be it great or small short or long it hath this name in the Hebrew language Jer. 3.8 a Bill of divorce is mentioned the word in the originall is Sephar a book of Divorce It was the use of the Jewes to call any Writing though it had but a few lines in it Sephar a book And so a Catalogue that had not many names in it is called a book Mat. 1.1 The book or the catalogue of the generation of Jesus Christ This Book of Ezekiel is large having eight and fourty Chapters in it and may rather be called a Volume then Sephar a Book a Bill a Catalogue Some Books in the Scripture that are far less then this of Ezekiel have that title Esther which is not long hath this title Megillath Esther the Volume of Esther or the Book of Esther so it is in your Bibles The word cometh from Gabal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to roll or fold up for the use of the Jewes was to fold up their Writings as being the best way to preserve them from dust and other dangers These two words are sometimes found both together as in this Prophet Chap. 2. v. 9. There was sent unto the Prophet a hand and in it there was Megillath Sephar a roll of a Book The Jewes had many Megillaths many such volumes or rolls especially five which they did use at severall times There was the Megillath of the Canticles which they read at the Feast of the Passeover because it contained much of the love of God to the Church and in the Passeover they apprehended much of Gods love towards them 2. Then they had the Megillath of Ruth which was read a◠the Feast of Pentecost because it contained the Genealogie and originall of David their King who was so beloved and dear unto them 3. They had the Megillath of Ecclesiastes and that they read at the Feast of Tabernacles in memory of Gods protection of them forty yeers in the Wilderness because that volume did contain in it many acts of Gods providence which watcheth over his people continually The fourth was the Megillath of Esther which was read in the Moneth of Adar because that discovered the plot of Haman and the goodness of God that did deliver them from that imminent danger The last Megillath was the Book of the Lamentations and this contained as the summe so the bewailing of the Babylonish captivity which was grievous unto them This Book they read in the fifth Moneth which was answerable to the latter end of July These were all little books little volumes Ezekiel is rather a Megillath and Ezekiel must be one volume a book written in the Babylonish captivity some five hundred and fourscore yeers before Christ so that it is above two thousand two hundred yeers since this book was written From hence you may observe First the Wisdome of God in causing this and other books to be written A book is a writing the originall word signifieth to write Here is the wisdome and goodness of God that the Prophecies of Ezekiel and other Prophets should be written God will have his Church furnished with and regulated by written truths not unwritten traditions The Jewes they had their Cabbala which they say were full of secret Mysteries The Papists they have their Traditions they call them unwritten verities and wee call them unwritten vanities We have a sure word of Prophecie to stick unto and they uncertain fancies which corrupt the worship of God and indanger immortall souls Bellarmine hath a whole book de Verbo Dei non scripto of the Word of God unwritten such words of God wee acknowledge not It was the wisdome of God that the Prophets should write and that their writings should be extant When the Lawyer asked Christ what he should do to inherit eternall life Christ doth not send him to unwritten Traditions or to Jewish Cabbala's but he sends him to a known and written Law What is written in the Law how readest thou Luke 10.26 So wee must look to what is written and how we may reade not what they tell us was revealed to such a Saint and hath continued to so many generations and is the truth of God these are delusions The writings of the Prophets and Apostles are sufficient for us and wee acknowledge the infinite goodness of God in that these should be written for us to have resort unto If this Prophets others and Apostles works had not been written there would have been great inconveniences some things would have been forgotten some neglected many things corrupted and all things in time questioned and so the whole truth would have been without authority in the hearts of people Secondly see here the providence of God likewise in preserving this book of Ezekiel which was written in Babylon for there was the Prophet and there he had his visions for a book to be preserved in Babylon is a wonder The Law was lost in Sion in Manasses his dayes and found again in Josiah his time If the Law may be lost in Sion much more may a Prophecie be lost in Babylon and if not lost in Babylon yet it might have been left in Babylon if not left there it might have miscarryed in their return if not then yet when Titus and Vespasian took and sacked Jerusalem it might there have perished and been utterly extinguished and we never have heard of this Prophecie of Ezekiel But here is the hand of God manifested in it that though this Prophecie were revealed to Ezekiel in Babylon and run through so many hazards yet it should be preserved to this very day Again see where is the true antiquity This book was written five hundred and fourscore yeers before Christ two thousand two hundred yeers ago and is not this book now very ancient other Prophets and the whole Scripture are the true Antiquity Papists and many amongst us stand upon antiquity and what is their antiquity The Fathers or some Heathen Writers are their antiquity But what is the true antiquity but the Word of God That is Prima veritas and pura veritas the first truth and the pure truth that is the fountain all other are but muddy channels When any points are in controversie they flie to Fathers and to Antiquity and what is found there they take for truth but this is to desert God and run to man My people have forsaken me the fountain of living waters Jerem. 2.13 and hewed them out cisrerns broken cisterns that can hold no water I am the fountain saith God my Scriptures are the fountain of living waters yet they run to their own pits and cisterns that hold no water Some moth-eaten and old writings some ancient copies that have lain hid some hundreds of yeers from the world are brought forth obtruded upon people for truths and they must be truths But for your direction know that if they be not in the Kings Records what ever writings they be never regard
to make a brief collection of the heads of all that was spoken before implying that much hath been said of Christ by others and that the chief heads of all should be summed up brought together and be found in Christ Much was spoken by David of Christ much by Isaiah much by Ieremy Zachariah Ezekiel now the summe of all that is in them and in the rest shall be gathered together as in one head you shall meet it all in Jesus Christ He is the Magazine and Treasury of all their strength and wealth the chief things that ever have been spoke by the Prophets formerly they are all concentred in him He is the Alpha and Omega the Alpha of Genesis The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and the Omega of the Revelations The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all So that all between Genesis and the Revelation leads either directly or collaterally unto Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.10 The Prophets prophecied of grace that should come unto you searching when or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow See here they shewed you the grace that should come the Spirit testified in them of the sufferings of Christ and of the glory that should follow They were Seers and they saw Christ and the glory of Christ and they lead the people up to Christ Thus you have the scope and occasion of our Prophets prophecying and writing it was to convince them of the heavie captivity of seventy yeers to strengthen Ieremyes prophecy to incourage the Church of God in Babylon and to lead them unto Christ 2. In the next place we are to shew you the nature and condition of this Prophecy which is full of Majesty obscurity and difficulty Nazianzen saith Orat. 23. That Ezekiel is the chiefest of all the rest for matter of admiration and acuteness he is the greatest of all the Prophets and the deepest which made Ierome say there was in this Prophecy of Ezekiel a sea of Scripture hee is so deep a labyrinth of the mysteries of God he is so dark so difficult if he do but equalize other Prophets in dignity and worth yet he exceeds them in difficulty and darkness It must be said of this Prophet as of Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3. There are some things in them hard to be understood and so there are many things in this Prophet which are hard to be understood There are some strange words in him such as are no where else in Scripture to be found He hath dark visions in him such as will exercise the greatest abilities in the world to find out the aim of God and those truths that are wrapped up in them he hath uncertain Chronologies and Chorographies mysticall Parables forain Histories and many transcendent matters which may awaken your attention and do call for the uttermost of mans industry in the opening Hence it was counted rashness for any one to read this Prophet till he was thirty yeers of age And Ierome tels us Maldonat that it was prohibited among the Iewes that any should read the beginning of Genesis the book of Canticles the beginning or ending of this Prophet till he were thirty yeers of age Ante aetatem sacerdotalem The Rabbins think it not lawfull to interpret this Prophet but only by touching some generall things in it particular things might not be descended into One saith A Lapid Ezekiel is Ieremy vail'd a hand shut up and you know not what is in it like a book sealed up and none can open it or knowes what is written within These expressions have been used to set forth the darkness and difficulty of our Prophet And I will appeal unto you all this day that if that question were put to you when you shall read this Prophet which Philip once put to the Eunuch Acts 8.30.31 Vnderstand you what you read might you not all answer without blushing How shall we understand without a guide And who is sufficient to guide your understandings through this difficult and dark Prophecy For mine own part I durst not have ventured to launch into this deep unless I had been requested unto it And being called unto it I desire to go out in the strength of the Lord and to be as a Star in his hand guided by his Spirit to lead you through the difficulties of this Hieroglyphicall Prophet But you will say If this Prophet be so difficult and dark surely hee is not seasonable nor sutable to these times some other Scripture might have had the preheminence For this take two or three answers First I finde that many Interpreters have fallen upon this Prophet in troublesome and tumultuous times Gregory the great he writ and preached upon this Prophet when the Barbarians were almost at the gates of Rome and when the sword was devouring multitudes Ierome likewise studied and writ upon this Prophet what time Alaricus King of the Goths took Rome and wasted all and filled the Christian world with teares and blood Calvin that great Light of Europe spent his last breath upon this Prophet and in times that were not very peaceable but stirring and troublesom Lavaters Lectures upon this Prophet were together with the commotions in France Gallicis tumultibus and he professeth that he did the more willingly give up himself to the study of this Prophet that so hee might free his spirit from the sad thoughts of the publike and private mischiefs which were in his dayes and acknowlegdeth this was a remedy to him against many evills Secondly I answer that compare our times a little with the times and state of the Iewes and wee shall see some seasonableness in handling this Prophet at this time 1. The sins the Prophet cryes out of amongst them are rife amongst us the sins then were Idolatry Superstition oppression corruption in the worship of God luxury uncleanness prophaneness scorning at goodness hiding their eyes from the Lords Sabbaths and the like Now I ask are not all these sins alive and too lusty in our Kingdome at this time and in this City wherein we live 2. There was then a malignant party which was active and at work and did oppose and hinder the reformation what lay in them which was on foot by Ieremy by Ezekiel by the three Children by Bacuch by the Rechabites all these and many others opposed the corruptions of the times laboured to have a reformation in the worship of God to bring the people back again from their corrupt wayes to the Lord but there was a great opposition by the malignant party and the chief opposers then were the Priests and the false Prophets who poysoned the judgements of the people who suggested false things unto them who fed them with vain hopes with corrupt opinions and deceivable doctrines the chief of the Priests were
of all Ordinances stript of all our comforts wee are sold into the hands of enemies wee are become captives to a heathen Prince our bondage is grievous and must continue seventy years It is the fruit of our sinne God is righteous in all his judgements and if we willingly accept the punishment of our iniquitie he will in wrath remember mercy regard us in our low estate he will sweeten and sanctifie our captivitie to us Such thoughts as these were in the breast of the Prophet And I incline the rather to thinke so because it was upon the Sabbath day as I shall shew you afterwards when I come to open some things that follow when he was meditating on this manner Also you shall finde in Scripture relatives used without antecedents as Psal 87.1 His foundation is in the holy Mountaines Here is a relative without any antecedent yet the antecedent is supposed and easily found out His foundation whose foundation the foundation of the Temple the foundation of the Citie is in the holy Mountaines The Scripture doth sometime lay downe things relatively and conjunctively when the antecedent may be supposed and found out with a little inquiry So here And it was thus and thus with the Prophet he was meditating there was the Word in his bosome and the particle And connects that with this Word of God revealed to him and exprest by him Hence then take this note That the hearts of the servants of God are exercised with thoughts of Gods dealings with the Church and themselves Their thoughts are better exercised then the world thinks Ezekiel here had his thoughts busied about his former and present condition his heart was exercised that way I have other meate to eate saith Christ then yee know of So the Saints they have other meat other thoughts to feed upon then the world takes notice of It is oft unknown how their thoughts are exercised Eli thought Hanna madde when he saw her lips goe but her heart was better employed then he fancied Many thinke Gods people melancholy and not worthy of their company they are but heavy pieces when their hearts are in heaven and they are at solid and serious converse with God You have an expression to this purpose in Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth The Spouse had not spoke of her Beloved before It is a strange speech to begin thus Let him kisse me with c. Who should kisse her here is no mention of Christ no mention of God no mention of any before but on a suddaine Let him kisse me with c. Though Christ had not been mentioned by her lips yet Christ was deep in her thoughts and in her desires shee had meditated on Christ before and so breakes out into this speech Let him kisse me with c. And Ezekiel having his heart meditating and taken up with the thoughts of his former and present condition of the Church in generall of Gods wrath to them and Gods mercy in the middest of his wrath breaks out And or now in the thirtieth yeare it was so and so This then instructs us what is the practice of the choice Worthies of God their hearts are meditating and taken up with divers things that the world is not aware of It is good for us to be in meditation this way Isaac he went out to meditate in the evening and while he was meditating cometh Rebekah the desire of his soul and the Prophet being in that posture hath visions of God to cheare his soul and the souls of his people If you would be meditating you may see heaven opened and God coming down into your bosomes In the thirtieth yeere This time doth trouble Interpreters very much It is not said in the thirtieth yeere of what or of whom but barely in the thirtieth yeere Here is an uncertain Chronologie which makes a difficulty in the Prophet 1. In the thirtieth yeer not the thirtieth yeer from the Jubilee as some do make it for the fifth yeer of Jehoiachins captivity corresponds not with the thirtieth from the Jubilee for as Junius and some others that take pains in searching out the truth herein do observe that falls in but with the ninth yeer from the Jubilee therefore we let that pass 2. In the thirtieth yeer Some make this to be the thirtieth yeer of his age the Prophet was thirty yeers old and then he began to prophecy But this is not the practice of the Pen-men of Scripture to compute the prophecies from their own age and birth and there is good reason for it because prophecies and things that do concern the good of the Church so neerly and so much do receive witness and strength from the time wherein they are extant and those times must not be particular times times of particular men that are not known but the times must be such as arr known to the world that all may be convinced the thing was done at such a time now the birth of one that afterward was to be a Prophet is not like to be a time so noted in the world that the world then should take notice that Ezekiel was born and did begin the computation of his prophecy from thence It is not like therefore that this should be the meaning of the thirtieth yeere If so he would have said in the thirtieth yeere of my life 3. In the thirtieth yeer That is in the thirtieth yeer since the Law was found in Josiah his dayes and since that great Passeover which was kept by him In the 2 King 22. there is mention of finding the book of the Law and in Chapt. 23. of the great Passeover and this was in the eighteenth yeer of Josiah his reign verse 33. Now if we compute the time from the eighteenth yeer of Josiah it doth amount even to the thirtieth yeer in which our Prophet had his vision and began his prophecy For Josiah reigned thirteen yeers after this as you may observe in the Story hee raigned thirty and one yeers in all 2 King 22.1 and then Iehoahaz his son raigned three moneths Chapt. 23.31 then Iehoiakim reigned eleven yeers vers 36. and Iehoiachin his son reigned three months before he was carried captive into Babylon 2 King 24. and five yeers of his captivity was past when Ezekiel began his prophecy So then take the thirteen yeeres of Josiah the eleven yeers of Iehoiakim there is twenty four then adde the five yeers of Iehoiachins captivity that makes twenty nine and then tahe three moneths that Iehoahaz reigned and the three moneths that Iehoiachin reigned before hee was carried captive it makes up twenty nine yeers and six moneths therefore saith he in the thirtieth yeer it was the thirtieth yeer current and so Iâ—positors do for the generality put it And whereas some would have it to be the thirtieth yeer of the â—haldean account it being according to them thirty yeers from the beginning of that Monarchy from Nebuchadonosor
ordinarily grow great censurers and condemn those parties that are under them to be the greatest sinners of all others Take heed of this If you will draw such conclusions as these the hand of God is upon such in such a place there is the plague there is the sword cutting them off they are carried out of their countrey into captivity there they are imprisoned there they are held in great bondage surely these are none of Gods people these are naught vile persons reprobates If you will judge thus you will condemn the generation of the righteous For Ezekiel Daniel Mordecai the three Children and many others very godly were in the captivity as well as those that were very wicked such conclusions must not be drawn from the sufferings of the Saints you know the Prophets and Apostles met with very hard measure while they were in the world they were whipped stocked imprisoned stoned sawn asunder tempted tormented slain with the sword and evill intreated every where and if you should measure their condition by their afflictions condemnation must be their portion and they must be in the catalogue of delinquents Have not some in our dayes been slayed roasted alive cut in pieces thrown into the river have not their houses and many in them been burnt together in Ireland Have there not been cruell and desperate things done Ireland now is full of blood sculs and graves shall we say they are the greatest sinners that have suffered such great things When Pilate had mingled the blood of some of the Galileans with their sacrifices there were those that presently thought them greater sinners then the rest but Christ hath taught them and us Luke 13. what use to make of judgements upon others not to censure them but to repent our selves Except you repent you shall all likewise perish think not that they are greater sinners then others think not now that the Jewes in Babylon are greater sinners then all others think not those in Ireland are greater sinners then your selves If hee be a wicked man that meets with great afflictions then Christ must be the wickedest man that ever was for he was vir doloris a man of sorrows and had the greatest affliction that ever befell any As it was no argument of Zedekiah his goodnesse who at this time was in Jerusalem drank wine in bowles and had a great deal of felicity so it was no argument of Ezekiels guiltinesse and sinfulnesse that he was in a strange land in Chaldea among the captives by the river Chebar Paul when he was at the barre with Iron fetters about his heels was a better man then Agrippa with his Crown on his head and his Scepter in his hand and sitting in judgement to condemn him Dan. 9. Daniel in his captivity is said to be a man of desires a man that God tooke great delight in when Jeconiah a King and dwelling at Jerusalem is a despised broken Idol a vessell in which there is no pleasure Jer. 22.28 Those that are in great affliction may be greatly beloved when those who are in great prosperity may be greatly hated Vse That the wicked fare the better for the godly There were many godly now in captivitie as well as there were many wicked ones and because of the godly that were there God powreth out the Spirit of prophecy upon Ezekiel and by that means the very wicked come to have the benefit of his prophecy and partake of his visions Many wicked ones have a share in the publique duties of Gods worship when the godly meet together in those Exercises Ezekiel in Chap. 33.32 is said to be unto them as a sweet song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument he was a sweet song to sweeten their bitter captivitie Joseph being in Potiphars house bringeth a blessing and Jacob in Labans family increaseth the stock of his Master and Joseph in Egypt saveth the Egyptians and almost the whole world Godly men and women are great advantages to the wicked how ever they hunch and punch at them Were the godly once out of the world God would soon put fire to the foure quarters thereof and the wicked should presently feele it Which was the fifth yeare of King Jehojachins captivitie Touching Jehojachin there are many things remarkeable As 1. In 2 Chron. 36.9 it is said that he was eight yeares old when he began to reigne and in 2 King 24.8 it is said he was eighteene yeares old when he began to reigne Here seems to be a great difference in the Scripture hardly to be reconciled and it hath puzled many This difference is thus reconciled The Kings of Iudah when they were in imminent danger did use to declare their sonnes to be their successors and so Iehojakim the father of this Iehojachin being beset by Nebuchadnezzar about the second or third yeare of his reigne did declare his sonne Iehojachin to be his successor Now in the book of Chronicles he speaks of the time from the first declaration which was about the eight yeare of Iehojachins age and the booke of the Kings mentions the time when he came to reigne alone and reckons from thence For Iehojakim reigned divers yeares after his sonne was declared to be King and reigned with his Father So that the one book speaks of the time he reigned with his Father the other of the time that he reigned alone in the Throne 2. It is remarkable touching Iehojachin that he had other names As 1 Chron. 3.16 he is called Ieconiah and Ier. 22.24 in disgrace Coniah He was a wicked King and God cut off the first part of his name a sad presage that ere long he would cut him off Evill Kings who have had Gods name joyned with theirs when they have rent themselves from Gods commands and worship he hath cut off his name from theirs and taken mercy and peace from them This you shall see in Eliakim he was a wicked King and in 1 Chron. 3.15 he is called Ioakim El that signifieth God and was joyned to his name is taken away God would not suffer his name to be joyned with the name of so wicked a King any longer So here in Ieconiah Iah which is one of the names of God is taken away and in hatred and contempt he is called Coniah God was taken from his name and departed from him too When God will honour a man he addes letters of his owne name to theirs As Abram afterward was called Abraham ×” a letter out of Gods name was put into his Gen. 32.28 and so Iacob his name was changed to Israel a Prince of God or one that prevails like a Prince with God When God changeth names in mercy and makes an addition of letters of his own name unto mens Magnae benevolentiae pondus it is an argument of Gods great love of great esteeme and great honour to the partie but it is an argument of disgrace when
and seen far They are light to the godly when Angels execute Gods judgements upon sinners the Saints see much in it they see matter of feare and praise of feare in that Gods power wrath and hatred are manifested in them against sin and sinners of praise in that themselves are delivered and justice is performed Psal 58.10 11. The righteous shall rejoyce when hee seeth the vengeance hee shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked when the wicked are taken away by a divine stroke by the hand of justice and God hath the glory of his justice the righteous rejoyce at it but is that all no Hee washeth his feet in the blood of the wicked that is by this judgement he fears and reformes it 's a metaphor taken from the practice of those parts where they went barefoot or with Sandalls and so contracted much filth and used to wash and cleanse their feet when they came in so here the godly seeing the hand of God upon the wicked feares and judges himself for his sins purges his conscience and affections and stands now in awe of that God who hath stricken the wicked for those sins which hee himself in part is guilty of Waldus a man of note in Lions seeing one struck dead in his presence he washed his hands in his blood for presently he gave almes to the poor instructed his family in the true knowledge of God and exhorted all came unto him to repentance and holinesse of life They are lightning to the wicked that is dreadfull and confounding In this worke of executing judgement as they are lamps to light the godly so they are burning coales and lightning to destroy the wicked How terrible was the destroying Angel when the plague was in Davids dayes Rev. 16. when the Angels powred out their vials of wrath how dreadfull were they men blasphemed and repented not to give glory to God VERS 15. Now as I beheld the living creatures behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures with his four faces VVEe have done through divine vertue two parts of the Vision and now are coming to the third That of the wheeles which hath its darknesse and difficulties and here the glory of God in his providence is considerable from earthly things and second causes In the Vision of the wheels two things I shall present unto you First the signification Secondly the description of these wheels What these wheels may signifie there is great variety of opinions with all which I will not trouble you Wheels by a Synecdoche some think is put for a Chariot in which God is presented to the Prophet guarded with Angels on every side who stand with great reverence and readinesse to do his will and by this Chariot they understand the Majesty Glory Providence and Kingdome of God in which he rules all things at his pleasure as a Waggoner or Pilot Quasi auriga and by the wheels the Immensity Eternity celerity perspicacity and efficacy of God in his operations Some thinke by Chariot is meant the Church and by the wheels the Apostles These are thoughts of men we will therefore labour to give you the thoughts and intention of Gods Spirit so neer as we can By the Wheels wee are to understand this visible world with all things in it the kingdomes of the earth and the Church of God and condition of all humane things which are all in motion and uncertain and that this is the sense of the Wheels may be gathered from the Prophet in the 10th Chapter and 13th verse where it 's said Ipsis nomen vocatum est hic orbis or ipsae vocatae sunt orbis Iun. as for the wheeles it was cryed unto them in my hearing O wheel O world Their name is the or this world the word in the Hebrew is Haggalgal and not the same with the usuall word for wheel and it 's both Substantively and distinctively used and notes out this world in which we live in which Ezekiel was it 's not Galgal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but haggalgal which is demonstrative and distinguishing Psal 77.18 there is the same word and it 's not rendred in the wheel Illuxerunt coruscationes orbiterae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Greeks do absolutely take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the world Heins in Iacob 3.6 but in the heaven or in the round that is the ayre and the Vulgar translates it The lightnings have shined in the world and so the Septuagint Seeing it's evident that by the wheels is meant the world and things therein it 's needfull to examine the fitnesse of this comparison and so to see the wisdome of Gods Spirit in it Orbe rotundato sydera quaeque micant 1. The wheel or wheels are round such is the form of the world it 's called orbis globus from the roundnesse 2. A wheel is movable and mutable that part is on high is presently at the bottome and that which is at the bottome is quickly again at the top and this informs us in the mobility and mutability of all humane and mundane things and is principally intended by this vision of the wheels Kingdoms Churches Families volvuntur revolvuntur are daily wheel'd about mov'd changed and never long permanent in any condition The four great Monarchies the Babylonian Persian Grecian Roman how were they kickt like Foot-balls and tossed like Tennisballs from one to another and at last devoured by each other After that great rent made in the house of David by Jeroboam what changes what wars and famines were in the kingdomes of Judah and Israel you find in the Books of the Kings and Chronicles You may see the relation of these wheels in one Chapter 1 King 16. you shall finde that in twelve or thirteen yeers of Asa's reign King of Judah there was the death of Baasha Elah Zimri Tibni Omri that were wretched Kings and made fearfull stirs and murthers in Israel and beside wicked Ahab in that time began his reign and troubled all Israel The Church what a low ebb was it at in Elijah's dayes when he complains Gods Covenant is forsaken his Altars thrown down his Prophets slain himself left alone and his life also sought for 1 King 19.14 The Church now when Ezekiel had this vision was in captivity without a Temple Altar Sacrifice and the Church is never long in any settled condition Rev. 8.1 There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour under the ten fiery Persecutions the Church had no rest but in Constantines times it had a little but presently the Arrian heresie brake out and did more mischieve the Church then all the persecutions before The Church is wheeled about from condition to condition sometimes it 's in Egypt sometime in the Wildernesse sometimes in Canaan and sometimes in Babylon it 's Noahs Arke that rides upon rough waters and is not like to take harbour before
wills and power are no rules they may sin we must give account and therefore may and must examine prove all things and hold fast that which is good humane things it 's our duty it 's wisdome and safety to question and search into but divine things are without dispute and all questioning to be believed and obeyed therefore saith Christ Yee are my friends if yee do whatsoever I command you Joh. 15.14 then we shew the greatest love to Christ when we give him absolute obedience 2. That the symbols and truths which Christ gives are the meat that the souls of Prophets and Ministers must feed upon Eat what thou findest eat this roul it 's this emphatically other rouls and books they may look into but this they must eat the Book of Christ is the book for their studies many Schollers study other books more then the Scriptures then the rouls of Christ they are Heluones librorum book-eaters Fathers School-men Historians Poets and Pamphlets they devoure and are least acquainted with the Scriptures but Christs command is to eat this roul search the Scriptures meditate in the Law night and day hee sends us to no other A young disciple asking an old Rabbi whether he might not have time to learn the Greek tongue said if hee would do it neither by night nor by day he might because by night and day he was to study the Law hereby he intimated that schollers greatest study should be in the Word of God Paul therefore exhorts Timothy to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine hee bids him meditate upon these things give himself wholly to them 1 Tim. 4.15 his whole strength and time should be in them mans life is short and if it were never so long it should be spent in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures when Paul was at the gates of death 2 Tim. 4.6 you shall find hee sends for the Books and Parchments Paul would study them over again it 's said of Ambrose that to his death he ceased not to write Commentaries and expound Scriptures and dyed at that in the Psalme Great is the Lord Epistola Dei ad hom nes missa Aug 2. serm in Ps 90. Omnia etiam minima plena sunt sensu mysterio spiritu Bas Hom. 6. and greatly to be praised This Book they must eat read study with great diligence and make it their own Alphonsus King of Aragon read over the Scriptures some twelve or fourteen times notwithstanding his great and publique imployments and one of note read over the new Testament with Beza's larger notes sixteen times in three yeers the Scriptures are heavens Epistles sent to men it cannot be read too often being full of divine mysteries 3. That when Ministers and Messenges of God have eaten and digested the truths of God then they are fit to go and preach them to the people of God Eat this roul and go first eat then go Elijah must eat and then take his journey and so Ministers must first eat themselves then feed others if the Nurse her self do not eat shee will have no milk for her child if shee eat and do not digest turn it into blood and milk all is in vain so the Messengers of God must turn what they eat what they read in succum sanguinem and then being their own in their hearts and bowels they will speak from the heart 4. That faith is requisite to the receit of spirituall things he opened his mouth and eat the roul he received the truths and believed look how necessary a mouth is to take in the meat of the body to chew it and send it down to the other parts else there is no benefit comes to a man by it so necessary is faith to take in the spirituall food of the soul Faith is the mouth and stomach of the soul if that receive in truths digest and send them to the organs of actions benefit accrues to the man if not prejudice Joh. 6.35 36. Christ tels them that he is the Bread of life that hee comes to him shall never hunger and that he believes on him shall never thirst but yee have seen mee and believe not though Christ were Bread and Water of life because they had no faith no mouth to eat and drink thereof therefore they had no benefit and as a man that can receive no food must die so here Joh. 8.24 If yee believe not that I am hee you shall die in your sins here is prejudice irreparable death eternall for want of faith our Prophet received the fruits Christ tendered and got by them all Believers are or may be gainers by the truths of Christ 1 Thes 2.13 The word wrought effectually in them that believed Faith makes good concoction of that meat and answerable operation But Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it where is no faith to receive into the soul there is no profit the eare may set it into the head but faith must bring it into the heart and keep it there till it be spirit and life to the man The originall is the word of hearing did not profit them being not united by faith to them that heard Observ 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sculpere as well as aperire God open'd the roul for mee to read and I open'd my hart for him to write The godly must act and put forth their graces towards farther reception of spirituall things when Christ will give Ezekiel donum Prophetiae a Roul to eat hee opens his mouth he sets awork his faith to receive this gift of Prophesie faith in the habite is like the mouth shut up nothing enters but in exercise it 's like the mouth open and ready to receive it 's infinite mercy that God at any time will offer us spirituall favours and excellencies wee should therefore be forward and stir up our souls and graces to the receit of such mercies It 's a lazie and ill excuse for godly ones to say they can do nothing Grace is an active and an inabling thing and where there is a principle of life as all godly men have there is a specificall difference between that man and another hath it not a man without it cannot act and stir up himself to a further reception of spirituall things because hee is dead but a man hath it can and ought to quicken up his own soul to spirituall things The Prophet had received the Spirit that entred into him and hee opened his mouth exercised his faith to take what the Lord should give the Apostle Paul bids Timothy stir up the gift of God that was in him 2 Tim. 1.6 hee would have men deal with their gifts and graces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they do with fire under the ashes they blow them off and blow the fire up and there is a flame fit for service sloth feare infirmitie carnall reason are ashes that
them and if you will search never search into inferiour Courts search not books that are on this side the Kings Court that are made of late but go to the King of heavens Records have recourse to his Court look into the Law of God Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them throw them by that truth which is found in any writings and not to be drawn out of Gods Book is not from antiquity these are the true Records here is the true antiquity And so much for this word Book The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezekiel that is the name of our Prophet Among the Jewes there were no Sir-names but every man had onely one name as Samuel David Isaiah Jeremie Ezekiel c. This name Ezekiel doth signifie the strength of God or one strengthened by God He had a great work to doe he needed great strength for that work He was to deale with wicked Princes wretched people such as were exceeding opposite desperately wicked impudent hard-hearted rebellious Therefore Chap. 3. vers 8 9. Behold saith God I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy fore-head strong against their fore-heads c. The Hebrew words here for strong are Chazakim and Chazak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have made thy faces Chazakim strong I have given thee many faces and I have given thee many strengths strong both in the singular and plurall number all the strengths that is fit for a Prophet that had such a great task to undertake and goe about He was to reprove them for their sinnes to threaten Gods judgements to vindicate Gods justice in bringing them into captivity himselfe was to endure much hardship and many conflicts for which ordinary strength would not suffice therefore he is fitly called Ezekiel the strength of God or a man strengthened of God Or thus Ezekiel doth signifie one girt of God Cingere vineire for Chazack is to gird or bind and Ezekiel is one whom God hath girt and bound up for some imployment answerable to that expression of Paul Behold saith he I goe goe bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem so you read it but it may be bound to the Spirit Acts 20 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God goes before me and I being bound to the guidance of the Spirit doe follow the same whithersoever it leads me So here our Prophet was girt up of God from the world bound in or to the Spirit and so followed that which way soever it led him Touching this name of Ezekiel you may observe a note or two First see the wisedome of God in giving names sutable to the events that doe follow and fall out afterward Ezekiel was to deale with a stubborne people a rebellious house that did oppose heaven that did stand it out against God to the uttermost There was need therefore of a strong Prophet to subdue their rebellious spirits If an ordinary man had come he would soone have been discouraged his spirit would have sunk and fallen within him therefore here the Lord ordereth it so that a name shall be given unto him which shall be sutable to the event he shall be a man of God he shall be strong strengthened girt up of God to deale with a proud rebellious obstinate people You may find in Scripture divers names that have been imposed through the wisedome and guidance of God upon parties before their birth and the event hath answered afterward very fully as Gen. 17. Thou shalt call his name Isaac Isaac signifieth laughter and Isaac proved matter of laughter to his father and mother all their dayes he was a dutifull sonne you never read that Isaac fell into such sinnes as some other of the Patriarchs and Prophets fell into He was a child of laughter to them So 1 Chron. 22.9 His name shall be Solomon for I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his dayes and the event was answerable to his name So Josiah 1 Kings 13.2 it signifies the fire of the Lord and Josiah was the fire of God indeed to make a reformation to pull downe Jeroboams Altar and to offer upon it the Priests of the high places that had burnt Incense upon it to burn mens bones thereon to throw out idolatry and to destroy the high places So the name of our blessed Saviour which was imposed before his birth Thou shalt call his name Jesus They shall call his name Emanuel he shall save his people he shall be God with us and it was so Luke 1. Call his name John John noteth Gracious and he was gracious in the eyes of his very enemies he had favour in the eyes of Herod favour in the eyes of the people Gods wisedome is seen in ordering of names before-hand sutable to events that follow afterward 2. This should direct parents to impose incouraging names upon their children What incouragement was it to Ezekiel to think of his name the strength of God a man girt up of God for some great designe and imployment Names at first were imposed for distinctions sake and not only so but to shew the hopes and desires of parents touching their children for the time to come Obvirtutis auspicium imponunt u◠vocabula Jeron Good names were prognosticall Parents expected and children were incouraged much by them Leah nameth her son Judah which is praise that she might praise God for him and he might do things worthy of praise all his dayes and the Tribe of Judah did worthily in Israel Thus much from the name of Ezekiel The Boook of the Prophet Ezekiel This word Prophet is not in the Hebrew The Book Ezekiel or the book of Ezekiel But it is in the body of the Prophecie Chap. 2. v. 6. They shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them Prophet is from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies one that foretells things to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word Nabi of Naba which signifies to fore-know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-tell or discover things Some derive it from a root which signifieth to bud to bring forth for as a tree drawes sap from the earth sends forth that sap into leaves and fruit becomes profitable and serviceable unto man so doth the Prophet he drawes sap from the root which is God from him he hath many hidden deep and divine truths which hee reveals and sends forth for the delight and benefit of others Prophets were of two sorts distinguished by the Temples some were Prophetae priores and others Prophetae posteriores The former Prophets were those of the first Temple the latter Prophets were those of the latter Temple and they were Haggai Zachariah Nehemiah Ezra and Malachi these Prophets continued but forty yeers after the second Temple was built and then did Prophecie