the human species has frequently been found more cruel and insensible, than the most feroCHAP. V. V. 1-6. The title of this chapcious and stupid of the irrational creatures.- ter in the Vulgate, and in some other versions, The punishment of the most abandoned hea- is 'The prayer of Jeremiah:' but no such title thens will be light, compared with that of wick- is found in the original; nor does it seem ap
ed nominal Christians: but, if the lingering pains of a tedious execution, of famine, or of some fatal disease, are so terrible; what will be the everlasting punishment of the wicked, when "the LORD shall accomplish his fierce anger, and pour out his fury upon them" as "consuming fire!"
V. 13-22.
No enemy can prevail against us, unless God withdraw his protection: and if he do, no defence can avail. But the wickedness of those, who are by office engaged to support religion, and yet betray her interests, is the great cause of national judgments, and of the ruin of flourishing churches: especially, when they have "shed the blood of the just" in the midst of them. Those who have thus polluted their garments, have commonly been recompensed in the same way; and rendered an execration even to the vilest of mankind. The eyes of those, who have provoked the Lord to have no
propriate. It is an address to God, respecting the calamities of his people, as the improvement of the preceding representation of them. It consists of the same number of stanzas as the preceding chapters; but they are much shorter, and the alphabetical order is not observed.-A chorus of the Jews, or the collective body of the nation, is represented as calling on God to remember their miseries, and the reproach to which they were exposed. (Notes, 2:20-22. Ps . 74:18-20.79: Is . 63:15-19. 64: Hos . 14:1-3.) The inheritance, which he had given to their fathers, and the houses which they had builded on it, were possessed by the Chaldeans, and other aliens from the nation of Israel: they were bereaved of their fathers, and their mothers were left destitute widows, amidst the oppressions of their enemies: they were forced, in the land of their captivity, to pay dear even for water and fuel, which they formerly had for fetching: they were grievous
more regard to them, must "fail, in looking for ly oppressed and persecuted, and labored for
vain help from such as cannot save:" but they who trust in him shall never be confounded.Men who are most presumptuous in prosperity, are most apt to despond in danger and trouble: and they, who have before despised the warnings and counsels of the Lord's ministers, are often excessively terrified, when their end draws nigh and their days are fulfilled; and when they can find no escape from the close pursuit of "the king of terrors." If we so overrate any creature, as to account it "the breath of our nostrils," or expect "to live under its shadow;" we shall surely meet with disappointments and confusion: but our anointed King is indeed the Life of our souls, and we may safely live under his shadow, and rejoice in him in the midst of all our enemies; for he is "the true God, and Eternal Life."-All the troubles of the church will soon be accomplished; and believers ere long will have done with captivity, punishment, sin, and sorrow: but the doom of their insulting enemies approaches; the Lord will soon bring their sins to light; he will put the cup of vengeance into their hands; and they shall drink it to the dregs, and lie down in eternal shame and sorrow. (Note, Is. 50:10,11 . )
their tyrants, without respite or refreshment: they had repeatedly been obliged to submit to the Egyptians and Assyrians, through their urgent necessities; and at last some of them were destitute strangers in Egypt, and others were captives in the regions formerly governed by the Assyrians. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . -Notes , Is. 30:1-7. Jer. 2:33-37, ου. 36,37. Hos . 5:13,14. 7:11,12. 14:1-3, v. 3.)
V. 7. The whole load of national guilt, which had been accumulating for ages, lay with incumbent weight on that generation of Israel: thus they bare the iniquities of their fathers, who were no more on earth, to suffer the teinporal effects of their own transgressions. Of this they were at length made sen sible; and that it was the cause of their ex treme miseries, which they could not escape, but by a national repentance and conversion to God. It does not seem to have been spoken in a murmuring spirit; but as a humble acknowledgment of the justice of God, in his dealings with the nation. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , Ex . 20:5. Jer . 31:29,30. Ez . 18:2-4. Zech . 1:5, 6. Matt . 23:34-39.)
V. 8-10. Even the servants of the Chal
13 They took the young men to grind, and the children s fell under the wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music. 15 The joy of our heart is ceased; * our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown * is fallen from our head: woe unto us that we have sinned!
p Deut. 28:30. Is. 13:16. Zech.
Rev. 18:22.
x Ps. 30:11. Am. 6:4-7.8:10. Jam. 4:9,10.
y 1:1. Job 19:9. Ps. 89:39. Jer. 13:18. Ez. 21:26. Rev. 2:10. 3:11.
* Heb. of our head is fallen.
z 1:8,18. 2:1. 4:13. Prov. 14. 34. Is. 3:9-11. Jer. 2:17,19. 4:18. Ez. 7:17-22. 22:12-16. 2 Pet. 2:4-6.
deans domineered over the captive worshippers of God: and there was none to rescue them from their insolence and cruelty. ( Marg . Ref . 1, m.- Notes , Ex . 5:12-23. Neh . 5:14-18. Prov. 28:3.) Whilst the invasion of the land, and the siege of Jerusalem continued, and immediately after the city was taken, the people got their bread by hazarding their lives; for they were every where met with by their enemies, who destroyed them without mercy: and their skins were parched and turned black, by the extremity of the famine which they had endured. ( Marg . Ref . n, o.- Note , 4:7,8.)
18 Because of the mountain of Zior, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it. 19 Thou, O Lord, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation. 20 Wherefore & dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us † so long time?
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.
a 1:13,22. Lev. 26:36. Is. 1:5. Jer. 8:18. 46:5. Ez. 21:7,15. b 2:11. Deut. 28:65. Job 17:7. Ps. 6:7. 31:9. 69:3. Is. 38:14. c 2:8,9. 1 Kings 9:7,8. Ps. 74:2, 3. Jer. 17:3. 26:9. 52:13. Mic. 3:12.
d Is. 32:13,14. Jer. 9:11.
g Ps. 13:1. 44:24. 74:1. 77:710. 79:5. 85:5. 89:46. 94:3,4.
Is. 64:9-12. Jer. 14:19-21.
Heb. for length of days. h1 Kings 18:37. Ps. 80:3,7,19. 85:4. Jer. 31:18. 32:39,40. Ez. 11:19,20. 36:25-27,37. Hab.
3:2.
e Deut. 33:27. Ps. 9:7. 10:16. i Jer. 31:4,23-25. 33:10,13. 90:2. 102:12,25-27. Hab. 1:12.
1 Tim. 1:17. 6:15,16. Heb. 1:10 -12. 13:8. Rev. 1:4,8,17,18. f Ps. 45:6. 145:13. 146:10. Dan. 2:44. 7:14,27. Heb. 1:8,9.
Zech. 8:3-6. Mal. 3:4.
Or, For wilt thou utterly reject us?
k Ps. 44:9. 60:1,2. Jer. 15:1-5. Ez. 37:11. Hos. 1:6.
'All our glory is at an end, together with the 'advantages of being thy people, and enjoying 'thy presence among us, by which we were 'distinguished from the rest of the world' Lowth . ( Marg . and Marg . M Ref . y, y, z.)
V. 17, 18. The most distressful circumstance of all, to the pious remnant, was the desolation of Zion, which was become the resort of foxes, preying upon the dead bodies, which were there left unburied: since it was without temple, altar, or sacrifice; without priest, or worshipper, or inhabitant, to drive them away. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , Ps . 63:9-11, v. 10. 79:1— 5. Is . 32:9-14.)
Because , &c. (9) I can no otherwise under'stand this, than that on account of their weak 'and defenceless state, the people were contin-ple 'ually exposed, while they followed their ne'cessary business, to the incursions of the Ara'bian freebooters, who might not improperly 'be styled, "the sword of the wilderness."" Blayney.
Terrible famine. (10) Marg . זלעפות . The word occurs Ps . 11:6. and in the singular Ps .
119:53. and not elsewhere.
V. 11-16 After the city was taken, these outrages were committed, as they had before been in the cities of Judah. ( Marg . Ref . p.Note, Zech 14:1-3.) Their princes were disgraced or put to death, by the hands of the enemy, in the most cruel and ignominious manner, as slaves and malefactors: their elders, (either the members of the national council, or the aged and most venerable citizens,) were treated with indignity: their chosen strong men were enslaved, and employed in the hardest drudgery; and even the youths were loaded with wood till they fell under the burden.
So that the elders no more appeared in the gate of the city, to administer justice, or to give counsel; the young men no more entertained themselves and others with music. All their mirth was ceased and turned into mourning: all their honor was gone; their crown was fallen from their heads, and their miseries were come upon them because of their sins. ( Marg . Ref . q-x.-Notes, Is . 24:1-12. Jer . 25:10.)
V. 19-22. In this deplorable case, the peoof God could apply to none, but their everlasting and unchangeable King, whose throne remained from age to age. ( Notes , Ps . 90:1,2. 102:25-28. Hab . 1:12-17, v . 12.) They therefore anxiously inquired of him, on what account he had so long forsaken them, and seemed to forget them. They besought him to convert them unto himself, by his renewing grace; ( Marg .
Ref . e.-Notes, Jer. 17:14. 31:18 -20.) that he might return to them in mercy, and renew those prosperous days, which their nation had anciently enjoyed: and they complained, that he had utterly rejected them in his anger; or rather they inquired, whether he meant thus to deal with them. ( Marg . and Marg .
Ref . g. k.- Notes , Ps . 74:10-12.77:512. 89:46-48.) -'Our only hope is in the eter'nity and unchangeableness of thy nature; and 'that thou still governest the world, and or'derest all the events of it; whereby thou art 'always able to help us, and art never forget'ful of the promises, which thou hast made to 'thy people.... Do thou give us the grace of 'conversion and amendment, and then thou 'wilt remove thy heavy judgments, and restore 'us to that happiness and prosperity which we 'formerly enjoyed.' Lowth . ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . h, i.- Notes , Deut . 30:1-10. Is . 64:6--12.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
In all troubles, prayer is our great duty and privilege, and the best means of relief: and all Young men from their music . (14) "The cho- our sorrows should lead us to beseech the sen ones have ceased from their Psalms." Lord to remember and help us. Though our The termination of the sacred psalmody at the sins and his just displeasure have caused our temple seems especially intended. -Crown .(16) || sufferings; yet we may hope in his pardoning
mercy, his sanctifying grace, and his kindgers; or our relation to God, as espoused and
providence. As wasting wars, terrible famines, and heavy oppressions, or persecutions, come upon nations, for the sins of former and present generations, when their appointed measure of iniquity is filled up; so the accumulating sins of a man's whole life will be punished with tremendous vengeance at last; except he obtain by faith an interest in Him, "who bare our sins in his own body on the tree." The wrath of God turns the sinner's mirth into mourning, his liberty into bondage, and his honor into disgrace: "for this the crown is fallen from our heads, and woe
adopted into his family, abrogated; or "the liberty, wherewith Christ hath made us free," taken from us; the freeness of our salvation disannulled; or our joy and glorying in Christ made void. Various tribulations may make our hearts faint and our eyes dim; but our way to the mercy-seat of our reconciled God is still open: and we may beseech him not to forsake or forget us; and plead with him to turn and renew us, more and more, by his grace; that our hopes may revive, and our consolations abound, "as in the days of old." For the eternal and unchangeable God will not utter
unto us that we have sinned!" This first re-ly reject his church, or any true believer, what
ever our trials, fears, or lamentations may be. Let us then, 'in all our troubles, put our whole 'trust and confidence in his mercy;' let us confess our sins, and pour out our hearts before him; and let us watch against repinings or despondency, whatever we suffer, or whatever we witness of the troubles of our brethren; for this we surely know, that it shall be well in the event, with all who trust, fear, love, and
duced the race of men to its present wretched condition; and the desolations of the church originate from the same source. But though we should mourn over the miseries of the world, and the low estate of the church; yet the true Zion, to which believers are come, cannot be desolated, but remains for ever, even as the throne of our God in heaven. This inheritance cannot be forfeited or alienated: nor can our mansions be possessed by stran-serve God.
THE BOOK
OF THE
PROPHET EZEKIEL.
EZEKIEL, like Jeremiah, was a priest as well as a prophet. He executed his office among the captives in Chaldea, during the latter part of the time that Jeremiah was employed at Jerusalem, and till some time after the destruction of the city.
He did not, however, reside at or near Babylon; but by the river Chebar, supposed by some to lie two hundred miles north of that city; where numbers of the captives were placed. (Note, 1:1-3.) He seems to have been carried into captivity with Jehoiachin, and he dates his prophecies from that event: though he was not called to the prophetical office, till the fifth year after; and probably, in the thirtieth year of his age: though some reckon this thirtieth year, from Josiah's reformation, when he and Judah solemnly covenanted with God to be his people. ( Note , 1:1--3, v . 2.) The scope of his predictions was very similar to that of Jeremiah; but his manner was exceedingly different: for he delivered his messages with a vehemence, energy, and even terror and severity, peculiar to himself, but very suitable to the subjects, and to the character of those among whom or concerning whom he prophesied.
His style exactly answering 'the character the Greek rhetoricians give of that part of oratory they call Δείνωσις , which 'Quintilian defines to be, Oratio, quæ rebus asperis, indignis et invidiosis vim addit ; ... its 'property being to aggravate things in themselves monstrous and odious, and represent them 'with great force and efficacy of expression.... Rapin ... calls Ezekiel's style le terrible , as hav'ing something in it, that strikes the reader with an holy dread and astonishment. Lowth .
Yet he seems to have been especially raised up, to animate and encourage the pious remnant among the captives, with the hope of returning prosperity; and to convince them that their condition was greatly preferable to that of their brethren in Judah, against whom he predicted still more tremendous judgments, terminating in the desolations of the Temple, of Jerusalem, and of Judah; and almost the extermination of the inhabitants. ( Notes , 11:1421.) The prophecies contained in this book, which have been most surprisingly fulfilled, and are fulfilling at this day, constitute a full demonstration, that Ezekiel "spake as he was moved by the Holy Spirit;" especially his prophecies concerning Tyre and Egypt. ( Notes , 26:-32:) It contains also many predictions, which are not yet fulfilled, relating to the restoration of Israel, and the triumphs of the church over all her enemies; which, on careful investigation, will be found entirely to coincide with many parts of Isaiah's and Daniel's prophecies, and with those contained in the revelation of St.
John. ( Notes , 36:39:)—There
are also several evident references to it, in the New Testament, though it is not expressly quoted. (Compare 1: 10: with Rev. 4:5:-9:4. with Rev. 7:2,3.- and 9:6. with 1 Pet . 4:17.) Nor is there any doubt, that this prophecy formed a part of the sacred canon, in the days of our Lord and his apostles. - Some have observed, that the prophet's name was happily ex. pressive of his character; as it may signify, the strength , or courage, of God .
Many parts of the book, however, are very figurative and obscure; and some, of which no solution, entirely satisfactory, seems to have been hitherto given. It opens with an account of an emblematic vision of God, by which Ezekiel was called to the prophetic office.
It then contains several visions, representing the calamities coming on the Jewish nation, and JEHOVAH'S departure from his temple; connected with severe reproofs of the enormous wickedness of the Jews at Jerusalem, of the captives, and the whole nation with their kings, princes, priests, and prophets; and awful predictions against them.
Having then predicted the judgments of God against the surrounding nations; the prophet changes his style, gives both Judah and Israel intimations of great mercies in reserve; and foreteis the destruction of the enemies of the church and of Israel in the latter ages: and he concludes with a remarkable vision of the temple, city, and holy land; which, it is probable, is an emblematical description of the unity and prosperity of the church in the Millennium.
The whole prophecy is suited to fill the mind with solemn awe of the purity and justice of God, and hope in his mercy, and with dread and hatred of sin; to lead the thoughts to Christ and his kingdom; and to encourage our hopes of glorious final success to the cause of truth and holiness on earth.
NOTES.