voyce of that glorious Person sate upon the Throne Two things fall into consideration here touching the Spirit The first is the Spirits entrance into him The second the Spirits setting him upon his feet 1. It entred into him there be phrases in Scripture concerning the Spirit which import motion of it from place to place but must not be so understood 1. The sending of the Spirit Gal. 4.6 2. The coming of the Spirit Joh. 15.26 3. The descending of the Spirit Joh. 1.32 4. Receiving of it Joh. 20.22 5. The entring of the Spirit These all seem to imply the moving of the Spirit from one place to another but the Spirit of God is infinite in essence filling heaven and earth and changes not place the thing aimed at in them is 1. Operation 2. Manifestation 3. Impletion When the Spirit works effectually in any manifests it self by any fils the heart of any with divine graces and influences when it doth either of these or all these then it 's sent descended come received entred But for the phrase here The Spirit entred into mee a like one is in Hab. 3.16 Rottennesse entred into my bones that is it came not ab extra but there was a disposition and principle in him before to rottennesse but now it wrought it manifested it self and filled him with it so here the Spirit was in the Prophet before but now there was a more lively operation and manifestation of it yea farther this entrance of Spirit notes out his filling with the Spirit it possessed him fully there was abundance of the Spirit in him to fit him for and confirm him in his Propheticall Function The Spirit entred into him took him up and singled him out for divine service 2. It set him upon his feet here the efficacious operation of the Spirit appeares that which nature could not do the Spirit did it chased away all distempering fears inabled him to stand up to behold glory to heare the King speak from his Throne of glory and to be ready to do his will what ever he should say this was a great work of the Spirit in our Prophet Observ 1. From the Prophets being down and set up by the Spirit that the Spirit is the chief comforter the words of Christ Stand up and I will speak unto thee were good and comfortable words but the Spirit wrought the solid and lively comfort which scattered the clouds of feare confirmed him and set him up To speak good words to one sick in prison is a comfortable thing but to heal the sick party to bring out the prisoner is reall comfort thus did the Spirit it healed the sick heart of the Prophet and freed him being imprisoned with feares the reall and choyce comfort is from the Spirit hence the Spirit is called the Comforter in John four times Joh. 14.16 26. Chap. 15.26 and Chap. 16.7 and not only the Comforter but the Comforter that testifies of Christ that teacheth all things that abides with you for ever as appeares in the places before mentioned Men comfort the Word comforts Angels comfort it was an Angel comforted Christ in his Agony Luke 22.43 but none comfort like the Spirit Ezekiel had the Spirit of God the great and solid Comforter to raise confirme and comfort him 2. That those the Lord Christ intends to set up for Officers in his Church he gives his Spirit unto the Spirit enters into Ezekiel before he is called he is filled with the Spirit the gifts and graces of it When Officers of an inferiour nature were to be made in the Apostles dayes even officers to serve tables what men must be looked out men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdome they must be such as the Holy Ghost hath entred into and filled else they were unfit for that service Act. 6.3 much more then should they be fill'd with the Spirit that are for the highest place in the Church of God Act. 9.17 Saul was fill'd with the Holy Ghost Acts 11.24 it 's said of Barnabas hee was full of the Holy Ghost the Spirit entred into them and they preached Acts 13.2 They must be separated for the work whereunto the Lord had call'd them even for the chief places in the Church of God the Offices in the Church are for men that have the Spirit of Christ in them in some fulnesse of it those places are not for others such as are fill'd with wine with the world with a spirit of envie error contention and Antichristianisme but have not the Spirit of Christ in them the false and lying Prophets had no entrance of the Spirit into them and therefore the Lord saith he sent them not Jer. 14.14 They flattered themselves they were call'd and sent of God and had the Spirit as Zedekiah said to Micaiah Which way went the Spirit from mee to thee 1 King 22.24 but they neither had it nor were sent of God but ran and were not sent Ier. 23.21 And unlesse men have the Spirit enter into them they are neither fit for that Function nor satisfyingly know they are call'd to it many among us are called of men that were never call'd of God 3. That man by his naturall abilities cannot reach or receive the things of God Ezekiel must have the Spirit enter into him before hee can heare or understand any thing to purpose reason and discourse is not more above the capacity of a Beast then the things of Christ and his Spirit are above the capacity of man 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him the preaching of the Gospel and Christ crucified was a stumbling-block to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Greekes the Iewes were skill'd in the Law and the Greeks in Philosophy and neither of them entertain Christ or his Gospel their knowledge and abilities served them to take offence at Christ and to condemn the Gospel for foolishnesse and it 's not all that naturall abilities do not only not reach the things of the Spirit but they cannot do it neither can hee know them saith the Text for they are spiritually discerned Tell a naturall man that God hath begotten a Son that God is man that a Virgin hath brought forth that God hath purchased a Church by his blood that men are reconciled unto God and justified by the death of Christ Verba audit spiritualem sensum non assequitur they are riddles unto him such truths are like a sealed book the spirit and life of them he is incapable of tell him that a man must deny himself mourn for his sins walk in the Spirit believe in another for salvation and these things are foolishnesse unto him 4. That the Word without the Spirit is inefficacious when hee pake the Spirit entred had not there been entrance of the Spirit the Word had not prevail'd the Prophet had not been raised the Word is of little moment and power unlesse
the efficacy of the Spirit be in it if it be not quickned by the Spirit it is a dead letter Many thousands heare the Word who are fallen by Adams and their own sin but they are not set upon their feet as our Prophet was and the principall reason is the Spirit enters not into them it may stand and knock at the door but hath not entrance and therefore they are not lifted up out of their unbelief and other corruptions they are not removed from the Wildernesse to Canaan from the state of nature to the state of grace when therefore you finde such expressions in Scripture as that the Word is incoruptible seed 1 Pet 1.23 a burning fire Jer. 20.9 the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 the Word of life Phil. 2.16 that it 's quick powerfull sharper then any two edged sword piercing to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit c. Hebr. 4. that it is converting the soul Psal 19.7 the grace of God that brings salvation Tit. 2.11 These and such like phrases you must understand not exclusively as if the word were and did so without the Spirit but conjunctively when the Spirit enters together with the Word then it is so the efficacy is not in sonitu ipso but proceeds ab arcano Spiritus instinctu all the vertue and operation is in the power of the Spirit neither is the Word uselesse it 's the Medium by which the Spirit works God is the Father of Lights yet is not the Son uselesse by it he enlightens us 5. That the Word is the Chariot of the Spirit when he spake Joh. 7.37 38 39. Acts 10.44 45 46 the Spirit entred into mee together with the Word of Christ went the Spirit that is vehiculum spiritus Joh. 20.22 Christ breathed upon them and that breath conveyed the Holy Ghost unto the Disciples so it 's the Word that carries the Spirit to men by the dispensation of the Word the Spirit is conveyed to our souls hence the Gospel is call'd the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 and the Ministers of the Gospel the Ministers of the Spirit vers 6. The Law which was from Mount Sinai the Apostle calls a dead a killing letter but the Gospel which came out of Mount Sion he calls the Spirit or ministration of it and therefore more fully in Gal. 3.2 he saith Received yee the Spirit by the works of the Law or by hearing of faith not by the works of the Law that was the ministration of death but by the Gospel that was the ministration of the Spirit so that the word of Christ transports the Spirit over to the hearts of those that believe and if search should be made whether the Spirit do alwayes accompany the Word of Christ preached unto the sons of men some inferiour degrees and works of it may be allowed to go along with the Word Act. 7.51 Yee stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares yee do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost and Heb. 6.4 They were made partakers of the Holy Ghost there was something of the Spirit in the Word when it was preached unto these two sorts of Hearers the one resisted the Spirit in the Ordinance the other received the common gifts of it some weak operations of the Spirit may be yeelded alwayes to attend the Word but effectuall and powerfull do not the beams of the Sun are oblique and direct where oblique they produce weak effects where direct strong ones and so the operations of the Spirit are oblique towards all reprobates and the work is ineffectuall on them but direct upon the Elect and so strong efficacious 1 Thes 1.5 Our Word came not to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost Chap. 2. v. 13. it wrought effectually in them 6. What God commands his he gives them strength to do it Stand upon thy feet saith Christ verse 1. there is the command and the Spirit entred and set him upon his feet there is the strength given to fulfill the command Commands import power and free-will in us say the adversaries of free-grace wee say no let them stand upon free-will and their own strength wee will stand to free Grace Ezekiel cannot stand upon his feet till the Spirit set him up much lesse can hee tread in the wayes of holinesse and walk in them being commanded the word of Christ did it not his own will did it not naturall reason and strength did it not Divina vox jacenti Prophetae jussit ut resurgeret sed surgere omnino non possit nisi in hunc omnipotentis Dei spiritus intrasset quia ex omnipotentis Dei gratia ad bona opera conari quidem possumus sed haec implere non possumus si ipse non adjuvet qui jubet Greg. Hom. 9. in Ezek. but the Spirit given did it Without mee you can do nothing Joh. 15. not much not something not a little doth hee say but nothing when Christ commands therefore hee gives power to do hee bids Lazarus come forth of the grave he had neither will nor power to do it but Christ hee gave spirit and power to do it When hee bid Sinners believe repent walk in the Spirit c. hee gives the power to do so hee doth it for them Deut. 10.16 they are commanded to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts and Deut. 6.5 to love the Lord with all their hearts these they could not do but God promises to do them for them Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love him with all thine heart and all thy soul we are commanded to feare the Lord Psal 22.23 Feare him all the seed of Israel and Jer. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee We are bid to make us new hearts and new spirits Ezek. 18.31 and Isa 1.16 to wash us and make us clean and see what sweet promises are made Ezek. 36.25 26. I wil sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you yea I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and yee shall keep my Statutes and do them Vers 27. We are bid believe and trust in God oft in Scripture and Ephes 2.8 we finde Faith is the gift God and Mat. 12.21 In his Name shall the Gentiles trust and Phil. 1.29 To you it is given to beleeve Christ bid the Apostles to go and preach the Gospel to all Nations Mat. 28.19 how could they being not languaged do it they might have said it 's an impossible thing but Acts 2.4 They were filled with the Spirit and every man heard them speak in his own language when God commands therefore wee must not look at abilities as Arminians and
hee hates reproof is brutish Prov. 12.1 Prov. 15.10 he is void of understanding a sensuall brutish creature he regardeth it shall be honoured Pro. 13.18 honoured with comfort safety life Noah was warn'd of God and made an Ark to the salvation of himself and his house Heb. 11.7 And when sinners take warning it 's life salvation to them Ezek. 33.5 hee takes warning delivers his soul how needfull then is warning how profitable if souls be saved by it 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable for instruction for reproof c. It is so profitable that the salvation of souls depends upon it When David was reproved by Nathan of his sinne it reduced him from the errour of his way and was salvation to him Let us blesse God for his Word and reproofes tendred to us out of it and subject unto them as tending to our present and eternall good Bee not offended with the reprovers but affected with the reproofs VER 22. And the hand of the Lord was there upon me and he said unto me Arise goe forth into the plain and I will there talk with thee 23. Then I arose and went forth into the plain and behold the glory of the Lord stood there as the glory which I saw by the river Chebar and I fell on my face 24. Then the Spirit entred into me and set me upon my feet and spake with me and said unto me Goe shut thy selfe within thine house IN these and the following verses to the end you have directions for the Prophet and events that fell out The hand of the Lord comming upon him hee is directed to goe to the plaine where the Lord Christ promised to speak with him and he going thither the first event was he saw the glory of the Lord standing there vers 23. 2. He is amazed and falls down at it which is implied in the 24. verse 3. He hath the Spirit entring into him and is strengthened by it set upon his feet which is expressed in that 24. verse Then here is a further direction that he should go and shut up himselfe vers 24. And here his silence is declared 1. By this inclusion of himselfe in his house 2. By the bands imposed upon him vers 25. They shall put bands upon thee 3. By the impediments Christ himselfe inferres verse 26. I will make thy tongue to cleave to the roofe of thy mouth and thou shalt bee dumb Lastly the time of his prophesyings mentioned vers 27. which is when Christ should speak unto him I come to open the words The hand of the Lord was there upon me In the 14th verse of this Chapter and in the third verse of the first Chapter you have had these words opened already This hand of the Lord was the Spirit of the Lord which acted the Prophet and shewed him and others that he was not moved in an humane way or by inconsiderate motions but divinely the power and efficacie of the Spirit There That is at Tel-abib in the 15th verse he came thither and sate down there seven dayes And being in his habitation sad and backward unto the work he was call'd unto the Word of the Lord came to him verse 16. and the Hand of the Lord was there upon him Hee thought being shut up in his house that the businesse would fall and that hee should be excused from propheticall service but he was mistaken Gods Hand finds him out and hee is bidden to go forth into the plain not to stay any longer within his dores but to go into the plain or valley 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the word in Hebrew signifies being from a word which is to cut divide break This plain or valley was divided from the mountains and a solitary place free from company and disturbances delightfull fit to refresh and quiet the spirits of men Obs 1. The Spirit is the great agent in divine things it 's the hand of the Lord that doth all it beautifies with gifts and graces calls to office directs whither to go what to do it assists and inables to all divine operations Christ had the chiefest work to do that concern'd the Church and the hand of the Lord was upon him Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee and Isa 11.2 it 's a Spirit of might and inabled him to do mighty things Luke 24.19 And so Stephen Acts 6.10 They were not able to resist the Spirit by which he spake it 's the Spirit doth the great things in Religion sanctification and mortification are the works of this hand of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6.11 Acts 13.2 Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto 2. The servants of Christ have daily need of new influences of the Spirit to encourage them to and strengthen them in their work Ezekiel was full of feares had many discouragements sate in a doubtfull condition what to doe and the hand of the Lord was upon him he had formerly felt divine vertue seen Christ and heard him yet all this doth not suffice the hand must worke again and help him else nothing will be done The Apostles had been much with Christ seen his miracles heard his doctrine and yet they must stay at Jerusalem till the Spirit fall upon them Acts 1.4 Paul saith of himselfe and others Wee are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 That is all our strength and help lies in him wee daily finde a want in our selves and God as it pleases him le ts out from his sufficiencie unto us now a little and then a little and we are ever receiving from him and enabled by his grace and Spirit to doe what is done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 1. Phil. 19. is mentioned the supply of the Spirit it 's the administration subministration under-supplying underpropping of the Spirit all which words note the Saints infirmities and need of the Spirit Those things befell Paul would not turne to his good without the Philippians prayers and further supply of the Spirit as a weak house must bee under-propped a sickly man have daily help an Army constant supply so must the servants of God be under-propped helped supplied by the Spirit Therefore we should daily pray as it is in Psalme 68.28 Strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us and that which thou hast wrought in us 3. No place can keep off the hand of God from comming upon us There at Telabib shut up in his house divine vertue seised upon him he thought now to heare no more of prophesying and doing publick service of that nature to the Jewes but the Spirit of God found him out that cannot be excluded from any place or limited to any time It 's like the winde that blowes where and when it listeth When the Apostles were shut up in a roome Acts 2.2 3. there was a rushing mighty
ride in triumph after great Victories then they scatter gold and silver plentifully and give the greatest honours and gifts unto men So Christ reserved the powring out of his Spirit in such plenty and invisible signes till his glorifying therefore Austine saith The Prophets had not another Spirit who foretold Christ to come but this is meant of that manner of giving which appeared not at all before They under the Law had not the Spirit given in that way and so largely but they had the same Spirit 2 Pet. 1.21 and Luke 1.41.67 3. The Spirit of Christ which the godly receive is not a Spirit of bondage but of comfort of grace and freedome this Spirit did not straiten the Prophet but enlarge him he was imprison'd with his own feares beate downe under sense of his owne worthlesnesse but this Spirit of Christ did set him at libertie and lifts him up againe and works graciously in him this Spirit is oft call'd the Comforter and that emphatically because no man no Angel no Ordinance doe or can comfort like the Spirit it helps against feares sinnes guilt temptations straitnesse of heart this made the Apostle say Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2 Cor. 3.17 It knocks off bolts locks shackles it makes way for his owne graces to act and act with livelinesse and if there be strong holds within strong lusts that oppose it 's a Spirit of power and will carry all before it 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of feare but of power such power as will conquer all the rebellions of a mans will bring all into order captivate every thought unto Christ and make a man able to doe the whole will of God an Ezekiel to prophesie to a rebellious people and to venture his life amongst them 4. Those Christ sends unto the Church he gives his Spirit unto Ezekiel hath the Spirit enters into him before he enters upon his office men voyd of the Spirit are not meet to be Church-officers all things in the Church come under spirituall consideration the people are to be professors of holinesse ordinances are holy and what should unholy officers doe there if they have not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his and what should they doe in the Church of Christ he will aske them one day Friends how came you in hither I sent you not 5. The Spirit performes what Christ promiseth In the 22th verse Christ bids the Prophet goe forth into the plaine and tells him he will there talke with him but being come thither the Spirit entred into him and spake with him Christ and the Spirit are one in Essence one in will and one in operation so that the Prophet was not deceived but it was the same as if Christ had spoken to him I will be with you to the end of the world saith Christ his Spirit was with them and so in that it was made good that he was with them the Spirit makes good what ever the Lord Jesus hath promised when it comes and it cannot be otherwise for these three Father Word and Holy Ghost are one and agree in one 1 Joh. 5.7 6. There is a language of the Spirit within a man The Spirit entred into mee and spake with mee How it speaks is hard to make out unto you Wee have heard that the Devill hath spoken in parties bewitched and possessed and you have text of Scripture for it Act. 19.13 14 15. When the sonnes of Sceva adjured the evill spirit in the Name of Jesus the evill spirit answered Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are yee Thus did the Devill expresse himselfe in the possessed and surely the Spirit of God can speak vocally in those where it dwells but that is not the ordinary language of the Spirit A man speaks to another Quando conceptum mentis alteri manifestat and as the Schools say of Angels Halens they speak manifestando suum volitum so we may say the Spirit speaks unto us by manifestation of its minde unto us Joh. 16.13 What the Spirit shall heare that shall be speake and he will shew you things to come and ver 14. he shall receive of mine and will shew it unto you 7. The proceedings of God with his own servants are various and darksome the Prophet was bid to preach oft before in the 22. verse he is called forth into the plaine and when he is there the Lord bids him goe and shut himselfe up in his house as it is in this 24. verse Now he will have him prophesie and presently he suspends him from his office and libertie neither is there any change in God but he by these various dispensations fulfills his eternall counsells 8. God considers the weaknesses of his servants beares with and provides well against them Ezekiel was timorous the House of Israel rebellious and like enough to offer violence to the Prophet if he should have presently propounded the dreadfull judgements of God that were at hand against Jerusalem and therefore he takes care of him and commands him to shut up himselfe that so he might be safe and not at first be discouraged at the wickednesse of the people or weightinesse of his worke God is full of bowells and tenders his when put upon difficult imployments VER 25. But thou O Sonne of man behold they shall put bands upon thee and shall binde thee with them and thou shalt not goe out amongst them THis verse speaks of the bands impos'd upon the Prophet and what these were we must inquire The word is Gnavothim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Syriack renders catenae chains the Vulgar vincula bands Montanus funes ropes and not any ropes but funes contorti adeoque densi thick twisted ropes as the originall signifies Now these ropes or bands be taken literally by some and metaphorically by others Literally thus They seeing the Prophet sad seven dayes and now astonished at what he had seene and heard and observing some strange looks and carriages from him they thought he was or would be besides himselfe and therefore they bound him it was a conceit among Jewes and Gentiles that Prophets were a kinde of mad-men Hos 9.7 The spirituall man or as the Hebrew is the man of the Spirit is mad they thought him out of his wits our Prophet had received the Spirit of Christ and that wrought in him and the people might be apt enough to judge him a mad man 2 King 9.11 When a Prophet came to anoint Jehu said his Companions Wherefore cometh this mad fellow Prophets were reputed mad fellows and that not onely by the Jewes but by Gentiles also Plato in Phaedro saith Quidam divino beneficio sunt infani Martyr in 2 King 9.11 Kâ—mchi thinks that the Prophets were so call'd quod dum vaticinarentur speciem praeferrent hominis alienati cum à mente tum à sensibus ut Prophetae Sibyllae and Tullie in his
depart from Israel Trausiit prophetia ab Israele Shind which was the saddest blow one of them that ever Israel had All the rest were Prophets of the first Temple and among them was our Prophet Ezekiel and Daniel though they were in the captivity for the first Temple was not yet destoyed and they had lived at Jerusalem among the Prophets and the Prophets of the former Temple it is observed had the largest visions and the fullest discoveries of the minde of God more was discovered in the first Temple then in the second till Christ his comming for the second Temple had Prophets but forty yeers after it was built and the first Temple had Prophets for four hundred and thirty yeeres The Prophets to speak for the honour of this our Prophet were all honourable men men of great esteem and worth they were men of God as it is said 1 King 17.24 I know thou art a man of God Ish Elohim a man of the Gods a man of God the Father a man of God the Son a man of God the Holy Ghost hee had to do with all a man of Gods counsell a man of Gods protection a man of Gods countenancing a man of God that stood for God a man of God that would plead the cause of God in the corruptest times against the desperate enemies A Prophet was a man of God That they were very honourable you shall find by that passage 1 Sam. 10.11 Is Saul also among the Prophets It is a Proverbiall speech and noteth a thing that is very rare and unusuall What is Saul that was a man of mean condition Saul that was erewhile seeking his fathers Asses is Saul now come to so high and honourable a condition as to be a mong the Prophets This was matter of wonder The Prophets they were so honourable and in so high an esteem that it was counted a strange thing for any to come to that dignity and preferment that were not of the Propheticall race the Tribe of Levi or such as were in order to those holy functions They were likewise men priviledged Psal 105.15 Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm Anointed is the same with Prophet as Expositors observe though it is carryed otherwise in the generall apprehension of men for Kings but anointed here is the same with Prophet They were anointed when the Holy Ghost was given unto them and they were called unto their Office this was their anointing of God and they must not be touched nor harmed Gen. 20.7 saith God to Abimelech Give the man his wife for he is a Prophet he is an honourable man he is a man of high account in mine eyes Princes must not wrong a Prophet God spake to a Prince Give him his wife for he is a Prophet the greatest person in the world should not dare to touch a Prophet that is a man so honourable a man of God and so gifted and sent of him to such great imployments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Further a Prophet was called in Scripture a Seer 1 Sam. 9.9 Let us go to the Seer for he is now called a Prophet that was before time called a Seer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that i from the Hebrew word to see and not barely to see but to see exactly curiously throughly into things The Prophets saw through the clouds they saw into the heavens they saw into the very counsell of God Isa 30.10 Which say to the Seers See not you see too much the meaning is you see too acurately why do you see so and tell us such things So Abraham he was a Prophet you heard before he was likewise a Seer Joh. 8.56 Abraham rejoyced to see my day he saw it distinctly he saw it so as it affected him he saw it and was glad There is besides this word another name in the Hebrew which the Prophets had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that was Chozeh Isa 30.10 That say to the Prophets Prophecie not the Hebrew is La chozim to those that foresee and foretell things you have a conjuncture of these three in one verse 1 Chron. 29.29 They are written in the book of Samuel Haroah the Seer and in the book of Nathan Hannabi the Prophet and in the book of Gad Hachozeh the Seer The word cometh of Chazah to contemplate to see from which root comes our English word to gaze and so it is interpreted Isa 47.13 Star-gazers this only by the way Our Prophet had the honour to be a Seer as well as a Prophet therefore verse 1. it is said I saw visions I had the honour to see visions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and visions of a God These Titles of Seer and Prophet as they set out the dignity so likewise they point out the duty of the person As they were Seers they were the eyes of the Church Oculi Ecclesiae to see good coming or evill that they might incourage them upon the one and draw them to repentance upon the other As they were Prophets they were os Domini the mouth of the Lord to speak to the people whatsoever the Lord himself did make known to them All this then doth but serve to breed in you an honourable esteem of this our Prophet hee is a man of God hee is a man honourable among the rest of the Prophets hee is a Seer he is the eye of the Church he is the mouth of God Having thus opened unto you the Title I shall now shew to you 1. The scope and occasion of this Prophet 2. The nature and condition of it 3. The seasonableness of this Prophecie for this time 4. What benefit you are like to have by this Prophet and then divide the Prophecie in generall and fall into the Chapter 1. For the scope and occasion of this Prophecy In generall it is to shew the certainty of Jerusalems destruction and the seventy yeers captivity which were now in question and so to confirm the Prophecy of Jeremy being of the same argument Jeremy having prophecied of the captivity of Jerusalem for seventy yeers the utter ruine of the City and Temple many both in Jerusalem and Babylon the captivity being begun for now Ezekiel and divers were in Babylon murmured and complained of Jeremy that he was a false Prophet that hee had not the Spirit of God that hee had misled the people that he had brought them into bondage by his fair words put them upon yeelding unto the King of Babylon and betrayed them You shall finde false Prophets bestirred themselves and opposed his prophecy both in Sion and in Babylon as Jer. 28.1 2 3. Hananiah being at Jerusalem when Jeremiah was in the house of the Lord in the presence of the Priests and of all the people saith he Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel saying I have broken the yoak of the King of Babylon within two full yeers will I bring again into this place all the vessels
's the Spirit of God is the great Agent that sets Angels aworke they performe nothing by their owne vertue and strength but at the command and impulse of the Spirit they act they set out proceed finish returne As it 's in a Ship at Sea there are the winds without to drive it and the Pilot within to guide it to what place he pleaseth so here is the command of the Spirit ab extra and the impetus intra to carry out and order these the great things Angels have done have been done by the Spirit of God if they suggest good thoughts if an Angel strengthen Christ in his agony if they reveal mysteries and things to come to Daniel and others if contend against Princes and agitate the great affaires of the kingdome it 's by vertue of the Spirit of God that works efficaciously in them and in good men that are imployed for the glory of God the publique good of Church or State When choice garments were to be made for Aaron Exod. 28.3 the 31. and v. 3. Cunning and carved work in gold silver and brasse was to be made for the Tabernacle it was the Spirit of God that inabled and acted men for that service When great things were to be done by the Judges in Israel it 's said The Spirit came upon them and the Spirit moved them Judg. 3.10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel and hee judged Israel and went out to war and the Lord delivered the enemies into his hand and his hand prevailed So Jephtah Judg. 11.29 and Sampson Ch. 13.25 The Spirit came upon them and moved them and they did great things And this is set down to let us see that it 's the Spirit doth all in the Magistracy and in Martiall affaires in City and Camp yea and Church too Zach. 4.6 Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts oft mention is made of the Lord of Hosts and truths that concern the Temple are sealed up with it in this Prophet more then others because there needed to such a work as building the temple the power of a mighty God so many so mighty were the enemies yet God would not do it by the might and power Zorubbabel had but by His Spirit 3. That Angels are led and easily led by the Spirit they went it notes their duciblenesse or tractablenesse they went without dispute without delay immediatly cheerfully and they went whither the Spirit was to go that is whither the Spirit would have them go the Spirit is so infinitely wise holy and good that even Angels do freely and fully submit to the conduct of it and therefore it is that they go streight forward that there is no crookednesse in their works that they do such speedy and honourable service and if such glorious able and perfect creatures be willingly led by the Spirit shall we that are base and beggerly refuse the manuduction of the Spirit if so we forsake the choisest mercy for Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sonnes of God be they Angels or men It seems there are but few that are led by the Spirit of God because he saith As many as are led intimating all are not few are there be other spirits that leade men there is a spirit of envie Jam. 4.5 of the world 1 Cor. 2.12 of whoredomes Hos 4.12 of security Isa 29.10 a spirit of error 1 Jo. 4.6 of Antichrist ver 3. and by these most men are not only led but driven quenching grieving vexing and resisting the good Spirit of God more like devills then Angels but let us when we have imperium or impetum monitum or motum Spiritus let us say whither the Spirit will have us go we will go what that will have us do wee will do offer up our selves freely and fully to the conduct of the Spirit and that will leade you into all truth and into the land of uprightnesse It 's an argument you are of the world if you receive not the Spirit of truth and submit not to the guidance thereof John 14.17 VER 13. As for the likenesse of the living creatures their appearance was like burning coals of fire and like the appearance of lamps it went up and down among the living creatures and the fire was bright and out of the fire went out lightning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe Hebrew word notes a Torch or burning wood where the fire and flame are more tenacious and strong titiones firebrands that are lively and flaming heating and lightning In this verse is set out not the figure and shape of the living creatures that was done in the 10th verse but the colour of their faces which is described First by similitudes 1. They are liken'd to burning coals of fire 2. To lamps Secondly by the motion of it It went up and down among the living creatures Thirdly by the operation and efficacy of it lightning went forth of it For the better understanding of this dark verse we must consider that the Lord Jesus Christ being exceedingly offended with the wickednesse of the Jewes is presented in the vision to the Prophet sitting as an angry Judge upon the throne ready to take vengeance on them for their sins they were Idolatrous oppressive prophane ingratefull slighting and persecuting the prophets therefore Christ comes arm'd against them with zeale and fury and suffer they must hereupon the Angels being inflamed with the zeal and indignation of their Lord and Master are said to be like burning coals and lamps When men have a holy anger against sin and sinners and are zealous for God how do their faces burn and glow and their eyes sparkle so was it here the Angels were affected much to see the Lord Christ so wronged by a company of sinfull wretched men whereupon their colour became fiery their faces burned with zeal and their eyes sparkled and they were ready to execute the sentence of the Judge upon this delinquent people It went up and down among the living creatures The fire and flame that stood not still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but was in perpetuall motion Mithhallecheth it made it self to walk of it own accord and pleasure it went up and down it that was fire went up and down among those four formed creatures some make it the likenesse and appearance it self that went up and down but it 's better to understand it of the fire which is distinct from the likenesse of the creatures and it 's the vigour of Christs Spirit Vertue came out from Christ the King and Judge upon the Throne which was like fire and flame to prepare quicken and actuate these spirits to a fuller execution of divine pleasure It was light and out of the fire went forth lightening Here you have the operation of this fire it was light that is it did inlighten the Angels they saw by this light what was to be done in this
Paul saith I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me what bitter things did they and others suffer and it was not common strength but speciall influence Phil. 1. To you it is given not onely to believe but also to suffer Blandina's spirit was heighthned above the malice and torments of men for having animated her children to suffer and sent them as conquerors to Christ their King shee comes forth to suffer before the tormentors cheerfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb lib. 5. as called to supper with Christ her husband as one comes to a marriage supper and after stripes tearing with wilde beasts burnings putting into a net and tossings by a Bull being without sense of torment by reason of her faith and conference shee had with Christ at last they killed her with the sword and the enemies confessed they never saw such a woman suffering such things so couragiously and constantly As sometimes God suspends the ordinary operation of the creature the Lions mouths are shut they touch not Daniel the fire burnes not the three children so sometimes hee lifts up and extends the operation and strength of the creature to an extraordinary heighth the winds what vertue doth God put into them how doth he raise them what terrible work do they make at Sea and Land tear Navies in pieces sink them in the deeps and tosse Ships out of the water upon the drie land Ravens fed Elijah morning and evening he goes in the strength of a cake and a cruze of water forty dayes 1 King 19. God hath lifted up many in these dayes to do more then ordinary service Ezra 1.5 God had raised their spirits to go up to build the house of the Lord so Hag. 1.14 5. That God at his pleasure puts stands to the motions of the second causes the Angels stood and the wheels stood and this was by the over-ruling hand of God that can stop the course of nature any wheels or agents whatsoever Josh 1◠12 13. God staid the course of the Sunne and Moon and made them stand still the space of a whole day and hereupon some gather that the ebbings and flowings of all Seas ceased In Hezekiahs dayes the Sun went backward ten degrees God stopt the course of the waters and made them as steady as walls and mountains when the Israelites were to go through the red Sea Doth not he shut up the wombs of those are likely enough to be pregnant and prevent generation did not hee take off the wheels of Pharaohs Chariot God can put a stand to the greatest wheels 1 King 12.21 when an army of 180000. chosen men was brought into the field to fight and fetch back the kingdome that was wheeled over to Jeroboam see what a stand God put to that army Vers 24. Yee shall not fight against your brethren return every man to his habitation they did so and presently that mighty army was disarmed The buying in of Impropriations a work of great and good concernment God put a stand to it The undertaking for Ireland hath the wheel stopt if not taken off The motion of the wheels to the Isle of Providence are staied by the eye of providence Are there not stands in our consultations and doth not God oft take wisdome from the wise and understanding from the prudent are there not stands in our Millitary affaires the mighty men do not alwayes finde their armes Hath not God oft put a stand to the enterprise of our adversaries It 's the Lord that hath hedged up their way with thornes and walled a wall that they have not found their paths and God hath hedged up our wayes that we have not found our paths to a full and thorough reformation This great wheel hath great stops the children are come to the birth but there is no strength to bring forth neither doth Gods work cease when hee makes stops A man who is printing a Book defers the Edition because he will make an Addition if it be delayed it 's inlarged and that 's no losse stops of providence in the wheels of the world are Gods Parentheses and while they are writing the work goes on VER 20. Whithersoever the Spirit was to go they went thither was their spirit to go and the wheels were lifted up over against them for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels IN this Verse is laid before us the procreant cause of the wheels motion and that is the spirit which is the first and highest agent and moves both superiour and inferiour causes This spirit is set out emphatically the spirit or that spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the spirit of the Angels but the eternall Spirit of God which was in the Angels or the living creatures that Spirit was in the wheels and with what motion it moved the living creatures with the same it moved the wheels this is the scope to shew that the four living creatures and four wheels were moved by the same Spirit of God Touching this Spirit I spake in the 12th Verse where I also shewed you how the Spirit is said to go and move from place to place This answers a secret objection How could the wheels move at the motion of the living creatures they are dead and senslesse things without any motive vertue in them And this obiection is fully answered in these words the Spirit of life was in the wheels That is rendered the spirit of the living creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus vitalis or spiritus animalis is in the Hebrew Spiritus vitae the Spirit of life the inliv'ning quickning spirit the lively active spirit or the spirit of the living creatures and per enallagen numeri by a change of the singular number into the plurall the spirit of the living creatures and so the sense runs that Spirit was in them the same was in the wheels Object If the same Spirit be in the wheels are not they also living creatures having the same spirit and motion Answ If I should say they were moved as if they had the Spirit in them this might helpe the difficultie but doth not satisfie the Text which saith the Spirit was in the wheels therefore know that as the living God is in every thing moving and acting them according to their severall natures and yet doth not make all to be living creatures so the Spirit of God was in these wheels not animating inliv'ning but moving them to those services were commanded and appointed Observ 1. That second causes move not of themselves neither superior nor inferior not the wheels which are weaker here beneath nor the Angels which are stronger and above they move not but at the motion of the Spirit whither that was to go they went Earth Water Winds Beasts Fowles Men their Councels Warres Peace Trades they all move ad motum Spiritus it 's the Spirit of God that moves all the wheels All motions all wheels are subject to the
Spirit and regulated by it When the Devill accused tempted smote Job he and all his motions were ordered by a higher power So when the Devils entered into the swine they did what and moved whither the Spirit would have them to do to goe 2. No creatures wheels nor Angels no causes inferior or superior can go otherwhere or act otherwise then the Spirit would have them Whither the Spirit went thither they went they moved not before the Spirit moved them and when they moved they moved that way the Spirit moved Devils and wicked men cannot be any where but where the Spirit would have them to be nor do any thing but what the Spirit would have don Pilate with the Gentils people of Israel were gathered together to do whatsoever the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done Act. 4.27 28. For the Spirit is the supreame most potent and efficacious agent over-ruling all motions so that no creature can move any other way then it doth Prov. 21.1 The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord he turneth it whithersoever he will Kings cannot turne them whithersoever they will ill Counsellors cannot draw them which way they will but they move which way the Spirit and providence of God will have them move * Est actuosissima illa operatio Dei quam vitare mutare non possit Sive sinat sive incl net Deus ipsū sinere vel inclinare non sit nisi volente operante Deo quia voluntas regis non potest effugere actione Dei omnipotentis quia rapitur omnium voluntas ut velit faciat sive sit bona sive sit mala This turning or inclination saith Luther is that strong operation of God which the King cannot shun or change If Kings hearts goe after out-landish women as Solomons if carried to ill Counsellors as Rehoboams if to Idolatry as Jeroboams if to root out the godly and godlinesse it self as Ahabs if to ruine their Kingdom as Ahaz's did if to shed innocent blood as Manasses did the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord hee turns them whithersoever hee will in all those motions he acts in just judgement not changing their wils but making use of them to bring about his own designs 3. The motions of the wheels are not unseasonable when the living creatures went then the wheels went and what is the cause of their motion the Spirit was in the wheels and the Spirit was in the living creatures if we condemne their motions and changes as untimely we shall question and condemne the work and wisdome of the Spirit which is infinitely wise and incontrollable in all its operations men even the best of them are apt to fault the motions of the wheels and to censure the acts of Providence as unseasonable the counsell is not good at this time that Achitophel hath given 2 Sam. 17.7 Did the Spirit then move that wheel seasonably yes because the counsell though not good for David whose destruction it tended unto yet it was good for the ruine of Achitophel and Absolom and that was the intent of the Spirit in moving that wheel Vers 14. The Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Achitophel to the intent to bring evill upon Absalom and Achitophel too What civill wars in England when Ireland lies a bleeding to death when such a time to vindicate the Palatinate and wrongs sustained at the hands of the Emperor when such a time to help the Protestants in France what now to have King and Parliament divided now to be imbroyled in a bloody civill war is not this most unseasonable Stay thy thoughts and censures O vain man The Spirit of God is a Spirit of wisdome and knowes when it is best to move the wheels No Musician tunes it better then the Spirit of God had these changes and motions been and our enemies abroad at peace they would have taken the advantage of our divisions and wars and made a prey of us seeing therfore we must be let blood or die this great and wise Physician the Spirit in the wheels hath done it seasonably Are great towns plundered Counties disturbed Families impoverished or Churches dissolved the righteous smitten the wicked spared and kingdomes shaken into pieces these motions changes are not unseasonable they are all in their appointed time this war is in it's appointed time Ezra 4.17 There is mention of peace and at such time the time is observed so now the war and at such a time such a time as is appointed as the Spirit of God judges fittest Eccl. 3.8 There is a time of war and a time of peace vers 3. a time to kill and a time to heal a time to break down and a time to build up the Spirit knowes and observes those times punctually and moves not a wheel but in its due time and so the motions of all are beautifull in Gods eye and should be free from mans blame man knowes not his time Eccles 9.12 But it 's not so with the Spirit it knows times and seasons and never misses to move the wheels in their due season The travell of a woman at nine moneths is not more seasonable then the turning of the wheels at what time the Spirit pleaseth If the tree Psal 1. bring forth her fruit in due season and the Spirit moves the wheels in due season none are too early none too late 4. The consent which is between heaven and earth the Angels and wheels is from the Spirit of God which moves in them When the living creatures went the wheels went when they stood these stood when they were lifted up these were lifted up and what 's the ground of this harmony the Spirit was in them that acted them and ordered their motions having the same Spirit they went the same way and did the same work without difference without contentions The Spirit of God is a Spirit of union where that moves it moves not to discord but to minde the same things and to move the same wayes Numb 11.16 17. When the same Spirit which was upon Moses was put upon the seventy Elders then they judged as hee judged then they moved the same way and did bear the burthen of the people together with Moses and v. 25. then they prophesied and it being told Moses that Eldad and Medad prophesied he will make no breach upon it but finding the same Spirit in them that was in himself said Would God all the people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them v. 29 hee knew the same Spirit would move them the same way that he went So Elisha when he had received the Spirit of God which Elijah had hee moved his way carried on that work hee did 2 King 2. Wicked Balaam when acted by Gods Spirit consents with the true Prophets and prophesieth the happinesse of Israel and cannot curse the people of God though tempted and
wills and power are no rules they may sin we must give account and therefore may and must examine prove all things and hold fast that which is good humane things it 's our duty it 's wisdome and safety to question and search into but divine things are without dispute and all questioning to be believed and obeyed therefore saith Christ Yee are my friends if yee do whatsoever I command you Joh. 15.14 then we shew the greatest love to Christ when we give him absolute obedience 2. That the symbols and truths which Christ gives are the meat that the souls of Prophets and Ministers must feed upon Eat what thou findest eat this roul it 's this emphatically other rouls and books they may look into but this they must eat the Book of Christ is the book for their studies many Schollers study other books more then the Scriptures then the rouls of Christ they are Heluones librorum book-eaters Fathers School-men Historians Poets and Pamphlets they devoure and are least acquainted with the Scriptures but Christs command is to eat this roul search the Scriptures meditate in the Law night and day hee sends us to no other A young disciple asking an old Rabbi whether he might not have time to learn the Greek tongue said if hee would do it neither by night nor by day he might because by night and day he was to study the Law hereby he intimated that schollers greatest study should be in the Word of God Paul therefore exhorts Timothy to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine hee bids him meditate upon these things give himself wholly to them 1 Tim. 4.15 his whole strength and time should be in them mans life is short and if it were never so long it should be spent in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures when Paul was at the gates of death 2 Tim. 4.6 you shall find hee sends for the Books and Parchments Paul would study them over again it 's said of Ambrose that to his death he ceased not to write Commentaries and expound Scriptures and dyed at that in the Psalme Great is the Lord Epistola Dei ad hom nes missa Aug 2. serm in Ps 90. Omnia etiam minima plena sunt sensu mysterio spiritu Bas Hom. 6. and greatly to be praised This Book they must eat read study with great diligence and make it their own Alphonsus King of Aragon read over the Scriptures some twelve or fourteen times notwithstanding his great and publique imployments and one of note read over the new Testament with Beza's larger notes sixteen times in three yeers the Scriptures are heavens Epistles sent to men it cannot be read too often being full of divine mysteries 3. That when Ministers and Messenges of God have eaten and digested the truths of God then they are fit to go and preach them to the people of God Eat this roul and go first eat then go Elijah must eat and then take his journey and so Ministers must first eat themselves then feed others if the Nurse her self do not eat shee will have no milk for her child if shee eat and do not digest turn it into blood and milk all is in vain so the Messengers of God must turn what they eat what they read in succum sanguinem and then being their own in their hearts and bowels they will speak from the heart 4. That faith is requisite to the receit of spirituall things he opened his mouth and eat the roul he received the truths and believed look how necessary a mouth is to take in the meat of the body to chew it and send it down to the other parts else there is no benefit comes to a man by it so necessary is faith to take in the spirituall food of the soul Faith is the mouth and stomach of the soul if that receive in truths digest and send them to the organs of actions benefit accrues to the man if not prejudice Joh. 6.35 36. Christ tels them that he is the Bread of life that hee comes to him shall never hunger and that he believes on him shall never thirst but yee have seen mee and believe not though Christ were Bread and Water of life because they had no faith no mouth to eat and drink thereof therefore they had no benefit and as a man that can receive no food must die so here Joh. 8.24 If yee believe not that I am hee you shall die in your sins here is prejudice irreparable death eternall for want of faith our Prophet received the fruits Christ tendered and got by them all Believers are or may be gainers by the truths of Christ 1 Thes 2.13 The word wrought effectually in them that believed Faith makes good concoction of that meat and answerable operation But Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it where is no faith to receive into the soul there is no profit the eare may set it into the head but faith must bring it into the heart and keep it there till it be spirit and life to the man The originall is the word of hearing did not profit them being not united by faith to them that heard Observ 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sculpere as well as aperire God open'd the roul for mee to read and I open'd my hart for him to write The godly must act and put forth their graces towards farther reception of spirituall things when Christ will give Ezekiel donum Prophetiae a Roul to eat hee opens his mouth he sets awork his faith to receive this gift of Prophesie faith in the habite is like the mouth shut up nothing enters but in exercise it 's like the mouth open and ready to receive it 's infinite mercy that God at any time will offer us spirituall favours and excellencies wee should therefore be forward and stir up our souls and graces to the receit of such mercies It 's a lazie and ill excuse for godly ones to say they can do nothing Grace is an active and an inabling thing and where there is a principle of life as all godly men have there is a specificall difference between that man and another hath it not a man without it cannot act and stir up himself to a further reception of spirituall things because hee is dead but a man hath it can and ought to quicken up his own soul to spirituall things The Prophet had received the Spirit that entred into him and hee opened his mouth exercised his faith to take what the Lord should give the Apostle Paul bids Timothy stir up the gift of God that was in him 2 Tim. 1.6 hee would have men deal with their gifts and graces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they do with fire under the ashes they blow them off and blow the fire up and there is a flame fit for service sloth feare infirmitie carnall reason are ashes that
his Name be glorious and so it 's vox laudis and brought in to answer the Objections and Cavils the people might make they might say What will God leave us expose us to the people of forain enemies shall we and ours be cut off will he thus deal with his people is it come to this What equity is in it The Angels to prevent such murmurings and vile speech said Blessed c. even when hee is in a way of judgement hee is to be honoured and made glorious Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place Wee must make some search into these words and inquire after the person the place and the glory The person here is taken to be Christ who appeared unto the Prophet in the Vision The place the Throne where Christ sate and the glory that 's mentioned in the end of the first Chapter And Christ now being about to go off his Throne and put an end to the Vision the Angels cryed Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place This is not all wee must expect from the words they type out unto us the departure of the Lord from the Temple that God would be gone and take away that which was the chief glory of it From his place God is illocall and the Rabbins use that word to signifie Gods illocality which notes place Makom is a space or place because all things subsist in them Hammakom per Antiphrafin is illocalis infinitus one that subsists or is comprehended in no place and so is an attribute of God How then is God here said to have place Nimekomo From his place God properly hath no place it 's sensu metaphorico that place is given to him where hee in any speciall manner doth manifest his glory power grace and goodnesse that is said to be his place And three places God is said to have in the Scripture 1. The heavens Isa 66.1 Heaven is my throne and 1 King 8.30 heare in heaven thy dwelling place 2. The humble heart Isa 57.15 that is Gods dwelling place And 3. The Temple in Sion Psal 132.13 14. Sion was his habitation there was his rest and abode that is in the Temple being in Sion in the Temple and Sanctuary were his voyce his Way Psal 18.6 Psal 77.13 That was the place where his honour dwelt Psal 26.8 The habitation of his glory The words are in the originall the place of the habitation or Tabernacle of his glory alluding to that in Exod. 40.24 25. where it 's said The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle So the glory of the Lord filled the Temple there was the presence of God there was manifestations of his glory there hee heard Prayers and there he gave out many gracious answers there he accepted of their sacrifices and communicated himself unto them there was the Ark and sign of Gods presence and the Cherubims from between which God gave out the answers In these things lay the glory of the Temple but now God would be gone and all the glory of the Temple should depart God moved not from place to place being infinite illocall immovable but he is said to depart when he ceases to do as formerly hee did in the soul when you find not God acting and manifesting himself you say hee is gone Here now God would answer them no more not accept their sacrifice nor heare their prayers c. hee would not do as formerly he had done he would not protect them any longer but look upon them as being unworthy of his presence glory protection and hope and in his wrath leave them to ruine and spoyl of their adversaries and this was Gods departing according to that in Hos 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence That phrase blessed glory of the Lord you may for the better understanding conceive thus Blessed be the glorious Lord or the glory the Lord or if you will take it as it 's read the meaning is that the glory of the Lord is to be celebrated Observ 1. That those that are call'd to imployment in the Church of Christ have need not only of Christs word but Christs Spirit also Christ had spoken largely unto Ezekiel and here the Spirit lifts him up and doth in especiall manner animate and arm him to the work when the Apostles had been long with Christ heard his Sermons seen his Miracles life joyned with him in prayer all this would not do it though Christ had forty dayes spoken to them in pa ticular of the things of the Kingdome Acts 1.3 till they had the Spirit and were fill'd with that therefore Christ bid them wait for it he knew they had need of it ver 4. and that it would do more in them then all he had said unto them the Spirit would be Doctor intus and acquaint them with all truth The Spirit would purge out their feares and distempers it would warm heat seal ratifie and make them resolute in the work 2. That the Angels do sympathise with the Church and people of God in their miseries This voyce was as I shewed in the opening the voyce of the living creatures and they made a noise lamenting the state of Jerusalem God being upon the leaving of it and exposing it to great misery Ah said they the blessed and glorious Lord is going from his place and all miseries are now stepping in upon his people this affected them wee know that the Angels reioyce at the conversion of sinners and by the Law of contraries we infer they are sadded at the destruction of sinners of States and Churches they have been imployed to comfort in trouble and where there is no sympathy there is little solace Do you not think that the Angel seeing Christ his Lord and Master in his agony that hee did sympathise first with him and then strengthen him Angels being without sin are as full of pity as the Devils are of cruelty God Christ and the Spirit are full of pity and it cannot be that Angels which are so neer them should be voyd of it no they have a holy sympathy with us in Gods departure from a place is sad newes even to Angels 3. The happinesse of a people is to have the Lord and his glory amongst them and their greatest misery is to have God depart from them most think the happinesse of a people to lie in liberty honour plenty of all things David once subscribed to it Psal 144.15 Happy are the people are in such a case but he quickly crosseth out that subscription and said yea happy is that people whose God is their Lord there 's the happinesse to have God amongst them hee is the glory of a people Zach. 2.5 hee was the glory in the midst of Jerusalem there God dwelt as his worship Laws oracles miracles testified and so hee made Jerusalem glorious among all nations Where true Religion is pure Worship and Ordinances and God working for the good
and second causes in the government of the world and execution of his judgements all creatures have being from and dependance on God and he may imploy them to what service he will 2. Gods judgements do oft come suddenly and swiftly wings make a noyse and wheels do rattle in a moment and judgements come in an instant Hos 10.13 in a morning shall the King of Israel be cut off utterly Belshazzar in a night Dan. 5.30 Nebuchadnezzar in an hour driven from his palace and pride Dan. 4.33 3. There is much harmony and love between the Angels their wings touch kisse they go lovingly together in the execution of their offices they have like affections as a woman to her sister they sang sweetly together at the birth of Christ there is no contention envie or division among them but much love they are neer God and the neerer any are to God the more love is in them if wee could agree better and love more wee should be Angelicall In the 14th Verse is laid down what the Spirit did with the Prophet after it had lift him up It took him away after the Sublation there was an Ablation The Prophet was carried by the power of the Spirit to Tel-abib this was not a visionall thing but reall for being lifted up hee was taken away from the place where hee saw the Vision hee was not set down and so left to go to Tel-abib but hee was carried in the arms of the Spirit as Philip was caught up by the Spirit and carried to Azotus Acts 8.39 40. The Spirit was the fiery Chariot that carried Philip and our Prophet through the ayre to their severall places And I went in bitternesse in the heat of my spirit The Hebrew is I went bitter in the hot anger of my spirit Here the infirmity of our Prophet appeares much in that after hee had seen and heard such great and glorious things had found such favour in the eyes of Christ as to have his Spirit enter into him comfort him confirm him and to bestow propheticall gifts upon him yet now hee should be unwilling to obey Christs call be in bitternesse and opposition to his Will this is grandis infirmitas If I go and preach of the glory departing from the Temple I shall stir up the people against me they will stone me if not I shall offend God The Prophet now thought upon Gods anger against his people his departure out of the Temple the ruine of the City the stubbornnesse and impudency of the house of Israel now the weightinesse of the work injoyn'd him by Christ seised upon him and now like Jonas hee thought to decline the service his spirit was bitter he in a great heat that he was so pressed to a work so little affected and over-powerd by the Spirit of God that will he nill he on he must for the next words are But the hand of the Lord was strong upon me Which words do declare that had not Gods hand over-powered him hee would not have set upon that hard work of the Propheticall office feares difficulties dangers carnall reason unbeliefe self-love one or all of these would have turned him back if the hand of God had not strongly prevailed with him By hand of the Lord some understand the Spirit of Prophesie as if that did mightily urge him so the Chaldee Exposition is others understand by it divinum auxilium or virtus spiritus which is as a hand to help we may safely understand the Spirit by it which put forth its mighty power upon and in the Prophet Why the Spirit is resembled to a hand I shewed in the first Chapter v. 3. A hand is symbolum energiae index rei instrumentum aperationis there is strength in the hand it shewes what is to be done and effects it so here the Spirit took hold of the Prophet which notes his power shewed him his duty and caused him to do it Was strong The Hebrew root signifies fortiter apprehendere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tenere as one that holds loose joints and nerves of the body to strengthen and confirm them that so the man may be more compact and able to do any thing it notes laying hold with strength as men in danger of drowning and the Septuagint frequently renders it by a word notes so much as Ezek. 7.13.22.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to hold by strength and this sense suits with the hand of the Lord that took hold of the Prophet whose spirit was remisse infirm like a member out of joynt and strengthened it and inabled it to do what was intended and appointed the Spirit held the Prophet by its mighty power that he could not wrest from it by any means but like a man conquered must yeeld and do what was required Observ 1. The Prophets were put on too and carried on in their works of Prophesie and giving the Scriptures by extraordinary acts of the Spirit that enters into Ezekiel takes him up takes him away with mighty power comes upon him and constrains him to prophesie here was inspiration and impulsion of the Spirit 2 Pet. 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. Prophecie came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost it was not their own spirit moved that is private but it was the Spirit of God which is divine and publique and carried them on with might so that the Scriptures are not inventum humanum but Oracula Dei they are not of man but of God therefore Philo saith Propheta est interpres Dei dictantis Oracula the Spirit dictates all and man only utters or writes what is dictated and as the Scriptures are not of man but of the Spirit so their interpretation is not of man but of the Spirit likewise Let Councels Fathers Churches give their sense of Scripture it 's private if it be not the sense and interpretation of the Spirit Let a private man give the true sense of the Scripture it 's not private because it 's divine the sense of the Holy Ghost and private in this place of Peter is not opposed to publique but to divine and the words are to be read no Scripture is of a mans own interpretation that is private contrary to divine 2. The Holy Ghost is God and a person distinct from the Son the Spirit was in the living creatures in the wheeles and in Ezekiel how could this be if the Spirit were not God none but God can be at the same time in many places it 's his peculiar prerogative and nature to be every where The beams of the Sun are in severall places but not the essence or body of the Sun that is in one place only but the Holy Ghost was in its essence in the Angels in the wheels in Ezekiel it was in Jeremiah who lived then at Jerusalem it was in all the Saints there in Daniel and
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
had his Vision and their harvests in those hot countries were not in the fourth moneth but rather in the first or second The Israelites came out of Egypt in the moneth Abib Exod. 13.4 and that was their first moneth Exod. 12.2 and answered to the latter end of that moneth is call'd January and to the beginning of the other call'd February and in Exod. 9.31 it 's said the Barley was in the eare the word is Abib an eare of corn and denominates the moneth because in it the Barley eared so then it could not be harvest when Ezekiel came to them at Tel-abib it was rather over wee take the word for the name of a place as Telmelah Telharsa in Ezra 2.59 in their Etymologie the one signifies a heap of wood the other a heap of salt yet by Ezra they are call'd places these were they went up from Telmelah Telharsa c. so Tel-abib here And it was in the middle part of Mesopotamia between two rivers Chebar and Saocorah and here they were placed as Junius thinks both to secure them that they might not think of geting away being shut up between two rivers or if they did not easily accomplish it and secondly to secure the place which was subject to inundations and so un-inhabited and opened to enemies but now by their labour art and strength might be made usefull and defensive By the river of Chebar of that River was spoken in Chap. 1. ver 1. I sate by them that sate and remained there astonished seven dayes Sitting notes a quiet posture of the body abiding in a place Exod. 16.3 when wee sate by the flesh-pots that is abode dwelt where wee had them Also great grief Lam. 2.10 The Elders of the daughter of Sion sit upon the ground and keep silence and so in that place in Isaiah 47.8 I shall not sit as a widow solitary mourning in deep sorrow to which alludes that in Lam. 1.1 How doth the City sit solitary how is she become as a widow great grief silenceth the whole man the tongue speaks not the body moves not Job 2.13 Jobs friends sit down with him upon the ground seven dayes and nights and none spake a word to him for they saw that his grief was very great so great it made them all quiet and husht and seven dayes he sate in that dolefull posture because they were used to mourn seven dayes in cases of great grief as Joseph mourned seven dayes for his father Gen. 50.10 Septemdialis luctus est quoddam acerbi doloris â—ndâ—cium benevolentis animi legitimum argumentum and seven dayes mourning is an argument of great grief and a testimony of much love If we refer our Prophets mourning to the condition which the Jewes were coming to it might be lawfull hee saw their death and funerall was at hand and so being sensible laid it deeply to heart and bewailed it seven daies testifying his good will and affection to them but if we refer it to his unwillingnesse to go in the service Christ call'd him to it is not excuseable but a farther argument of his great weaknesse The cause of the Prophets sitting there seven dayes might be to know the state of the people more exactly to whom he was to prophesie it might be upon divine command it might also be for faâ—ther direction from God when to begin his Prophecy a Prophet he was made but had no time appointed to begin his hard work it might also be to prepare and awaken the people that seeing him sit still sad amazed they might inquire what this strange sadnesse meant and so his word take the deeper impression when hee should speak unto them Astonished The Hebrew word Masmim from Shamam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes great astonishment even to wonder Isa 59.16 hee wondered that there was no intercessour it notes also desolation and may here be rendered I sate desolate seven dayes the Spirit left me in that place and men regarded me not being full of grief and telling them I had sad newes so the word is used Lam. 5.18 The mountain of Sion is desolate and thus we may take it the Vision being ended the Prophet set down there by the Spirit and neither seeing hearing or having to do now with Christ the living creatures wheels or the Spirit found himself desolate and was astonished at that great change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuagint renders it conversans intimating the Prophets meditating and inward discoursing of the miseries and woes were written in the roul and coming upon the people the hard task he had to perform among this people Observ 1. That in the place and condition God sets his they must abide in the same the Spirit brings Ezekiel to Tel-abib there hee continues abides till the Spirit adviseth his departure let him be among captives between overflowing rivers he continues and stirs not it must not be any sleight thing that removes men from the Calling God hath set them in Ministers may not at pleasure skip from place to place as if there were no tie upon them neither captivity incorrigiblenesse of persons nor discommodity of place are weighty enough to take off Ezekiel from that place and people the Spirit had set him over when the Holy Ghost hath set men over a flock they must take heed to that flock and not seek occasion to be gone upon discontents c. the worst are forwardest to remove the Bramble will leave his place to be King when the Olive Fig-tree and Vine will not stir Christ will not be made a King by intreaty nor by force 2. The men of this world are politique for their own ends the captivity were placed at Tel-abib between two rivers that they might not get away that they might make that part of the countrey strong and usefull worldly men are wiser in their generation then the children of light how cunningly did Pharaoh deal with the Israelites Exod. 1.10 Let us work wisely with them saith hee they multiply and we are in danger left upon any occasion they take part with our enemies or make a head of themselves or attempt an escape Come let us set task-masters over them wear them out with much work and imploy them to build cities for us Here was the cunning to avoyd the name of tyranny hee will not destroy them with sword fire open violence but work they must in brick and clay and fall by hard labour so hee covers up his cruelty under a faire pretence and provides for his own security and profit in the Israelites service Wicked and worldly men are all self and all their actions draw homewards they are their own centers the wisdome of the flesh of the Serpent of the world is theirs and they must needs be crafty for themselves 3. The condition of the Saints and servants of God is very changeable here Ezekiel hath a glorious Vision sight of and converse with Christ the company of
Angels sees the course and motion of things in the world had the Spirit enter into him comforting him assuming and assisting him and now he is a desolate an astonished man he sits as one forsaken of all here was a great change and it was not Ezekiels case alone others even all the Worthies of God have found the like David was strong through divine favour and quickly troubled for the want of Gods face hee had his singings and his sorrowings Psal 30. hee was oft in the valleys Psal 25.16 17. I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are inlarged and Psal 143. My spirit is overwhelmed my heart within me is desolate Paul is one day rapt up into the third heavens and another day hee hath a thorne in the flesh if hee have the revelation of the Spirit to exalt him hee hath the buffettings of Satan to humble him Paul himself knew changes 4. Distempers of spirit fasten and continue oft with the servants of God Ezekiel was in his distemper of bitternesse and heat of spirit seven dayes it 's not easie to shake off distempers when they have taken hold of us Jonas was in an ill humour and frame of spirit many dayes together hee must be drencht buried and boyl'd in the Whales belly ere hee will be pliable to the Will of God when Vzzah was smitten for his error David was displeased and in a pet with God himself and would not bring the Ark in three moneths to Sion 2 Sam. 6. 5. Distemperednesse of spirit unfits for the service of God Jam. 1.19 20. Per iram sapientia perditur ut quid quâ—ve ordine agenduâ— sit omnino nescâ—atur Greg 5. Moral c. 30. he fits seven dayes and nothing is done The Apostle James knew this and therefore said Be slow to wrath for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God wrath darkens the mind and puts all out of frame wise men in their wrath see not their wayes nor work when the light of Reason truth and the Spirit is gone what can a man do befitting God wrath makes men bungle in their own businesses Per iramlux veritatis amittitur Spiritus sanctâ— splendor excluditur ibid. much more in the Lords it works not the righteousnesse of God but it s own righteousnesse that seems right in its own eyes that shall be done Ezekiel thought it right not to prophesie not to submit to the will of Christ and work of the Spirit but his passion was prejudice to him and to the work of God it 's evill when wrath prevents reason forceth it to action Aquin. 3. p. q. 15. art 9. then what ever is done is the work of anger not of reason not of righteousnesse when wrath hath the kingdome when that is in the head and heart there is no place for the righteousnesse of God Vbi est ira ibi non est Dominus sed amica Satanae l. 2. Const this made Clem. say where wrath dwels God dwells not Wrath is a speciall friend of Satans many of his counsels and designes are effected by it the more of this humour the more service hath hell the lesse of it the more serviceable for heaven Moses was the meekest man upon the earth and he did most work for heaven Christ was meeker then all other and he did work the righteousnesse of God effectually hee did work for heaven and earth 6. That the Prophets could not prophesie at their pleasure Ezekiel sits seven dayes and there 's no prophesying Aquinas hath a question whether prophecy be a habite if it were so it is in the power of man to use it any time but so could not the Prophet when the Shunamites son was dead and shee came to Elisha what said hee Her soul is in bitternesse and the Lord hath hid it from me 2 Kings 4.27 and hath not told me unlesse the Lord reveal himself unto them de novo the Prophet could not tell things the School-men therefore conclude that prophecy is not in the Prophet per modum habitus sed per modum impressionis transeuntis habites are permanent things but prophecy is a transient thing as light in the ayr for as the ayr doth alwayes need a new illumination so the mind of a Prophet doth alwayes need a new revelation else the Prophet sits in darknesse and knowes not more then other men Lam. 2.9 Her Prophets find no vision from the Lord and so in Psal 74.9 There is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long It was night oft with the Prophets Nathan spake not from heaven when hee bid David go and do all was in his heart touching the building of God an house for it is said that night came the Word of the Lord unto Nathan 2 Sam. 7.3 4. before he had not a word and when it came it was not for David but Solomon to build the house Aliquando Prophetiae spiritus deest Prophetis nec semper corum mentibus praesto est Hom. 1. in Ezek. so that it 's true which Gregory saith Sometimes the spirit of prophecy is wanting to the Prophets and their mindes are dark Samuel mistook when hee said Surely the Lords anointed is before him 1 Sam. 16.6 7. VER 16. And it came to passe at the end of seven dayes that the Word of the Lord came unto mee saying 17. Son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore heare the word at my mouth and give them warning from me 18. When I say unto the wicked Thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thy hand 19. Yet if thou warn the wicked and hee turn not from his wickednesse nor from his wicked way hee shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul IN these words and the rest to the end of the Chapter is a new Revelation made to the Prophet together with the events following thereupon or thus 1. You have the Call of the Prophet to his Office renewed and that is in the words read and on to the end of the 21th Verse 2. Speciall directions and events laid down from the 21th verse to the end of the Chapter In the words read you have First the circumstance of time when this repetition of his Call or new Revelation was made and that was after seven dayes v. 16. Secondly his Office specified which is to be a watchman v. 17. Thiâ—dly the parties he is to watch over and admonish 1. In generall laid down and that is the house of Israel ver 17. 2. More particularly 1. The wicked vers 18 19. 2. The righteous vers 20 21. Fourthly the reasons of it why he must admonish both sorts The first is ab incommodo the danger and mischief of it
both they and he shall die if it be not done The second ab utili it may be they will turn upon admonition and so be saved if not yet the Prophet delivers his own soul and there is advantage by it The words in the 16th Verse have little difficulty in them At the end of seven dayes It 's probable the sitting still and silence of the Prophet was from Sabbath to Sabbath on that day he had his glorious Vision and seven dayes after he had a new Revelation Junius The Word of the Lord came to him all the six dayes hee was solitary mourning meditating and silent but on the seventh the Lord appeared again unto him and so after hee had upon Sabbaths revelations from God Observ 1. That God beares with the weaknesses and distempers of his servants Ezekiel declines the Call of Christ shew vs his great ingratitude having had such great favours from Christ seen so much glory and being commanded once twice to go and preach to the house of Israel yet hee sits down is silent and that seven dayes together this might have provoked the Lord to great wrath to have refused him as a stubborn self-willed man and made him to say hee would never admit him to be his Prophet put such honour upon him intrust him with such great matters but the Lord beares with his weaknesse yea his continued weaknesse sometimes Gods anger kindles and breaks out quickly and that for little things in our eyes and opinions as the man gathered a few sticks on the Sabbath hee must be stoned to death those peeped irreverently into the Ark the Lord smote 50000 and upward dead for it presently 1 Sam. 6. Ananias and Saphira a small matter in our conceits it was to keep back a portion of their goods and to excuse it with a lie for this God was wroth and they died Acts 5. but the weaknesses of his children hee beares with and those great ones 2. Mans will and weaknesse cannot hinder the efficacy and execution of Gods decree the Prophets spirit was against this work he refused sate still seven dayes together and would have frustrated Gods intentions if he could but it was decreed in heaven that decree was efficacious his will must be brought off and he must be the man to execute Gods pleasure in a propheticall way to the house of Israel Jonas departs will prejudice Gods designe concerning Ninive but the Lord knew how to humble him to fetch him back being fled and to make him instrumentall to his ends notwithstanding his wilfulnesse and weaknesse Psal 33.9 He commanded and it stood fast and vers 11. The counsell of the Lord standeth for ever let there be contrary counsels wills commands they stand not Gods brings them to nought hee makes them of none effect Prov. 19.21 There are many devices in a mans heart hee thinks not to do this and not to do that and it shall be so and so neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord shall stand he will perfect the work hee hath begun in men and by men notwihstanding their infirmities 3. Spirituall imployments must have sedate quiet well-composed affections and spirits the Spirit of Prophecy came not upon Ezekiel all the time he was distempered and discontented but when time had wrought off the distemper and the il humor was digested then was he stirred by the Spirit of prophecy when the Minstrell was tun'd then the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha 2 King 3.15 Mens hearts and spirits are like Minstrells out of order quickly and long in tuning and right setting but the musick is sweetest when the Instrument is best set then God delights to communicate his Spirit to us to imploy us In the night oft God appeared to the Patriarchs then were they most quiet and fittest to receive instruction In Augustus his dayes when there was peace throughout the world then was Christ given then was hee born When there is peace throughout the little world then are wee aptest for reception of Christ his instructions and readiest for his service God will not commit weighty and great things to men without due fitnesse for them The Prophet had this time deeply to consider of the businesse and to get himself into such a frame as might best sort with the Function he was to be in 4. The Lord doth not leave his long although they be in distempers at the end of seven dayes the Word of the Lord came unto him wee may by our failings and distempers drive away God from us but he will visit us again hee may be gone all the week but come again at the end of it Psal 30.5 Gods anger is for a moment our weeping for a night and joy in the morning it 's not long this good Physician will be absent from his Patient and when he comes he will comfort and cure 5. Our Prophet brought not his own but the Word of the Lord unto the people it 's his Word must be commended unto them Prophets Apostles Ministers are his Ambassadours and must speak what is given them in Commission If they go or speak of their own heads they provoke God and wrong the people Jer. 23.30 I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steal my word every one from his neighbour the false Prophets would take some sayings of the true Prophets and mingle them with their own lies and errours to get the more credit unto them and sometimes by false interpretations they would wrest the Word to establish their own phantasies they would prophesie for their own glory and profit and this was stealing of the Word they did handle the Word alieno sensu spiritu fine then God or the true Prophets intended so that their word was not conceived to be the Word of God but their own and yet they would fasten it upon God vers 31. I am against the Prophets that use their tongues and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saith The word is Lokekim which signifies lenire mollificari dulcorare they flattered and smoothed up the people speaking things pleasing and said He saith they made God the author of their dreams which the Lord reproves in the 32. verse and saith Behold I am against them that prophesie false dreames and do tell them and cause my people to erre by their lies and their lightnesse yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord people had need look to their teachers what they are whether sent of God and such as speak the truths of God otherwise they can look for no blessing no profit but when men come in Gods name and with Gods Word you may looke for great benefit you must expect reality for here are two words which note reality and being debar is verbum res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jehi factum est fuit Gods words are things of great weight and worth VER 17. I have made thee
son hee is of his seed family kingdome acted by his counsell and spirit it 's his trade to sin as it 's the Devils and this trade he delights in and followes a godly man hath given it over 1 John 3.8 Hee that hath this hope purifies himself and then followes Hee that commits sin and it 's in opposition to him that purifies himself from sin he is a man that minds not holinesse Besides this Joh. 8.34 He that commits sin is the servant of sin where sin reigns and its counsels lawes commands are obeyed by men there is the commission of sin it 's a ready a willing obedience to commit sin Rom. in Joh. is magnopere delectari peccato to have a mans will and heart in it when a mans thoughts counsels meditations purposes lie that way and he is given to that work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a sin-maker one that is an Artist a work-man such the Prophets speaks of Jer. 4.22 They are wise to do evill Ezek. 21.31 skilfull to destroy some are bunglers in that work others take pleasure in it and set it off better That in Rom. 13.14 Make no provisions for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof men love to provide for their families their wives and little ones and when they do so they make provision and so men love to provide for the flesh and lusts of it and then they make sin or commit sin There be three expressions in Scripture about sin which give us light in this point 1. Nomos hamartias the law of sin Rom. 7.23 2. Hodos the way of sin Matth. 7.13 3. Apotelesma the perfection of sin Jam. 1.15 When a man subjects to the law of sin chooses and walks in the way of sin and brings sin to a perfection then doth he commit sin And I lay a stumbling block before him The Hebrew is and I give a stumbling block before his face Miâ—sol comes of Cachal to dash against to offend to fall and a stumbling block is that a man dasheth his foot against is offended at and falls by the same with scandalum the bridge in a trap which when Vermine or wilde beasts touch they are taken so that to lay a stumbling block in a mans way is to trap him destroy him This phrase of Gods laying a stumbling block before him seems very harsh therefore some Fathers think the word stumbling black is not here put in an ill sense as tending to his destruction that turns from his righteousnesse but that it proceeds from favour not hatred When a just man goeth out from God God will crosse him in his sinfull way not let him thrive in it but cast in something contrary to his expectation and intention whereby he may come to see his error and be reduced according to that in Hos 2.6 7. Theod. thinks God will set hell before him and therefore he renders it Barathrum I will lay hell before him as if God would present the terrors of hell and state of the damned to him to make him consider and return to his former righteousnesse But this sense of the Fathers coheres not with what followes hee shall die this stumbling block is in order unto his death it was the watchmans part to propound heaven hell all arguments possible to do him good else he should die Some other Expositors would have it to be meant of punishment that God would punish such a sinner by some act of his make him smart repent and so to live therefore the Septuag render it Basanon torment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God would afflict his body or conscience and if it be taken in this sense then you must cary it further God would punish him not in a saving but a destroying way and therefore this stumbling block comes not from love but revenging justice I conceive Gods laying a stumbling block is to be taken for the punishment of sin past and an occasion of sin future the righteous man having turn'd from his righteousnesse God might lay aside that peculiar care and providence which he exercised formerly towards that man hee may take away those means and helps should preserve from stumbling let him go on in just judgement for his deserting him and not recall him but turn all things into snares and stumblings unto him whereby corruptions are ripened and destruction is hastened Psal 69.22 Let their table become a snare before them and that should be for their welfare let it become a trap when God in his justice once orders it so that mens tables that is all their comforts do turn to their ruine then he laies stumbling blocks before them Neither is God the author of sin but the avenger of it by denying assistance propounding objects and exciting affections God may be said to â—ay stumbling blocks but he never infuses any corruption and so that in James God tempts no man Chap. 1. 13. is to be understood Gregory saith this laying a stumbling block Est nequâ—quam ad pecoandum premere sed nâ—lle a peccato liberare he is not the cause of any mans sin the occasion hee may be without sin A man may lay mony to try his servant God takes away estates from men gives peace to the wicked true hee laies before them outward occasions 2 Sam. 16.21 22. he gives Satan leave to tempt and seduce them 2 King 22.22 when they are out of his way hee carries them forward in their own evill way Psal 105.25 and this he doth in justice punishing one sin with the occasion or commission of another hence hee is said to adde iniquity to their iniquity Psal 69.27 to send them strong delusions or as the words are the efficacy or activity of errour 2 Thes 2.11 to give up to uncleannesse to vile affections to a reprobate sense Rom. 1.24 26 28. God finds sin in man and may draw it out without sin there is survitas in Rosa foetar in cadavere the Sun by his beams drawes forth the one and the other and without fault His righteosness shall not be remembred Men may remember it but God will not hee will have no regard to what is done to reward it his righteousnesse shall not be set against his iniquities to keep off punishments his righteousness shall be as filthy rags Isa 64.6 in the eyes of God When God pardons the sins of his people he blots them out and remembers them no more Isa 43.25 So when God deals with a man degenerates hee blots out his righteousnesse and remembreth it no more it is as if it had never been it neither profits him unto life nor frees him from death Ezek. 18.22 When a wicked man turns away from his sins they shall not be mentioned unto him that is they shall no way hurt him hee shall not heare of them nor see them any more and the righteous man that leaves his righteousnesse shall neither heare nor see it any more Aquinas hath a question Vtrum opera virtutum in
winde that filled all the house and the Spirit with it that filled all them So when Cornelius and his company heard Peter preach in a private room the holy Ghost fell on them all Acts 10.44 As no place can include the Spirit of God so can none exclude it There were Saints in Neroes Court and this hand of God had been working there it 's not a dungeon any prison can keep out the Spirit of God from comming to and comforting of his servants Glover found the truth of it when he said O Austin he is come 4. The more separate from the world the more fit for communion with God Ezekiel must goe into the plain and there the Lord would talk with him hee could have conversed with him at Telabib among the people in his own habitation but the Lord declines that intimating that while we are conversant with worldly and wicked men wee are incapable of divine mysteries but when we are remote from them solitary and sedate we are fitter to heare God speake When the Church was allured into the Wildernesse Hosea 2.14 then God would speak and that comfortably unto her It was by the river Cbebar he had his former visions when he was absent from popular noyse domestick troubles his minde serene and contemplative then the Lord opened himselfe unto him Christ oft left the multitude and when he was gotten aside into the mount then was his transfiguration and the voyce This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Matth. 17. VERS 23. Then I arose and went into the plain c. IF ought have need of opening in this verse it is the glory of the Lord and there is no cloud upon this The verse expounds it selfe it is the glory he saw before by the river Chebar that glorious vision he had there is represented again here unto the Prophet The Vision was not like the Temple fixed to a place but it was moveable it was first presented to him at Chebar and now again in this plain The reasons of this second apparition of the glory of God are First to possesse the heart of the Prophet with greater reverence of divine Majesty hee was unwilling to the service called to by God sought excuses thought to decline it which argued neglect of divine Majesty to strike out such distempers and to strike in a deeper impression of feare and respect to God This glorious vision is set before his eyes and frames him to a fitnesse for that imployment he might now see Christ sitting as Judge compassed about with glory having Angels ready to execute his pleasure power in and over all parts of the world and if hee should refuse the imployment appointed hee ran a manifest hazard of his life Secondly to confirme the truth of the Prophesie and him in it Thirdly to prepare the Church in all ages to an high esteeme of this Prophesie that was ushered into the world with such glorious vision Observ 1. Divine vertue makes men obedientiall unto the command of God The hand of the Lord was upon him hee bids him goe forth and presently he arose and went forth into the plaine If things enjoined suit not with our wills opinions and humours we deny them excuse and take off our selves from the doing of them or deferre them but let God enjoyn what hee will bee it harsh to flesh and blood contrary to our wills carnall reason c. if divine vertue once come upon us and the Spirit move in us wee will doe it God bid Abraham take his sonne his onely sonne Isaac whom he loved goe and sacrifice him upon a mountaine in the land of Moriah Gen. 22. Flesh and blood had much to object here but because hee was acted by divine vertue therefore hee obeyed presently he rose early took his sonne went to the place stretched out his hand to slay him and to make him a Sacrifice we stick oft at small things when nature only workes not at any thing when the Spirit of God works in us 2. They are obedient to God simply upon his command meet with mercies unexpected Ezekiel goes forth upon command not knowing what was to come what was to be done and hee meets with an extraordinary mercy he saw the glory of the Lord a ravishing a satisfying mercy Abraham obeying the command of God heares the voyce of an Angel twice and meets with a multitude of blessings Gen. 22.17 In blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven and as the sand of the sea shore and thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voyce So Jacob returned from Laban to his fathers house upon divine command and he meets with Angels Gen. 32.1 hee met with God and like a Prince prevailed with him for a blessing vers 28. No man ever lost by his obedience unto God though we see no reason for things yet if we have the will of God that 's reason enough let us be tractable and forward to do the will of God and wee shall not lose our labour wee may meet with mercies unexpected as some by coming to the Ordinances have done 3. See the goodnesse of the Lord in two things First in that hee will manifest his glory to the view of mortall sinfull creatures his glory is precious a hidden thing and not obvious to creatures yet here as before he is pleased in a Vision to present it to the sight of Ezekiel it was to the Ambassador of a Prince that Hezekiah shewed the house of his precious things Isa 39.2 and it was a great favour to let them see such rarities it was a greater favour from God to let Ezekiel see this rarity of rarities his Glory Secondly that God should act over the same thing again present the same Vision in living creatures wheels eyes firmament a throne and one sitting upon it and give a sight of his glory the second time this sets out Gods goodnesse abundantly men are unwilling to do the same thing twice when as they may do it better the second time then the first and advantage themselves by it but God hath no advantage doth it perfectly at first yet simply for mans good he condescends to do the same thing again So Ezekiel may be brought to a fitnesse for divine dispensations incouraged too and in his work he shall have a sight of glory and a glorious Vision presented to him the second time by Gods own hand wee think repetitions of things in vain a Sermon twice over is stale unwelcome oft neither Minister nor people find any savour in it and so of other things but God repeats the Vision without prejudice to himself or damage to the Prophet 4. Sin makes us uncapacious of happinesse it 's mans happinesse to see the glorious God and have communion with him While Adam stood
pleasure upon sinners Take thee a sharp knife a razor and cause it passe upon thy head and beard the Prophet might not take what instrument hee pleaseth but what Christ appointeth it was he set apart Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan and the Chaldeans to shave Ierusalem and therefore the whole work is given to God Isa 7.20 The Lord shall shave with a razor that is hired by them beyond the river by the King of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet and it shall also consume the beard this is spoken of Senacherib and verified also in Nebuchadnezzar both these were razors in the hand of God by which he shaved the head the Princes and Nobles Counsellors were out off by him The beard the Priests and strong men The feet the common people It 's the Lord appoints and sets instruments on work to afflict Churches and States Amos 3.6 Shall there be evill in a city and the Lord hath not done it there is no razor shaving in a city but the Lord hath set it on work there Micah 1. â—2 evill came down from the Lord to the gate of Ierusalem it came from above and it came to Ierusalem hereupon the Prophet in Chap. 6.9 said to them the Lords voyce cryeth to the city and the men of wisdome shall see thy Name hear yee the rod and who hath appointed it 3. When God hath been long provoked by a people the comes with sharp and sweeping judgements amongst them and that is set out by the razor he had waited much upon them they went on in their sins but now God calls for a razor and that should go to the quick Muscul in Isa Radere non est simpliciter auferre sed sic auferre ut praecedentis status vix ulla supersint vestigia God would not reap them or lop them in those cases the stub and trunk are left but hee would shave them not leave a politique body or Church state that place in Isa 7.20 holds out the truth fully he would spare neither head beard or feet every condition of people the honourable the mean the lowest should be shaven he would not only strip them of their clothes but shave them and take away their native beauty he would fill them with mourning make them a scorne cut off their limbs and destroy their lives there should be no city no Temple no King no Priest no Sabbath no God left them but hath not God shaven them in Germany in Ireland and is he not shaving us now 4. That there is no standing out against God what ever our number or strength is his judgements are irresistible men here are compared to hairs his judgement to a razor can the softest or harshest hair withstand the razor can any one or all the hairs of the head or beard do it no the razor will easily passe through all as a fithe through grasse or corn hairs are weak things razors sharp and strong Pharaoh was the strength of Egypt but God by the red Sea did shave him and many thousands more from off the face of the earth the great men of the world are no more to God then hairs before the razor he cuts off the spirit of Princes Psal 76.12 he challengeth the briers and thorns of the earth Who would set them against me in battell I would go through them I would burn them together Isa 27.4 5. The judgements and proceedings of God with sinners are not rash sine consilio but suâ—â—â—â— judicio he weighs out the hair and proportions suitable judgements unto those that were represented by it the infinite wise God is exact in his proceedings hence you have it in Scripture that God doth weigh actions Psal 1.2 3. the paths of men Isa 26.7 their spirits Prov. 16.2 he examines how they are clog'd with sin and guilt God measured the covetousnesse of Babylon which was exceeding great and he brought answerable judgements upon her Ierem. 51.13 14. God would send Caterpillars to eat up all her wealth Let God deal with Babylon or Sion hee observes a proportion in his judgements Ier. 46.28 speaking of Iacobs seed hee tells them hee will correct them in measure the afflictions of the Church seem great and oft are great yet never are they without measure Psal 80.5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears and givest them tears to drink in a great measure 6. There is no escaping of Gods judgements for hard-hearted sinners here are diversity of judgements fire sword dispersion if one did not take then another would overtake them if the fire did not scorch them the sword should cut them off if not that they should be scattered 1 King 19.15 16 17. God bids Elijah anoint Hazael King of Syria Iehu King of Israel and Elisha Prophet in his room and tels him there should be no escaping for sinners if they escaped Hazaels sword they should die by Iehu's if not by his they should by Elisha's not that he used the sword but by his prayers and by his prophecies in Ier. 1.10 he was set over kingdomes to root out pull down and to destroy many escape the swords of Princes and are smitten by the swords of Prophets Let not sinners think to delude God he will meet with them one way one time or other Amos 9.1 2 3. God comes there in judgement he stands upon the altar and bids them smite the lintell of the dore that the posts may shake this was spoken of Ierusalem not of Dan and Bethel God would not at all appear there and what followes God would destroy them there would be fleeing presently and what saith hee Hee that fleeth shall not flee away and hee that escapeth of them shall not be delivered let them dig to hell climb up to heaven hide themselves in Carmel in the botome of the Sea God will follow them find them out and make them smart if enemies should carry them away and shew favour to them God will send a sword and it shall slay them vers 4. See Amo. 2.13 14 15 16. nothing will priviledge not speed strength courage bow horse these are good but in time of judgement they will not secure not a great house though of stone Amos 3.15 not gods of gold and silver Isai 2.20 21. not heaps of such treasure Ezek. 7.19 They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord not horns of the Altar 1 King 2.28 30.31 not prayer Jer. 11.14 not fasting and sacrifice Ier. 14.12 7. That in great judgements and generall destructions God of his infinite mercy spares some few Ezekiel must take a few and bind up in his skirts all must not be destroyed the fire and sword devoureth many but the dispersion preserved some and some few are left in Iudah God is just and yet when hee is in the way of his judgements he forgets