famine sword and they had been better have been cut off in their own land or in their journey to those places neither were they in safety there for God would draw out a sword after them they should be captives undergo great hardship and be daily in jeopardy of their lives The sword should pursue them as the phrase is Jer. 48.2 these judgements were contrary to the blessing of plenty safety and peace promised in Lev. 26.4 5 6. VER 13. Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal when I have accomplished my fury in them IN this Verse two ends of divine judgements are held forth 1. The satisfaction of his own Justice when judgements are fully executed he will be comforted 2. The conviction of his adversaries They shall know that I the Lord have spoken Then shall mine anger be accomplished Here is mention of anger and fury Deo furâ—r ira tribuitur cum ostendit factu aliquid sibi dâ—splicere max me autem irasci dicitur cum poenam infligit Riveâ— in Exod. which you oft finde given to God But neither these nor other passions are in God he is not carried by affections as men are they are neither materially nor formally in God whose essence is immixt and immutable anger and fury are given to God when he manifests by his actions that something displeases him and especially when hee punisheth the creature they are effects from God not affections in God Isa 27.1 fury is not in mee Be accomplished The Hebrew is to finish to perfect as in Gen. 2.2 God ended his work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he accomplished what he was about so here the Septuagint hath it shall be perfected it notes a progresse in Gods wrath which shall not cease in the mid way but go on to the highest degree as men when they are much incensed proceed in punishment of delinquents till they be satisfied they let out their wrath to the full and so God would do Formerly God had kept in his wrath not let it have the reins nor break over the banks and if it did get loose at any time and break out he quickly call'd it back and turned it away Psal 78.39 but now he would stir up all his wrath and let it out to the full and accomplish it among them now plague famine sword dispersion should have their will and power over them God would inflict what hee had conceived and threatned against them I will cause my fury to rest upon them That is God would terminate fasten settle his wrath upon them not cease it from them it should not fleet or move but abide they should be a people under fury a generation of his wrath Jer. 7.29 a people of his wrath Isa 10.6 God would shoot his arrowes into them and they should stick in their sides whither ever they went Gods fury should be still upon them it notes out the continuation of Gods anger which Jeremiah expresseth to the full Chap. 7.20 Behold mine anger and my fury shall be powred out upon this place upon man and beasts upon the trees of the field upon the fruit of the ground and it shall burn and noâ— be quenched neither their tears nor their blood shall put out the fire of divine wrath kindled against them it should still burn notwithstanding all means used to quench the same God would make his wrath a biding wrath such is that speech in Isai 30.32 In every place where the grounded staffe shall passe which the Lord shall lay upon him which the Lord shall cause to rest upon him is the Hebrew What 's the grounded staffe the wrath of God intended to be fixt laid in and laid down for a foundation of ruine that wrath would God cause to rest upon him that is the Assyrian the mark of the staffe should be in their flesh and state for ever I will be comforted God is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 yet he saith he will be comforted not that God was infeebled through discomfort and needed addition of comfort and strength from any creature but it 's spoken after the manner of men God had mourn'd over them a long time expressed his griefe by the Prophets threatnings by lesser judgements inflicted they had done no good and now he would ease himself of them and be comforted Wicked men are a burthen to God and when a burthen is taken off it 's ease it 's comfort Isa 1. you have God brought in much grieved and complaining of this people vers 2 3 4 c. and in vers 24. he saith Ah I will ease mee of my adversaries and avenge mee of mine enemies ah the time is now come and I am glad of it that I shall be eased of this great burthen bearing with this rebellious people I will cast them off and revenge my self upon them revenge is sweet Aestuantem animam vindicta levat it 's an ease to reproached provoked spirits for where is anger there is grief and desire of revenge which obtaining takes away grief and anger whereby the mind is comforted therefore God would ease himself by avengement on them so here God would accomplish his anger settle his fury upon them and be comforted in it hee would execute severe judgements and approve yea applaud them being executed In my zeal These words are oft in the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrew signifies sometimes zeal sometimes jealousie the Septuagint renders it in my zeal not in my jealousie Zeal is the intention of all affections it notes 1 The earnest love of God for the good of his Church and his own glory Isa 9.7 2 Jealousie which is with great indignation and grief Numb 25.11 such as amounts to hatred and enmity Isa 59.17 God was very zealous of the good of his people and therefore gave them zealous Prophets by whom his zeal was made known the Prophets spake in Gods name delivered their message with authority power life they lifted up their voyces told the people of their sins reproved them sharply were very zealous in their Prophecies hence they were counted factious and fiery spirits men venting their own opinions and humour hence their labours were sleighted they lookt upon as contemptible men not worthy to live they did so trouble both Church and State with the things they delivered but they shall know that not men but God spake that it was not their zeal but my zeal that they have opposed and rejected mee in my Prophets If you referre it to jealousie it notes out Gods taking them into covenant to be his people their revolt by Idolatry and other sins and Gods jealousie upon it who growing hot with displeasure spake sharp and dreadfull things against this people as a jealous husband would do against an adulterous wife Observ 1. That God
Sun and Christs face as glorious as that is in Dan. 12.3 it 's said The wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever but Christ as the Sun which is the great glory of the heavens the godly may have firmament and star brightnesse but Christ Sun brightnesse Neither doth that reach the glory of Christs humane nature it goes beyond it Acts 26.13 when Christ appeared to Paul at his conversion what saith hee I saw a light from heaven above the brightnesse of the Sun shining round about mee this was the light of the glory of Christ glorified and it was beyond the brightnesse of the Sun The Star that led the Wise men to Christ Epist ad Eph. Ignatius thinks did exceed all the rest in light and brightnesse that none ever was like it be it so yet the glory of Christs humane nature is far above it no creature is so glorious as fully to represent the glory of it therefore saith the Apostle Phil. 3. last Hee shall change our vile bodies and make them like not the Stars or Sun that were too low but like his glorious body the originall is his body of glory that is his body which is exceeding glorious above the glory of all creatures 2. That the Lord Christ sitting upon the Throne in judgement is very dreadfull hee is ignis vividissimus as hot burning coals the Propht Malachi tels you of his coming and when hee comes who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like refiners fire and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver Chap. 3.2 3. A refiners fire is the hottest it melts purges consumes and is terrible such a fire is Christ in his judgements Jerusalem could not stand before him but hee destroyes them by the strength of Babylon and afterward is terrible to Babylon it self Jerem. 51.25 I am against thee O destroying mountain speaking of Babylon which destroyest all the earth I will stretch out my hand upon thee and rowle thee down from the rocks and will make thee a burnt mountain this burning coal Christ will fire and burn down that great mountain and what then they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner nor a stone for foundations but thou shalt be desolate for ever severe was the Spirit of Christ against Babylon in the letter and as severe is he now against Babylon in the mystery hee shall destroy them that destroy the earth Rev. 11.18 Hee makes Jerusalem a burthensome stone to all that meddle with it Zach. 12.3 There is mention made in the 28. of our Prophet 14. of stones of fire Christ is the stone of fire that breaks and burnes the kingdomes of the earth many kingdomes in Europe are on fire at this day and almost broken in pieces and burnt to ashes we may see that Christ is terrible in his judgements hee is riding now upon his red horse taking peace from the earth dipping his garments in blood and causing his great sword to eat flesh and drink blood he is upon his black horse bringing in famine and pestilence the pale horse is sadled and death is on the back of him and intends to ride through our Cities Countryes Townes Families and make a great slaughter Rev. 2.6 and will yet be more terrible vers 17. the great day of his wrath is at hand and who shall be able to stand neither Kings great men Captains mighty ones nor any other sort can do it they will call on rocks and mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb his eyes sparkled with fire his feet are like burning brasse and out of his mouth issue flames of fire and to set out the dreadfulnesse of this Judge Paul tels us he shall come in flames of fire 2 Thes 1.8 And as his appearance so his name will be dreadfull for he hath an unknown name belongs to him in his way of ruling and judgement Rev. 19.12 and this will be known when he sets up his Kingdome among the Jewes saith Brightman 3. That he is zealous in sentencing and punishing Malefactors he is pruna summe ignita and not only so but here is a fire within zeal in his breast a spirit of burning within you may see the zeal of Christ in Joh. 2.14 15 16 17. The Temple being a type of Christ and by divine appointment set apart for worship should not have been made a place of merchandize but Christ coming and finding in the Temple those that sold Oxen Sheep Doves and changers of money sitting made a scourge of small cords and whipt them out of the Temple like a company of Rogues drove out the Sheep and Oxen powred out the changers money overthrew the tables bid them take away their Doves and not make his Fathers House an house of merchandize they might have said All these are brought for sacrificing for publique service and the worship of God and what dost thou pretend Gods glory and take away his sacrifice we will whip thee out of the Temple and use thee as an enemy to God and his worship and it was a wonder they did not Christ being a poore man having no countenance from the Rulers and medling with rude fellowes and dealing with them so sharply and shamefully as to whip them out it was wonder they tore him not in pieces or stoned him to death for it Christs zeal was hot and carried him on to punish and disgrace those delinquents not fearing their rage or malice so Gods glory might be repaired This zeal in Christ was so intense that it warmed the hearts of his Disciples who upon it remembred what was writ of him The zeal of thine house hath eaten mee up How zealous was Christ in his carriage towards the Asian churches he tels Ephesus that except shee repent recover her first love and do her fitst works hee will come quickly remove her Candlestick out of its place and unchurch her Rev. 2.5 To Pergamus also he saith Repent for I come quickly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth verse 16. So for Thyatira wherein Jesabel lived and did much hurt Behold saith Christ I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds and I will kill her children with death c. vers 22.23 So for Laodicea how zealous is Christ against that zeallesse church I know thou art neither hot nor cold I would thou wert cold or hot so then because thou art lukewarm I will spew thee out of my mouth Chap. 3.15 16. His proceeding with the churches answers his apparition to John in the vision which was with eyes as a flame of fire and feet like burning brasse Chap. 1.14 15. 4. That the divine nature of Christ
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
house then dwell in the Tents and Courts of wickednesse Psal 84. Luther said He had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar Joh. 12.26 If any man will serve me him will my Father honour if wee serve Christ Angels are our fellow-servants Rev. 22.9 6. That holy creatures have heavenly minds Angels look up and that in their imployments their eyes are fixed above upon the Lord Christ and it 's certain where there is holinesse it carries upward water will rise as high as the spring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from looking upwards or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same Os homini sublime dedit and so doth the water of the Spirit Pauls conversation was in heaven Phil. 3.20 Rev. 10.2 An Angel hath sea and earth under his feet and Rev. 12.1 The Church hath the Moone under her feete all ceremoniall worship all mutables in the world and saith Cant. 7.10 I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me The Church finding Christs affection towards her cannot but look out and look up Most men look downwards and are neither like Angels nor men more like swine wormes moules Many are loath to come neere God lest he should say Put off thy shooes from thy feete put off thy earthlinesse if we would have God look down from heaven we must look up to heaven David said When I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.18 He was with God when he lay downe and with him when he awaked and rose The next thing is their wings mentioned in the sixt verse every one had foure wings and verse 8. under their wings on their foure sides and in the 8th they foure had their faces and their wings and in the 9th their wings were joyned one to another 11th their wings were stretched upward two of every one was joyned one to another and two covered their bodies Angels are set forth to us in Scripture with wings here with foure In Isa 6. and Rev. 4. with six wings each of them and they are said to be winged for the agilitie of their natures and swift motion in executing their office Omnis spiritus ales est Tertullian saith Every Spirit is winged they fly in a moment into any part of the world to execute the commands of God Gabriel came flying to Daniel Chap. 9.21 and that swiftly Astronomers observe that from the center of the earth which is 3000. to the surface up to the Sunne is above foure millions of miles to the Firmament where the fixed starres are Clavius in Sphaeram Lessius de omnipot Dei above fourscore millions of miles and from thence to the place of the blessed where Saints and Angels are more millions then from the earth to the Firmament So that according to their account it must be above 160. millions from heaven to earth and this space the Angel came flying in a little time we thinke a Bullet out of a Musket flies swiftly and it doth for it hits the bird or mark ere the report is heard and will fly 180. miles in an houre according to its motion The Sunne moves swifter 1160000 miles in one houre the fixed starres about the aequinoctiall Moone 42. millions of miles each houre and yet the motion of an Angel is swifter being a Spirit and passing through the ayre without opposition no creature in heaven or earth moves faster then an Angel Their wings are foure but the Seraphims in Isa 6. and the foure Beasts in Rev. 4. are set out by six wings each of them A question hereupon arises Why the Visions being correspondent the Angels here are described onely with foure wings Ans That paire of wings is wanting here did cover the face of Isaiah his Seraphims and Johns foure beasts for they standing before the throne and face of God were not able to behold such Majestie brightnesse and glory with open face although they were most pure creatures We cannot look upon the Sunne in its strength and glory but we cover our eyes with our hand so they their faces with their wings now here was something in stead of these wings and did the office of those wings and that was the Firmament Ver. 22. The likenesse of the firmament upon the heads of the living creatures and ver 26. Above the firmament was the throne This firmament interposed between the lustre of divine glory and their eyes as the wings did in the Prophets and Apostles vision and therefore here was no need of that paire of wings they were not before the throne but sub expanso and to doe works beneath in the world Observ That the glory and Majesty of God is such as no eye can fully behold there wings here the firmament is interposed between God and Angels When God came downe upon Mount Sinai and manifested his majestie and glory what said the people Speake thou to us and not the Lord lest we die They could not endure the shine of Moses face much lesse the lustre and majestie of the Lords something must interveene else man dyes for it Touching the wings of these our Angels three things are laid downe 1. The conjunction of their wings 2. The Extention of them 3. The use The Conjunction is in the 9th verse Their wings were joyned one to another and ver 11. Two wings of every one were joyned one to another The extremitie of their wings when stretched out and ready to flie did touch one another so as they seem'd to have but one wing Observ 1. That there is mutuall love and much agreement between the Angels the Connexion of their wings notes the Connexion of their hearts and the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Sisters that love one another intirely and work together most sweetly so are the Angels they love and labour together most sweetly Foemina ad sororem suam there be no divisions or distractions among them what businesse soever is appointed they all agree in wee men can hardly agree in any one businesse Aliud stans aliud sedâ—ns de republica sentis Declam in Ciceron so many men so many minds Salust told Tullie that his minde was very changeable concerning the Common-wealth and it 's true of most of us what we allow now in matters of the State or Church wee condemne anon and so are at agreement neither with others nor with our selves but Angelicall concord parallels yea exceeds our discord Angels are all love peace and unitie Alae aequaliter extentae elevatae conjunctae 2. That there is a blessed harmony in the works of God done by Angels their wings goe evenly joyntly not one before another above another divided any way but there is unitie and uniformitie in all their actions and operations Could wee behold the actions and works of Angels wee should see such glory and beauty as never was seene in the works of men If we look upon a building that is uniforme and every part proportionable wee