besieged Ierusalem and was carried away together with many thousand others into Babylon After him Zedekiah his unckle who reigned 11. yeares 2 King 24.10 11 12. and having broken his promise violated his oath and denying tribute to Nebuchadnezzar is taken his sons slain before his eyes 2 King 25.7 c. himself carried away to Babylon and there he dyeth and all this was within 23. yeares for this Zedekiah reigned 11. yeares and Eliakim or Iehojakim 11. more and the other two three moneths a peece From all this observe 1. The different proceeding of God with Kings that are good and Kings that are evill Good Kings as David Hezekiah Iehosaphat Iosiah how precious are their names how sweet are they like an oyntment powred out how doe they keepe up the glory of their houses they are not written childlesse they are not written men that shall not prosper God doth not brand them with any note of infamy nor detract from their names they are not carried into captivitie But for Kings that are wicked how doth the Lord proceed in his anger against them and make their names to rot See it in Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.22 God sets an Emphasis a starre upon him brands him with a note of disgrace for all men to observe that reade his Story This is that King Ahaz What King was he Even that King that in the time of his distresse did trespasse yet more against the Lord that King that ruined himselfe and all Israel with him that King that shooke the foundation of Church and State This is that King Ahaz So Jeroboam is branded he is seldome or never mentioned but this is added to his name he made Israel to sinne So Eliakim a wicked King had part of his name taken away and here this Jehojachin is called Ieconiah and Coniah a broken Idoll a vessell in which there is no pleasure a man that must be written childlesse a man that must be carried into captivitie and be imprisoned 37. yeares Good Kings are the glory of the world the glory of that State where they live but these evill Kings in Iudah and Israel their memory stinkes their names rot their posteritie is cut off their houses fall to the dust and they have a foundation of wrath for their issue if they have any foure times within the compasse of 23. years were they carried into captivitie God proceedeth against wicked Kings to the third and fourth generation for their Idolatry and oppression for the evills they countenance and maintaine in their Kingdoms and in his worship 2. That afflictions are invalid to subdue corruptions Five yeares they had been now in captivitie and yet their corruptions were not mortified all the hard things they had met withall had not made them yeeld and stoope to God Jeremiah had been Gods Hammer to batter them in Ierusalem in Sion and God had exercised them five yeares with his wrath in Babylon and yet their iron adamantine hearts were not broken but Ezekiel must be stirred up now in the fifth yeare of Jehojachins captivitie a Prophet that must be the strength of God to breake them that must lay on load and not spare You see then that afflictions of themselves doe not kill corruptions they doe not breake the principle of stubbornnesse and strength of rebellion that is in the hearts of men and women Nay 2 Chron. 28.22 sometimes it proveth so that afflictions make us the worse like waters being restrained they swell higher and threaten heaven it selfe so corruptions being restrained they swell and threaten the ruine of States Families of soules and bodies to all eternitie Isa 1.5 Why should yee be stricken any more yee will revolt more and more Let God come with a plague to a Citie with a sword to a sinfull Nation let God come with any judgement the judgements themselves will never doe us good unlesse there be something added to the judgements unlesse they be sanctified to us our proud stubborne hearts our vile natures will stand it out against God even when the sword is in his hand Ezekiel the Priest the Sonne of Buzi c. Wee are now to come to the subject of the vision set downe in the first verse indefinitely I in the third specially Ezekiel described from his office a Priest and from his parentage the sonne of Buzi Josephus and some others conceive the time of Ezekiels transmigration to be in Jehojakims dayes but others make it to be in the dayes of Jehojachin the sonne of Jehojakim when he and so many thousands were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon 2 King 24.10 11 12. Then was Daniel Mordecai the three Children likewise and Ezekiel carried into captivitie as sundry affirme And that he was then carried into captivitie is evident from the Text it selfe for in the 40. Chapter of this prophecie ver 1. it is said In the 25. yeare of our captivitie he joyneth himselfe and doth not say their but our captivitie and therefore was then brought into Babylon when Ieconiah was and from that time began the captivitie and the reckoning of the 70. yeares Now he began to prophecy in the fifth yeare of the captivitie thirty-foure yeares after Ieremy Jere. 1.2 who began in the 13th yeare of Iosiah and had prophecied long but done little good amongst them they were so obstinate in his dayes God stirreth up Ezekiel and sets him aworke and he prophecieth 22. yeares as wee may gather out of his owne prophecy Chap. 29.17 In the 27th yeare the Word of the Lord came unto me It was five years before he began to prophecy and 22. years after wee heare of his prophecying He might prophecy longer but we finde it not recorded in holy Writ If it be demanded What became of this Prophet Ezekiel Antiquitie tels us that his end was very lamentable and yet like a Prophets for usually the Prophets came to untimely deaths Adrichomius saith he was torne in pieces with horses Lib. de incarn Verbi Athanasius tells us he was killed for the peoples sake Epiphanius relates that he was slaine by the Ruler of the people for reproving his Idolatry Chrysostome in his 46. Homilie upon Matthew 23. and those words O Ierusalem thou that slayest the Prophets c. saith thus O Ierusalem I have sent to thee Isaiah the Prophet and thou hast sawen him asunder I have sent thee Ieremiah and thou hast stoned him to death I have sent to thee Ezekiel and by dragging him amongst the stones thou hast dashed out his brains All agree in this that Ezekiel came to an untimely and bloudy end and so did most of the Prophets and Apostles What ever mens ends were in killing the Prophets God had other ends That by their bloud and death the doctrine they delivered being sealed might passe the better That none should look for great matters here in this world when such great Worthies were so ill intreated That men might be stirred up by their example
had taken in and so are call'd Goiim Nations as if they had had the wickednesse of all the nations or because they were divided in their false and Idolatrous worship some were for the Ammonitish way some the Moabitish some for other wayes most for wrong wayes and this made them like the Nations who had their severall wayes and to deserve the brand of Goiim Rebellious Hammordim the rebellious ones of Marad which signifies to fall off to apostatize to rebell and resist it 's like the practice of men against States and Princes when they have made Lawes for their Subjects to live by and they have accepted of those Lawes and then fall off with-draw from their subjection obedience and shake off their yoke it 's call'd rebellion Gen. 14.4 the King served Kedorlaomer twelve yeers and in the thirteenth rebelled that is shook off those Lawes and yokes they were under In the Law sense rebellion is a traitorous taking up arms against the State be it by the naturall Subjects or by others formerly subdued or by whomsoever when arms are taken up to overthrow the setled Laws of a Kingdome and Religion setled by those Laws this is rebellion against that State and that State may preserve it self the Law of Nature Reason and Religion warranting the same I am not to speak of rebellion in this sense but Theologically when men will not be under the Laws and Government of Christ but go a whoring after their own lusts and inventions or others then they rebell so the other Tribes told Reuben Gad and Manasseh Josh 22.16 What trespasse is this you have committed against the God of Israel to turn away this day from following the Lord in that you have builded you an Altar that yee might rebell this day against the Lord Turning from God and taking up our own or others inventions is rebelling against God The Vulgar hath it to the apostatizing Nations Ad Gentes apostatrices and the Septuagint renders the word Rebell in Nehem. 6.6 to apostatize thou and the Jewes think to apostatize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and apostasie is a wicked departing from God and his truth acknowledged and confessed to false wayes of worship and such were the Israelites at this time they had left the God of Israel and chosen other gods and served Idols which made the Lord to say Jer. 2.11 Hath a nation changed their gods which yet are no gods but my people have changed their glory such is the apostasie of Antichrist and his followers they have departed from the true God and his worship and set up false gods and false worship so that he and all his children are Goiim Hammordim a rebellious an apostatizing nation Against mee It 's not against their King their high Priest but against mee In pactum meum Jerom. against my Covenant saith Jerome God had made a Covenant with them not only a spousall covenant I will betroth thee to mee for ever Hos 2.19 But a matrimoniall covenant I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other gods before me Exod. 20.2 3. God said hee would have them and no other people to be his God kept the Covenant on his part and was no Polygamist to that day hee took not in any other nation but they brake with him and took in other gods and brought them not into the City only but into the Temple and provoked their God to jealousie Even to this day The Hebrew is to the body strength essence of this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even this self-same day these very words you have in Lev. 23.14 untill the self-same day had not this people been brutish they might have seen what an unprofitable thing it was to bestow honour upon Altars Idols to set up corrupt invented worship they might have seen what truth and force was in Propheticall threats how powerfull God was to save and to destroy for now they were carryed out of their own Countrey they were in Babylon a most Idolatrous place subject to the nations they so disdained and had been some yeers in bondage yet even here to that present time they were addicted to their old wayes and served false gods night and day Jer. 16.13 Transgresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word signifies to sin not ignorantly or of infirmity but wilfully ex superbia Isai 1.2 I have brought up children and they have rebelled it 's the same word is in the Text they have proudly voluntarily sinned against mee the Septuagint therefore render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have prevaricated with me rejected mee they have taken mee out of the way who was established to be their God and have willingly brought in other gods and this word pashagn is of larger extent then marad say Rabbies but in Scripture they are promiscuously used Hos 14.9 the transgressors shall fall therein those go from under the command of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppose him Obser 1. That it 's Christs prerogative to set up and send officers unto the Church I send thee I that fit upon the Throne that am Jehovah that is to come that have all power in mine hand that can save and destroy that am the great Prophet of my people I send thee So Mat. 28.18 19. Christ is invested with all power and therefore sends Officers to all nations Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers it was Christ gave them and set them up in the Church Hence saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as the Ministers of Christ we are set up and sent by him who is the Head of the Church the Authour of all Offices and Lord of all Offficers Hence followes 1. That those Offices and Officers are holy and warrantable which depend upon the will and authority of Christ Jer. 1.5 not those are of the wils and authority of men as all are in the Romish Synagogue and too many are amongst us Apostles Prophets Euangelists they were of Christ but being extraordinary are ceased Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Christ hath given to be standing Officers in the Church and their callings wee acknowledge holy and lawfull but all others of humane institution and so unholy and unwholesome for the Church The Papists deny the calling of Pastors and Teachers in the reformed Churches to be lawfull because they are not sent by the Pope and ordained by his Bishops and so in succession from Christ but it 's cleer that Pastors and Teachers were given of Christ before ever Popes or Prelates were thought on Ephes 4.11 And as for them the Pope and his Clergie wee may safely say that neither himself nor any of his Hierarchy ever had any lawfull calling because none of them are sent of Christ hee will never own it that he sent any of them neither were they ordained according to the will of Christ and his Apostles 2.
of the Lords house that Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon took away from this place and carryed them to Babylon And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the sonne of Jehoiakim King of Judah with all the captives of Judah that went into Babylon Here is a false Prophet contradicts all that Jeremiah had spoken touching the seventy yeers captivity The false Prophets likewise in Babylon they were at work and they strengthen the hands of the false Prophets at Jerusalem by their doctrine Jer. 29.8 9. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Let not your Prophets and your Diviners that be in the midst of you deceive you neither hearken to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed for they prophecy falsly unto you in my name I have not sent them saith the Lord. And in the 24 25 26 27 28. verses of the same Chapter you shall find that Shemaiah the Nehelamite sent Letters from Babylon to all the Priests and to all the people that were at Jerusalem accusing Jeremiah for a mad man for making himself a Prophet for sending Letters to them in Babylon for lengthening out the captivity to seventy yeers for incouraging them to build houses to plant gardens to eat the fruit of them he would have Jeremiah imprisoned and set in the stocks Thus Jeremiah was accused cryed down at home and abroad his prophecy was sleighted scorned by many and most were troubled at what Jeremiah had prophecied This made such work both at Jerusalem and at Babylon that the people of God were much despondent and their enemies mightily insultive Now hereupon the Lord stirreth up Ezekiel powreth out his Spirit upon him calleth him forth to prophecy setteth him a work to justifie Jeremiah and to ratifie what he had fore-told concerning the Babylonish captivity threatning ruine to the City and Temple to Kingdome and King to their Nobles Priests and all the people Hereupon saith Josephus the prophecy of Ezekiel as soon as ever it was written I conceive he meaneth not the whole Prophecy but some part of it was sent to Jerusalem but little fruit came of it For Zedekiah being then King and having seen it he would neither believe Jeremy nor Ezekiel but presently concludes that both were lyers and false Prophets and that upon this ground Jeremiah had said Chap. 21.7 that Zedekiah should be carryed captive into Babylon and Ezekiel denyed that he should see Babylon Chapt. 12.13 Hereupon saith Zedekiah they were both false here is a contradiction the one saith I shall be carryed into Babylon the other saith I shall not see Babylon But God quickly made this good 2 King 25.7 for shortly after Nebuchadnezzar came besieged Jerusalem took Zedekiah captive put out both his eyes bound him with fetters of brass carried him to Babylon which he never saw From hence by the way you may observe first upon what sleight and weak grounds Princes and people will cast off prophecies and truths of God even upon mistakes and misapprehensions Zedekiah could not apprehend what truths there were in these two prophecies had he compared one thing with another hee might easily have seen truth but small matters will make Princes and people turn off the truths of God especially when they are not sutable to their own spirits and in these dayes people can without much ado turn off any truths Ministers bring if they be not sutable to their apprehensions and fancies 2. That God will make good the word of his Ministers and Prophets though they seem contradictory to mens fancies and sense Jeremiah saith that Zedekiah shall go into Babylon and Ezekiel saith he shall not see Babylon God makes it good notwithstanding the prophecy is thrown away The word of God shall take hold upon Princes Nobles people and slay them if they have despised and stood out against it But from this generall scope of Ezekiels prophecy that hee is sent to strengthen and justifie Jeremy take this observation That it is good for Ministers to strengthen the doctrine works hands and hearts one of another A Prophet is questioned trod under foot his prophecy thrown out as false an Ezekiel is stirred up to justifie a Jeremy When Ministers justifie one another the work goes on with more strength when there is a double witness to a truth it will seal it more strongly to the heart God gave foure Euangelists one had been a great mercy but that things might be ratified in your hearts sealed up in your consciences you have foure Euangelists each one strengtheneth the doctrine and things of another So the consent of Ministers and Prophets is a great matter to ratifie truths in the hearts and consciences of people and to establish the Church It is good therefore for an Ezekiel to strengthen a Jeremy 2. More specially the scope of the Prophet is to comfort the captives that were then in Babylon for they began now to be troubled that they had hearkened to Jeremiah yeelded to the King of Babylon because Jeremy had prophecied that Jerusalem should be destroyed the Temple burnt and that all should be laid waste whereas Jerusalem stood still and now five yeers were gone and nothing done unto the City or Temple for it was in the fifth yeere of Jehoiachins captivity that Ezekiel began his Prophecie They now began to be discouraged that they had left their habitations that they had hearkned to Ieremy so far as to come to Babylon they were likewise disheartened in Babylon they met with much hardship there being put upon building planting sowing and other difficulties yea the Babylonians themselves scoffed at them and said Sing us one of your songs of Sion This made them to droop and to wish O that we were at Ierusalem again that we had never hearkened to Ieremy The Iewes also at Ierusalem reproched them and they said they were men of cowardly and base spirits discouraged with the words of a timerous and lying Prophet one Ieremy and thereupon yeelding themselves into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar they wretchedly betrayed the City Religion and their Countrey these things went to the very bowels and reins of the godly and did greatly disturb them Hereupon the Lord to support their spirits to comfort them in these their distresses and to be an Ezekiel even the strength of God unto them stirreth up Ezekiel sets him on work Lastly the scope of the Prophet is the same with the rest of the Prophets viz. to lead unto Christ as you may see by reading Luke 24.44 Act. 3.18.21.24 They spake of Christ and led to him but it is more especially aimed at by this our Prophet who begins with the Law executed a Captivity but ends with a Temple and restauration by Christ thereby leading the people that were captives in Babylon to Christ the King of Ierusalem In Ephes 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have this expression That he might gather together in one all things in Christ the word notes to summe up or
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
they that feare God speake often one to another they fast they pray they redeeme the time they worke out their salvation with feare and trembling they give God no rest they will be at it at midnight In a word you shall finde the carriage of the godly to be exceeding contrary to the carriage of the wicked 5. Here you shall find Gods new Covenant wherein you shall see the riches of free grace God doing all both making the Covenant and performing it both commanding and giving what he doth command unto your soules 6. You shall finde that this Prophet is an Evangelicall Prophet for he points at Christ he will shew you where he is he will lead you to the Temple where you shall see Christ with his line in his hand and measuring out a Temple for the times of the Gospel measuring of his worship his worshippers and all that doth concerne the new Jerusalem Much of Christ will be found at least in the conclusion of this Prophet 7. You shall have a lively representation of the uncertainty of all things and of all conditions in this world In Lament 4.12 it is said there that the Kings of the earth and all the Inhabitants of the world would not have beleeved that the adversary and the enemy should have entred into the gates of Jerusalem None thought none of the Kings of the earth none of the Kings of Israel beleeved that ever Jerusalem which was so fortified by mountaines round about should be taken by the enemy But you shall see in this Prophet that even Jerusalem the Citie of God the Temple that was the glory of the world and Sion the perfection of beauty they are all laid wast Neither Prince Priest Prophet Nobles nor any are spared but all are destroyed all are carried into captivitie all are brought under the sonnes the precious sonnes of Sion are carried away into Babylon So that there is no place no condition no prerogative that can priviledge any from the hand of God where once sinne is come to a perfection Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sinne is a reproach to any people Let them be Jewes or Gentiles let them be Kings Priests or Prophets when sin is growne to a height then the wrath of God comes to a perfection and God will lay a Sion wast God will raze a Temple God will carry a Iehojakin a Zedekiah Prince and Prophet Priest and People into captivitie Is Sion gone is the Temple razed is Ierusalem laid in the dust What confidence then can any Kingdome can any Citie have Let not England let not London be secure Feare and Tremble Repent of sinne Take heed of provoking God Looke beyond the Kingdomes of the earth Looke up to heaven and make sure of that Kingdome which cannot be shaken which cannot be taken from you Thus you have some of the benefits that are to come by this Prophet We are now to fall upon the generall division of the Prophecy In this Prophet you have 1. The Preface wherein is contained Gods appearing to Ezekiel his calling of him and strengthning of him in his office And these are laid downe in the three first Chapters 2. You have the Prophecy it selfe wherein you have these foure things 1. The destruction of the Iewes by the Babylonish captivitie with the causes thereof viz. their sinnes This is laid downe in the next 21. Chapters 2. Threatning of judgement and destruction to severall Nations that had insulted over the people of God being carried away captive and the hand of God being upon them these were the Ammonites the Moabites the Edomites the Philistines the Assyrians and Babylonians And this he doth from the 25. to the 33. Chapter 3. Sharpe reproving of the Iewes for their iniquitie for their hard-heartednesse for their not improving the hand of God upon them exhorting them to repentance he tels them of freedome some mercy and deliverance and after that againe of affliction and trouble that shall befall them And this he doth from the 33. to the 39. Chapter 4. A typicall Prophecy concerning Christ and spirituall freedome through him laid downe in the vision of the new Temple and of the new Ierusalem from the 39. Chapter to the end wherein there will be many glorious things made knowne in due time Thus you have the generall division of the Prophecy To come to the Chapter Ver. 1 2 3. Now it came to passe c. In this Chapter you have 1. Ezekiels first vision from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter 2. In the three first verses you have 1. The time what yeare what moneth what day this vision was ver 1 2. 2. The place 1. generall the land of the Chaldeans 2. particular by the river of Chebar ver 3. 3. Together with this you have the occasion his being there among the Captives 3. The subject of this Vision Ezekiel Described 1. From his office a Priest 2. From his parentage the sonne of Buzi 4. The Author of this Vision God I saw visions of God such visions as came from God Now it came to passe c. Now The word in the Originall is And And it came to passe It seemes a strange beginning of a booke especially when it referres to nothing said or writ before There are many of the books of sacred Writ begin on this manner as Exodus Leviticus Numbers Iosuah Ruth Samuel Kings and divers others In historicall books it may note the series connect things antecedent with things consequent but in propheticall books it cannot note or make a connexion with things foregoing Jonas begins his Prophecy so and what was the antecedent to make up the connexion Here is the Quere and difficultie why the Prophet should begin his book on this manner And it came to passe Some satisfie the doubt thus They make it an idiome or proprietie of the Hebrew tongue to begin books with this particle And or Now and so they make nothing of it But surely this is not all there is something wrapped up in this Now or And Van. which may be of instruction and use to us Now or And it came to passe The Prophet doubtless was meditating upon the condition he was in meditating of the condition that he had been in Time was that we were at Jerusalem that we went with joy to the Temple to the solemne Assemblies that we heard the voyce of God that we saw his glory his beauty his power and his strength there Time was that we had communion with the Saints that we sung songs of Sion together with chearfulnes and with joy we had precious Ordinances honourable Sabbaths Sacrifices that did cheare our hearts and seale up pardon of our sinnes to us and intimate the good will of God in Christ to our soules wee sate under our Vines and under our fig-trees and were in safetie But now now we eate the bread of mourners wee drinke our own teares Now wee are deprived
mindes sow tares in the field Luke 8.12 Matth. 13.24 25. put devillish thoughts into the heart Joh. 13.2 work powerfully in the heart of the disobedient Eph. 2.1 and trouble their spirits 1 Sam. 16.15 I see not but good Angels may do as much being more potent then they Rev. 12. Michael and his Angels overcame the Dragon and his and Psal 103.20 they excell in strength they are called exercitus coelestis Luke 2.13 one can do more then a great Army one slew 185000. in a night 2 King 19.35 They are Bellatores fortissimi and have appeared like Warriors David saw an Angel with a sword in his hand stretched over Jerusalem 1 Chron. 21.16 Elisha saw them with horses and Chariots of fire 2 King 6.17 Angels are Gods Militia Psal 68.17 the Chariots of God are 20000. even thousands of Angels they stand alwayes before God and can do what ever God wills and commands This consideration of the strength of Angels should adde to our comforts and Gods praises if a man be in danger and have a strong convoy appointed by the King he is secure much comforted and thankfull too that Majesty hath appointed it God hath given us the mighty Angels that are stronger then Lions to be our guard to convoy us through the Wildernesse of this world let it multiply our comforts and Gods praises The next face is that of an Ox and it notes out the obsequiousnesse faithfulnesse patience and usefulnesse of angels in their ministrations for an Ox accustomed to the yoke is very tractable not stubborn kicking and flinging as untamed Heifers are Hos 10.11 Ephraim is as a Heifer that is taught and loves to tread out the corne a Heifer taught and delighting in his work is willing to it such are Angels Psal 103.20 They hearken to the voyce of his Word they look upon God as the great Generall and if he give out the word they give out their strength and go about the work willingly they are very obsequious to his commands if he sayes Go smite Herod for his pride Balaam for his covetousnesse David for his vain-glory Senacherib for his blasphemy and Sodom for its uncleannesse presently they go Praestat fidum maisterium 2. Faithfulnesse an Ox doth faithfull service Horses do oft deceive in their service but an Ox seldome in plowing or carrying of burthens So Angels are faithfull in their ministrations they fail not in the least particular the Angels would not let John worship him the Angels would not suffer Lot to linger in Sodom 3. Patience an Ox is a patient creature what burthen soever is laid upon him or what work soever heels imployed in the Ox is not impatient So the Angels they are patient in their ministration though they meet with much opposition The Prince of Persia withstood Gabriel 21. dayes Dan. 10.13 In the midst of oppositions and great services they are without all impatience though their work never end Rev. 4.8 yet they never complaine 4. Usefulnesse Prov. 14.4 much increase is by the strength of the Ox no creature more usefull to the support of a family then the Ox for of old all the plowing was by Oxen. Elijah findes Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of Oxen 1 King 19.19 And Job had five hundred yoke of Oxen and it 's said they were plowing Job 1.3.14 no mention of Horses and in some places of this Kingdome they make greatest use of Oxen by their strength Kingdomes and Families are maintained Therefore Moses Deut. 3.17 compares Joseph to the Bullock or Ox because he sustained his fathers family and Egypt with corne Exod. 22.1 If an Ox or Sheep were stoln and so killed or sold the thiefe was to restore five for the Ox four for the Sheep and the reason was because of the service and usefulnesse of those creatures they served for sacrifice to God to plow the earth to feed and cloath the family in other things they were to restore only double David makes it one part of the happinesse of a Commonwealth that the Oxen be strong to labour Psal 144.14 Oxen are needfull and usefull creatures and Angels herein resemble Oxen they are ministring spirits sent out for the service of Gods family they live not to themselves but to the publike In the Revelations you may reade what great services the Angels are imployed in they sound the trumpets and powre out the vials of Gods wrath they preserve the Saints from the violence of Devils and devilish men This instructs man to be like Angels in these qualities if God command call for any duty to be obsequious yeelding and to say with Samuel Here I am Speak Lord thy servant is willing to heare ready to obey and when we are in the service let us be faithfull do it conscionably let us be patient although we meet with delayes oppositions reproaches and loss let us be serviceable and profitable to others Angels have no benefit by their ministrations God hath the glory and man the good The last face is that of an Eagle and in it as in a glasse we may see the perspicaciousnesse swiftnesse and vivacity of the Angels for these three are Eagles observable 1. They are quick-sighted Job 39.29 Her eyes behold afar off speaking of the Eagle from the top of the rocks out of the clouds they are said to behold fishes swimming in the Seas so strong is their sight that they soar aloft and can a long time behold the Sun with open and stedfast eyes In aquila Cicurata Merlin in Jobum c. 39 Scaliger hath seen it in a tam'd Eagle A man of acute parts that can see quick and far into matters we say he is Eagle-eyed the Angels are not wanting in this particular they are quick-sighted 2 Sam. 14.20 and Rev. 4.6 The four beasts they are mentioned being the same here in Ezekiel are said to be full of eyes before and behind and in the 8th verse full of eyes within they have much naturall knowledge much revealed knowledge set oâ—t by their â—yes within and much experimentall knowledge coming in by their observation and deep insight into things noted by their eyes before and behind they soar aloft stand before God behold the face of God alwayes Matth. 18.10 2. Eagles are swift in their flight 2 Sam. 1.23 Swifter then Eagles and Job 9.26 The Eagle maketh hast to the prey Pindar calls the the Eagle the queen of Birds Lam. 4.19 for her swiftnesse no Foul flies more swiftly then the Eagle hence when things were to be done suddenly the Scripture mentioneth the Eagle Hos 8.1 He shall come as an Eagle against the House of the Lord that is Nebuchadnezzar shall come suddenly Angels are no dull creatures in a night the destroying Angel slew all the first-born in Egypt in a night 185000. in the camp of Senacherib and Dan. 9.21 Gabriel came flying swiftly to Daniel and suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts Luke 2.13 3. Eagles are
make the Rain-bow a sign of the Covenant between God and man who could make the Temple a type of Christ but hee that fill'd the Temple with glory and who can institute Sacraments ordinary or extraordinary but God and Christ in them alwayes is a Command and a Promise of grace which falls not within the compasse of mans power 6. That the Lord Christ provides meat for his servants Eat what I give thee Christ had propheticall meat for him a roul to give him It 's from Christ that truths come As a Nurse prepares meat for the child and puts it into the mouth of the child so doth Christ here he ever gives seed to his sowers he furnisheth his with abilities if they want books he will provide them VER 9. And when I looked behold a hand was sent unto mee and lo a roul of a book was therein HEre wee have the efficient instrumentall and materiall cause to treat of A hand was sent unto mee sent from Christ there could not be a hand without some Author hee that sate upon the Throne and made all he made he sent this hand no mention is made of any arm or body a hand might write it and reach it forth Dan. 5.5 there was in Belshazzars sad vision the fingers of a hand came forth and wrote upon the plaister of the wall nothing but a hand appeared had there been no hand the Prophet might have doubted whence it came taken it for some casuall thing but being reached out by a hand it was evident to him it came from heaven even him that he saw so glorious fell down before and was comforted by The materiall cause is A roul of a book Megillath Sepher the Ancients at first writ in barks of trees afterwards in skins of beasts which they call Pergamena vellum or parchment supposing them to be invented at Pergamus by King Attalus where was a famous Library of parchments and manuscripts but rouls of vellume or parchment were before that time Ezekiels vision was long before the Roman Monarchie Attalus lived when that flourished and having no issue made the Roman State heir to his crown but rouls were in Isaiah's dayes Chapt. 8.1 Take thee a great roul yea in Davids dayes Psal 40.8 In the volume of thy book Bimgillath Sepher in the roul of thy book They are very ancient and call'd rouls from the rouling them up about Cedar or some precious wood that they might be the better preserved The Law and Prophets were written in such rouls and when they unrouled them the Jewish Doctors used to expound them Nihil est vetustum in principum Archivis quod non sit scriptum in voluminibus Calv. as is gathered from that place Luke 4.17 These rouls are in practise to this day in the Jewish Synagogue and they have their Thorah or Law written in one volume and rouled up as Paraeus observes on the 5th of the Revel Kings have their Courts of Rouls And there is nothing antient in the Courts and Libraries of Princes in their Treasury of Monuments but is written in rouls or volumes For the signification of this Roul some make it to signifie the secret counsells of God it 's true they were written in it but not signified by it The Roul here is symbolum Prophetiae a typicall sign of the gift of prophecie to be given to the Prophet and in that sense wee are to take it Observ 1. That the Lord Christ doth at his pleasure put forth creative and infinite vertue to effect what hee speaks Eat what I give thee and presently a Hand is created a Roul is presented unto the Prophet which none could have done being destitute of divine power Christ hath a Hand in readinesse alwayes to do what he will have done he hath sometimes a visible hand to do it as here sometime an invisible when hee call'd Lazarus forth of the grave he had an hand invisible to effect it when he bid the dead to heare the dumb to speak the lame to walk Devils to depart their habitation hee had an invisible hand that effected those things so in Acts 11.20 21. when some of the Brethren had preached the Lord Christ and faith in him it 's said presently the hand of the Lord was with him and a great number believed there was a secret hand of divine power effecting that in their hearts which the Disciples preached in their ears And Acts 4.30 Christ hath a hand to stretch forth and to heal to heal soul diseases and bodily too to heal State and Church diseases Mat. 8.2 3. The Leper said to Christ Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean and immediatly his Leprosie was cleansed if wee would look to Christ as this Leper did wee might find and feel the hand of Christ 2. That the Lord doth often times extraordinary things for the incouragement and confirmation of his servants in their Function Here is a Hand and a Roul reached out to Ezekiel Jeremiah is fearefull and backward to the work of God and God to incourage and establish him puts forth his hand Exod. 4. and toucheth his mouth Jer. 1.9 Moses hee is doubting and pleading with God to dismisse him but by the miracles of the serpentined and unserpentined rod of the leprozed and unleprozed hand he confirms in his call to that great and hard service Isaiahs lips are touched with a coal from the Altar in the hand of a Seraphim his iniquity is purged and so hee is heartened to his work Isa 6. Christ breathed upon his Apostles and said Receive the Holy Ghost Joh. 20.22 By these extraordinary things they were consecrated to and confirmed in their offices 3. That there is a neere conjunction and sweet Analogie between the symbols the Lord Christ useth and the things intended Christ intends here the gift of Prophecie to confirm that upon Ezekiel Now what is the externall sign or symbol it's a book written full of propheticall things and so did fitly resemble the thing intended in all the symbols that God had used in the old and new Testament in a sacramentall way there have been fit Analogies between them and the thing signified and intended by them Circumcision the Paschall Lamb water in Baptisme Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord do set out the manifold wisdome of God and Christ in accommodating symbols so neer to the truth and holding it forth so livelily and the wisdome of Christ appeared in conveying the gift of prophecie by a Roul of a book From this example of Christ giving a Roul to Ezekiel some conceive springs that custome in the Universities at the creation of Doctors it 's done by reaching them out a Book but how warrantable I leave to judgement they do it may give them volumen but not rem voluminis if they had given them the gift of prophecie wee should never had so many