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fort to the captive Jews, engage them to fly to God by repentance, and convince them that God watched over them, and would not fail to cause them to return from the Babylonish captivity.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THIS and the three following chapters are a prophecy against the Egyptians. The prophet having foretold the overthrow of Tyre in the preceding chapters, in this denounces the destruction of Egypt, which should likewise be subdued by the king of Babylon, after he had taken Tyre. However, Ezekiel foretells, that at the end of forty years, the Egyptians should return into their own country, but should be there in a very abject condition.

CHAPTER XXX.

Ezekiel continues his prophecy against Egypt, and says, that the principal cities of that kingdom, which are mentioned by name in this chapter, should be destroyed with their idols.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE prophet represents, by the comparison of a fine large cedar, that the Assyrian monarchy had even been more powerful than the Egyptians, and yet had come to an end; and that it should be so with the latter.

CHAPTER XXXII.

THIS chapter is a lamentation for the destruction of Egypt, which should be reduced to the same condition as the Persians, the Edomites, and the other nations, who were likewise to be conquered by the Babylonians.

Reflections on chap. xxix. xxx. xxxi. xxxii.

ON these chapters we are to consider, I. That God thought fit to foretell by Ezekiel, and by the other prophets, the destruction of Egypt, that the Jews

might acknowledge that the God whom they worshipped was the supreme Lord of the universe, and of all nations, and that they had in vain put their confidence in the Egyptians. II. It is remarkable, that Ezekiel says, expressly, that God would deliver Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, as a reward for executing his judgments on the city of Tyre; that the Egyptians should be dispersed; that in forty years they should return to Egypt; but that their kingdom should not be restored to them in its former condition, being brought very low. All this was literally fulfilled: Nebuchadnezzar became master of Egypt after he had taken the city of Tyre; the Egyptians were carried into captivity; and at the end of some years they returned into their own country, under Amasis their king; but the kingdom of Egypt did not recover its former splendour, and was afterwards kept low and made subject to foreign princes, as Ezekiel had foretold. To compare these prophecies with the event, is very proper, to convince us that God was the author of them, that the holy Scripture is divinely inspired, and that nothing is more certainly true than the doctrines contained in it.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THERE are four things to be considered in this chapter: I. God instructs the prophet in the duties of his office, and the obligation he was under to warn sinners. II. To stop the murmurings of the Jews, he declares, that he desires not the death of the wicked, and that repenting sinners should be received to mercy; as, on the other hand, the righteous, who forsake the ways of righteousness, shall die in their sin. III. Ezekiel receives the news of the taking of Jerusalem, and foretells the destruction of those Jews that remained in Judea. IV. God complains of the hypocrisy of the Jews that were at Babylon, who came to hear Ezekiel, but would not do that which he commanded them in the name of God. This is one of the most instructive chapters in the whole Book.

Reflections.

THAT We may improve by this chapter, we must consider as follows: I. The comparison of a centinel, or watchman, whereby God represents the duties of Ezekiel's office, shows with what fidelity the pastors of the church ought to warn sinners, and labour with their utmost strength to recover them from the error of their ways, if they would not be responsible for the ruin of their souls; and it likewise proves, that if sinners do not amend, when they are so warned, their destruction will be just, II. We have here one of the most express declarations of the infinite mercy of God, that is to be found in the whole Scripture. God swears by himself, that he would not by any means the death of the wicked; that he desires nothing but their conversion and life, and receives them graciously as soon as they return to him. The consideration of God's great mercy should fill sinners with confidence, and engage them to repent, and hereby prevent their ruin. III. Ezekiel teaches us, that God has no respect in his judgment, but to the good and evil which every man has done; and that as sinners who change their course of life, shall obtain mercy, so likewise the righteous, if they forsake their righteousness, shall die in their sin. What God says in so clear and express a manner on this head, sets his unbounded goodness towards men in a clear light, as well as his unspotted justice; and this doctrine ought to stop the mouths of hardened sinners, and inspire good men with a wholesome fear. IV. We have a remarkable instance of the justice of God, and of the truth of his threatenings, in the taking of Jerusalem, and in the calamities that fell upon the Jews that still remained in Judea. However, it is to be remarked, that those Jews, though guilty of all manner of wickedness, and even of idolatry, flattered themselves till then, that they should remain in their own land, and continue to possess it. Thus sinners imagine they have nothing to fear, when they are the object of

God's wrath, and his vengeance is going to take hold of them. Lastly, God reproaches the Jews for coming to hear the prophet Ezekiel, and not doing what he said, which teaches us, that it is downright hypocrisy, and the most criminal contempt, to hear the word of God, and not practise what it prescribes.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THIS chapter contains two things : I. The threatenings against false shepherds; that is to say, against the prophets and magistrates, who, instead of taking care of the flock and sheep of the Lord, are the occasion of their ruin. II. It contains promises, by which God engages to save his sheep, to give them good shepherds; and, above all, to send a great Shepherd, who should redeem his people, and render them eternally happy.

Reflections.

THIS is a chapter, which both magistrates and the rulers of the church ought to meditate upon very seriously. The complaints that God here makes of false shepherds, and the curses he denounces against them, show, that it is the duty of pastors, with their utmost diligence, to watch over the sheep with which they are entrusted, and to provide with care and readiness for all their wants; and that if they fail herein, they must give a severe account to God for it. This too lays an obligation upon princes and magistrates, to govern faithfully and justly the people committed to their trust. What befell the Jews, who for the unfaithfulness of their prophets and magistrates were utterly destroyed, shows, that it is the greatest misfortune to a nation to have wicked rulers; and that all who are concerned for the glory of God, and the happiness and edification of the church, have great reason to pray to God, that he would always raise up to his people faithful and good pastors. As to the promises which God makes in this chapter, to save his sheep, and to be himself their shepherd and their guide; they

first denote the return of the Jews from their captivity at Babylon into their own country; which they did by the authority of Cyrus, and under the conduct of their rulers; but they more perfectly agree to Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the great Shepherd of the sheep, that good Shepherd, who has laid down his life for them, who came to gather them together in his church, and will give them everlasting life, as he himself has declared in the Gospel.

CHAPTER XXXV.

Ezekiel prophesies against the Edomites, and foretells their utter destruction, because of the great mischiefs they had done to the Jews, and because they had even proudly opposed God himself.

Reflections.

WE here see, that the Edomites were to feel the divine and that their country was to be vengeance, laid waste, because they bore a mortal hatred to the people of Israel, and had not only rejoiced in their destruction, but had even assisted in bringing it about, and had behaved with great insolence and barbarity. These menaces were not long before they were put in execution against the Edomites, their country being plundered and laid waste by the same king that had destroyed Jerusalem, and some time after by the Jews, in the time of the Maccabees. Thus God punishes those who have no pity on the miserable, and take pleasure in doing evil to others; but especially those who persecute the church.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

I. Ezekiel foretells the ruin of the Edomites, and the other enemies of God's people, and the restoration of the Jews to their own land. II. He says, that God had destroyed Jerusalem, and scattered the people of Israel, because of their sins; but that the Lord would have compassion on them, would again cause

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