will puniſh the Ammonites in their own land, where they were borne, where my hand created or framed them. They ſhall not bee carried to Babylon, and be preſerved there, but they ſhall bee deſtroyed in their own Country, at their own door, yet ſome were Captives, Jer. 49. of this expreſſion, I will judge thee, was ſpoken, Ezek. 16.38.

In the land of thy Nativity.

The Hebrew is, Mecurothajick, In the land of thy manſions, or peregrination, In terra negotiationum tuarum, ſaith Piſcator, In the land of thy traffick, where thou haſt pleaſure and profit.

p. 20731 I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, &c.

Here you have the reſemblances to which Gods judgement is likened.

1 Its compared to a Flood or torrent; to a great rain or water, that runnes ſwiftly, and bears down all; of which before, ch. 7.8. ch. 14.19. ch. 20.8.13.21.

2 To a winde or ſtorm, I will blow againſt thee: Aphiaſh, perflabo, or perflare faciam, I will make ſuch a winde, ſuch a ſtorm as ſhall throw down all the greatneſſe and glory of the Ammonites.

3 To a fire, which where it kindles and faſtens, conſumes all to aſhes; of this before, ch. 15 7.

I will deliver thee into the hands of brutiſh men.

The word for Brutiſh, is, foreign from Baar to burn, and therefore in the margent its burning, God would deliver them into the hands of the Chaldaeans, who were burning, that is, Cholerick, haſty, furious men, Habbak. 1.6. a bitter and hasty nation. The word alſo ſignifies to bee brutiſh, fooliſh, Pſal. 73.22. Vaani baar velo edah. I was fooliſh, brutiſh, and knew not, ſo that baar is adam, ſhem lo daath, a man without knowledge, a Barbaraian, and ſo the Saptuagint ſpeak,Rabbi David. foreign, into the hands of barbarous men.

Skilful to deſtroy.

Charaſhe maſchith, is the Original, Artiſts of Corruption, men exerciſed in caedibus faciendis, in killing men they were very expert; they had been ſundry times before at Jeruſalem, ſlain many Jews, and knew how to deſtroy Ammonites.

p. 20832 Thou ſhalt be for fuel to the fire.

Thou ſhalt be meat to the fire, that ſhall eat up thee, and thy habitations, as fire is fed by wood, coal, ſtraw, turfe, and ſuch combuſtibles, ſo ſhould the fire of Gods wrath bee fed with their vineyards, habitations, towns, Cities, perſons.

Thy bloud ſhall be in the midst of the Land.

Thou ſhalt be ſlain openly, lye in thy bloud, unpittied, unburied.

Thou ſhalt bee no more remembred.

This judgement ſhall deprive thee of life, and alſo of thy name, thou ſhalt have no monument to make mention of thee, but thy memory ſhall altogether periſh, thou ſhalt bee ſo handled, ut ne veſtigium tui relinquatur.

Obſ. 1 The Lord oft doth croſs the thoughts, and blaſt the hopes of wicked men: the ſword came to the Ammonites, when they thought it ſhould not come, they hoped by their ſwords to beat back the Babylonians, and God bade them put up their ſwords into the ſheaths, they ſhould do them no good, the Babylonians ſhould prevail. Zedekiah and the Jews, thought Nebuchadnezzar would not draw his ſword againſt them, if hee did, they hoped the Egyptian ſword would prove ſtronger than the Babylonian, but they were deceived in both, ſee Ezek. 17.12, 17. when Princes and States truſt in their ſtrong men, and look for help; deliverance by them, the Lord diſappoints them, and makes the pompe of the ſtrong to ceaſe.

Obſ. 2 The Lord puniſhes ſinners in the midſt of their conveniences, pleaſures, and profits: I will judge thee in the place where thou waſt created, in the land of thy nativity: There they had moſt conveniences, delights, contents, and thither God brings the ſword, there he cuts them off. There they ſinned, there they were impious, conſulting with falſe Prophets, Diviners, there they were barbarous, inhumane, mocking at the Calamities of the Jews when God viſited p. 209them, and there God puniſhed them. Thus hath God dealt with them in Ireland, in the land of their Nativity, in the places of their delights and conveniencies, where they ſinned, there they ſuffered.

Obſ. 3 Suddainly and eaſily can the Lord deſtroy ſinful Nations. I will poure out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow againſt thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee, &c. Floods, windes, ſtormes, fires come ſuddainly, and blowing is an eaſy thing, if God do but blow upon a Nation in his wrath, its undone, Iſa. 40.7. The graſs withereth, the flower fadeth, becauſe the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. If the Lord blow with a ſpirit of indignation upon a land, or People, they wither away quickly, and come to nothing, verſ. 24. Speaking before of Princes, Judges, and their ſtock, which ſeem to bee rooted like mighty Oakes, and tall Cedars, its ſaid, Hee ſhall blow upon them, and they ſhall wither, and the whirlewind ſhall take them away as ſtubble; Let God blow upon Princes, and their glory fades, their roots dry up, if God let out the fire of his wrath, who? what is not meat, fuel for that fire? Princes, People, Cities, Nations are.

Obſ. 4 Wicked Nations, and Perſons, God takes away the name and memory of them: Thou ſhalt be no more remembred in way of mercy, or for honour; but if at all, in way of wrath, and for reproach. Many Nations ſince the fall of man, for their ſins are defunct, extinct, and buried in the darkneſſe of oblivion,

Obſ. 5 Judgements come not upon Nations without the Lord, but becauſe the Lord hath appointed them: The Ammonitiſh Nation muſt bee fuel for the fire, no more remembred, and why? For I the Lord have ſpoken, I that am faithful and will not falſity my word, I that am able, and can inflict what is threatned. I have ſpoken, decreed, and appointed ſuch things, and they muſt come to paſs.