Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20:1

THe seventh yeare] namely, of the captivity of Jehoiachim. See Ezekiel 12:1-28. V. 3 To enquire of me] in that true manner as I have appointed you to desire my your by the way of faith and repentance. Or doe you come to tempt me, having none other aime, but to get something out of my Prophet, as may be pleasing to you? I will not, &c.] the Italian, I am not sought after by you, or I will not answer you: or you shall not find me.

Ezekiel 20:4

Iudge them] Thou shalt reprove them for, and convince them of their sinnes Of their fathers] intimated, and increased by their children, who would not amend by the examples, nor the punishments of their forefathers, v. 30.

Ezekiel 20:5

In the day] When as my people being in Aegypt, I declared by effects, that I had chosen them to be mine, according to my promises made to their forefathers Lifted up] did shew my soveraigne power for their deliverance, and to the destruction of their enemies. See Exodus 14:8 Unto them] that is to say, did sweare to them.

Ezekiel 20:6

Espted] the Italian, discovered to them] that is to say, appointed it for them by my decree, as the most excellent above all other countries. And for the conquest of which, I had prepared all things in my secret counsell, and into which I had marched before mine Arke, to give them a secure entrance into it. See Numbers 10:32. The glory] or the flower. A title of the land of Israel, not so much for its naturall qualities, as for the singular blessing of God; and by reason that it was chosen to be the seat of his Church, and the figure of the kingdome of heaven.

Ezekiel 20:7

Said I unto them] These things are specified in Exodus, but are revealed by the spirit to the Prophet, and doe agree with what is written, Joshua 5:9 The abominations] that is to say, the idols: to the spirituall desiring of which mans heart is induced by the eyes delighted with the matter, or the forme of them: And generally, by all the outward sences, seeing they could not apprehend any deity in them by the spirit. See Numb. 15. 39.

Ezekiel 20:9

For my names] that is to say, for mine owne sake, and my glories sake, that it might not be derided, as if my promises were false, or my power too-weake, or insufficient to performe them. See Exodus 32:12. Numb. 14. 16. Deuteronomy 9:28.

Ezekiel 20:11

Shall live] Shall be preserved from all dangers, and shall at the last obtaine everlasting life, the way to which, and the beginning and pledge of which is new obedience, though it be no way a cause of it.

Ezekiel 20:15

Given them] that is to say, hath promised and resolved to give them, so they did not make themselves utterly unworthy of it.

Ezekiel 20:20

A signe] that is to say, a sacrament of an interchangeable agreement, namely, that I shall sanctifie you by my spirit, causing you to cease from your evill works: And you likewise shall be conformable to the working of my grace.

Ezekiel 20:23

Yet I listed up] Though I did forbeare them for that time; yet I swore to them, that if they continued in their sinnes, after I had performed my promises unto them, by bringing them into the promised land, I would drive, and scatter them out of it.

Ezekiel 20:24

They had not] namely, after I had put them in possession of the land of Canaan.

Ezekiel 20:25

Gave them] By my just judgement I did give them over to the evill spirit, that they might be subject to his evill inducements, to their death and ruine. See Psal. 81. 12. Ezekiel 20:39.

Ezekiel 20:26

Polluted them] I suffered them to prostitute themselves to all manner of abominable idolatry: To passe] either to sacrifice them, or to purifie and consecrate them, which in this place is most probable Openeth] All the first borne amongst their children.

Ezekiel 20:27

Therefore] Seeing that I give thee commission to lay all their fathers sinnes open before them, v. 4. adde this to all the rest.

Ezekiel 20:28

The provocation] namely, the object and provocation of my wrath.

Ezekiel 20:29

Said unto them] I did often admonish them by my Prophets, and reproved them for their idolatry What is] Doe not you know sufficiently, by the very name of high place, which at all times hath been infamous, as a place of idolatry, and unlawfull worship, that all which is done there is abominable? As the very name of a brothell is sufficient to make any honest woman to fly the conversation and neighbourhood of it.

Ezekiel 20:30

Wherefore] Seeing the reproving of the fathers sinnes ought to serve for a correction to the children which follow them, tell them that I reject all their false shewes of piety, which they make in seeking after my word, v. 3.

Ezekiel 20:32

As the heathen] namely, idolatrous and heathen people, who doe prosper for all that, Jeremiah 44:17.

Ezekiel 20:33

Rule over you] that is to say, I will exercise my power over you in punishment, as over rebellious and disloyall subjects: seeing you have not accepted of my government in obedience; and I will not suffer in you that are bound to me by duty and obedience, the excesses which I winke at in other Nations, which are strangers to my covenant. See Hosea 9:1-17; Hosea 1:1-11. Amos 3:2.

Ezekiel 20:34

Bring you] I will not let you live at ease in the idolaters countrey, where you had sheltered your selves. See Jer. 40. 11. and 43. 7.

Ezekiel 20:35

I will bring you] I will drive you into the most solitary and savage places of the world, for a fulnesse of misery, v. 38 will I plead] execute my revenge with all manner of rigor.

Ezekiel 20:37

Cause you] Even as a shepheard maketh his sheep to passe one by one, when they come out of the sheep-coat, and marketh them distinctly with his rod, to distinguish them from the other, Leviticus 27:32. So I will sever those that are rebellious from amongst you, to punish them, and shewing favour to the others, Ezekiel 34:17. Matthew 25:32-33 will bring you] will constraine you to acknowledge me for your God and King, by those punishments, the threatenings whereof I have joyned to my covenant: by which, I will chaine you up like wilde beasts, and tame your stubbornnesse.

Ezekiel 20:38

Bring them forth] as v. 35.

Ezekiel 20:39

Goe ye] I doe cast you off quite, and give you over to all manner of wickednesse; that my name, which you make profession of worshipping, may be no more prophaned by your hypocrisie, nor be exposed to the scorne of mine enemies, with your gifts] offered indeed to the true God, but defiled by the idolatry which is joyned to it. See Isa. 1. 13. and 61. 8. or really presented to idols.

Ezekiel 20:40

For in mine] I doe cast all you apostates off, and will only hold the true Israel, which truly beleeveth, and is truly converted for to be my people, and will gather them into my Church, to be by them served in spirit and truth, whereof the ancient service was but only a Figure. An Evangelicall prophecye, whereof the returne from Babylon was but only an essay,except them] an ordinary terme for lawfull sacrifices which were daily performed, require] shunning them no more, as I had done the offerings of idolaters and hypocrites, Isa. 1. 13, 41.sanctified] I will cause my selfe to be reverenced, praised, and blessed for your sakes, and the sacred and inviolable truth of my promises shall be acknowledged and taught by all men.

Ezekiel 20:46

Towards the South] namely, toward Judea, which lay Southward from Chaldea, where the Prophet was, drop] that is to say, speake and preach like a Prophet, a terme which seemes to be taken from Deuteronomy 32:2. See Amos 7:16 The forrest of the South] that is to say, Jerusalem, and the people which are therein, great cities and multitudes of people being oftentimes likened to Forrests, Isa. 9. 18. and 10. 18. and 32. 19. Jer. 21. 14. and 46. 23.

Ezekiel 20:47

Kindle a fire] namely, the Chaldean war Every greene tree] all manner of people indifferently, both good and bad, v. 8. many righteous men being also entangled in these temporall judgements. See Luke 23:31. Others say that by these greene trees; and justmen, are meant those which are not so guilty as others, or little children which are free from actuall sinne.Faces] those that are not consumed therewith, shall be brought into extreame miseries. See Lam. 4. 8. and 5. 10 From the South] from one end of the countrey to the other.

Ezekiel 20:48

They say of me] these prophane people doe scoffe at my prophecyes, which thou doest dictate to me in allegoricall and enigmaticall termes, as if they were dreames and imaginations.