A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. XI.

ANd the spirit tok me up and carryed me to the East gate, and I saw twenty five men, &c. ch. 8. 16. Such a number of men were seen between the porch and the * 1.1 Altar worshipping towards the East, and one of the men here, named Jaazaniah seemes to have been seen before that amongst the Elders, but now both he and another called Pelatiah the son of Benaiah are seen amongst these twenty five, and they are said to be Princes of the people. But this Jaazaniah was not the same with that: For this is said to be the son of Azur, that the son of Staphan. For the number of twenty five, the Hebrews say, that there were in Jerusalem twenty four streets, and over every one a Prince, and over them all a presi∣dent, and these most probably were the men here spoken of at the East gate, which was the entrance and most glorious part of the Temple, joyning to which was the Court of the people. Hither most probably these Princes came together to consult, for they are said to be men, that devised mischief, * 1.2 and gave evil counsel: And according to this number of twenty four, we read of 24. Elders, Revel. 4. and in our Jerusalem, the City of London are twenty four Wards likewise and their praepositi.

Which say, it is not neer, let us build houses, this City is the Caldron and we are the * 1.3 flesh, Vulg. nonne dudum aedificatae sunt domus; Hebr. houses building are not neer, as if it had been said, the houses of this City have been built long agoe, and have stood hitherto, therefore we doubt not, but that they shall stand still, whatsoever thou (O Ezekiel) threatenest to the contrary. In adding this City is the Caldron, we the flesh, they most impiously and ironically allude to the vision of Jeremiah, who saw a seething pot, perverting his meaning, as if * 1.4 they had said, thy fellow Jeremiah hath indeed told us of a seething pot, and we deny not this City to be such, nor our selves to be the flesh, but then we hope we shall be kept here, till we be boilded enough, and not be so soon cast

out, as thou threatnest. R. Solomon, whom Lyra followeth, saith that the mean∣ing * 1.5 is, as a man liveth so long as there is natural heat in the body to concoct the meat, and so he liveth till old age, in like manner we doubt not but we shall live in this City. And therefore they spake of the building of houses, saith Calvin, as a thing now to be done, so little afraid were they of de∣struction * 1.6 being at hand. And they seem to be brought in speaking thus in a high degree of contempt of that, which Jeremiah said by letters to the Cap∣tives * 1.7 in Babylon, that they should build them houses there, for the captivity should be long, even seventy yeers. And these were noted before to be the [Note.] Princes, by whom therefore, although men of greatest eminency it is not safe for the people to be led, as they are most apt to be, according to that say∣ing, Regis ad exemplar totus componitur orbis. For although they be of better edu∣cation and are men of greater wisdom, yet the wayes wherein they walk oftentimes are most vile.

Thus have yee said, for I know the things that come into your minde, every one of them, Hebr. And the ascensions of your spirit I know it, That is, your proud and con∣temptuous * 1.8 thoughts, because he had spoken before of their evil counels, and hereby we are given to understand how vaine it is for any man to exercise his wits in mocking at the word of God, for although they say the same words, the Lord knoweth in what sense they speak, and will deale with them [Note.] accordingly, repaying the contemner with contempt.

From hence to the end of v. 11. the Prophet as wittily retorts upon them their own words spoken in mockage, as they had uttered them. He tels them, * 1.9 that they should not be as flesh, and the City as the pot to them, as they had said, but such as had been slaine by them should be, or were already as the flesh filling this pot, so that no room was left therein for them any more, but they as putrid flesh should be cast out of the City, and lye stinking there. Now by such as they had slaine he meaneth none other, but those that were op∣pressed most grievously by them, for of such the Prophets often speake as * 1.10 slaine, and sometime as flead and their bones chopt for the pot, or caldron, and oppressours hands are said to be full of blood.

Pelatiah the son of Benaiah dyed; Here it was shewed in vision to the Pro∣phet being in the Land of the Caldees, that one of the Princes had execution * 1.11 done upon him immediately, as he had threatned, and so that his threatning of destruction to the twenty five, of whom he was one, was not vaine, but made good by the revengeful hand of God. But he was so far from joying therein, that he cryed out for sorrow, Ah Lord, wilt thou destroy the residue of Israel, whereby he shewed his sollicitude about Gods elect people, touching whom he now feared, when the Princes began to be smitten, because the head being cut off, how can the body and al the members thereof but come to ruine?

But against this fear of the Prophet the Lord saith to him, Thy brethren the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly are they, to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Go yee far off from the Lord, * 1.12 unto us is the land given in possession: That is, thou dost not consider aright of the matter, when for the destruction of the Princes, yea and of the wicked people of Jerusalem thou thinkest, that hereby the whole state of Israel will be in danger to be quite cut off, not so much as a remnant being left, as I have alwayes promised. For both Ch. 9. my care was set forth of the preservation of the mourners by marking them, that they might not be touched, and now I tell thee, that I have another remnant, even thy bre∣thren in captivity with thee, to whom I will be a sanctuary, touching whom the proud ones at Jerusalem say, that they are ejected, and that all the land was now their possession, as not fearing yet any ejection thence, howsoever he and Jeremiah threatned them. But against these proud and uncharitable bragges of theirs, say to these poore exiles and dispersed ones, I the Lord will * 1.13 be a little sanctuary unto you in the Nations, &c. or sanctuarium paucitatis, as the word signifieth according to Calvin, but he rather holdeth to the first reading, as * 1.14 there is good reason, a little sanctuary, being opposed to that faire and glorious

one that was at Jerusalem. For this contrarywise appeared not, the elect of the captivity being poor and despicable in the eyes of men, as being void of all outward splendor, yet in better ease than those at Jerusalem with their magnificent Temple, because God was a Sanctuary and place of safety to them in the midst of all their miseries. And thus it is many times with the [Note.] dear people of God, nothing appears outwardly of the divine favour to∣wards them, but others have more such fignes of favour, as the Jews now at Jerusalem under the shelter of the magnificent Temple built by Solomon, whereas those in Caldea with Ezekiel, Daniel, &c. were without a Temple, having only poor houses to meet and to serve God in, and that without sacri∣fices of fat beasts also and other oblations of the fruits of the earth, for no such offerings could be made here, but only at the temple at Jerusalem. So in times of persecution, or separation of the true people of God from the coun∣terseit, these have none but a little Sanctuary and obscure, not appear∣ing to be of any beauty in outward respects to draw men to it, but those be∣ing in great outward glory; as the Papists with their stately Churches and rich and glorious Bishops, Pope and Cardinals, and princes of the earth and great persons adhering to them; but the reformed Churches confisting at the first of poor men, as the pauperes de Lugtluno in France, or if any were rich being crushed and made poor by their tyranny. And hereby many have been drawn away after them being thus deceived, but we must not by outward things measure Gods grace and favour, but count them most happy to whom he is a Sanctuary, although for the present poor and despised. But the like is not to be held touching them that now adayes amongst our selves having great Sanctuaries, that is, faire Churches dedicated to Gods worship to re∣sort unto, prefer meetings in corners about Religious exercises out of an er∣roneous opinion & minde rejecting this outward favour conferred upon the Kingdom of England, of which the Prophet Esay speaketh as a great blessing, saying, Thy teachers shall be no more in corners. And hitherto of Gods being a * 1.15 little sanctuary unto them, and indeed he was not only so, but a great one again after the time of the captivity added, when returning they built the Tem∣ple, and worshipped God there againe, and were for this honoured and re∣sorted to by other Nations round about; which sheweth more their ingrati∣tude in this land, that now despise this blessing, and defame and disgrace the houses of God what they can, as if being once polluted by Popish superstiti∣on the use of them for religious duties might never be resumed any more, whereas the Temple being defiled in the dayes of Manasseh was purged and used againe by Josiah, and likewise by Judas Maccabeus after Antiochus Epiphanes his [Note.] greatest pollutions. But what exiles were these, to whom such comfort is spoken? Ezekiels brethren and kindred in grace, as well as in the flesh, and in captivity likewise submitting themselves patiently to bear the miseries thereof. For such will God be alwayes a Sanctuary, and herein they must com∣fort themselves.

Here the Lord proceedeth to the further comfort of these poor exiles to promise them a return to their own land, and that contrary to the hopes of * 1.16 those now in Jerusa. that they should possess it, And then in way of gratitude to God and to approve themselves to be his faithful people, that they should take away all detestable and abominable things, which who so do not, but suffer them in the land, where they live, cannot approve themselves to be such, and so are unworthy of so great a favour. Then shewing the fountaine of this grace he saith, I will give them one heart, and taking away the stony, I will [Note.] give them an heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes, &c. Whence note 1. That an upright heart meant by one heart, or a single heart, which is opposed to a double, is the gift of God, and we have it not of our selves; and unanimi∣ty, which also is meant consentingly to walk together in one way of righte∣ousness, of both which, see Psal. 12. 3. Act. 4. 32. 2. That our hearts are changed from stony, or being like stones that yeild not to any beating, to be as flesh, that is, soft by the power of his grace and spirit only. 3. Because he

saith, not only a new heart, but a spirit, by the one denoting the wil, by the other the understanding and judgement of the soul, that whatsoever is good in us * 1.17 comes only from God, both to wil and to do, we having of our selves, since the fall of Adam, no liberty of will to good left unto us, but to this we attaine, as God is pleased to work it in us, that he may have the praise of all. 4. They only have this blessed work wrought in them, that walk in Gods statutes, and it is vaine for others to talk of their good hearts, it being certain, that as a good tree cannot be without good fruit, so a good heart cannot be without good works.

And according to that which hath been said, St. August. speakes well upon * 1.18 these words, I will take away the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh, that is, a will without sense, and give them a will with sense. Then to the objection of Pelagius, if God takes away the heart of stone, and giveth an heart of flesh, how is it said Ezek. 18. Make you a new heart? he answereth, because he giveth that which he biddeth them make, and he helpes them to make, whom he biddeth, which plainly implyeth a cooperation in man, as also that precept, Phil. 2. 13. Work out your salvation with fear, it is God that worketh in you, &c. for if God work∣eth and man worketh the same thing, what is this, but cooperation so much yet impugned by Calvin? Before that God beginneth to work indeed upon the heart of man, he is indeed as a dead thing, but Gods working causeth life and sight and sense, and then there is a concurrence of mans working in all that are saved.

Then the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City, and stood upon the moun∣taine * 1.19 on the East side: Here againe is repeated what went before of Gods leaving the Jews in Jerusalem destitute of his help to become a prey to their enemies, ch. 10. 18. 19. But there the glory of God remained only from the threshold to the Eastgate, now from thence to mount Olivet, thence as it were to behold the burning and destruction of the City, hereby also foreshewing Christ his going up to heaven, from thence when the wicked Jews having crucified and slain him, he rose againe, and leading his Disciples thither ascended out of their sight, and after followed the destruction of the City againe by the Romans.

Notes

• * 1.1

  V. 17. 1.
• * 1.2

  V. 2.
• * 1.3

  V. 3.
• * 1.4

  Jer. 1.
• * 1.5

  Lyra.
• * 1.6

  Calvin.
• * 1.7

  Jer. 29.
• * 1.8

  V. 5.
• * 1.9

  V. 6. 7, 8, 9.
• * 1.10

  Mich. 3. 3. Esay 1. 16.
• * 1.11

  V. 13.
• * 1.12

  V. 15.
• * 1.13

  V. 16.
• * 1.14

  Calvin.
• * 1.15

  Esa. 30. 20.
• * 1.16

  V. 17. 18, 19, 20.
• * 1.17

  Phil. 2. 13.
• * 1.18

  August. lib. 18. contr. Canst. c. 4.
• * 1.19

  V. 23.