A land that I had espied for them] God represents himself as having gone over different countries in order to find a comfortable residence for these people, whom he considered as his children.

Flowing with milk and honey] These were the characteristics of a happy and fruitful country, producing without intense labour all the necessaries and comforts of life. Of the happiest state and happiest place, a fine poet gives the following description:- Ver erat aeternum, placidique tepentibus auris Mulcebant Zephyri natos sine semine flores. Mox etiam fruges tellus inarata ferebat: Nec renovatus ager gravidis canebat aristis. Flumina jam lactis, jam flumina nectaris ibant: Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella. OVID'S Metam. lib. i., 107.

On flowers unsown soft Zephyr spreads his wing, And time itself was one eternal spring; Ensuing years the yellow harvest crowned, The bearded blade sprang from the untilled ground, And laden unrenewed the fields were found. Floods were with milk, and floods with nectar filled, And honey from the sweating oaks distilled.

In the flourishing state of Judea every mountain was cultivated as well as the valleys. Among the very rocks the vines grew luxuriantly.

Ezek. 20:1-9. Those hearts are wretchedly hardened which ask God leav to go on in sin, and that even when suffering for it; see Ezek. 20:32 God is justly angry with those who are resolved to go on still in their trespasses. Cause the people to know the evil deeds of their fathers that they may see how righteous it was with God to cut them off.

Ezek. 20:10-26. The history of Israel in the wilderness is referred to in the new Testament as well as in the Old, for warning. God did grea things for them. He gave them the law, and revived the ancient keepin of the sabbath day. Sabbaths are privileges; they are signs of ou being his people. If we do the duty of the day, we shall find, to ou comfort, it is the Lord that makes us holy, that is, truly happy, here and prepares us to be happy, that is, perfectly holy, hereafter. The Israelites rebelled, and were left to the judgments they brought upo themselves. God sometimes makes sin to be its own punishment, yet he is not the Author of sin: there needs no more to make men miserable, tha to give them up to their own evil desires and passions.

Ezek. 20:27-32 The Jews persisted in rebellion after they settled in the land of Canaan. And these elders seem to have thought of unitin with the heathen. We make nothing by our profession if it be but profession. There is nothing got by sinful compliances; and the carna projects of hypocrites will stand them in no stead.

Ezek. 20:33-44 The wicked Israelites, notwithstanding they follow the sinful ways of other nations, shall not mingle with them in their prosperity, but shall be separated from them for destruction. There is no shaking off God's dominion; and those who will not yield to the power of his grace, shall sink under the power of his wrath. But no one of God's jewels shall be lost in the lumber of this world. He wil bring the jews to the land of Israel again; and will give them tru repentance. They will be overcome with his kindness: the more we know of God's holiness, the more we see the hateful nature of sin. Those wh remain unaffected amidst means of grace, and would live without Christ like the world around them, may be sure it is the way to destruction.

Ezek. 20:45-49 Judah and Jerusalem had been full of people, as a fores of trees, but empty of fruit. God's word prophesies against those wh bring not forth the fruits of righteousness. When He will ruin nation, who or what can save it? The plainest truths were as parable to the people. It is common for those who will not be wrought upon by the word, to blame it __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew