Verse 13

VER. 13.

Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderers.

WHAT, God departed? Wo to us when God departs from us. Why? but Ephraim might bless himself in his prosperous condition in which he was, Ephraim (might say) What do you speak of Gods departing? We are in a good condition, it's but your melancholly fears that makes you speak of such fears as these are, we were never stronger, nor never had better fortifications, nor never prospered better than we do; and as I told you, this has reference to the time of Jerohoam the second, and the Prophet grants it, that they were in a prosperous estate, Ephraim was like Tyrus planted in a pleasant place as Tyrus was. Tyrus, it was a brave city, an island in the sea, much like (as it's reported) that famous city in Italy, [Venice] which is in the sea about seven hundred paces from the land, it is built as it were upon a rock in the sea; and so indeed the word signifies, it comes from a word that in the Hebrew signifies a rock: it was a very exceeding strong place. Quintus Curtius in his fourth book of the story of Alexander, says that, Alexander in his conquest had more to do to conquer Tyrus than all Asia besides, it was such a mighty and strong place. Pliny says the compass of it was nineteen miles. It was the general mart almost of all the world, and it was a city very full of people; and to this the Prophet has reference, when he says, Ephraim was like Tyrus; because Ephraim did so glory in his numerous progeny; for Tyrus was a mighty populous place, as Pliny says of it, that there were three other ancient cities came out of it, as Leptis, Vtica, and that great CARTHAGE that was but a spring out of this root, that CARTHAGE that was such a famous city that did strive a long time for the empire of Rome, and the monarchy and dominion of the whole world. Yes, and Gades divided (as it were) from the rest of the earth, were peopled from hence. We need not go so much to the authors that write about this city and the braveness of it, for in (Ezekiel 27) you have a description of the city Tyrus, as a most brave, rich, and glorious city. Oh! you that are situated at the entry of the sea, which are a merchant of the people for many isles: thus says the Lord God, O Tyrus, you have said I am of perfect beauty. Your borders are in the midst of the seas, your builders have perfected your beauty. And then in the 33rd verse, When your wares went forth out of the seas you filled many people, you did enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise. Now says the Lord here, Ephraim is thus, she said to her self, that she was so prosperous, and strong, and rich every way, she was like to Tyrus, I grant it says the Prophet, and I have seen it so, Ephraim is the very same even then when I am departing from her.

So that from hence we may see, that at the very time when God is departing from a kingdom, or a particular man or woman, they may be in the greatest prosperity that ever they were in all their lives. When you are nearest eternal misery you may be in the highest degree of outward prosperity that ever you were in all your life. Physicians say that the uttermost degree of health in the body, is next to sickness. It's true here, that the highest degree of outward prosperity, it's but the forerunner of ruin. Oh! let us learn never to trust in our prosperity, but always to walk with fear and trembling before the Lord, never let us think that we are safe and well because we have outward things at our wills, we may have them at our wills and yet that very night the word may come, This night shall your soul be taken away, as you know it was with the rich man in the Gospel, when he had his barns full and was in consultation what to do, yet now shall your soul be taken from you. And Nebuchadnezzar at that very time when he was glorying in his magnificent palace that he had made, now the word comes out against him.

Again, especially it should teach us, not to trust (as in no outward prosperity so) not in any fortifications, nor strength. Tyrus was an invincible place (it seems to be so) yet God could pull it down: nor to trust in the multitude of soldiers. This example is as famous as any to teach men not to trust in any outward things whatever.

Calvin he carries it in somewhat a different way, and truly not without some probability neither. I saw Ephraim that you were planted in a pleasant place, as in Tyrus, so he carries it thus, that is, You are a plant like to the plants that were in Tyrus. And the word translated, pleasant place, it's a word that signifies building: because they use to build the most delightful places; it signifies also a secure place of habitation, now (says he) Tyrus it was upon a rock, and therefore they had little ground for orchards, or gardens, or plants, but only such as were made by art, and with a great deal of cost and charges. And (says he) as men when they are striving with nature, if they mean to do any thing at all, they will do it to purpose, and fetch out the most curious plants and bestow a great deal of cost to cover them from the coldness of the winter, as we see in places that are near the sea, that merely by art they fetch out a place for a garden or orchard, they are mighty chargeable. So Ephraim was compared to such a plant, that is, God was at a great deal of charge for it, and very careful he was to preserve them. As you heard the last day, God compared his love to his people to a longing woman that longed for the first ripe fruits; so God's love was towards his people, and here God compares his respect to his people; as a man or woman would do to a tender plant that is in a garden or orchard that is made with abundance of cost and charge, look how careful they would be to preserve some tender plant in covering of it, and keeping of it from being mixed with the frost, (says he) such was my care towards Ephraim, however they have served me. Thus to aggravate their sins God does show his care of them (thus Calvin.) But says the text for all this, though my care has been thus over them, yet they shall bring forth their children to the murderers.

God never shows so much respect to any man or woman, but upon their forsaking of him, wrath does follow. Yet after all this they shall bring forth their children to the murderers, as if so be their children had been born for no other end, but to satisfy the mouth of the sword, to be objects of the fury of the murderers; and those children that they shall bring forth in their war, they shall send them forth, just as if a man did send a company of beasts to the slaughter-house.