Exposition of Ezekiel 20-29, Exposition · Chapter 20 (3 of 4)

Exposition of Ezekiel 20-29 · Exposition · Chapter 20 (3 of 4)

p. 71Here the ſucceſſeleſſeneſſe of Gods exhortation is evidenced, hee preſſed them to bee obedient, and dutiful to him, being their God, but they rebelled and would not walk in his ſtatutes, nor keep his judgements, their Fathers ſtatutes and judgments they would walk in and obſerve; they choſe rather to be defiled and dye in their Fathers waies, than to be ſanctified and live in Gods waies. Whereupon God had a purpoſe to deſtroy them, as hee had formerly to deſtroy their fathers. This Verſe is the ſame with the 13. which hath been opened, and the obſervations given.

Verſ. 22. Nevertheleſſe I with-drew my hand, and wrought for my Name ſake, that it ſhould not be polluted in the ſight of the Heathen.

God having purpoſed their deſtruction, ſaw that if hee ſhould proceed thereunto, the Heathens would make an ill ſenſe of it, and blaſpheme his name, for prevention wherof, hee let fall his purpoſe, and would not deſtroy them. This Verſe falls in with the ninth and fourteenth, onelyonly this is in it, which they have not.

p. 72I with-drew my hand.

Vatablus hath it, retraxi manum meam, I drew back my hand. Caſtalio, revocavi; I recalled it. Jun. & Trem. Reduceus manum meam, bringing back my hand, I wrought for my name: Gods hand was ſtretched out, and hee pull'd it back again. The Hebrew word is in Hiphil, And notes thus much, I made to return, I made mine arm come back again, when it was going forth to deſtroy them.

Obſ. Gods people do oft provoke him, both fathers and Children, and ſo that they are at the door, brink, point of deſtruction, and yet he is merciful unto them, and that for his name ſake: When hee cannot ſhew mercy for their ſakes, hee will ſhew mercy for his own names ſake. In the eighth ver. is ſet down their BUT, but they rebelled againſt mee, they would not hearken, they would not forſake their Idols, whereupon God purpoſed to deſtroy them. In the ninth verſ. is Gods BUT, but I wrought for my name, &c. in the 13. verſ. again is their BƲT, but the houſe of Iſrael rebelled, &c. then God was angry again, and purpoſed to conſume them: in the …4, verſ. you have Gods BUT again, But I wrought for my names ſake, &c. in the 16. verſ. you have their BUT the third time, but they polluted my Sabbaths, in the 17. you have Gods Nevertheleſs, or BƲT again, for its the ſame in the Original. Never…heleſſe mine eye ſpared them, &c. in the 21. verſ. you have their Notwithſtanding, or BƲT, once more, the Hebrew is the ſame with But before; Notwithſtanding, or But the Children rebelled, &c. and in this 22. verſe you have Gods BUT, or Nevertheleſſe anſwering thereunto, Nevertheleſſe I with-drew my hand, and wrought for my names ſake: Four times in this Chapter, you have them provoking God even to their ruine, and as many times his ſparing of them: this laſt time his hand was ſtretched out, even at the work, and had hee ſtrucken one blow, had broken them all, but hee recalled his hand, hee would not let his power fall upon them to cruſh them in peeces, but wrought for his name, and their ſafety. If wee have our Buts and Notwithſtandings, importing, rebellion, ingratitude, and diſobedience, p. 73the Lord hath his Buts, and Nevertheleſſes, importing mercy, patience, and loving kindneſſe.

Verſ. 23 I lifted up my hand unto them alſo in the wilderneſſe, that I would ſcatter them among the Heathen, and diſperſe them through the Countries.

24 Becauſe they had not executed my Judgements, but had deſpiſed my Statutes, and had polluted my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers Idols.

In theſe two verſes you may ſee,

1 A commination backt with an oath, in the 23. v.

2 The Reaſon thereof in the 24.

I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderneſs.

Of this Geſture uſed in ſwearing, you heard before, v. 5, 6. but where it was done, will hardly bee found in Moſes writings, that God thus lift up his hand, and threatned to diſperſe them, ſome thing like hereunto, ſee in Deut. 4.26, 27. ch. 28.25.36, 37, 64. chap. 31.21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Lev. 26.33. in thoſe places the Lord threatens to ſcatter them, and David tells you, hee lift up his hand to do it, Pſalm 106.26, 27. he lift up his hand againſt them to overthrow them in the wilderneſs, to overthrow their ſeed alſo among the nations, and to ſcatter them in the lands. Maldonate makes the lifting up the hand here, to be in way of threatning, not of ſwearing.

That I would ſcatter them among, &c.

Of their ſcattering and diſperſion, was ſpoken in the 5, 6, and 12. chapters.

Becauſe they had not executed my Judgements.

Some referre theſe words, and the reſt in the verſe, to the time, after their entrance into Canaan, if then they ſhould not keep Gods judgements and do them, hee having performed his Promiſe unto them, hee would ſcatter and diſperſe them among the Nations, but becauſe the verſe ſpeaks of the time paſt, wee muſt alſo look at what was done, as p. 74well as what was to do; The Children before mentioned had rebelled, and did not keep the judgements of God to do them, they polluted his Sabbaths, and defiled themſelves with their Idols, whereupon God thought to have deſtroyed them in the wilderneſſe, but ſpared them for his Name ſake, that the Egyptians and Nations might not blaſpheme and pollute his name; but knowing that when hee had poſſeſt them of Canaan, that their children would do as they had done, hee lifts up his hand, and threatens their driving out of that Land again, and diſperſion in the Countries, and ſo makes their ſinne the principium, and fundamentum of their Poſterities ruine.

Their eyes were after their Fathers Idols.

In the 8. verſ. hee mentions the Idols of Egypt, and they were their Fathers Idols, which the Children minded, and were intent upon; for when the eyes go after any thing, there is ſome affection in the heart unto that thing, verſ. 16. and Ezek. 6.9. I am broken with their whoriſh heart, which hath departed from mee, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their Idols: if the heart did not affect them, the eyes would not. Fathers Idols affected both the hearts and eyes of their Children, Rachel ſtole her Fathers Gods, Gen. 31.19. and ſaid, they ſhould be her Gods.

Obſ. 1 That Parents ſinnes prepare heavy Judgements for their Poſterity many years after. God lifted up his hand in the wilderneſſe, that hee would ſcatter them among the Heathen, and diſperſe them through the Countries; becauſe they were ſtatute-breakers, Sabbath-polluters, and idol-minders, which fell not upon them, but their poſterity many hundred years after. Junius makes it five hundred; and then they were driven out of the Land of Canaan, and diſperſed into Heatheniſh Nations, a… judgement that deprives men of all their own comforts, and expoſes them to all the injuries of others.E…ilium novo…um molorum initium. Ph lo de Abrahamo. One calls this judgement the beginning of new evils, and it may bee added, of unknown evils. Let Parents therefore take heed how they provoke God by ſinful and wicked practiſes, their poſterity may p. 75ſmart ſoundly for it many years after. Sauls, Jeroboams, and Manaſſes ſinnes, made their Poſterity to feel ſad ſtroaks, long after; and ſome in our daies have ſuffered for their Fathers ſinnes, and its juſt with God they ſhould, when they tread in their fathers ſteps, who have rebelled againſt God.

Verſ. 25. Wherefore I gave them alſo ſtatutes, that were not good, and Judgements whereby they ſhould not live.

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they cauſed to paſſe through the fire, all that openeth the wombe, that I might make them deſolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.

Here is a further progreſſe of Gods judiciary dealings with them, which lyes,

1 In the Statutes and judgements hee gave them.

2 In the polluting of them.

Then you have the end of both, which is,

1 To make them deſolate.

2 To bring them to the knowledge of himſelf.

In this verſe is firſt a figure called Antanaclaſis, which is the reciprocating the ſame words, in a diverſe ſenſe; in the former verſe is mention made of ſtatutes and judgements, which God gave them, verſ. 11. and were his divine word: here is a mentioning of ſtatutes and judgements, which hee gave them as divine puniſhments, being the Commands and devices of men.

2 A figure called Meioſis or Tapeinoſis which is, when leſs is expreſſed, and more intended; as not good,Cum uſur pantur nomina vel verba, leniora pro vehementioribus. Glaſſ. in philolog l. 5. c. 10. is a mild expreſſion, but more is intended in it, viz. hurtful, deadly: So theſe words, ſhould not live, are moderate, but they include that is grievous, namely, death, yea, terrible deaths; they ſhould not onelyonly have no good by them, but much evil, ſore deſtruction.

I gave them my Statutes that were not good.

The Hebrew is, Statutes not good.

p. 76Theſe Statutes were not the Moral Law, though it be a killing Letter, 2 Cor. 3.6. for the Law is holy, juſt, and good, Rom. 7.12. yea perfect, Pſalm 19.7. not the Ceremonials, viz. Sacrifices and Sacraments,Vid. Eſt. in ſent. l. 4. Sect. 27. p. 26. Col. 1. l. 8.Col 1 as Jerome and Eſtius calls them; for though theſe were ſhadows of things to come, yet they had purifying vertue in them, and led to Chriſt, Heb. 9.13. Gal. 3.24. and in this Chapter God ſpeaking of the Statutes and Judgements hee gave them, which comprehend both Morals and Ceremonials, hee ſaith, verſ. 11.13, 21. that they were ſuch, as if they kept them, they might live in them. Neither doth it advantage to ſay, theſe are called not good, becauſe they are leſs good, than thoſe of the Goſpel, let that bee granted, yet thoſe ſtatutes kept, would afford life, but the statutes here meant, were ſuch as whereby they ſhould not live. Not the Tributes and Taxes impoſed upon them by the Nations, when they prevailed againſt them in war, for they were under none in the wilderneſſe, and theſe ſtatutes were given when they were there.

By theſe ſtatutes are meant,

1 Thoſe puniſhments that befell them in the wilderneſs, as the ſword, Exod. 32.27, 28. fiery Serpents, Numb. 21.6. the plague, Numb. 16.49. the earth ſwallowing up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, verſ. 31, 32. fire, ver. 35. ſuſpenſion, chap. 25.4. God commanded the hanging up the Heads of the people, hee appointed the fire, the earth, the plague, the ſword, to do execution upon them, theſe were ſtatutes not good; not good for them, but hurtful, yea, very hurtful, for ſo much not good, implies, and the next words prove, being a further declaration of theſe Judgements, whereby they ſhould not live; theſe ſtatutes and Judgements took away their lives.

2 Thoſe threatnings and curſes you finde Deut. 4.26, 27, 28. ch. 27. from the 15. to the end, and ch. 28. from the 15. to the end, Levit. 26. from the 14. to the 40. theſe were ſentences of death.

3 The Inventions, Laws, Rites, Decrees, Superſtitions, of men, which are called Statutes, Dan. 6.7. Mic. 6.16. the ſtatutes of Omri are kept, and 2 King. 17.8. the ſtatutes of the Heathen. And God is ſaid to give them, in that hee gave them over to theſe which were not good, but tended to death and deſtruction, p. 77ſeeing they would none of mine, I gave them mens.

Obſ. When men flight and violate the Statutes and Judgements of God, he doth not onelyonly threaten, and puniſh them with temporal Judgements, but alſo with ſpiritual: becauſe they deſpiſed Gods ſtatutes, and did not keep his judgements, therefore hee gave them Statutes not good, and judgements whereby they ſhould not live. God threatned them with curſings, cut off many of them in the wilderneſſe, and gave over others to beleeve errors, to follow the imaginations of their own hearts, the Commandements and ſtatutes of men, which was a more dreadful judgement. When men care not for the waies of God, which have good and life in them, its iuſt with God to give them over to the waies of men, that have no good, no life in them; nothing but expence, labour, diſappointment, vexation, and deſtruction, Ezek. 24.12. Jer. 2.36, 37. Prov. 14.12. when Gods people would not liſten to him, hee gave them up to their own hearts luſts, to the perverſe intendments and pertinacies of their hearts, they intended the ſtatutes and judgements of men, of Heathens and Idolaters, thoſe they were ſet upon, and God gave them up unto them, as you may ſee ver. 39. of this chap. go yee, ſerve ye every one his Idol, ſeeing you will not ſubmit to mee any waies, go to your Idols where your eyes and hearts are, and ſerve them according to the ſtatutes and judgements of the Nations whence yee had them; or if they bee of your own deviſing, ſerve them according to the waies of your own hearts, 2. Theſſ. 2.10, 11, 12. when men receive not the love of the truth that they might be ſaved, God ſends them ſtrong deluſions that they ſhould beleeve a lye, and be damned; foreign, the efficacy of error; the truth comes with love, error with efficacy: if truths wooing and love be not entertained, God ſends error with efficacy to ſeize upon men. Becauſe wee have been wanton with the truths, Ordinances, and things of God, not received the love of them, but buſied our wits, and parts about them, yea, againſt them, therefore God hath ſent the efficacy of error to take hold of men. Is not the efficacy of error upon them that ſay, there is no Devil, but holineſſe; no heaven nor hell, but what is in a mans own conſcience? &c.

p. 78And I polluted them in their own gifts.

God being moſt holy, could not communicate any thing that ſhould defile them;Subtraxi meam gratiam & permiſi eos pollui. Vatablus. from a holy God comes nothing but that which is holy and good. Some take it in this ſenſe, that God ſuffered them to do thoſe things which defiled them, to proſtitute themſelves to all abominations.

Sanctius informes us, that one is ſaid to do a thing, when hee declares it to bee done, Levit. 13.3. The Prieſt ſhall look on him, foreign and ſhall pollute him, that is, pronounce, declare him polluted, ſo verſ. 6. hee ſhall cleanſe him, ſaith the Original, that is, declare him to bee clean, and v. 44. the Prieſt ſhall by polluting, pollute him, that is, declare him altogether polluted, and our Ezekiel is ſaid to deſtroy the City, when as hee did but declare the deſtruction of the City,Impuro… eſſe oſtendens, ur impuros tractans, & a me abdicans. Iun. in annot. chap. 43.3. ſo here, God is ſaid to pollute them, in that hee did declare them polluted, and not only ſo, but in that he dealt with them as polluted ones, rejecting them, and their gifts.

In their own gifts.

Quaſi pollutos repuli a me, pollutos judicavi eos & eorum munera.The Septuagint reads it, foreign, and ſo doth Codex ſixti. Complutenſis & Apollinaris ſaith Pradus, in their Opinions and Tenets. When men leave the ſtatutes of God, and take up opinions of their own, or tenets of the world, they pollute themſelves, God judges them ſo, will declare them to bee ſuch, and deal with them as ſuch, this by the way.

By Gifts, are not meant all the Sacrifices which they brought unto the Lord, but their firſt-born, which were to bee given to God, in remembrance of their comming out of Egypt, when the firſt-born of the Egyptians were all ſlain, and the firſt-born of the Iſraelites all preſerved, Exod. 13.2, 3.12.

p. 79In that they cauſed to paſs through the fire, all that openeth the womb.

The Hebrew is, making to paſs all opening of the wombe, its a periphraſis, the opening of the womb, for the firſt-born, and that of the male kind, which were to bee offered to the Lord; but they offered unto Idols, cauſing them to paſſe through the fire, as it is in the 31. ver. of this Chapter, they were forbidden, and that upon pain of death, to let any of their ſeed to paſs through the fire, or to give them unto Molech, Levit. 18.21. ch. 20.2. God expected they ſhould ſtrictly have obſerved his Ordinance of conſecrating their firſt-born unto him, and they either ſacrificed or conſecrated them to Idols. David Pſal. 106.37, 38. tells you, they ſacrificed their Sonnes and Daughters unto Devils, hee calls their Idols Devils, and they ſacrificed their Sonnes, not only their firſt-born, but others, and not onelyonly Sons but Daughters, ſo corrupt were they in their opinions and practice.

If it ſhould bee granted here, as ſome Interpreters conceive, that they did not offer their firſt-born to Idols, but to the true God, that they did not cauſe them to paſs through the fire, as the Heathens did, but cauſed them to paſs from themſelves, from under their power, and give them to God, yet becauſe they deſpiſed his ſtatutes, polluted his Sabbaths, minded Idols, and kept not his Statutes, God polluted them in theſe gifts, declared them and their gifts to be ſuch.

That I might make them deſolate.

The word for deſolate is foreign from foreign to make waſte and deſolate even to astoniſhment, ſome render it here, ut delerem, that I might deſtroy them, and then the ſenſe runnes thus, I have declared what polluted creatures they are, that I may thence take occaſion to deſtroy them: but this ſuits not ſo well with what follows, That they may know that I am the Lord. To keep then to the word as its here. God would make them deſolate, by convincing them of the pollution p. 80of their offerings, and by afflicting their conſciences, making them to ſee, that though they had offered their ſons, their firſt born to him, or to Idols, yet they had gained nothing at his hands thereby, but were ſo far from pleaſing him, that they had greatly provoked him, ſo that they ſhould bee amazed at their deſolation.

Obſ. 1 That if men alienate from God what is due to him, or bring him his due, and live in the breach of his commands, hee will not reſpect them, but declare them to be, and deal with them as polluted ones: They alienated their firſt-born to Idols, which God commanded to bee conſecrated to him, or brought them to God living in the breach of his ſtatutes, and hereupon he ſaith, I polluted them in their own gifts. They thought they did mee good ſervice, and ſhould obtain much favour at my hands, that I would bee a great benefactor unto them, but they were deceived; I look upon them and their gifts as defiled, loathſome things, and pronounced them to bee ſo: Many think their perſons, prayers, and other duties are very acceptable to God, but they will finde them otherwiſe. Iſa. 1.11, 12, 13.14. Mat. 7.22, 23.

Obſ. 2 The Lord would not have men to confide in their ſacrifices and ſervices: Hee declared them polluted, that hee might make them deſolate, beat them off from their hopes and confidences they had upon doing theſe things, wee are apt to reſt upon duties, and to promiſe much to our ſelves thereupon; but when God ſhall tell men they are polluted things they offer, yea, that themſelves are polluted in thoſe offerings, this will ſhake their vain foundations and hopes. When God told them, Hee that killed an Oxe, was as if he flew a man, hee that ſacrificed a Lamb, at if hee cut off a Dogges neck, hee that offered an Oblation, as if hee offered ſwines blood, he that burneth incenſe, at if hee bleſſed an Idol, Iſa. 66.3. did hee not undermine their ſtrong holds, and make them naked? for hee ſhews that all they did was either loſt labour, as the bleſſing of an Idol; or abomination, as ſwines bloud; or dangerous, as cutting off a dogges neck; or deadly, as killing of a man: thus God polluted them in their own gifts and doings, and made them deſolate. Thus Chriſt dealt with the Scribes and Phariſees, Mat. 23.13, p. 8114, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29. they look for bleſſings, not for woes, but they were polluted, what ever their confidences were, and Chriſt declares them to bee ſo, and makes them deſolate.

Obſ. 3 The Lord ſtripes men of their righteouſneſs, and beats them out of their confidences, that they might come to him, bottome upon him, and find him a ſure foundation: God would make them deſolate, to the end, that they might know that hee was the Lord, that they might not truſt in their ſacrifices, but in him, the God of them, and their ſacrifices; in him that could ſhew them their errors, and pardon them being ſhewn: when men are deprived of their ſuppoſed comforts, convinced of the falſeneſſe of their confidences, ſurrounded with the guilt and evil of their waies, they beginne to look where ſuccour is to bee had, to runne from the ſand to the rock; from themſelves, and al that is their own, unto the living God, and look at his promiſes to beleeve them, and his Statutes to obey them, and ſo imbracing him for the allſufficient good, abide with, and build upon him alone.

Verſ. 27 Therefore Sonne of man, ſpeak unto the houſe of Iſrael, and ſay unto them, thus ſaith the Lord God, yet in this your fathers have blaſphemed mee, in that they have committed a treſpaſs against me.

28 For when I had brought them into the Land, for the which I lifted up mine hand, to give it to them, then they ſaw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their Sacrifices, and there they preſented the provocation of their offering: there alſo they made their ſweet ſavour, and powred out there their drink offerings.

29 Then I ſaid unto them, what is the high place whereunto ye go? and the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

Having ſpoken of the proceedings between God and this People in Egypt, and the wilderneſſe; wee are come now to the paſſages, between them in the land of Canaan.

For the Lords part hee brought them into the Land, ver. p. 8228. which is the onelyonly mercy mentioned, but it was ſuch a mercy as included a multitude of mercies in it, for it was a land fl…wed with milk and honey, the glory of all lands, as twice you have it in this Chapter; and ſomething of the goodneſſe of this Land, you may ſee Deut. 8.7, 8, 9. and ch. 6.10, 11. it was the Land that God had lifted up his hand, and ſware to give them, and hee brought them into it, without the help of any other people, even by his own arme, for he deſtroyed the ſeven Nations in it, Act. 13.19. and he gave them the Lands of the Heathen, and they inherited the labour of the People, Pſalm. 105.44. and why did the Lord bring them into this Land? the next verſe ſhews, that they might obſerve his ſtatutes, and keep his Laws. Which thing they did not, for

1 They blaſphemed him, verſ. 27.

2 They fell to Idolatry, verſ. 28.

3 They Perſiſted in it, verſ. 29.

Yet in this your Fathers have blaſphemed me.

foreignThe Hebrew for yet in this, is moreover this, adhuc hoc. Septuagint foreign, even to this, they ſinned and dealt ingratefully, not onelyonly till they came to Canaan, but in Canaan: they were not content with what they had done in Egypt, and the wilderneſſe againſt me, but they continued in their wickedneſſe, and added ſin to ſin, doing worſe and worſe daily.

foreign from foreignOr Moreover in this, and ſo it notes ſome hainous and great offence, viz. what he mentions in the end of the verſe.

Have blaſphemed me.

invectus eſt in aliquem atrocibus verbis, prebris affecit, contumeli…ſi in me fuerunt. Cal. foreign.The Hebrew word ſignifies to revile with words, to reproach, and blaſpheme. The Septuagint is foreign, they provoked me, they were contumelious, diſgracing me.

The French, others, and our Tranſlation have it blaſpheme, which is to hurt the name or fame of any, and is a kinde of evil ſpeaking, derogating from the glory of God; quantum in ipſa eſt, Gods glory or name in it ſelf is inviolable, p. 83but blaſphemy doth what it can to violate it.

Aquinas makes it to conſiſt,Blaſphemia eſt attribuere deo quod ei non convenit: vel detrahere ab eo quod ei convenit.

1 In attributing to God what is not congruous to him, as to ſay, hee is the author of ſin. Hee ſees not, hee hath forſaken the earth, Ezek. 8.12. hee is like unto man, Pſalm 50.21.

2 In detracting from him what belongs unto him, as to deny his providence, his omniſcience, his omnipotence; as can hee provide a Table in the Wilderneſſe? Pſal. 78.…9. if hee ſhould make windows in heaven could this thing be? 2 King. 7.2. to which may bee added.

3 The doing of ſuch things as cauſe Gods name to be blaſphemed, as Rom. 2.24. the name of God is blaſphemed among the Gentiles through you, as there is practical Atheiſme, Tit. 1.16. ſo practical blaſphemy.

In that they have committed a Treſpaſs, againſt me.

The Hebrew is, In their prevaricating, foreigna prevarication againſt mee. The doubling of the word intends the ſignification, and notes the greatneſſe of their ſin, and progreſs in their wickedneſſe.

The Vulgar is, ſeeing that deſpiſing they have deſpiſed me; Cum ſpreviſſent me contemnentes. Quandile ſeſont deſbonche contre moy Fr. Tranſcenſio volens & contra conſcientiam ex contemptu, temerita…e & contumacia Kirk. Inveh…nces in cultus me… veritatem.The word foreign Notes ſuch prevarication, and ſinning, as hath the will in it: hence Piſcator renders the words here, Prevaricati ſunt contra me perfidiſſime, they have perfidiouſly ſinned againſt me. They ſinned not ignorantly, or of common infirmity, but with an high hand. Calvin ſaith it was Del…berata inſolentia, dum ita improbe in deum ſurrexerunt, ac ſi conſpuerent in ejus faciem. Jun. ſaith, their ſin was ſpeaking againſt the truth of Gods worſhip, for when People fall to falſe worſhip, they will diſparage, if not wholly deſpiſe the worſhip they had before; So then here wee may underſtand, both their ſpeaking againſt the true worſhip of God, and practiſing contrary thereunto.

Obſ. Wilful ſinning is a Reproaching, a blaſpheming of God, and provokes him greatly. In this your Fathers have blaſphemed mee, in that they have committed a treſpaſs▪ againſt p. 84mee, they have ſpoken againſt my worſhip, and runne out to other waies which I forbad them, other ſinnes they have committed which I could have winked at, but when they ſinne wilfully, deſpiſing mee, my Laws, my worſhip, they reproach, blaſpheme, provoke mee ſo, that they ſhall hear of it. Son of man go, and ſpeak to the houſe of Iſrael, go and tell them how they have dealt with mee, and how I take it. Such ſins did deſerve death, Num. 15.30, 31. The ſoul that doth ought preſumptuouſly, whether he be born in the Land, or a ſtranger, the ſame reproacheth the Lord. foreign its the ſame word is here for Blaſphemed, and may as well bee rendred ſo as reproacheth (for hee that reproacheth the Lord blaſphemes him, and hee that blaſphemes him, reproacheth him, they are joyned together, 2 King. 19.22.) and what then? That Soul ſhall bee cut off from among his people, becauſe hee hath deſpiſed the word of the Lord, and hath broken his Commandement, that ſoul ſhall utterly bee cut off. There was no mercy for thoſe ſinned in that manner, Heb. 10.26, 28. many I fear commit ſuch treſpaſſes in theſe daies, by ſpeaking againſt Providence, Ordinances, Scriptures, Angels, Chriſt, God himſelf, and ſo ſin away mercy and their own ſouls at once. David prayed that God would keep him back from preſumptuous ſinnes, Pſal. 19.13. and wee had need do it, for there is that in our natures which carries us on ſtrongly towards them, as much as they did him; remember what Solomon ſaith, Prov. 28. Happy is the man that feareth alwaies, but hee that hardeneth his heart, that preſumeth, that is wilful, pertinacious, ſhall fall into miſchief; into miſchievous ſinnes, into miſchievous judgements, chap. 13.13. Who ſo deſpiſeth the word ſhall bee deſtroyed, but hee that feareth the Commandement ſhall bee rewarded; hee that ſleights the word and waies of God, deſtruction is his portion, but he that fears to violate the command of God, ſhall bee rewarded, foreign hee ſhall have peace, ſafety, a man by deſpiſing or fearing the word, & command of God, doth neither hurt the one nor advantage the other, but hee may, hee doth hurt or advantage himſelf▪ and that greatly.

p. 8528 Then they ſaw every high Hill, &c.

In this verſe, you have the Idolatry they fell into, when they came into the Land of Canaan, with the degrees thereof.

Firſt, Their Leaving of God, and looking unto the Hills,Iis locis & arboribus quae prae caeteris erant inſignes aliquid divinitatis in eſſe purabant Gentes. Ideo ibi idolis ſacrificabant Mariana. yea, every high hill, and all the thick trees, they gave liberty to their eies to ſpy out places, ſuitable to their Idolatrous thoughts, on hills, and places beſet with thick trees the Heathens worſhipped, and their Hearts and eyes were towards ſuch places.

2 Their making Altars, and ſacrificing there, they offered there their Sacrifices, &c. they ſhould not have ſacrificed any where, but in the place God appointed, which was firſt the Tabernacle, afterwards the Temple: but they ſpied out hills, groves, thickets, ſet up Altars, and ſacrificed on them, thoſe offerings which were peculiar unto God.

3 Their Continuance and expencefulneſſe therein, they offered Sacrifices, They poured out there their drink offerings.

4 Their Content and delight they took therein, there alſo they made their ſweet ſavour.

The provocation of their Offering.

The Hebrew is, The indignation and anger of their Corban, foreign Korban omne donum ſignificat quod ad ſacros uſus offertur, de pecoribus, frugibus aliiſque rebus. Mincha Non tam late patet ſed de frugibus terrae tantum in. elligitur.that is, their approaching gift, or offering. Jun. hath it, irritamentum oblationis ſuae, the irritation of their oblation: Piſcat. Oblationes irritantes, provoking oblations, becauſe by them they did provoke God to anger, to judgements.

There is a figure in theſe words, called Hyppalage, which is ſuch a tranſpoſing of words, as that is ſaid of one, which ſhould bee ſaid of the other, as here, provocation of offerings, for Offerings provoking.

There alſo they made their ſweet ſavour.

The Original for ſweet ſavour is, Reach nichochehem, The Odour of their reſts, Odores grotos ſuos, their acceptable odours, p. 86when they had offered theſe, they thought the Lord ſmelt a ſweet ſavour, was well pleaſed with them, and ſo reſted in them, which phanſied reſt was pleaſing to them, though it laſted not, neither had reality in it, for their incenſe or ſweet ſavour, was a provocation to God.

Obſ. 1 That what the Lord promiſeth hee makes good, how difficult, or impoſſible ſoever it ſeems to man: The Lord had promiſed them Canaan, and how ſhould they come to it? they were bond-men in Egypt, there is a red Sea, a vaſt wilderneſſe between Egypt and Canaan, and beſide, Canaan had ſtrong men in it, ſonnes of Anack, Cities walled and great, ſeveral Kings to oppoſe and keep them out, but notwithſtanding all theſe difficulties, God having promiſed to bring them in, hee did it, when I had brought them into the Land, for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to them; His hand that was lift up to confirm them, it ſhould be done, was let out for the doing thereof, that hand could take away all doubts, could alſo take away all difficulties. There is nothing too hard for the Lord, hee will work, and who ſhall, who can let it, Iſa. 43.13. As hee is gracious to Promiſe, ſo faithfull and able to perform, and doth in due time make good whatever hee hath promiſed, though it ſeem impoſſible: hee ſaid, a Virgin ſhould bring forth, Iſa. 7.14. and was it not made good? Mat. 1.18. that Abraham who was aged ſhould have a Childe; and his ſeed bee as the ſtarres of Heaven, and were not both made good? Gen. 21.2. Exod. 12.37. Numb. 11.21. not one word fail'd of all that God promiſed Moſes, 1 King. 8.56. this ſhould make us beleeve the promiſes of God, what ever fleſh and bloud objects.

Obſ. 2 Mens habitations are given and aſſigned unto them of the Lord, I brought them into the Land, I gave it them. If men bee removed from place to place, ſeated here or there, the hand of the Lord is in it, if they have commodious, pleaſant gainful habitations, if they dwell ſafely under vines, and fig-trees, as it is 1 King 4.25. its the Lords doing, his providence diſpoſed it ſo, and wee ſhould be thankful in and for our habitations, and minde the heavenly Canaan, and thoſe manſions mentioned, Joh. 14.2. prepared for p. 87thoſe do beleeve, and glorify God, out of which, when once we are poſſeſſed of them, wee ſhall never bee removed.

Obſ. 3 Circumſtances of time and place do aggravate mens ſinnes, and make them hainous. When I had brought them into the Land, then they ſaw every high hill, there they offered ſacrifices, there they preſented the provocation of their offerings, there they made their ſweet ſavour, there they poured out their drink offerings, here bee four theres, every one aggravating and accenting their ſinnes. This was ingratitude with a witneſſe, that the Lord ſhould bring them into ſuch a land as flowed with milk and honey, and they ſhould beſtow the milk and honey upon Idols, into ſuch a land as was the glory of all lands, and they ſhould defile it, and make it abominable, as it is, Jer. 2.7. I brought you into a plentiful Countrey, to eat the fruit thereof, and the goodneſs therof, but when ye entered ye defiled my Land, & made mine heritage an abomination, This, this, made their ſin exceeding ſinful, and the Lord to ſet the emphaſis upon it. There, in Canaan, the Land I eſpied out for them, they ſinned; there, in Canaan, where I fulfilled my promiſe, made to their Fathers and them, they ſinned, There, in Canaan, out of which I drove mighty Nations for their ſakes, they ſinned. There, in Canaan, the Land I choſe to dwell in, they ſet up Altars, and diverted my Sacrifices, Offerings, and ſweet ſavours unto them. There, where I looked they ſhould have become an holy people unto mee, they became like the Nations, and worſe than the Nations round about them.

Sinning after great mercies beſtowed, and where they were beſtowed, makes ſinne ſinful above meaſure.

Obſ. 4 When men go out from Gods truths, Ordinances, and waies of worſhip, they are restleſſe, and run from opinion to opinion, and from one way to another: they ſaw every high hill, and all the thick trees, they ran from hill to hill, from tree to tree, and were not long ſatisfied any where, when they had found an hill pleaſed them, ſet up an Altar there, and ſacrificed a while, they grow to diſlike of that place, and that Altar, then they muſt to another hill, have another Altar, which had its time, and then that was left; and to the p. 88thick trees they go, and there they fall in with the worſhippers, and waies there in practice, and ſo from Altar to Altar, from place to place, and not ſatisfied, Ezek. 16.29. and its juſt with God, that thoſe men who go out from him, and off from the waies and forms of worſhip hee hath preſcribed (depriving him of his legiſlativeneſſe therein) ſhould be given up unto reſtleſſeneſſe of Spirit. This is abundantly verified among the Papiſts, where they runne from Saint to Saint, from Altar to Altar, and from one order of Fryers and Jeſuits to another; yea, this hath been ſignally fulfilled amongſt us, in our daies; wherein many having left and caſt off Gods waies and worſhip, have runne into variety of opinions and practiſes; they have ſeen every hill, every tree, every Altar, every way; and may it not bee ſaid as of the unclean ſpirits in the Goſpel, they have walked in dry places, ſought reſt and found none? Mens waies, opinions, intentions, are dry things, and have no reſt in them. OnelyOnly Gods waies and Ordinances have vertue in them, to moiſten, quicken, comfort, and ſatisfy us, Mic. 2.7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? what ever the ſickly phanſies of men are, Gods words and waies are good, and they onelyonly do good to the ſonnes of men that walk uprightly, Prov. 10.29. The way of the Lord is ſtrength to the upright, not to thoſe turn aſide to the whimſies, phanſies, and wills of men.

Obſ. 5 That may bee offenſive and hateful to God, which men judge to bee grateful and acceptable. They preſented the provocation of their offerings, or provoking offerings; whom did they provoke? even the Lord, whom they concluded they greatly pleaſed; for it follows, there they made alſo their ſweet ſavour; They made account their ſweet ſavours would bee ſweet in the noſtrils of God, but they were ſtinking, and loathſome, becauſe not offered where they ſhould have been offered,Suffitum quidebuerat eſſe benae fragrantiae reddiderint ſaetidum ſuis corruptelis. Calv. nor as God had appointed, nor came from hearts beleeving and obedient. They were at great pains and charges in their ſacrifices, offerings, ſweet ſavours, and what was the iſſue of it? inſtead of pleaſing, they provoked God. Amos 5.21, 22. I hate, I deſpiſe your feaſt days, and I will not ſmell in your ſolemn aſſemblies, though you offer met p. 89burnt offerings, and your meat offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beaſts. 24 Let judgement run down as waters, and righteouſneſſe as a mighty ſtream; they thought that notwithſtanding all their injuſtice, that their ſacrifices and ſervices ſhould be accepted, but God was ſo far from it, hee deſpiſed and hated them; the like you have in Jer. 6.20. let us take heed leaſt wee provoke God by our ſacrifices, while wee think wee pleaſe him. If they bee not from gracious hearts, tendered up in faith, according to rule, and for his glory, he will ſay as it is, Iſa. 57.6. ſhould I receive comfort in theſe?

29 Then I ſaid unto them, What is the high place whereunto yee go?

Here the Lord doth reprove them for, and ſeek to reclaim them from their Idolatry; you know that place I have choſen where my Tabernacle is, the Altar I have appointed for ſacrifices: what is the high place whither yee go?Signific…t excelſum alta vel fanum in nemore erectum, Pradus. Aedificium quod cunque a terra exaltatum aut in loco excellentiori poſitum ut foreign. Shindl. Some ſerch foreign from foreign or foreign, and ſo make the lews guilty of bringing in this name & ſu, erticus practice into the Iewiſh worſhip from the Heathens. what is it for? what do you there? why tranſgreſſe you my ſtatutes, and keep not to them? To this effect and purpoſe the Lord ſpake by his Prophets unto them.

The word for High place, is, foreign that high, or the high place. Some think it an high Altar, or a Chappel built in a wood, or on an high hill. It was the practice of the Gentiles, upon hills, and under green trees, to build Altars with ſteps, or aſcenſions to go up by, which the Jews imitated contrary to command, for God had bid them to make an Altar of earth unto him, and where hee ſhould appoint and if of ſtone, it muſt not be of hewen ſtone, neither might his Altar have any ſteps, Exod. 20.24, 25, 26. Neither was the Altar of God ever cal'd Bama, an high place, but Mizbeach, the Sacrificatory, or the place of ſlaying and ſacrificing. But the Jews falling to Heatheniſh Cuſtomes, and practiſes, learned their names, and impoſed them upon their Altars, called them Bamaes or Bamoths. When God therefore ſaith, What is the high place, or Bama, hee doth reprove and upbraid them for their Idolatry; what madneſſe is this in you, that p. 90you have forſaken the Temple and Altar of God, to go to the Bamaes, the high places, hills and trees of Heathens, that you prefer their ways before mine? what is it you finde there, that you cannot keep your habitations, and content your ſelves with what I have appointed you. Are the gods of the Nations, and their high places, better than the God of Iſrael and his Altar?

And the Name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

They deſiſted not from that Idolatrous name and practice they had taken up, but perſiſted therein, they had called thoſe places Bamah, and would call them ſo ſtill, they were tenacious of their ſuperſtitious opinions, names and waies, The high places remained till the daies of Joſiah, 2 Chron. 134.3.

Obſ. 1 Such is the perverſeneſſe of mens natures and ſpirits, that they are not context with what God in his infinite wiſdome and goodneſſe hath preſcribed them in point of worſhip; what is the high place whereunto yee go? am not I your God? have not I given you an Altar? appointed Sacrifices, and told you where and how you muſt ſacrifice? have not I accepted your Sacrifices, when brought according to my direction? why do you go out from mee, and are not content with what is mine? This is the evil of mans nature, that it oft rejects what is divine, and chuſes what is humane, it leaves the Creator's, and chuſes the Creatur's. Jer. 2.13. my people have committed two great evils, they have forſaken mee the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out Ciſterns, broken Ciſterns that can hold no water.

Obſ. 2 That Superſtitious names, waies, and practiſes once taken up, are not eaſily laid down again: They had an high place called Bamah, and that high place they would go unto, and keep that name, though the Lord had oft reproved them for it, and not onelyonly that, but other high places alſo: when the Altar of Damaſcus, the Image of Jealouſy, and Tammuz, were once admitted amongſt them, they were not ſuddenly or eaſily removed again. Ephraim having taken up the names of Baalim, would not lay them aſide, p. 91till God took them out of her mouth, Hoſ. 2.17. Are there not names amongſt us, kept to this day, which ſprung from groſs Idolatry? Ʋorſtegan tells you, that Sunday was ſo called from the Idol of the Sunne, unto whoſe adoration it was dedicated; ſo Monday from the Idol of the Moon, Tueſday from the Idol Tuiſco, Wedneſday from the Idol Woden, Thurſday from the Idol Thor, Fryday from the Idol Friga, or Frea; and Saturday from the Idol Scater, not Saturn. Theſe were Saxon Idols, and they who gave the daies their names, and dedicated them unto ſuch Idols, ſinned greatly; and its not excuſable that wee keep their memory ſtill alive, calling the daies by ſuch names, which are diſhonourable to God and Scripture. The Rhemiſts diſ-allow theſe names of the daies, they ſay Sunday is an Heatheniſh calling, as all other of the week daies bee, ſome impoſed after the names of Planets, as in the Romans time; ſome by the name of certain Idols that the Saxons did worſhip, and to which they dedicated their daies before they were Chriſtians, which names the Church uſed not.

Verſ. 30 Wherefore ſay unto the houſe of Iſrael, thus ſaith the Lord God. Are ye polluted after the manner of your Fathers, and commit ye whoredome after their abominations?

31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your Sonnes to paſs through the fire, yee pollute your ſelves with all your Idols, even unto this day: and ſhall I bee enquired of by you, O Houſe of Iſrael? As I live ſaith the Lord God I will not be inquired of by you.

32 And that which commeth into your mind, ſhall not bee at all, that ye ſay, wee will bee as the Heathen, as the families of the Countries to ſerve wood and ſtone.

Here you have beſides the Prophets Commiſſion in the beginning of the 30. ver.

1 An imputation of their wretched practices unto them, they followed the ſteps of their Fathers, they became Idolatrous like them, offering their gifts to Idols, they cauſed p. 92their children to paſs through the fire, they perſiſted in their wickedneſſe.

2 Gods reſolution and Oath not to have to do with them, ſhall I be inquired of by you? &c. v. 31.

3 His fruſtration of their counſels and deſignes. Verſ. 32. That which commeth, &c,

Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers?

The Elders of Iſrael that were in Babylon came to the Prophet to inquire of the Lord, touching the affairs of Jeruſalem. The Lord commands the Prophet to ask them this queſtion. Are ye polluted after the manner of your Fathers? intimating that they were, and therefore, their comming to the Prophet was but a pretence, and ſhould ſpeed accordingly.

OEcolampad. reads the words thus, do yee not pollute your ſelves in the way of your Fathers? An non in via patrum veſtrorum voſmet polluitis. An non in via patrum veſtrorum polluti eſtis. Vos majorum veſtrorum moribus polluti.Vatablus, are ye not polluted in the way of your Fathers? Caſtalio, hath it without an interrogation, you are polluted with the manners of your Aunceſtors; but its beſt with the interrogation, for interrogationes vehementer affirmant. Interrogations in Scripture, ſometimes ſerve for admiration, as Luke 1.34. How ſhall this bee, ſeeing I know not man? ſometimes for demonſtration, Pſal. 15.1. Lord who ſhall abide in thy Tabernacle, who ſhall dwell in thy holy hill? ſomtimes they are arguments of Doubting, as Luk. 1.18. ſaith Zachary, whereby ſhall I know this? for I am an Old man, and my wife well ſtricken in years? Sometimes they note indignation, as Exod. 10.3. How long wilt thou refuſe to humble thy ſelf before mee? let my people go that they may ſerve me. Sometimes they hold out accuſation, and exprobration, as Mal. 3.14. what profit is it that wee have kept his Ordinances, and that wee have walked mournfully, before the Lord of Hoſts? here the interrogation notes, both indignation and expr…bration, Are ye polluted after the manner of your Fathers? do yee live in their ſins, and come to inquire of the Prophet, and of me by the Prophet? I am angry and cannot indure ſuch vile pretences, and deep diſſimulation.

p. 93And Commit ye whoredome after their Abominations?

By Whoredome is meant idolatrizing, and wherein Idolatry reſembles whoredome, hath formerly been hinted unto you, Chap. 6. v. 9. its a violating the Covenant, between God and his People, which is called marriage, Jer. 3.14. Hoſ. 2.2. it is to go out from the true God to other gods, Deut. 31.16. it is to Sacrifice to Devils, Levit. 17.7. to minde wizzards, ch. 20.6. to ſeek after our own hearts, eyes, and inventions, Numb. 15.39. Pſa. 106.39.

31 When ye offer your gifts.

The Hebrew is, in elevating your gifts; by gifts in the 26 v. were underſtood their firſt-born, but here gifts and firſt-born are diſtinct. When you offer your gifts, when you make your ſons paſs through the fire.

Theſe Gifts were thoſe other Oblations appointed in the Law, or what ever they voluntarily beſtowed upon their Idols, as in Ezekiel 16.18, 19.

When ye make your Sonnes to paſs through the fire.

Of theſe words ſomething hath been ſaid before in the 16. Chap. 20, 21. verſes. I ſhall add a little.

The Heathens were wont in times of publick Calamity,Apud veteres in more, poſitum erat, ut in ſummis reipublicae calamitatibus, penes quos aut civitatis, aut gentis imperium eſſet, ii liberorum cariſſimi ultoribus daemonibus jugulati, ſanguinum quaſi pretio publicum exitium peſtemque redinaerent, qui vero cum ad ſacrificium devovebantur, eos myſticis quibuſdam ceremoniis adhibitis jugulabant. Euſeb. de preparat. Evang. l. 1▪ Lactant. l 1. c, 21. to ſacrifice their Children, ſaith Euſeb. And Lactantius tells of Peſcennius Fertus, ſaying, that the Carthaginians did Sacrifice men to Saturn, and being overcome by Agathoeles King of the Sicilians, thinking their God was angry with them, they offered two hundred Noble mens Sonnes to pacifye him. Sometimes they killed them, ſometimes they drowned them, and ſometimes they burnt them.

p. 94This practice of ſacrificing their children, to pacify their provoked gods, ſome affirm to be taken up from Abrahams ſacrificing of his Son, with which God was ſo well pleaſed, that he gave forth a large Eulogy of him for it. But its not probable that it proceeded thence, for the Lord ſuffered not Abraham to do it, and prohibited by a ſevere law the doing of ſuch a thing, viz. the ſacrificing of their children to Idols, Lev. 20.2. It was more likely from the Devil in their Oracles, for Plutarch tels of the Lacedemonians, who being greatly afflicted with the Plague,In paralellis. c. 66. Cited by Peter Mart. upon the Kings. had an Anſwer from the Oracle of Apollo, that the Plague ſhould ceaſe, if they ſacrificed a Virgin choſen out of the chiefe of the Nobility. Doubtleſſe it was Satan put this into the Hearts of men, for hee was a murderer from the beginning, and delighteth much in ſhedding of mans bloud, eſpecially in honour to himſelf, Pſal. 106.37. for ſuch ſacrifices were to him and his.Tertul. in Scorpiaco. Some ſacrificed men to Diana; ſome to Mercury; ſome to Saturn, whom diverſe think and affirm to bee Molech, the Idol the Jews ſacrificed their Children unto.Vide Petrum Martyr in 2 King 3. Ainſworth in Lev. 18.21.2 Kgs 3Lev 18:21 They admitted the Heatheniſh Idol, and the Heatheniſh practice, 2 King. 16.3. Ahaz made his Sonnes to paſs through the fire, according to the abominations of the Heathen, and it was to Molech, that he, and others, made their Children paſs through the fire unto, ch. 23.10. This Molech was a great brazen Idol, having a calves head, and hands to receive whatever was offered, it being hollow, had ſeven diſtinct cavities in it. The

1 For thoſe offered fine flower.

2 For thoſe offered Turtles.

3 For thoſe offered A Sheep.

4 For thoſe offered A Ram.

5 For thoſe offered A Calf.

6 For thoſe offered An Oxe.

7 For thoſe offered Their Children.

For the Children offered, It is conceived they were burnt alive in that hollow place they were put into, or upon, or elſe they were put into the Armes of the Idol, and roſted to death in them; at the doing whereof, they made hideous noiſes with Kettles or Drummes, that p. 95the ſcreechings and cries of the Children might not bee heard.Tam barbaros, tam immanes fuiſſe homines, ut particidium ſuum, id eſt tetrum & execrabile humano generi facimus ſacrificium vocarent: quum teneras atque innocentes animas quae maxime eſt aetas parentibus dulcior, ſine ullo reſpectu pietatis extinguerent, immanitatemque omnium beſtiarum, quae tamen faetus ſuos amant, feritate fuperarent. O dementiam inſanabilem, quid illis iſti dii amplius facere poſſent ſi eſſent iratiſſimi quam faciunt propitii? quun… ſuos cultores patricidiis inquinant, orbitatibus mactant, humanis ſenſibus ſpoliant? Lactantius de falſa religio. l. 1.

And ſhall I bee enquired of by you O houſe of Iſrael? &c.

Theſe words you had in the 3. v. they need not now to bee opened, only there is Elders of Iſrael, and here its O houſe of Iſrael.

Obſ. 1 The waies of our fore-fathers are not alwaies to be trodden in and followed: are yee polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredome after their abominations? Here the Lord is angry with them, accuſes and upbraids them for following their fathers. Its not alwaies unlawful ſo to do. Joſiah walked in all the waies of David his Father, and turned not aſide to the right hand or to the left, 2 King. 22.2. ſo Hezekiah did according to all that David his Father did, chap. 18.3. men that are good, and walk in the waies of God they may bee followed. Solomon commends them that walk in the way of Good men, and keep the paths of the righteous, Prov. 2.20. but when men forſake the waies of truth, mercy, and righteouſneſſe, fall to falſe worſhip, unjuſt, and unwarrantable practices, Children ought not to tread in their fathers ſteps, if they do, they will pollute themſelves, and provoke God againſt them, as theſe did here: fore-fathers are not to bee followed in doctrin, worſhip, or manners, further than they follow the word and Chriſt. Paul that great Apoſtle would not have any to follow him, further than hee followed Chriſt, 1 Corinthans 11.1. The Theſſalonians followed Paul, Sylvanus, Timothy, but they followed the Lord alſo, and theſe men no otherwiſe than they followed him; if men will follow their fathers, they muſt ſee to it, that they were ſound in the Faith, ſound in their worſhip, and ſound in their lives; for the exhortation is, Joh. 3. Ep. v. 11. To follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. Hee that doth good, is of God, he p. 96that doth evil hath not ſeen God, and Heb. 6.12. Bee followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promiſes.

Obſ. 2 That Children to uphold the cuſtomes and practices of their fathers, will part with things dear, and do unnaturally; eſpecially if pretence of religion come in. The fathers of theſe in Babylon, they were Idolaters, they ſacrificed their children to Idols, under pretence of the more acceptance, and to uphold ſuch cuſtomes and doing of their Fathers; the children part with their dear and tender infants, do impious, unjuſt, and inhumane things, cauſe their little ones to paſs through the fire to bee burnt to aſhes, in honour of their fained and falſe Deities. Superſtition and Idolatry make men unnatural. Beaſts, will preſerve their young, and venture their lives to ſave their little ones;Tantum religio potuit ſuadere malorum Quae peper it ſaepe ſceleroſa atque impia facta. Nonne ſatius eſt pecudum more vivere, quam deos tam impios, tam prophanos tam ſanguinarios colere. Lact. when men do willingly deſtroy theirs under pretence of religion; and put them to ſuch Cruel tortures. The Papiſts do uphold the ſinful waies of their fore-fathers at dear rates, and are unnatural in whipping of themſelves. If theſe, and Jews did part with dear things to maintain the wicked waies of their fathers, and do unnaturally, unjuſtly, to keep them up, what condemnation will it bee to us, if wee will not part with things needful, do things Chriſtian, and juſt to uphold true Religion, and uphold the lawful and godly practiſes of our fore-fathers? If they would part with their children and bloud for maintenance of Idolatry, what ſhould wee think too dear for maintenance of the Goſpel: people will part with dear things to maintain their opinions, even their modeſty to uphold a conceit of perfection.

Obſ. 3. Hypocriſy ſo diſpleaſes God that he will have nothing to do with Hypocrites: Theſe Elders, this houſe of Iſrael they polluted themſelves in their Fathers ſinnes, they took up waies of falſe worſhip, and lived in the ſame to the day they came to inquire, and what ſaith God, ſhall I be enquired of by you, O houſe of Iſrael? you diſſemble, act the Hypocrites part, and you provoke mee, not onelyonly to refuſe to hear you, but to ſwear againſt you, As I live I will not bee enquired of by you; you come not in ſincerity, but in ſubtlety, you pretend to walk in my waies, but you intend to follow your fathers waies, you make as if you would worſhip mee, but you mean to worſhip Idols; Ah you old Hypocrites, painted p. 97ſepulchres, why come yee to mee? I will not hear, anſwer, have to do with you. Hypocrites ſeem to do that they do not, 2 King. 17.33. they feared the Lord, and ſerved their own Gods, that is, they ſeemed to fear him, but did not, for v. 34. its ſaid; They fear not the Lord. Hypocrites would joyn God and their own waies, or fathers waies together, but it will not take with him, Mat. 6.24. No man can ſerve two Maſters. The great Maſter of truth ſaid this; and when men lean to their Fathers waies, love them and Idols, they deſpiſe God and hate his waies. There is no truth in them, no Methaphyſical Truth, their notions agree not with the mind of God; no Phyſical truth, there is no reality in their words or actions; No Moral Truth, their lives agree not with their profeſſions. John Hus had the Devil pictured upon his Cloaths, but hee had Chriſt within; Hypocrites have the picture of Chriſt without, but the Devil within. Satan hath their hearts, or the greateſt part of them, Hoſ. 10.2. Their heart is divided: now ſhall they bee found faulty, hee ſhall break down their Altars: God will not accept them, nor their Sacrifices, hee will appear againſt them and their doings.

Labor therfore to be ſincere, for the upright are his delight. Thoſe regard iniquity in their hearts, who ever they bee, what every they inquire and ſeek for at the hands of God, God will not hear them, but diſcover them, and give them the reward of Hypocrites.

32 And that which commeth into your mind, ſhall not be at all.

The Hebrew runnes thus, That which aſcends upon the Spirit, by being ſhall not bee; That is, your thoughts, purpoſes, Counſels, determinations, which are riſen up in your heads, and hearts, and take impreſſion there, have a being in them, they ſhall loſe their being and come to nothing, you look upon them as having much eſſence in them, but they ſhall all vaniſh. Vulg. is, Neque cogitatio mentis veſtrae fiet, the thought of the mind ſhall not be effected.

p. 98That ye ſay we will be as the Heathen.

Here the thought of their heart is made known. Theſe Elders of Iſrael conſidering the condition they were in, thought it beſt to caſt off the God of Iſrael, and his worſhip, and to fall to the Gods of the Nations, and their worſhip, to ceaſe from their Judaiſme, and to turn to Gentiliſme. They thought the Gods of the Heathen dealt better with them, than the God of the Jews did with them. Or if their God were the God of all Nations, yet hee ſhewed more kindneſſe to them, ſerving wood and ſtone, than hee did to the Jewiſh People, who were tyed up by ſtrict Laws; burdened with a multitude of Sacrifices and Ceremonies, now ſpoiled, Captives, held under hard bondage, in danger of being cut off, for Zedekiahs revolt and perfidiouſneſſe; whereas the Babylonians and Provinces belonged to them did proſper, were in ſafety and peace; and let the beſt bee made of it, they knew that they muſt abide many years under the Babyloniſh yoak, therefore thought it the wiſeſt courſe to become like the Heathens, to conform to their worſhip and manners, whereby they ſhould bee lookt upon as of them, and not of Abraham; As men of Babylon, not of Sion; As Gentiles not Iſraelites; and ſo provide for their ſafety, peace, and Proſperity.

As the Families of the Countrey.

They made account to caſt off the worſhip of the God of Iſrael, which expoſed them to reproach, hatred, and hard ſufferings, and to give up themſelves fully to their Gods, their worſhip, and obſervance of their Rites; they intended to incorporate and become one with the Babyloniſh race and brood, that ſo they might have a Babyloniſh happineſſe, and be free from the ſtroaks of the God of Iſrael, under whom they ſuffered ſo much.

p. 99To ſerve wood and ſtone.

That is, Gods or Idols made of wood and ſtone. See Deut. 29.7. chap. 4.28. There ye ſhall ſerve Gods, the work of mens hands, wood and ſtone.

Obſ. 1 How cunningly ſoever Hypocrites do carry their leud and wicked deſignes, yet they are known to God, and hee will diſcover them: Theſe Elders of Iſrael were reſolved to change their Religion, to bee like the Heathen, and colour it over with comming to the Prophet, to inquire how things would proceed with them at Jeruſalem; what Counſel hee would give unto themſelves, they would bee ready to do it, whereas they never intended it. This the Lord ſaw, this hee diſcovers, and uncaſes theſe diſſembling Hypocrites. Herod pretended hee would go and worſhip Chriſt, but his intent was to murder him, Mathew 2.8, 13. which God diſcovered.

Obſ. 2 There be riſings, thoughts in mens hearts which are not of God; what they had in their heads or hearts, God owned not. Many in theſe daies think, every motion they have in their hearts, mindes, whatever riſeth up there, is of God, and his Spirit, and therefore muſt bee obeyed; hence it comes to paſs that darkneſſe is called light, and all vices are practiced under the Notion of vertue; but corruptions, fleſh, old man, Satan, have their operations in the hearts of the wicked alwaies, and too oft in the Godly.Non omnis impulſus & enthuſiaſmus, continuo bonus eſt. Aecolam. The Earth brings forth weeds of it ſelf, and not corn, unleſſe it bee ſown.

Obſ. 3 Carnal, Politick, men affect Religion as it ſerves their own intereſt. Theſe Elders conſidering what Zedekiah and their Brethren had done at Jeruſalem, revolted from Nebuchadnezzar; they feared hard meaſure now would befall them for their Jewiſh religion, and they reſolved not to venture liberty, limbs, or life for that Religion, which had been a bondage, and burdenſome unto them, and now might hazzard all. They would now revolt from God and truth, and bee as the Heathen, who proſpered, were in peace and ſafety. Politicians think it weakneſſ…, fooliſhneſſe, to ſuffer p. 100for Religion. They can change it at pleaſure, and fall in with that hath moſt pompe and applauſe in the world. Upon this account many have fallen from Proteſtantiſme to Popery, and from Chriſtianity to Turciſme. To ſave their skins they have parted with their Religions. Many men make uſe of Religion as Mariners of the winds, meerly to ſerve their own ends; If Religion once croſſe them, they can caſt it off, and fall in with thoſe waies of worſhip do ſuit their humours and further their deſignes. Like children that having been held in by their Parents, beſtow themſelves upon any to obtain their own ends. Theſe Elders ſaw their Law and worſhip were differing from the religion of the ſtate where they were, and ſo expoſed them to many inconveniences and dangers, they would therefore bee of the ſtate Religion, outwardly at leaſt, complying with that, ſerving wood and ſtone.

Obſ. 4 God ſometimes diſappoints the deſignes and expectations of men, who intend, and reſolve to forſake him, and provide for themſelves by ſinful and Idolatrous waies: That which cometh into your mind ſhall not be at all: You would be as the Heathens, but it ſhall not be. I will not only deny your deſires, but daſh your deſignes; you ſeek Heathens favour, and ſhall meet with Heavens frowns, and miſs of your aimes; you would be Babylonians, have the protection and bleſſing of Babyloniſh Gods, but my thoughts are croſs to yours, that is in my minde ſhall ſtand, not what is in yours; that happineſſe you hope for in the waies and worſhip of Babylonians you ſhall not finde. Men think by going out to the world, by conforming to baſe, vile ſuperſtition, and Idolatrous practices, to get much, but God in his infinite wiſdome, and juſtice, diſappoints them, as Demas and Judas.

Verſ. 33 As I live ſaith the Lord God, ſurely with a mighty hand, and with a ſtretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you.

Having ſhewed the ingratitude and untoward carriage of this People in Egypt, in the Wilderneſſe, in Canaan, and their reſolution to caſt off God in Babylon; here begins the p. 101fourth general part of the chapter, viz. a denunciation of judgement for their Hypocriſy and other ſinnes, together with promiſes of mercy extending to the 45. verſ. In the ver. you have.

1 God aſſerting his authority and power over this people who thought to caſt him off, I will rule over you.

2 The manner of his ruling over them, which is

1 With Power.

2 With Fury.

3 The ratification of both, and that is by oath, As I live ſaith the Lord.

Touching this Oath of God much hath been ſpoken already, in this and former chapters.

With a mighty hand.

The Hebrew is Bejad chazakah, in, or with a ſtrong hand, with a rigid hand, ſaith Caſtalio. By mighty hand here, is not ſimply meant Gods power, but his power in puniſhing, ſo the plagues of Egypt were Gods ſtrong and mighty hand. God would puniſh them for their dealings, and to that purpoſe, it ſhould bee viſibly and openly, and therefore it follows.

With a ſtretched out arm.

Sometimes the ſtretching out of Gods arm, notes powerful and viſible deliverance, Pſal. 136.12. ſometimes powerful and viſible puniſhment, as here. In the inflicting of puniſhments, men ſtretch out their hands and armes, which here, after the manner of men is given to God.

With fury poured out.

Of dealing in Fury, accompliſhing fury, and pouring out fury. See before chap. 8.18.5.13.9.8.

Will I rule over you.

Ruling imports ſoveraignty, authority, and power over others. Here p. 102the Genus by a Senecdoche is put for the ſpecies; the whole work of ruling, for puniſhing; and the ſumme of the words is this, you think by withdrawing from mee and my worſhip, and by Babylonizing to ſecure your ſelves, to eſcape danger and all puniſhment; but know aſſuredly, you are my ſubjects, I will not ſuffer you ſo to revolt from mee, I will put forth mine hand, and mine arm, my fury, puniſhing you for your rebellions, and idolatries, ſo, that will you, nill you, me ſhall you acknowledge to be your Lord and Soveraign.

Obſ. 1 Its a vain thing to think of getting from under the dominion of God, and impoſſible to accompliſh, theſe Elders thought. To withdraw from under the Laws and government of the God of Iſrael, and put themſelves under the Babyloniſh Gods, and Babylonian government; but what ſaith God? I will rule over you, take what courſe you pleaſe; trans, orm your ſelves into Heatheniſh manners, diſperſe your ſelves into by-corners, villages, Towns, Cities; plant your ſelves in what Province ſoever, of the King of Babylons, uſe what policy you can to caſt off my yoak, yet I will rule over you, for you cannot go from my preſence, nor from my power. In the ſecond Pſalm the Great ones of the earth, thought to exempt themſelves from the government of God and Chriſt. Let us break their bands aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us, but they were laughed to ſcorn and vexed for it, v. 3, 4, 5.

Obſ. 2 The untoward carriage of Gods people, cauſes him to deal more ſharpely with them. Rebelliouſneſſe in them produceth rigidneſſe in him; Their treachery bred ſeverity, With a mighty hand and fury poured out, will I rule over you. They thought to run from under him, and he held a ſtricter hand over them; They would not willingly obey as Sonnes, hee made them obey as ſervants. When Servants runne from their Maſters, they beſtir them, fetch them back with power, puniſh them ſeverely for their fugitiveneſſe, and hold them harder to it than ever, ſo did the Lord by theſe, and made them know that hee ruled in Babylon, as well as in Sion, and turned his golden Scepter into an Iron rod, and put a yoak of Iron upon them. This is that the Lord told them in Moſes daies, that if they walked contrary p. 103to him, hee would walk contrary unto them, and puniſh them ſeven times more; that is, rule over them with greater ſeverity, Levit. 26. he would make his little finger heavier than his loines had been before.

Obſ. 3 God will puniſh thoſe that ſhake off his worſhip to follow falſe waies, with viſible & irreſiſtible puniſhments. Theſe Elders were upon terms of Apoſtatizing from the God of Iſrael, about to leave his Tents, and to betake themſelves to the Babyloniſh Temples; therefore the Lord ſwears hee will rule over them with a ſtretched out arm (hee would viſibly puniſh them) and with Fury poured out; they ſhould no more bee able to withſtand it, than a man can a great rain or floud. When ſubjects are upon rebelling, and would fall in with ſome other, this kindles his fury, cauſes him to puniſh them openly and irreſiſtibly, Apoſtacy is a provoking ſinne. Its a reproach to God his truths, and ordinances. Its a violating of all former Promiſes, and ingagements unto God; its high ingratitude and rebellion againſt God; its a great ſcandal unto all the godly, eſpecially the weak; it incourages, hardens, and juſtifies the wicked, it ruines ſouls, it gratifies Satan, and therefore expoſes men to viſible and unavoidable judgements. You know how God met with Julian and other Apoſtates ſince his time; that men ſhould caſt off God is wonder to heaven and earth, Jer. 2.12, 13. Be aſtoniſhed O ye heavens at this, my people have forſaken me; and becauſe they did ſo, Lyons roared upon them, and laid them waſte, v. 15. Egyptians took the crown from their head, v. 16, 17. It bred aſtoniſhment in Paul, that the Galatians were ſo ſoon removed from him, that called them into the grace of Chriſt, to another Goſpel, Gal. 1.6. they had Apoſtatizing Spirits, minding another Goſpel, another Chriſt, another way to ſalvation than hee delivered to them; And may it not bee matter of aſtoniſhment to us, that many are ſo ſhaken, that they have caſt off our God, our Chriſt, our Goſpel, our Ordinances, and have found out another Goſpel, another Chriſt, and another way to ſalvation than ever; But it is to bee feared ſome remarkable and unavoidable judgements are near unto them. God hath no pleaſure in thoſe draw back, Heb. 10.38. They have caſt off the thing that p. 104is good, the enemy ſhall purſue them, Hoſ. 8.3. Theſe Elders have purpoſed to become like the Heathen, and God ſware preſently to puniſh them openly and irreſiſtibly; what will hee then do to thoſe have actually withdrawn from him, and his waies, ſurely his wrath will ſmoak againſt them. Let us take heed in theſe declining times of falling away from God and his waies; Beware of Carnal policy, which was the thing here put theſe Elders upon it. Beware of Carnal Relations and unmortified luſts, which made Spira and Spalato revolt ſo foulely; beware of Promotion and greatneſſe, which made H. the fourth of France to turn Papiſt; beware of falſe Teachers, corrupt opinions, which have made many among us to go ſo far from God and his waies. Keep innocency, count all the glory and greatneſſe of the world as nothing: prize truth and the waies of God highly, cleave fully to Chriſt, live by faith, prove all things, and hold faſt what is good, ſo ſhall there never bee an evil heart in you of unbeleef, to depart from the living God.

Verſ. 34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the Countries wherein ye are ſcattered, with a mighty hand, and with a ſtretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

Theſe words do hold out no good unto them, but declare that what they hoped to bee a mercy, ſhould prove a judgement. They thought that if they were ſcattered up and down, among the Babylonians, and quitted the Jewiſh worſhip, they ſhould bee ſafe, and live as happily as Babylonians; but God would not looſe his right and priviledge, he would rule over them, and here he ſhews the manner of it again, and that more fully, I will bring you out, &c.

I will bring you out from the people.

Diverſe Expoſitors, by People or Nations, underſtand the Ammonites, Moabites, Tyrians, Egyptians, Idumeans, and Edomites, and cite the 40. of Jeremy, v. 11, 12. and the 43.7. and ſo make the Prophet to mean it of the Jewes diſperſed p. 105into thoſe places upon the ſiedge, ſpoiling and taking of Jeruſalem by Nebuchadnezzar in the times of Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah; but our Prophet and theſe Elders being in Babylon, hee ſpeaks of the Babylonians among whom theſe captive Elders and Jews were diſperſed, and ſought to be like unto them that ſo they might be the ſafer, but God gathered them out from them, and would not ſuffer them to become Babylonians. Beſides, this was in the ſeventh year of the Captivity, as appears verſ. 1. of this chapter, and at that time Jeruſalem ſtood, Zedekiah was reigning, and the people were not ſcattered into thoſe Nations mentioned, for Zedekiah reigned eleven years, 2 Chro. 36.11. and nothing is ſaid of any diſperſion, when Jehoiachin was taken away, and Zedekiah ſet up. Its alſo further added here,

I will gather you out of the Countries wherein ye are ſcattered.

He ſpeaks of thoſe were ſcattered at that time. There were many Provinces into which they had ſcattered, or were upon ſcattering themſelves. Ʋatabl. ſenſe is thus, I will gather you out of the Nations, inter quas eſt is captivi.

Obſ. Where-ever wicked men hide themſelves, or ſharke for their own ſafety, God will finde them out, and bring them forth to puniſhment. Theſe Elders, and the reſt of the Captives that were wicked, thought by lurking amongſt the Babylonians, and conforming to them in ſtate, and religious affairs, they ſhould bee ſafe and well, but ſaith the Lord, live were you will, ſhift for your ſelves what you can, bee as the Heathen, and carry it as cloſe as may be, I will find you out, and bring you forth from them with ſtrength, and puniſh you to purpoſe. Gods eyes run to and fro throughout the earth, and hee quickly ſpies where ſinners lye hid, and brings them forth to juſtice at his pleaſure, Amos 9.2, 3, 4. Though they dig into hell, thence ſhall mine hand take them, though they climbe up to heaven, thence will I bring them down. Though they hide themſelves in the top of Carmel, I will ſearch and take them out thence, and though they be hid from my ſight in the bottome of the Sea, thence will I command the Serpent, p. 106and hee ſhall bite them: And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the ſword, and it ſhall ſlay them. The ſenſe of theſe words is thus much, that whereas other creatures can ſhift and ſecure themſelves from their enemies; the Conies and creeping things by hideing themſelves in the holes of the earth; the birds by flying up into the clouds and heavens, the beaſts by running to the hills and woods, the fiſh by ſinking down to the bottome of the ſea; men that have offended God cannot ſecure themſelves any where, Gods eyes are ſet upon them for evil, and his hand is againſt them, Iſa. 28.15. they were at agreement with death and hell, and thought the overflowing ſcourge ſhould not come unto them, but ver. 18. Your Covenant with death ſhall bee diſanulled, and your agreement with Hell ſhall not ſtand, when the overflowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe through, then ſhall yee bee trodden down by it. Babel aſcended above the height of the clouds, yet was brought down to hell, Iſa. 14.14, 15. Jer. 51.53. the high places and hills, whither the Jews oft betook themſelves, did not ſecure them, Jer. 12.12. let ſinners hide themſelves in any place, their ſinne will finde them out, Numb. 32.23. they cannot eſcape the peircing eye, or puniſhing hand of God.

Verſ. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderneſſe of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderneſſe of the Land of Egypt, ſo will I plead with you, ſaith the Lord God.

Theſe verſes tell us, what God did with them after hee had gathered them out of the Countries. Hee did two things.

1 He brought them into a Wilderneſſe.

2 Hee pleaded with them there, and the manner of his pleading with them is ſet down.

1 To be face to face.

2 So as hee pleaded with their fathers in the wilderneſſe, of the land of Egypt.

p. 107Into the wilderneſſe of the people.

Not into Babylon which is called a Wilderneſſe, chap. 19.13. for they were already in Babylon. Wilderneſſe of the People, doth not ſignify deſertum inter populos, but rather deſertum a populis, as Rom. 1.4. foreign, by the reſurrection of the dead, that is, by the reſurrection from the dead: ſo into the wilderneſſe of the people, imports into a wilderneſſe from the people. Vatabl. ſaith, there was a wilderneſs between Chaldea and Judea, unto which the Lord alludes; as he brought their Fathers out of Egypt into Arabia deſerta; ſo he would bring them out of Babylon, into that wilderneſſe. Junius ſenſe of this wilderneſſe is, that God would bring them into ſuch a place as all men would fly from, propter horriditatem & difficultatem ſoli. Others make the meaning of the words to bee, that God would bring them into a moſt miſerable eſtate; they thought they ſhould bee beſt of all if they turned Heathens, but this cauſed God to bring them into a worſer condition than they were. I incline to take the words litterally, rather than metaphorically, becauſe hee ſpeaks of bringing and gathering them out from people and Countries, and bringing them into the wilderneſſe, which notes motion from place to place; and this wilderneſs, is parallell'd with that of the land of Egypt, which was real and not metaphorical.

There will I plead with you.

Not onelyonly diſpute and reaſon the caſe with you,Vltionem de vobis ſumam J…nathan & R. David. but alſo deal with you according to your ſinnes. I will be revenged on you, I will execute my judgements upon you. As I puniſhed your Fathers when they were in the wilderneſſe for their ſinnes: ſo will I puniſh you for your ſinnes. They ſmarted for their murmuring, luſting, whoredome, Idolatry, rebellion, ingratitude, and ſo ſhall you for doing as your Fathers did.

p. 108Face to Face.

The Rabbies being very propitious to their own Nation, interpret theſe words thus:Solus cum ſolis, ſine arbittis, ne gentes videant ſaevas qua de vobis ſumptu…us ſum paenas, & laetentur. Rabb. David. God alone, having them alone ſeparate from the Nations, would puniſh them, that they might not ſee what puniſhment hee laid upon them, and rejoyce thereat; but the phraſe notes, Gods preſence and viſible manner of puniſhing them, ſo that it ſhould bee moſt evident to bee the hand of God.

As I pleaded with your Fathers in the wilderneſs of the land of Egypt.

How God pleaded with them in that wilderneſſe which belonged to the Egyptians, let us ſearch a little.

1 Hee pleaded with them ſpeedily, Numb. 25.1. the people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab, and v. 4. the Lord bids Moſes take all the heads of the people, and hang them up, here was quick work. So Exod. 32.7.10▪ Get thee down, the people have corrupted themſelves, let me alone that my wrath may wax hot againſt them, and that I may conſume them, ver. 28. There fell of the people that day about three thouſand men.

2 Hee pleaded with them ſeverely, Numb. 21.6. The Lord ſent fiery Serpents among the people, theſe bit them, ſo, that many dyed. Their venemous bitings did ſo inflame them, that they were in a manner burnt to death, which was a dreadful judgement: before Aaron could take his cenſer, put in incenſe, and make an attonement for the people, fourteen thouſand and odd were deſtroyed by the plague, Numb. 16 46, 47, 49. which was both ſudden and ſevere pleading with them.

3 Immediately, hee cauſed the earth to open her mouth, and to ſwallow up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, them and all theirs, hee ſent fire and conſumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incenſe, Numb. 16.32, 33 35. and ſo were the fiery Serpents, the immediate hand of God.

4 Openly, Numb. 25.4. Take all the heads of the People, and p. 109hang them up before the Lord againſt the ſun. The Septuagint is, foreign, make them examples.

5 Strongly, They could not withſtand his pleadings, his judgements, and ſtroaks were unavoidable. Though Moſes and Aaron interpoſed and pleaded hard with God for them, yet multitudes of them periſhed by the ſword, plague, Serpents, fire, and earth. Thus God pleaded with their fathers, and ſo hee would plead with them. Nothing ſecured their Fathers from his judgements, and nothing ſhould ſecure them; Not Babylonians or Babyloniſh gods; not their Prophets or Prieſts, not Prayers or Tears. Their Fathers fell in the wilderneſſe, and ſo ſhould they; if not by the ſame judgements, yet by thoſe were not much unlike, there ſhould bee an Analogy between them.