the conscience warn them they must and so warn them that they may take notice else it 's in vain and shall be before the Lord as no warning this they must do and do it oft and why else the blood of the wicked will be required at their hand their blood their lives lye at the stake for sinners souls they have a hard task a dangerous Calling and therefore had need preach and tell them of their sins that if it be possible they may save their souls if not their own people wonder many times at some Preachers they are so fierie so particular so terrible so long you may cease to wonder their lives their souls go for it if they do it not the hazard of souls and lives will make dumb men speak Croesus son being dumb and seing one ready to strike and endanger the life of his father cry'd out What will you kill my father and if our dumb Ministers had any faith if they did believe that sin was slaying the souls of their people they would lift up their voyce they would speak Psal 116.10 I believed said David therefore have I spoken and godly Ministers believe mens souls are in danger that their own do lie at the stake and therefore they have spoken do speak and will speak you that have curam animarum the charge of souls look about you if you discharge not your duty you undo them and undo your selves let not feare favour credits gifts hopes misbiass you let not difficulties mistakes of people or any other thing discourage you but remember your own danger warn sinners else their blood will be upon you and that is a dreadfull thing did men well consider this they would not be so greedy of Livings and pawn their souls for pelf if the death of the body were only here meant as it is not wee have great cause to feare silence for if we be liable to death for the death of that which is perishable and must die what guilt then doth a Prophet contract for the death of a soul which might have lived for ever if he had done his duty David knew the weight of blood-guiltinesse Psal 51.14 when he cryed out so Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse c. that was but the blood of the body what then is the blood of souls it's a mountainous sinking thing we have sins sufficient of our own we had not need to draw the guilt of others upon us a Alienas mortes addimus quiae tot occidimus quot ad mortem ire quot idic tepidi tacentes vâ—demus Greg. in loc so many we kill as we see to sin and silently suffer to go on in their sins Paul knew it and therefore said Wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 And there is a wo to all that have charges that preach not unto them it 's b The world is full of Priests Sed tamen in messe Dei rarus valdè invenitur operator we take upon us the office but opus officii non implemus Gre. Hom. 17. needfull for us all but especially for Non-residents dumb Ministers those are negligent in their preaching or impertinent to meditate oft on these words his blood will I require at thy hands which words are fulmina non verba saith Erasmus when the Bell rings for a wicked man feare lest there be blood to be required at thy hand f Herod l. 9. Euenius a Shepheard that had the Sheep belonging to a city committed to him through his negligence a Wolf entred and devoured sixty of them upon this hee was condemn'd and lost his eyes Not only Ministers but Parents and Masters their souls are ingaged for their children and servants and they must be responsible for them if they warn them not if they perish through their default 12. It 's the duty of people to heare their Ministers and willingly to receive instructions and take warning from them especially people of their Ministers because they watch for their souls they work for them and they venture for them even their own lives and souls it 's mercy God will send any to admonish us if we hearken to admonitions we shall live if we do not wee grieve the servants of God if they be silent our sins are not the lesse VER 19. Observ 1. THat men may be warn'd from their wicked wayes and yet be never the better they may go on still this is too evident amongst us daily 2. It is not fruitlesse if wicked men return not from their evill wayes upon warning The Prophet hath warn'd the wicked and hath freed his own soul and this was a great comfort unto Paul Act. 20.26 when he appeals to the people themselves I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men and how doth he prove it thus for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God He left none unwarn'd of sin danger untaught their duty towards God and man and therefore he had this testimony yeelding sound comfort I am pure from the blood of all so when hee had preached Christ to the Jewes and they opposed blasphemed hee shook his rayment and said your blood be upon your own heads I am clean Act. 18.5 6. much like that of David 2 Sam. 3. I and my kingdome are guiltlesse before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner Let it rest on the head of Joab That which Paul calls clean David calls guiltlesse when a man is guiltlesse he is clean he hath solid comfort a Minister having conscionably warn'd the wicked and nothing comes of it in regard of them yet somewhat comes of it in regard of himself he is a free man a cleer man the blood of souls shall not be charged upon him A Minister that is faithfull shall not need to complain of the want of successe if he save not others he shall save himself VER 20 21. Again when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and I lay a stumbling block before him he shall die because thou hast not given him warning hee shall die in his sin and his rightousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred but his blood will I require at thy hand 21. Neverthelesse if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous sin not and he doth not sin he shall surely live because he is warn'd also thou hast delivered thy soul IN these words is laid down the other part of the Prophets Charge it 's not only the wicked but the righteous also fall under his care and if he sin and be not warn'd that effect will be dangerous and deadly to the Prophet he is not only to deal with the wicked to get them into the way of God but also with the righteous to see that he go not out of the way and if he do to reduce him guilt will lie upon a Prophet if he do
Picts and Scots cald in the Saxons who for some time served them to purpose but in the end conquered them and their Countrey These could not foresee what would be the issue of things the motions of providence are so secret and various that it lyes not within the compasse of mans power to make certain conclusions therefrom 5. There is a connexion of causes and things together in the world Hosea 2.21 22. I will heare the heavens and they shall heare the earth that shall heare the corne wine and oyle and they shall heare Jezreel as in Architecture there is a dependance and connexion VER 17. When they went they went upon their foure sides and they returned not when they went and so on to the end of the 21. IN these Verses wee have two things 1. Wee have the effect of the wheeles which is motion laid downe in the 17 19 20 21. Verses And 2. The adjuncts of them which are two 1. Height 2. Eyes in the 18th verse The commodiousness of their motion for all parts and the forme of it are both in this 17th verse The Hebrew is In going they went to their foure foure sides to the foure parts which were next to their sides or through the foure parts and so the sense is they went to into or through the foure parts of the world if you read it according to our translation upon them the sense is when the foure living creatures moved the wheeles moved upon their sides It 's our phrase when we ask one which side went he of such a man we answer upon or on his right or left side but the better sense to me is they went according to their foure sides Looke what side what part of the world was appointed them that the wheeles went to and moved in And returned not They came not backe but went forward There might be varietie of motions but no backe motions no retrogradations being once gone forth they returned not The observation first is this That in all parts humane things move to their appointed period and there is no returne of them being once there Pharaoh and his Host came to their period in the bottome of the Sea and never saw Aegypt more The Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs have taken up their lodgings in the dust and returne no more What David said of the child I shall goe to it it shall not returne to me is a fit motto to all creatures they must goe to those are gone before not they returne to these Cities people families silver gold fine linnen they must see that corruption those saw in former dayes 2. That inferior causes move constantly in their motions to doe the will of God The wheeles turned not when they went nothing could turne them backe nor the Angels in their administrations but they goe on Wee thinke it 's the creature makes stops lets in the affaires of the world but it 's Gods hand his providence doth it the wheeles all inferior causes proceed in their motions till God check them and cause a stand Esa 43.13 I will worke and who shall let it VER 18. As for their Rings they were so high that they were dreadfull and their Rings were full of eyes round about them foure 19. And when the living creatures went the wheeles went by them And when the living creatures were lift up from the earth the wheels were lift up 20. Whither soever the Spirit was to goe they went thither was their Spirit to goe and the wheels were lifted up over against them for the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels 21. When those went these went and when those stood these stood and when those were lifted up from the earth the wheels were lifted up over against them for the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels IN the 18th verse we have the rings of the wheels described from their highnesse and eyenesse They were so high they caused terror so full of eyes they caused wonder The Hebrew reading is somewhat different it runs thus And the rings of them both height to them and feare to them or by reason of them that is Propter cas the wheels were so high that they bred terror struck feare into the Prophet The word Rings in the Hebrew is Backs their backs were high dreadfull that is their Circumferences or Rings were so of such breadth and altitude for there is no difference between those in rings and circles that they caused feare to those looked upon them Now what is meant by this height and greatnesse of the wheels must be opened unto you and it 's this the motions of second causes and changes of things here in this world are so great so incomprehensible by man that they produce feares and terrors to the sons of men Men are troubled that they cannot fathome the deeps and measure the heighth and breadth of the wheels when men see times and seasons changed kingdomes dashed in pieces the godly brought into bondage the wicked advanced truth persecuted errours in credit justice troden down and all things moving by contrary motions they stand amazed and not able to reach the causes of things to measure the wheels and see into the exact motions of them they become sensible of their own weaknesse and say O the heighth of the wheels O the shallownesse of our spirits Observ 1. That the causes and motions and changes in the world are unknown to the sons of men the wheels are too high for them to measure man is so beetlelish and purblind that the dim sight of his soul pierceth not into the secrets and knowledge of causes Eccles 3.11 it only comes at the out-side and extremities of things the superficies of the wheel but not the heighth and depth of it not the true nature and causes of things so that admiration opinion not science is begotten in man this Agrippa knew that writ a Book of the vanity of Sciences and Zanche that writ a Tractat Quod nihil scitur and Socrates was judged the learned man so that hee said This I know that I know nothing â— Cor. 13.12 and above all these the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8.2 If any man thinke he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as hee ought to know and elsewhere Wee see through a glasse darkely things are a riddle to us we know not what to make of them Look into the world and what can we make of it the wheels in every quarter have such a heighth as none can reach second causes move so suddenly as none can spy them out Cast your eye upon Physicall wheels and they are too high for Physicians to measure what reason can they give of Antipathies or that some trees should have a venomous root on the one side and a remedy on the other they meet with diseases and difficulties that are Ludibria medicorum and must referre you to occult qualities Cast your eye upon Politicall
wheels and there you will finde such heighths and depths as neither Ahitophel can measure nor Machiavil can sound Look at Theologicall wheels and motions Deorum crimen syllatum faelix Sen. and there be such heighths that none of the Prophets nor Apostles have been able to measure I will give you an instance in two or three Jer. 12.1 2. Righteous art thou O Lord yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very trecherously Jeremiah a great Prophet is puzled at this heighth of the wheel Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit thou art neere in their mouth and far from their reines Job is at a stand in this case Chapt. 12.7 Wherefore do the wicked live become old yea and are mighty in power God puts Job to it in the 38 39 40 41. Chap. So Asaph Psal 73. and Hab. 1.3 were troubled at the prosperity of the wicked and could not take the altitude of the wheels in their dayes Nature nor Grace could do it If Solomon knew not the way of an Eagle in the aire of a Serpent upon the rock of a ship in the midst of the Sea of a man with a maid Prov. 30.19 how shall we know the motions of the wheels in the world 2. That the consideration of the unsearchablenesse of Gods wayes should beget feare and trembling in us the wheels had a heighth and dreadfulnesse upon that heighth When a man comes to the sea shoare beholds the vastnesse and strange motion of it and findes hee is puzled feare creeps upon him from the apprehension of the greatnesse and Majesty of God who sits upon the floods and commands the deeps so here when wee thinke of the wheels how high they are that wee cannot search out the cause of their motions this way or that way our souls should tremble at the Majesty of that God which sets such mighty wheels awork Psal 36.6 Thy judgements are a great deep mens sins are a great deep and Satans wayes are called a depth but Gods judgements his wayes in the wheels are the greatest deep of all they are unsearchable That Christian kingdomes are shaken in pieces with wars when Heathen kingdomes are spared that there is such unequall dispensation of the means of grace in the world that the greatest part are without the knowledge of God and Christ to this day that many able men are laid by or cast into corners where are but handfuls of people and great towns where are multitudes have no Ministers or such as preach holinesse and the power of godlinesse out of their parishes that people are most hardened under the most powerfull means of grace that there be such unequall distributions of riches talents of nature and grace that precious young Ministers and others are taken away in a time of great need when others that are vile and base are spared that wicked Pirats prosper at Sea when honest men are shipwrackt that those have little or no means thrive and those have the best who are barren Gods working in sinfull actions his fitting vessels for destruction his leaving his ancient people the Jewes sixteen hundred yeers under a curse Rom. 11.23 O the depth how unsearchable are his wayes The next thing in the Verse to be touched is the eyes in these rings And the rings were full of eyes round about them four or on every side to them four Every wheel had eyes they were stellatae oculis bedeckt with eyes as the heaven with stars there were eyes within and eyes without and not a few but many every ring every wheel was full of eyes By eyes we are to understand the active and infinite providence of God which runs through all things 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth that is divine providence is active every where The Scripture by eyes referring to God intends first his knowledge and notice of things Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good secondly his care Psal 34.15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous that is hee careth for them thirdly his direction Psal 42.8 I will guide thee with mine eye and these eyes note out Gods inspection care and ordering the wheels in all their motions and that in all quarters The rings were full of eyes and whatever the thoughts of men were they moved according to direction of divine providence Observ 1. That how ever the wheels and motions of them be too high for men and dreadfull unto them yet they are not so to God hee sees into all the wheels they have eyes on every side God knowes them throughly their essences qualities operations we cannot pry into the state of Kingdomes Councels Armies Cities there be as secrets of States Arcana imperis arcana rotarum so secrets of wheels in those States which none know but God and God knowes them perfectly let wheels be never so great terrible move never such strange and crosse wayes as Kings Armies Parliaments are great wheels and have unknown motions yet they are subject to the Lords eyes he sees into all their secrets and sees more in their motions then they themselves 2. The motions of the wheels are considerable and judicious they are not carryed on blindly how ever they seem to be carried Non caeco impetu volvuntur rotae yet they are carryed by reason and counsell there be eyes in the wheels when men do things rashly injudiciously we say Have you no eyes in your head here be eyes in the rings and they move not casually Those motions in the world that seeme most confused are composed and ordered motions Are rich men made poor honourable men base are conquerers made captives do servants ride and Princes go on foot are the wicked oppressors in the seats of justice are the godly beneath and the vile above are the counsels of Jesuits forainers and desperate malignants entertained and others rejected are there civil wars in a Land great plundering spoyling of Ministers Christians Parliament men themselves these things are not done without considerate and judicious motions of the wheels Acts 4.27 28. When Herod Pilate Gentiles Jewes were gathered together against Christ were not the motions then though inhumane bloody and murtherous considerate and providentiall motions The Text saith They did whatsoever the hand and counsell of the Lord determined before to be done it was no blinde businesse the wheels of it were full of eyes and moved by the motions of heaven Gods owne eye heart and head were in it And now when the Herods Pilates and Malignants of the world do stir against Christ and his members the wheels move considerately 3. The motions of the rings wheels and all second causes are certain arriving at the end appointed They are full of eyes which
hee would not go into the Temple to save his life he knew the glory of God the cause work and people of God should suffer by it and therefore he would venture his life So Basil when threaten'd with cruell usuage and death said to him had the power in his hand This body thou art Lord of only not of our faith or the cause we stand for and whereas swords wild beasts cutting of our flesh Potius nobis deliciae quam tormenta sunt c. are threaten'd these things are rather pleasures then terrors to us we look at better things then the world hath for which we are not unwilling to lay out our lives Rev. 12.11 the Worthies of those times loved not their lives unto the death they stood bled dyed for Christ and his Cause who had stood bled dyed for them Another observation is That it 's the lot of the righteous to dwell amongst the wicked the Prophet here dwelt amongst Scorpions and was amidst Briers and Thorns a sad habitation yet such as is common to the Saints Lot dwelt in Sodome and his righteous soul was vexed 2 Pet. 2.8 it was pained tormented as a man upon the rack and David dwelt among those were enemies to peace and it made him cry out Woe is me that I so journ in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 6. that is with ungodly and barbarous people and it 's not the condition of some few but the Church it self Cant. 2.2 which is as a Lilly among Thorns so was the Church in Egypt in Babylon in the Primitive times amongst the persecuting Emperours and their officers so in the time of Antichrist and at this day it is among Thorns and Scorpions but here is the comfort of it God takes notice thereof Rev. 2.13 The Church of Pergamus dwelt where Satans throne was where he bare most sway had most honour a multitude of servants where was great uncleannesse hot persecution there did the Church of Pergamus dwell and what saith the Text I know thy works and where thou dwellest I know that is I take speciall notice of all thy works wrongs how the Thorns do scratch the Scorpions sting thee and I will reward thee for all 2 Pet. 2.9 After mention being made of Lots being vexed with the Sodomites it 's said The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation he observes who they are among how they are tempted and knowes wayes of deliverance for them and appeares amongst them VER 7. And thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will beare or whether they will forbeare for they are most rebellious THere is nothing difficult in this Verse the words they are most rebellious in the originall are they are rebellion in the abstract noting the strength and growth of their sin of which hath been spoken in the 5th Verse only observe from hence 1. That the Messengers of God must speak the word of God Thou shalt speak my words unto them not thine own not other mens but my words Gods words are divine verba vitae mortis and they must be spoken unto the people not our chaffy powerlesse words Matth. 28.20 Teach them to observe what ever I have commanded you they must speak only that and all that nothing must they dissemble or hide away 2. That God cares not whether wicked vile sinners hear or no it 's sufficient to him that they refuse offers of grace that 's enough to justifie him and condemne them whether they will heare or forbeare it matters not I shall have my glory and thou thy reward what ever becomes of them And God deals roundly with them so Christ in Mark 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned yea Joh. 3.18 He that believes not is condemned already and when Christ sent out his Disciples see how quick and round hee is with those should not receive them and their word Matth. 10.14 Whosoever shall not receive you and your words when yee depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet as a testimony against them Mark 6.11 It shall be more easie for Sodome or Gomorrah then for that house or city VER 8 9 10. But thou Son of man heare what I say unto thee be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house open thy mouth and eat that I give thee 9 And when I looked behold a hand was sent unto mee and lo a roul of a booke was therein 10 And he spread it before mee and it was written within and without and there was written therein lamentations and mourning and woe IN these Verses besides Christ instructing of the Prophet you have his farther confirmation in his propheticall Office and that by a visible sign by which hee conveys the gift of prophecying unto Ezekiel and it 's by a roul of a book concerning which wee have these things considerable 1. The efficient cause or whence it came a hand was sent unto mee 2. The materiall cause a roul of a book 3. The opening of it it was spread before mee 4. The contents of it lamentations mourning and woe But before we come to this roul and the particulars of it wee must speak of Christs instructions to the Prophet In the 8th Verse where wee have First an exhortation Son of man heare what I say unto thee Secondy a prohibition be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house Thirdly a command open thy mouth and eat that I give thee The summe of the Verse is this Ezekiel saith Christ see thou hearken unto my voyce whatsoever I say to thee let that be acceptable regard not what men what thine heart and carnall reason say to thee but remember I am God and King I sit upon the Throne my counsels and words must stand be not thou rebellious as the Jewes are let not their example power relation to thee make thee refuse to heare what I say or to eat this visible and sacramentall sign which I give thee There is nothing difficult in the Verse to cleare up unto you only these words Open thy mouth you may think superfluous and that the word Eat had been enough but there is nothing idle in the Scripture all is of weight and such weight that heaven and earth shall passe away before one iota of Gods Word it 's a rule among the learned Vox qua videtur otiosa plurimum facit ad effectum it notes the ardent desire of Christ that the Prophet should have the benefit of this sacramentall sign and that hee should be forward and ready unto it do any thing conduced that way Obser 1. That those are to teach others must first heare and be taught themselves they must heare Christ and learne of him Ezekiel must heare what Christ saith unto him and then he would be fit to speak unto others when the Lord Christ sent out his Disciples he instructed them first Matth.
soul hateth they were the Lords people hee appointed the new moons and feasts but because they had corrupted them hee owns them not but calls them theirs so in Exod. 32.7 God bids Moses get him down from the mount what was the matter Thy people thou broughtest out of Egypt have corrupted themselves their corrupting themselves with Idolatry made God disclaim them they are thy people go look after them I will destroy them else he calls them Moses his people there and here he calls them Ezekiels to let them see how his heart was estranged from them while they were faithfull to God hee counted highly of them they were precious in his sight honourable beloved but when they went a whoring from God Isa 43.4 hee accounts not of them he calls them not his owns them not they had shamefully dishonoured God by their sins and he will not honour them with the title of his people 3. The servants of Christ must execute their Functions without respect of persons or regard to successe Speak to them what ever they be and tell them Thus saith the Lord that one greater then themselves hath sent thee and will call them to account and whether they will heare or forbeare let not that trouble thee do thy duty be not troubled at the oppositions of men or successesnesse of thy labours VER 12. Then the Spirit took mee up and I heard behind me a voyce of a great rushing saying Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place 13. I heard also the noyse of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another and the noyse of the wheels over against them and a noyse of a great rushing 14. So the Spirit lifted mee up and tooke mee away and I went in bitternesse in the heat of my spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon mee 15. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abid that dwelt by the river of Chebar and I sate where they sate and remained there astonished seven dayes THese words are the second part of the Chapter and contain in them a Declaration of what befell the Prophet being so call'd and the particulars are these 1. The work of the Spirit in taking and lifting him up ver 12th 2. The voyce he heard vers 12. and what it was Blessed c. 3. The noyse of wings and wheels vers 13. 4. The ablation of the Prophet vers 14. In the 12th was a sublation in this an ablation 5. The journey he went in the 14. and 15. verse And 6. His condition hee was in bitternesse of spirit hee sate and mourned seven dayes vers 14 15. The Spirit took me up By Spirit here we understand not the wind as if some great wind should take up the Prophet nor an Angel as if hee had been lift up by Angelicall vertue nor his own spirit as Jerome would have it but that Spirit which was in the living creatures and wheels Chap. 1.12 20. and led them that Spirit entred into Ezekiel and set him upon his feet Chap. 2.2 That Spirit which led Christ into the Wildernesse Matth. 4.1 even the eternall Spirit of God This taking up of Ezekiel by the Spirit of God was 1. To perfect and ratifie his Call to the Propheticall Office the Lord Christ had spoken much unto him about it and now the Spirit lifts him up and seals the same unto his soul strengthening him in the full assurance thereof when hee had heard Christs voyce and found his Spirit working so extraordinarily as to lift him up this could not but mightily prevail with and satisfie the soule of the Prophet 2. That hee might have a more cleer and full view of the glory of him that sate upon the Throne when wee would have one see things distinctly and fully wee set or lift him up on high The Devill carryed Christ unto an exceeding high mountain and shewed him the glory of the kingdomes of the world Matth. 4.8 3. To put honour upon him in letting him see that he was to be an organ of the Spirit for the future he was to be imploy'd in great service by the Spirit and that was a great honour Hee was to be the mouth of the Spirit unto that people to be wholly at the dispose of the Spirit 4. To avocate his thoughts from things below and to settle them upon contemplation of things divine a Prophet is not to look downward his heart should be lifted up to heaven and heavenly things And I heard behind me the voyce of a great rushing It was not the voyce of thunder or of an earth-quake but of the living creatures and the voyce some make to be the words Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place which words are in the originall the blessed glory of the Lord from his place that is the glory of God is now going out of his place and it troubles the Angels that they lament and make a great noyse to behold so dreadfull a judgement to befall Jerusalem and the Jewes and so the voyce to be differing from these words If it be granted that these words were the voyce uttered yet may they be taken in that sense as is expressed to shew their sorrow for the ruine of the Church The blessed glory of the Lord is departing from its place God is leaving his habitation and people and all is hastening to spoyl and desolation this affected the very Angels when some great man that hath been a great Patron and friend to a place is going away what lamentation is made what a noyse and stir is there at it as in these dayes when some Ministers Magistrates and other eminent Christians are forced from their place by the enemies what complaint doth it cause what a noyse doth it make and so when God leaves a people that were beloved and deare unto him it fetches sighs and complaints not only from men but even from angels also the soul finds it a sad thing when God departs from it and oft mourns bitterly Some take the words for a Doxologie and make the sense this Blessed be the glory of God which is seen in punishing the wicked and delivering the Church God shewes himself just and righteous that he will no longer stay among a sinful people but be gone from them and render to them according to their wayes The Quere will be in what sense we may take the words both senses may without prejudice be admitted while the Angels looked upon the great losse the Jews should have by Gods departure the great evils would follow therupon they sympathized and were so affected with it that they brake out into these expressions The blessed glory of God is going out of its place and so it was vox lamentationis but when they look'd at Gods Justice and holinesse they said Blessed is or be the glory of the Lord. Though men be ruin'd Cities and Nations destroyed and God driven from his habitation yet let
the rest of the Saints in Babylon so that the Spirit is co-essentiall with the Father and the Son and it 's a person otherwise how could it have taken up the Prophet and carried him and it 's distinct from the Son who is described to be upon the Throne and to give commands unto the Prophet and the Spirit here is brought in distinct from him most cleere in that place in Matth. 3.16 17. where the Spirit is distinguished from the Son baptized and from the Father acknowledging Christ his Son in whom hee was well pleased 3. Great Saints have great infirmities Ezekiel goes in bitternesse in the heat of his spirit hee was in a froward humour in a great distemper the Vulgar hath it in indignatione spiritus there was indignation in his spirit to the worke some have thought this affection of the Prophet Non prorsus vitiosum not altogether sinfull yet some sinfulnesse and vitiosity to be in it cannot be denyed it 's granted by Calvin that it did distare a gratia spiritus and for him after so cleer and strong a Call to refuse to be in a chafe to withstand was affectus penitus vitiosus if not vilis he had rather have been out of service then in it lien hid among the people then have been an Ambassadour of Christ unto them he had rather they should have perished without Vision then that himself should be a seer amongst them here was the weaknesse of this good man I could tell you of Abrahams Jacobs Moses Davids Pauls and Johns failings there was never since sin entred any Saint sine omni macula in many things we sin all Jam. 3.2 And yet the Apostles were fill'd with the Spirit there was a fulnesse of grace in them and in the Prophets yet neither the one nor the other were omni prorsus exuti carne notwithstanding all their graces and excellencies they did still terrestre aliquid spirare and now where ever the Spirit comes it neither extinguisheth nature nor corruption wholly in this life the best wine hath its dregs and its lees and the best of Saints hath his spots and weaknesses there is no perfection in any 4. Holy men set down their own infirmities which is an argument of the truth of the Word and the divine nature of it men that are meere men seek their own glory and will not shame themselves in their Writings but the Pen-men of Scripture having received another Spirit are content to shame themselves so God may have glory his truth credit his people caution and comfort all these are in the setting down of their own sins when holy men confesse their weaknesses set them down as Moses Exod. 4. as David Psal 51. as Jonas Chap. 1.4 as Paul 1 Tim. 1. as John Rev. 22.8 God is glorified by their shame it 's evidenced what God did for and by these men notwithstanding their sins men are perswaded of the truth of the Word seeing they spared not themselves and would not bury their own thoughts in silence others that see the slips of such men of God are admonished thereby to look to their standings and to be watchfull and these are beaten down with the sense of their failings see it 's the common sicknesse of the Saints and not their case alone which is some ease unto them 5. That some truths of God sweet in the reception oft prove bitter in the operation the roul that Ezekiel did eat ver 3. was sweet as honey at first unto him but now hee was to go and put it in practice he found it bitter and sought to decline that service it was like pils sugared over sweet in the mouth but being dissolved in his bowels viscera torquebat torminibus lacerabat praecordia He was upon the wrack and sick of the businesse and perplexed that he had eaten such a roul The stony ground heard the Word with joy it was sweet to the taste but after it was bitter when persecution and temptation came those hearers were offended and fell away Matth. 13.20 21. the word of joy proved a word of bitternesse unto them and it 's so to most men at one time or other they find it a sad and difficult thing to act those truths are sweet to the understanding Rev. 10.9 10. John eat the little book it was sweet in his mouth bitter in his belly that is in the operation of it John saw that those truths writ in it would beget hatreds persecutions imprisonments banishments martyrdome c. When wee come to find the operations of truths that they will cost us deare deare friends deare liberties deare lusts deare lims deare lives we find a bitternesse in truths though formerly they have been like Ezekiels roul and Johns little book to our mouths 6. Mans wisdome and spirit is opposite to the wisdome and Spirit of the Lord Christ Christ calls sends Ezekiel in his infinit wisdome hee thinks it best for him to go to these captive Jewes this rebellious house The Spirit enters into Ezekiel assures him of his Call assumes him assists him and yet hee is averse in bitternesse in the heat of his spirit hee shewes the antipathy between his wisdome and Christs his spirit and the Spirit of Christ they closed not There are principles of opposition in godly men to the wayes of Christ and his Spirit so far as they are unregenerate so far they are opposite Rom. 8.7 The carnall mind is enmity against God it 's in the originall the wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God there is flesh in the best men that flesh hath wisdom it hath a spirit the flesh is the old man a whole man and must have a spirit in it to act it such a one as it is and both the wisdome and spirit of the flesh are enmity to God unsubject to his Law and Will and enmity to man they work death and end in death Jonas had such wisdome and such a spirit in him when he ran from God but it had cost him his life if God had not been more gracious then he dutifull Paul complains hee found a law in his members warring against the law of his mind Rom. 7.23 Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit the work of the flesh is lusting and warring against the spirit it is with a godly man as it was with Rebecca she had great struglings in her womb and what was the cause of it there were two nations in her womb one contrary to the other Gen. 25.22 23. and there is heaven and earth in a godly mans heart which are contrary and make great struglings The same soul commands obedience opposeth obedience the same will that delights in the Law of God hath a crosse motion to the law of sin the heart that trusteth God doubts of his favour while we are believing unbeliefe is opposing Mark 9.24 I believe Lord help my unbeliefe 7. Saints may do the Will of God unwillingly if not against their