arhy he had with hisCountrey-men in theirSufferings and Calamiries, Dr > Becauſe of thoſe Wickedneſles he ſaw and reproved in them. Or, 3. Becauſe he muſt be the unwelcome Meſſenger of ſuch unwel- cons News. Or, 4. Becauſe the Danger he was expoſed to among enraged Deſperadoes: which vay ever you explain it, 2ekiel S weak- neſs and diſtempered Humour will appear 1n it, Jonas-like he will be angry. t# For, as ſome others ; And, as Heb. x Either in general the Power of God, which cannot be reſiſted. Orthe Spirit of prophecy, which, as a Fire ſhut up, w1ll break forth, as 1n Jer. 20. 7,8, 9. in-
deed both concur.
15 Then [| came to y them of the captivity at z Tel- abib, that dwele by 4 the river of Chebar, and I * ſat þ they fat, and remained there c aſtoniſhed among chem 4 ſeven days.
7 Verſe 11. See there. x the Name of a Place in that part of Me/6- poramia which was ſhut up within Chebar Weſtward, and Savors Eaſt. ward. This was divided into Superiour called Gezar, and Inferiour -alled here TeZ-abib, a low Country and unprofitable, becauſe ſpoiled by \Vaters, and ſecure to keep Captives in, and fo it aforded matter of L:ibour and Toil to the Captive Jews, and was as a Priſon to them leſt thcv ſhould eſcape, and in both pleaſed the Badbylonians. a Onor near to that part of the River Chebar which runs W:ftward of this Tel-abib ; h-12 then is no more ContiadiQion than is in this, if I ſhould name a Plicc between two Rivers, and ſay the Place 1s near one of thoſe Ri- vers. b Sat fad and aſtoniſh'd, where I found and ſaw them fittin aftoniſh'd : for Sirting ſometimes is a Poſture of Mourning and Sadneſs, as it: Lam. I. I. and Job's Friends, and Pal. 137. 1. c Either at the ſight of that woful Change of the Jews from Freedom and Honour to Servitude and Shame : Or, aſtoniſh'd at foreſight of that which the Ro!l contained, or at the Jews Impenitence and unreformed manner of Living underalltheſe aflitions. 4 Mourning no doubt all that while, and waiting till the Spirit of Prophecy ſhould open his Mouth, and till he might know Perſons, their Inclinations, Vices, and Temper 1a them, and till he might ſpeak ſomewhat of perſonal Knowledge a-. gainſt cheir Wickedneſles.
:6 And it came to paſls at the end of ſeven days, that the 2rd of the LORD came unto me, ſaying, This Verſe gives us ſufficient account why the Prophet ſtayed theſe ſeven Days, it was becauſe the particular Word he was to ſpeak ro them was not yet declared to him. He had a Call and Commiſſion to be x Propher, and comes in this CharaGer to theſe Jews, but till ſeven days are ended he receives no particular Word, when by his Carriage among the Jews it appeared he was more than a common Maa, that he was full of matter more than ordinary ; then came the Word of the Lo:d, ſaying.
17 * Son e of man, f I have g made thee * a watch- man to the h houſe of Iſrael: therefore hear the word at
S|on me, and he ſaid unto me, Ariſe, go forth
my mouth z, and give them warning & from me.
e Chap. 2. 1. which ſee. f The Perſon that appeared to him,chap.r. 26. *Tis the great and glorious One. z Appointed by Commiſſton, I have qualified by Gifts, I have aQually ſent thee forth, &c. + Night and Day to obſerve whether the Enemy approach, and to give notice on pain of Death. 7 See chap. 2.3. K&1I will give thee notice, thou art then to give warning unto them, and let them know it comes from me, andin Mercy to prevent their final Ruine ; be nor asa Prognoftica- tor, as one that conſults the Stars, and foretels from the ConjunCtion of them, but own the Things thou art to warn them of as from my Mouth. |
18 When I ſay unto the 2 wicked, Thou ſhalt ſurely » die; and thou o giveſt him not warning, nor p ſpeak- eſt to warn the wicked from his q way to fave his life » ; the {ame wicked man ſhall die s in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require #7 at thine hand.
[ Either by the Menaces of my Law, or by Motion of my Spirit ſtirring thee up to reprove and warn. m Any wicked one whatever, Rich or Poor, Mean or Mighty. » Such Courſes will certainly end in Death, and in Damnation, if not left. o Frequently and with repeated Monitions, as the Word ſignifies, and asthe Apoſtle, 4#s 20. 31.this to thoſe that will hearken. p Some will profanely ſcoff and deride, yer ſpeak to warn them, till it do appear they are ſuch as will turn a- gain and rent you. Or elſe 'tis the ſame thing repeated. q Men muſt be told of their own Sins, theſe are their Dangers. » That thou muſt preſerve his Life, his Soul, and recal him once from Sin and Death. s The Man who is not warned by thee willcertainly diein his Sin, the S1nner's Ignorance will not be ſufficientto prevent his Death, butthy not admoniſhing him will involve thee alſo in Guilt and Death. : 1 will puniſh thee, who poſſibly mighteſt have ſaved by warning, how- ever oughteſt to have warned.
19 Yet it thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from « his wickedneſs, nor from his x wicked way, he _ die 1n his y iniquity 3 but s thou haſt delivered thy oul.
# This may denote the Sinfulneſs of his Mind and Heart, which is the ſpring of all His a&ual ſinful Courſes, the Praices of Sin,
+ He" ja and the Habits of Sin muſt be left. » The Puniſhment of his unre- $a" Pented Sins ſhall be Death. z Thereis nodangeruntothe Watch-man, e the Prophet and Miniſter, who did his Duty and warned the Sinner. k "Ob. 13, , 22 Again @ when a * righteous b an dathc turn from , + His -f righteouſneſs, and commic 4 iniquity, and I e lay a : | iq ſtumbling. block before him, f he ſhall die: becauſe thou ; &, haſt not given him warning he ſhall die in his ſin, and his
g righteouſneſs which he hath done h ſhall not be remmem- bred; but his blood will I require at thy hand.
i Cinp. 111, WF T1ap. 1 3 1