They will ſcoff and perſecute, but I command, and remember whom |! come ; ſo this Prophet's Meſſage would be a moſt heavy Burden tothe thou haſt ſeen, who is with thee. » Be ſure to tell them who ſends | Jews and other Nations agaiaſt which he propheſieth.
thee, read the Commiſſion, Thr ſaith &c.
5 And they o, * whether they will p hear, or whether they wilt q forbear, ( * for they are a rebellious r houſe) yet * ſhall / know there hath been a prophet #7 among | them.
o Though the Omniſcient God knows which they will do, yet lets
not the Prophet know, bur enjoins him bis Duty , affords theſe Sinners the Mercy of Warnings, and calls and expe&s that they att like Men, hear
will forbear to hear thee, but not forbear to ſin; the greateſt Part will
I will bleſs them and bring them back. Thoſe that will neither hear what they ſhould do, nor forbear doing what they ſhould not do, ſhall
Name will I vindicate, and prove thee a Prophet to the Comfort of thy ſelf and others who are obedient, but to the Shame and Confuſion of
6 And thou, ſon « of man, * benot afraid x o them, nei ther be afraid of their y words, though [| * briers z and thorns
be with 4 thee, and thou doſt dwell among ſcorpions b : be
u Thou a Propher, ſent by him whoſe Throne 3s higheſt, whom thou ſaweſt as the appearance of a Man in Glory, and provided with Power
bur yet in the delivery of thy Meſlage fear none of them. y Heb. will
or whatever elſe an envious and malicious Heart can ſuggeſt to the Tongue. x Here two Words in the Heb. are uſed, the firſt uſed only in this Place, though frequently uſed in the Chaldze Paraphraſe, where
lſracl go, and Jer. 5. 3. obſtinate refuſing to learn. But our Tranſla- tors, guided by the proper Signification of the other Word, have ren- dred it Briars, which uſually run up among Thorns, and are a very
and his Prophet, and of the ſure Deſtru&ion which will befal theſe mongſt them. a Againſt thee. b Some ſay this is an Herb which becauſe it 1s every way armed with ſharp pricking Stings, hath this Name given it; but if we retain the more common LInterpretation, it ſpeaks the RageandHear, the poiſonous Malice,and the ly lurking Craft,
temners of God and Religion. Theſe Men, like Scorpions undiſcerned,
CHAP. III
The prophet at God's command eateth up the roll, 1—3. His charge, inſiru« Fim and encouragement againſt the peoples obſiinacy, 4—14. God in« Rruftcth him in the office and uſifulneſs of a faithful prophet, 15—21, Sheweth him his glory : and foretelleth his future uſage and treatment, 22—25. God ſhutteth and openeth the prophet's mouth, 26, 27.
I Oreover 4he ſaid unto me, Son of man, 6 eat that thou c findeſt; 4 eat this roll, and e go f ſpeak unto the houſe of Iſrael.
a Who ſat on the Throne and dire&ted the Chariot or Cherubims, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who alſo ſpake to him in the Chapter before. b This was done in a Viſion. «c In the Hand which was tent to him, ch. 2. wv. 9. this explains the former, and being ingeminared, doth re- quire the Prophet's greateſt Reſolution and Diligence. « Read attentive- ly, meditate throughly, impreſs the things upon thy Soul deeply, for thou muſt declare them with very great AffcCtion and Tenderneſs, with exa& Faithfulneſs and fearleſs Courage. e For then art chou fit- ed for, and Commiſſioned to undettake the prophetick Fun&Qion. f Publiſh to them of the captivity in Babz/oz, what I have declared to them, tell them what they ſhould do, and what I wi!l do.
2 Sogl bh opened my mouth, and he 7 cauſed me to eat that roll. £ And Heb. ſo ſoon as he had heard hemuſt eat it. h Not to diſcuſs Points, but to obey, ro ſhew my readineſs indeed, and to do what lay on meto do. 7 Not by a Force compelling me, but by a concurrent Help in whatthe Prophet was ready to do. 3 And & he ſaid unto me, Son of man, cauſe thy / belly
ney for ſweetneſs. |
& In this verſe is confirmed and explained what was ſ'oken wer. 1. which fee. 1 The Mouth is the proper Inſtrument of eating, buc when Meat is eaten and digeſted, the Belly is ſaid to eat; the Prophet muſt not juſt caſte, but he muſt chew, ſwallow down, retain, and fill his Belly with God's Word. m»: This is the ſame repeated, unleſs it add to the other the Meaſure, the fulneſs of the Meaſure wherewith we ſhould read, meditate, and digeſt the Word of God, and his Works. And fince Bowelsare the ſeat of Compaſſion, *tis likely the Lord would have his Prophet be affeQed with pity towards that Czprive People, whoſe Miſeries he muſt forete], and he foreſees they muſt ſuffer. 7 The Roll and all that was in it came from God, and Ezekiel muſt re- member this. o And I did eatit, Heb. p Upon the Palat *twas ſweer (this done in Viſion ſtill) as Honey. If you wonder that ſuch bitter
could be, ſince chap. 2. wer. 19. 'twas full of Lamentation, &c. | Reſp. It was ſweet to receive ſuch things by Revelation from God, and ſo ro converſe with God ; 'tis ſweet ro foreſee furure Events, and to foretel God's juſt Judgments againſt Sinners, and to have proſpe& of a
wound, torm:nt and kill. c The admonition againſt fntul Fear 1s
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Chap. III.
4 Heb.
Vindication of the honour of God and credit of the Prophet, who ſeeing all theſe rhings with a well-compoſed Mind and juſt Zeal for God, could not but approve, and be pleaſed therewith. Or, It was ſweer, as uſually the firit part of the Miniſterial Work is pleaſant, but atlaſt wicked Mens Oppoſition and Perſecution makerh bitter, as wer. 14. And Jer. 15. 16, 17, 18. And Rev. 10. 10.
4 «T And q he ſaid unto me 7, Son of man s go, get cheeunto the 7 houſe of Ifrael, and « ſpeak with = my words unto them.
a See vr. 1, » See <.2.1. 5£ Either the firſt word, go, intimates the awakening and rouſing him, and the Jatter, ger hee, direfts him whither co go when on bis Legs; orelſe 'tis an Idiom of che Heb. Lan- guage,or an &dad:;,anTIngemination of the ſameCommand.* See ch. 2,3.
EZERKTE L.