'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
the vexation of it Shall wee let out our hearts to that runs from us like a rolling thing and if wee overtake it runs into us like a thorn they that will be rich catch the world pierce themselves thorow with many sorrowes 1 Tim. 6.9 10. and breake upon this wheele Because it runs smoothly sometimes men are taken with the motions of the world but at length you shall find its motion rough swift ready to overthrow and break you all in pieces they are broken in Ireland and wee are breaking here now let the Apostles counsell be acceptable 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Brethren the time is short let them that have wives be as if they had none let them that weep be as if they wept not and them that rejocye as if they rejoyced not and they that buy as if they possessed it not and they that use this world as not abusing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterit decipit and why all this for the fashion or shew of this world passeth away it acts otherwise then you expect if you affect the world wives children or any part of it it will deceive you you think to hold it and it 's but a shadow no substance and a shadow a shew going away let us therefore not look at this wheel but at him that moves the wheel who is unchangeable unmovable of infinite being in comparison of whom the world is a drop a little dust let us with David say Whom have we in heaven but thee and there is none in earth we desire in comparison of thee let us let go our hold of the world draw in our affections from it hopes after it and look only after that City Heb. 11.10 Having given you the signification of the Wheels the next thing premised is the description of them and now I come to the particular handling of the Wheeles where we shall meet with difficulties and excellencies VER 15 16. Now as I beleld the living creatures behold one wheele upon the earth by the living creatures with his four faces The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a Berill and they four had one likenesse and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of of a wheel IN these Verses they are described 1. From their number implyed in the 15th expressed in the 16th verse foure 2. The place where they were and that is the earth 3. Their colour they were like a Berill 4. Their likenesse between themselves they foure had one likenesse 5. Their form was as it were a wheele in a wheel Touching the first viz. the number of the wheels they were four mention is made of one in the 15th verse but it 's one with four faces not the faces of the four Cherubims but of four wheels which wheels were so like that they are said to be one wheel hee that saw one saw all As in some picture of a Prince when wee have seen the same in divers places or oft in the same wee say this is one and the same picture so here our Prophet saith hee saw all the wheels but they were so like that they might well be called one and the same for the Prophet mentions in the 16th verse wheels and four wheels and one likenesse of them Here by a figure called Hypallage we may make the sense more easie thus there appeared one face in the four wheels for one wheel having four faces In the 10th Chapt. it 's out of all dispute that there were four wheels Verse 9. When I looked behold the four wheels by the Cherubims one wheel by one Cherub and another wheel by another Cherub These wheels being four represent to us the four parts of the world Eastern Western Northern Southern that in them are great stirs and changes The next thing in this verse is the place I saw one wheel upon the earth how could that be when Ezekiel saw the vision in heaven Answ This is a vision and it appeared to him to be on the earth not the true earth but the earth in a vision as in pictures if a wheel a Chariot a City be drawn and presented to the eye they are presented as being upon the earth Observ 1. That all inferiour causes wheels instruments agents whatsoever are but as one wheel before the Lord. All things in the four quarters of the world were presented by God to the Prophet as one wheel to us they are many mighty divers contrary infinite but unto God they are otherwise all the Armies Parliaments Kingdoms Crowns Agents in this world are but one cause one wheel before the great God they are a small thing to him Isa 40.15 16 17. Behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold hee taketh up the Isles as a very little thing Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beast thereof sufficient for a burnt offering all nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity 2. That changes stirs and tumults are here on the earth not in heaven the Prophet saw the wheels on earth not in heaven there be no wheelings no turnings no troubles no wars no deaths no diseases no sins no feares no teares no wicked men no wicked thing and so no changes it 's only the prerogative of heaven to say I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 the world cannot say it Jam. 1.17 With him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning in God and heaven there is nothing of the wheel all is constant immutable but on earth it 's contrary the things under the Sun are vanity inconstancy and change it self 3. That all the inferiour agents and causes are at the dispose of the superiour of Angels they have a great interest in the government of the world the wheel is by the living creatures at their feet to move and turn it which way they please if they will bespeak wars in the North or South if they will have the world in an uproare it 's done Angels are Gods hands and deputies in the administration of all things here below in the world God supports and subverts kingdomes by them Dan. 10. Gabriel tels Daniel that hee withstood the Prince of Persia 21. dayes and his counsellers that sought to oppresse the people of God and that hee would go again and fight with him Kingdomes and the affaires of them yea the quarters of the world under God are ordered by Angels and while Angelicall and divine protection are over kingdomes they prosper but when God is provoked by the sins of a people hee leaves the wheels of that Kingdome to men and devils it runs to ruine Then the Princes and Potentates are deluded with strong delusions grow tyrannicall Idolatrous false hostile c. then the kingdome growes weak without spirit counsell strength successe and is infinitely intangled with
difficulties internall externall good counsels are slighted or opposed opportunies of doing that kingdome good not discerned dangers not foreseen or put off without due consideration Blasphemers traytors oppressors and enemies to publike good are set up divisions seditions domestique wars if not forein are made and maintained and all things work strongly to ruine it 's observ'd by some that there are more wars and desolations among Christians then others and the reason is given their sinnes are greater then others and provoke God to take away his own and Angelicall protection they leave the wheeles of kingdomes to men of corrupt minds that move them wholly for private interests This informs us of the honour and greatnesse of Angels that have the wheels of the world in their hands wee look upon them as great men which have the command of some Province or Countrey what then are Angels that have the rule of the whole world under God Know though their place be great yet they are under command and move not but as they are moved by the Spirit of God Let us also take heed how we offend persons imployed in such great services as they are 4. That there are turnings and wheelings in all estates and parts of the world the four living creatures noted the four parts of the world and their agencies in them and by them now are presented the wheels every living creature had a wheel by it and this strongly implies that there are wheelings turnings and changes in all parts yea the very same that are in one part are at one time or other in another part the wheels are alike Are wars plagues famin in one countrey they are or will be in another Do men die here so in all parts are men unfaithfull now so they were of old in Davids dayes hee said Men of high degree are a lie and men of low degree vanity Psal 62.9 Are there unseasonable times here such are abroad are things carryed by violence oppression injustice here so they are elsewhere are there designes plots upon our Kingdome and Church so there are upon others whatever befalls one State befalls another internally and externally the wheels are the same and move alike though sometimes backward in one part of the world and forward in another there is no stability any where but all things are in flux in vain then do men travell the world to finde certainty and content in it in vain do we tumble up and down here and there thinking to finde settlednesse and something satisfactory the world is like it self every where go East West and there is nothing but a wheel and a wheel running Salomon had tryed all conditions hee had wealth wisdome and opportunities for he saith Who shall come after the King intimating that none can travell farther then hee did to search and know the world and creatures Eccles 1. and all conditions and what doth hee conclude but vanity of vanities that is all is extreme and superlative vanity and because men will not believe it hee doubles and trebles it Vanity of vanities all is vanity take any place or any thing in that place it 's vanity empty fruitlesse inconstant so farre from satisfying that it vexeth Hence some have pictured Salomon upon an high hill and all the world coming towards it and climbing up thinking to finde happinesse there but he beats them down with a rod saying It 's not here it 's not here Wee must not look for stability content certainty among the wheels but above them now it s not time to look about and abroad but to look above the world and the wheeles of it Christ hath told us what 's to be had in this world and it 's certain in the world saith hee you shall have tribulation and do you not finde it surely now it's eminent and pungent and hee hath told us what 's to be had in himself In mee you shall have peace if wee have tribulation in the world wee may have peace in Christ VER 16. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a Berill they four had one likenesse and their appearance and their work was as it were the wheel in the middle of a wheel HEre we have the colour likenesse and form of the wheels to examine first their colour as for the work that is the matter whereof they were made or the artificiall form of them Their colour and work was like the Berill the Hebrew is as the eye or colour of Tarshish the word Tarshish in Scripture sometimes notes a City Jon. 1.3 sometimes a precious stone Exod. 28.20 Esa 2.16 it 's the same word and Interpreters observe there is a Sea also called Tharshish and it 's like to be that where the City Tarshish was for Tarshish that Jonah fled to was a Sea town When our Prophet saith the colour was like the colour of Tarshish hee means not the city the dispute is between the Sea or a Stone some render it as the colour or vision of the Sea others as the colour of a precious stone and then the Quere growes what stone whether of a Chrysoltie a Hyacinth a Crystal or a Berill that here is meant a stone is determined by infallible testimony even Scripture it self Ezek. 10.9 The appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a Tarshish stone and it 's well rendered by our Interpreters a Berill stone for neither the Chrysolite nor Hyacinth do set out a Sea colour the one being yellow the other sky-colour and the scope of the wheels and description of them is to possesse us with the uncertainty and fluctuation of all things which is livelily set out by the Sea we are therefore to hold to the Crystal or Berill it 's true the Crystal hath a watry colour and its originall from the water yet it doth not so fully set out the Sea colour as the Berill which is a green stone and they are counted best that have the Sea-greens Rurus de gemmis Beryllus Thalassius The best rendering of this word Tarshish is the Sea Berill because it hath altogether a Sea-colour and mindes us of the Sea by whose floating condition the uncertainty of all things is laid before us Obser 1. That the things herein this visible world are as uncertain and instable as the waters of the sea they are never quiet but always rowling up down from shoar to shoar even in the greatest calm these waters are in motion and suddenly in a rage by vertue of the winds which lift up the waves to heaven and make all stormy and outragious there is no stability at all in these waters and the world is as unstable as any Sea as Euripus it self that ebbes and flowes seven times a day all creatures are in motion and tending to corruption all conditions are full of changes and inconstancy who can tell how many inhabitants have been in some one street in some one
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
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
was let down from heaven unto Peter and so the visions might be neerer unto Ezekiel then the highest heavens The heavens were opened and he saw visions of God it is not said that he saw visions in heaven and grant it to be in heaven Stephen saw Christ there and so might Ezekiel see the object of his vision there yet neither did Stephen by his naturall strength see Christ nor Ezekiel these visions but he that opened heaven did open their eyes strengthened them to see at such a distance Or Secondly you may take it effectively that was done to the eye of faith as if heaven had been opened A thing is said to be opened when that is removed which hinders coming at the thing shut up the seven seals were loosed Rev. 5. then was the book opened when the shuts of the window are turned aside that the eye can come at the light then the window is open the impediments are taken away Vbi discussis omnibus obstaculis Deus facit ut fidelium oculi usque ad gloriam ipsius coelestem penetrent and heaven is open when all lets being set aside God causeth the eyes of his to see divine visions or reveals divine mysteries unto them as if heaven were open and this is the way most peculiar to the servants of God Hereafter saith Christ You shall see Heaven opened and the Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man The Angels are not corporeall they cleave not the heavens asunder in their descent or ascent that is not the meaning but the spirit of the Text is this the impediments should be taken away from their minds they should be so enlightened with the glory of the Gospel they should see as it were even Angels come down and minister unto Christ they should as the expression is Nova acie apertis oculis 2 Cor. 3.18 with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of God see heaven opened in Christ and the Angels descending upon the Son of man And so did Ezekiel see heaven opened Observ The Key of Heaven is in the hand of God he openeth heaven at his pleasure and letteth out and in what parties and things he pleaseth Angels visions and other things he lets out he openeth heaven and letteth in your prayers your tears your souls at his seasons the key of the grave the key of the womb the key of the clouds the key of hell is in the hand of God and he turns them at his pleasure but above all the key of heaven is in the hand of God he is Lord Chamberlain there is none goeth out nor comes in till God himself turn the key If you would have mercies you must look up to God for them and desire him to turn the key Rev. 3.7 he is said to have the key of David he opens and none can shut he shuts and none can open a key notes power and the key of David chief power in the house in the Kingdome where that key is there is the greatest power God hath that key in his hand the key of David all power to open and shut heaven when he will he can open your hearts at his pleasure he can open Texts at his pleasure he can open dark things unto you therefore seeing all power is in the hand of God look up to him for mercies and desire him to turn the key for your good and his glory 2. That God doth great things for those that are truly godly that are true beleevers Heaven is opened for them and onely for them Wee doe not reade in the booke of God that heaven was ever opened for any wicked man wickednesse shutteth up heaven godlinesse hath the priviledge to the godly heaven is opened To Christ it was opened Mat. 3.16 To Steven Act. 7.56 To Peter it was opened Act. 10.11 To John it was opened Rev. 4.1.19.11 And it is opened to Ezekiel here in the Text I saw heaven opened It is shut against others wicked men shall never see it open in mercie the Judgement at last shall not be in heaven but in the aire or on the earth It is the priviledge of beleevers to have choice mercies Great things God will doe for them that the world shall have no share in It was the godly that saw Christ after the resurrection and not any wicked man It was for beleevers that Christ prayed and not for the world Joh. 17. It is for the heirs of salvation that the Angels are sent forth to be ministring Spirits unto Heb. 1. And it is for the faithfull the heavens are opened that they may see what the glory of their Fathers house is into what a familie they shall ere long be received This sets out the excellency of faith unto us for as it is a hand to receive Christ and his benefits a mouth to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud so it is an eye to see into heaven and the eye for which heaven is opened EZEK 1. The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God c. The Word of the Lord came expresly to Ezekiel the Priest c. And the hand of the Lord was there upon him And I looked and behold a whirlwinde came out of the North a great Cloud and a fire infolding it selfe c. I saw visions of God GOD hath manifested himselfe unto his Prophets severall wayes 1. By speaking immediately unto them without interposition of any medium even mouth to mouth and face to face So he spake to Adam in Paradise to Moses Exod. 33.11 The Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend This manner of Gods manifesting himselfe was peculiar to Moses above any or all the Prophets besides as you may reade Deut. 34.10 2. God manifested himselfe to his people by Dreames which was in the night season there was some representation of something unto them when they were asleepe Thus God manifested himselfe to Jacob Gen. 28.12 And Jacob saith Gen. 31.11 that the Angel of God spake unto him in a dreame 3. God hath manifested himselfe to his people by Visions Psal 89.19 Thou spakest in visions to thy holy One. And Gen. 15.1 The Word of the Lord came unto Abraham in a vision These three you have together in two verses Numb 6. and part of the 8th If there be a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my selfe knowne to him in a vision and speake to him in a dreame and to Moses will I speake mouth to mouth Here in the Text it is by way of vision that God speaks or appeares unto Ezekiel I saw visions of God In a Vision there are these things 1. There is some species or similitude represented to the sight whether it be to the eye of the body externally or to the eye of the minde internally alwayes something is represented to the eye 2. A Vision is of something that is future whether at some little distance or very remote Hence
if justice be not done one act of justice executed upon delinquents makes them more honourable then all the scarlet robes in the world How glorious and dreadfull was the Parliament Strafford when that great man fell in Israel And if justice were executed upon delinquents and they had their due we should be glorious in power dreadfull to nations terrible to our enemies they would say Who is able to stand before the God of this Parliament before the God of this kingdome Out of the middest thereof as of the colour of amber That is out of the middest of the fire not out of the middest of the wind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or out of the middest of the cloud The Hebrew word for Amber is a word that is found no where else in all the Scripture but in this Prophet and but twice more viz. at the 27th verse of this Chapter and at the second verse of the 8th Chapter Rabbi Iarchi confesseth hee knoweth not what the meaning of this word is another Rabbi saith it was the name of an Angel who instructed Ezekiel The Septuagint Jerome and divers others translate it Electrum amber and because here is mention of the colour of Amber we must inquire what Amber this was There be divers kindes of Amber one sort of Amber is called Succinum Succinum quarundas arborum sâ— cus which is the juice of certain trees the gum of Pine trees which being hardened by the aire is yellow and bright that is white and duskish is bastard Amber A second sort of Amber is a liquid substance which flowes from the Sea rock and about the Sea shoares and being hardened by the aire winds and water floats up and down upon the Sea especially about Florida and other Indian shoars and it is of a honyish and waxie colour The third kinde of Amber is metallicall made of metalls and those more precious then gold as Jerome inferiour to it as Zanchius saith This Amber is compounded of gold and shining silver is very precious and of great use But besides this there is yet another metallicall Amber called Aurickâ—lcum the choisest and purest Brasse and this is thought to be tâ—â— Chasmal or Amber here mentioned according to that Rev. 1.15 His feet were like to fine brasse as if it had burned in a fiery furnace Brasse doth most needy resemble fire The colour of Amber here is a fiery colour and surely this is neer the truth but yet it cometh not up fully to the nature of the word here for I do not finde amongst those that search into the nature of words that this word Chasmal is interpreted Amber as the learned observe Prunam ardentissimam or summe ignitam it signifies a coal that is fired most intensively a coal that hath the utmost heat it 's capable of so hot that presently it burneth any thing it toucheth such coals are more red and lively then others and it comes neerest to the nature of the word to render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festâ—nantâ—r excidens consumens Color insignis Calv. as the colour of a burning coal Hence Junius and Tremelius render the word Color vividissimus the most lively colour for nothing hath a more lively colour then hot coals or fine Brasse burning in the fire either of which you may take but I rather cleave to that of burning coals which being in the midst of the fire might so sparkle and shine as to dazle the eyes and whether Chasmal in this place were not more fitly rendred as the colour of burning brass or of a burning coal then as the colour of Amber I leave to consideration Now what is meant by this Amber or coal there is great dispute some understand by it Christ because he is more precious then Amber more lively then any burning coal whatsoever But we must lay this sense aside because there is a Vision of Christ in the latter end of the Chapter The soundest Expositors by Chasmal leade us to some inferiour to Christ viz. the Angels who are called Seraphims Animalia ignea as Kimchi hath it of Saraph to burne and Seraphims are fiery burning creatures Isa 6.2 About it stood the Seraphims that is the fiery burning Angels answerable to the Chasmal or burning coales here So in Iudges 13.20 an Angel went up to heaven in a flame of fire that element was most sutable to Seraphicall and Angelicall nature 2 King 6.17 There were horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha and Angels were in those chariots They are likened to fire because of their ardent and burning zeale to doe the will of God Psal 103.20 For the word Colour the colour of amber in the Hebrew it is the eye of amber the organ is put for the object so you have it used Numb 11.7 The colour of it was as the colour of Bdelium the Hebrew is the eye of it was as the eye of Bdelium Now having given you the meaning of Chasmal viz. that he saw Angels of fiery colour like to hot burning coales so intense and zealous that they were ready to doe and execute whatsoever God would have done Note hence 1. That heavenly things are so transcendent and we so weake that we can comprehend or receive very little of them They must be presented in things beneath their excellency to make us capable of a little of them Per corporales ostensiones incorporearum percipimus notitiam Prad God must manifest his minde here by winds clouds by brightnesse of a cloud by a fire infolding by burning coales that so we may take up a little of the minde of God Joh. 3.12 saith Christ to Nicodemus If I have spoken to thee of earthly things and thou doest not understand them how wilt thou understand if I speake unto thee of heavenly things Nicodemus a Doctor in Israel did not apprehend the doctrine of regeneration when expressed in his owne Dialect had Christ spoken of the great things of the kingdome of heaven in their own nature how could he or any of us have understood Here wee see darkly and as in a glasse God is pleased to goe in the way of man with us to condescend to our capacities and to present heavenly things in Hieroglyphicks winds clouds fire and coales that so we may have a little apprehension of the nature of those things 2. That heavenly Spirits are most pure and lively So much the word Chasmal leads us unto it noteth coales that have no darknesse no smoake in them that are altogether fiery and so lively as that they cannot be more lively Such is God he is light and no darknesse he is more lively then all the world beside He is Actus purissimus all his actions exceed our apprehensions Such are Angels they are pure and lively creatures Heb. 1.7 Angels are Spirits for their puritie and flames of fire for their activitie and zeale Rev. 15.6 Sunt luminaria
clarissima specula pura quantum possibile est summa luci simillima Dionysius the seven Angels are clothed in pure and white linnen and their breast girded with golden girdles pure linnen they have and golden girdles no spot in the linnen no drosse in the gold to set out their puritie and girt they are to shew their readinesse and zeale to doe the will of God they are as burning lively coales that if God doe but speake the word they run they flie But of this more hereafter VER 5. Also out of the midst thereof came the likenesse of foure living creatures and this was their appearance they had the likenesse of a man NOw we come to that part of the Vision concerns the living creatures from thiâ— fift ver to the 15. where Gods glory and government of the world are set out from superiour causes viz. Coelestiall things These foure Creatures are commended to us 1. From their generall nature they are living creatures 2. From their number they are foure 3. From their forme they had the likenesse of a man 4. From their severall parts as 1. Their faces and the number of them ver 6.8.10 2. Their wings the number situation and use of them ver 6.8.9.11 3. Their feet set out by the figure and colour of them ver 7. 4. Their hands set out by the figure and situation of them ver 8. 5. From their motion which was forthright ver 9.12 And this is illustrated from the qualitie of it it was swift ver 14. They ran it was as speedy as lightning and from the cause of it which was the Spirit ver 13. whither the Spirit was to goe 6. From their colour which was like burning coales and lampes ver 13. What these living creatures are is the great dispute among Expositors Some make them to be the foure Covenants of God 1. That with Adam 2. That with Noah 3. That with Moses 4. That with the Apostles Some make them to be all the creatures Some the foure cardinall Vertues Justice Wisedome Fortitude Temperance Some the foure faculties in the soule The Rationall Irascible Concupiscible and Conscience Some the foure chiefe Passions Joy Griefe Hope and Feare Some the foure Monarchies Assyrian Persian Grecian and Roman Some the twelve Tribes of Israel in their Stations East West North South when in the Wildernesse Some the foure Elements of which mans body doth consist Some the foure Evangelists Matthew Marke Luke John and this being the opinion of Jerome and Gregory the Great prevail'd much but now is deserted Others understand by these foure creatures those be compleat and more perfect in the Church Others expound them to be Christ but Christ is brought in in the latter end of the Chapter sitting upon the throne These creatures are some distinct ones from him and inferiour to him By them then we are to understand the Angels which have a great part under God in the government of the world The word Chaia living creatures doth not onely signifie a creature that is corporeall living and sensible but it notes out to us any living beeing or substance whether corporeall or spirituall and so Tully calls Intelligentias animales living intelligences in Quast Acad. l. 4. The best Interpreters goe this way and understand by the living creatures Exercitus invisibiles Principalities and powers and we need not fetch light from men where the Scripture gives interpretation it selfe Ezek. 10. There you have frequent mention of Cherubims which were these living creatures for ver 8. it 's said There appeared the forme of a mans hand under their wings They had the same faces one excepted and as many ver 14. and Ezekiel saith ver 15. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar And more plaine yet in the 20th verse This is the living creatures that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar and I knew that they were the Cherubims Although he cald it before the living creature in the singular number yet here he changeth the number and saith they were the Cherubims Wee may trust Ezekiels judgement he was guided by the Spirit and his Cherubims doe hold forth the same parties to us that Isaiahs Seraphims did to him The word Cherubim notes generally any figure of man or beast say the Hebrews but specially of the figure of a young man or a childe with wings stretched out Exod. 25. Such were the two Cherubims before the Arke The Chaldeans call a little childe Rabi or Rabia Whence some derive the word Cherubim quasi Cherabia as a little childe others fetch it from Caph which notes likenesse and Rob or Rab which words signifie as in generall qualitie and quantitie so multitude and magnitude so that Cherubims etymologiz'd are tanquam multi magni as it were many and great The word Cherub notes not onely Angels but Angels as they appeared and were figured with any externall forme of man or beast and such figures were Hieroglyphicall They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorporeall without flesh bones Luk. 24.39 They are pure as God is actus purissimus as herein this vision The Prophet saw not these Cherubims or Angels or living creatures but the likenesse of them for the nature of Spirits is invisible no soule no Angel neither God himselfe can be seene how then is their likenesse presented to the Prophet it's no bodily likenesse but a likenesse in life qualitie and motion But the Text saith They had the likenesse of a man that is not in his nature and essence but in some qualities they had the face hands thighs and legs of a man all which set out some choice qualities in the Angels â— they had also something of the beast and bird and if they wâ—re in nature like the living creatures Angels were strange Monsters and not Spirits in compound By their likenesse unto man is laid before us the rationalitie knowledge and understanding of Angels they are not ignorant creatures but ipse intelligentie the most understanding creatures in heaven or earth 2 Sam. 14.20 The widow of Tekoah told David he was wise according to the wisedome of an Angel of God to know all things that are in the earth that is he was very wise as the Angels are to search out understand and discover things A multitudine scientiae Cherubim quasi Cherabbim Therefore Ierome thinks they are called Cherubims from their much knowledge Cherubims as it were Rabbies Doctors Teachers of others and this office some Angels have had Dan. 8.16 Gabriel Make this man to understand the vision and Chap. 10.14 I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter dayes They have propheticall knowledge in them and a treasury of things that are past and done long since Rev. 4.6.8 There is mention of foure beasts or living creatures the same with these in Ezek. full of eyes before and behinde because they see and know what
is past and what is before them their naturall knowledge is great being such excellent Spirits but besides that they have much revealed to them concerning God Christ the Church and things contingent Hence is it said 1 Pet. 1.12 Which things namely of Christ and the Gospel the Angels desire to looke into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 25. The word notes bowing down to prie heedfully into a thing John 20.5 The Cherubims were made looking down towards the Mercy-Seat and here the Angels look into the things of Christ in whom are hid the treasures of Wisdome and so they grow in this knowledge daily as also in experimentall knowledge arising from things done daily in the world and in the Church Angels love to be at the Congregation to meet the Saints and learn of and amongst them they understand partly by their essences and partly by species communicated to their understandings as to ours Angels are good Philosophers they know the Principles Causes Effects Life Motions Death of naturall things Rev. 7.1 2. and 16.5 They are great Statists and know the affaires of Kingdomes Dan. 10.13 saith Gabriel I remained with the Kings of Persia he became a Courtier and acquainted himself with the affaires of Persia Four living creatures These were four Angels in particular some conceive Michael Gabriel Raphael and Vriel which were chief over the rest the whole Host of Angels But that is not the sense neither that God only uses four Angels in his service for many thousands are imployed Luke 2.13 There was a multitude of the heavenly Host and 2 King 6.17 there was an army with the Prophet but it relates to the object viz. The world which is distinguished into four parts East West North and South the work of these Angels laid in all those parts and none of them exempt from the presence observation and operation of the Angels Obs 1. That God imployes not ignorant silly ones in his service but those are intelligent Angels that are wise and very knowing such should the Angels of the Churches be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priests lips should keep knowledge Mal. 2.7 And as God is termed 1 Sam. 2.3 a God of knowledges so should he be a man of knowledges the Pharisees were blind guides and what a multitude of blind Priests were there till within these few yeeres in the Christian world and too many there are to this day that have their right eye darkned Zach. 11. last But the man of God should have new and old in his treasury and be throughly furnished unuo every and word and work 2. That the Angels are in all quarters of the world taking notice of mens words works and wayes they go I had almost said of their very thoughts and that they do Si signo externo prodantur Lesl if discovered by some sign Angels can be present at all times know what devils or other men can know of us any voyce any act they are privie to yea by outward expressions they may gather what is within they being spirits can insinuate far into our hearts and natures though not immediately know our thoughts Therefore we should carry our selves soberly righteously and holily in this world in regard of them 1 Cor. 11.10 the woman is to have power on her head because of the Angels she is to be covered and to carry her self modestly reverendly because of the Angels Psal 138.1 Before the gods will I sing to thee the vulgar hath in conspectu Angelorum before the Angels their presence should awe men and women and keep them from all dishonesty evill words acts gestures secret grudging all discontents and distempers for as they are rejoyced to discern a good frame of spirit in you Grata est Angelis pia significatio Aug. to see you keep that order God hath set in the Church and State to walk as Christians to the honour of God so they are grieved to see the contrary Magna cura vigilanti studio adâ—unt nobis omnibus horis locis succurrentes providentes omnibus necessitat bus nostris gemitus nostros suspiria referentes ad Deum Ambâ—lant nobiscum in omnibus viis nostris considerantes quam piè quam honestè in med o pravae nationis conversemur adjuvant laborantes protegunt quiescentes hortantur pugnantes coronant vincentes grandiâ— eis cura de nobis August Soliloq c. 27. and you must answer for your sins against these great officers in the great family of heaven and earth a thing that is little thought on but if it be a sin to despise and grieve a believer a brother that is inferiour to an angel is it not much more a sin to dishonour their presence and grieve their persons Smoak drives away Bees and an ill savour Doves so do ill passages drive away the Spirit and Angels of God Eccl. 5.6 The Angel that is of Gods councell a witnesse of our wayes will not take it well the Angell may smite thee for neglect of duties ill performances of them 3. That men should be ashamed to be ignorant seeing angels are likened unto them for knowledge and understanding Many men yea such as are called Christians are brutish in their knowledge their souls serve only for salt to keep their bodies from putrefaction Eph. 2.12 without God in the world that is without the fear authority and soveraignity of God falling upon their hearts and without the knowledge of God in their heads and God may say of many Christians My people is foolish they have not known me they are foolish children they have none understanding they are wise to do evill but to do good they have no knowledge Jer. 4.22 The Apostle bids us in understanding to be men shall we be babes only let us now be Angels in understanding David was wise as an Angel and the Saints shall judge the Angels 1 Cor. 6. The evill Angels they are very subtile they have their depths methods wiles and how shall we do it if we be ignorant they come to the Assemblies to get advantage to accuse us let us get knowledge to condemn them 4. That God doth interest Angels and use their service in the government of the world not only men Magistrates and Ministers but Angels also Carcer Dei Angelorum The Jews made Jerusalem the prison of God and Angels they thought that neither God nor his Angels did appeare or rule any where else To take off this conceit God appeares to Ezekiel in Babylon after this manner to convince him that he and his Angels do govern there and in all quarters of the world as well as at Sion that God rules in the world is granted but that Angels should help to sway the Scepter is not so credible A little therefore to clear it 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds some understand it of the true God that created the world but the best interpreters
give us in Satan here and make him the god of the world Exemplo imperio suggestione and that by example command and suggestion and Christ doth thrice call Satan the prince of the world Joh. 12.31.14.30.16.11 and Eph. 2.2 according to the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now worketh Vnaquaeque res v sibilâ—s habet Angelicam potestatem sibi praepositam Aug in l. 83. qu. 79. q. In hoc mundo visibil nihâ—l n si per creaturam nvâ—sibilem d sponi potest Thom. 1. part qu. 110. The devill hath great power in the aire to raise winds to cause storms thunder lightning which is the power of the aire and the same power hath he in the spirits of the children of disobedience and by that spirit whereof he is Lord he can move them any way as the winds and clouds and carry them against Christ and his truths Now hence I infer that if Satan and ill Angels be as gods princes in this world have power in the aire and hearts of wicked men then must it needs follow that good Angels are as Gods and princes and have as much power in the world and hearts of good men as they otherwise devils should gain by their fall more then ever they had by their standing and it 's not credible that wicked damned spirits should have more honourable titles and larger power then the holy and glorious Angels What be those services the good Angels are imployed in Answ 1. To inform us of Gods will and God of our wayes They acquaint us with Gods mind Gen. 18.19 Angels told Abraham and Lot what God would do to Sodome an Angell tells Elijah 2 King 1.3 what to say to the Messengers of the King of Samariuâ— an Angel tels the Apostles Act. 1.11 that Christ shall return in that manner they had seen him go up to heaven Christ tels John Rev. 22.16 that he had sent his Angels to testifie those things in the Churches the Angel tels Daniel that he came forth to give him skill and understanding Chap. 9.22 Mat. 1.20.2.13 An Angel informs Joseph of the minde of God touching Mary and Christ So to inform God what is done here among men the Angels went up the ladder as well as came down Zach. 1.11 The Angel sent out by the Lord certified the Angel Christ that stood among the Myrtle trees Per Mâ—nistros more potentisstâ—m regis omnia faciâ— Bonav that they had travelled up and down the world and behold say they all the earth sitteth still and is at rest This God doth for honour and not necessity he knoweth all things but he will have them witnesses of his will 2. In opposing the great enemies of Christ and his Church whereupon they intermedle with Kings and Kingdomes and the great affaires thereof Dan. 10.20 Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee now will I return to fight with the King of Persia and when I am gone forth lo the Prince of Grecia shall come This Angel Gabriel oppos'd the cruell Edicts of Cambyses King of Persia who laboured to keep the Jewes in captivity longer and to oppresse them sorer then others had done but Gabriel kept them from execution and brought his kingdome to ruine by degrees and therefore he saith the Prince of Grecia shall come I will leave Persia and go into Greece and stir up Alexander to come into Persia and spoile the King of his kingdome when Princes are stirred up by flatterers and prophane wretches to oppresse the godly to hinder the work of the Temple then Angels do fight against them Elesbaan King of the Ethiopians being in armes against Dunaam a Tyrant his army was much oppressed with famine and the power of the Tyrant whereupon he dyed to God for help and presently heard Gabriel Gabriel Gabriel thrice he heard that voyce from heaven intimating that Gabriel would help him whereupon he joyned battell with the Tyrant overcame kill'd most and took the Tyrant King of the Homerites Baron anno 523. Ammonius de gestis Francorum l. 3. c. 87.88 Vbi non est contrarietas voluntatis non est pugna and bound him in chaines At a great battell between Clotharius and Theodoricus was seen an Angel with a drawn sword and many were slain on both sides Some understand these Princes to be Spirits if good there is no discord between them good Angels are without sin and so no opposition in their wills to Gods or one another if of evill Angels it 's that wee aim at the good Angels oppose and contend against the evill with all their strength Rev. 12.7 Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his There was a great battell in heaven the Devill and his angels were cast out which is for the great comfort of Sion certainly devils and devillish men would over-run all if there were not Angels imployed in the four quarters of the world to keep the Church and people of God when Balaam and Balak would have curst Gods people an Angel cometh forth and fights against them Numb 22.22 This is one great office of the Angels to fight against Princes Potentates and men of the earth that seek to oppresse the people of God and labour to hinder Temple work and the welfare of Sion 3. To execute the judgements of God upon wicked men the death of their first-born in Egypt which was the chiefest of the plagues and touched them neerest was done by a destroying Angell who therefore is called Hammaschchit Exod. 12.23 the destroyer shall not come into their houses but into the Egyptians he did come the singular number is put for the plurall a thing usuall in Scripture and so the sense is that Angels were the destroyers of Egyptians and the Psalmist in the 78. Psalm 49. saith God did this work by sending evill Angels among them not that these Angels were wicked spirits as some have thought but Angels or messengers of evill of death unto them The Egyptian Sorcerers used the help of wicked Angels to oppose Moses and harden the Egyptians and God used the help of good Angels to punish evill doers they have been and are imployed in such service the Angels that came to Lots house smote the Sodomites with blindnesse great and small which were at Lots door Gen. 19.11 They fetched fire from heaven and destroyed the place ver 13. When seventy thousand died of the plague 2 Sam. 24.17 in Davids dayes it is made the work of an Angel ver 17. he saw the Angel that smote the people it was an Angel that slew 185000. Assyrians Isa 37.36 Psal 35.5 6. It 's their work to chase and persecute wicked men often Angels of God do suddenly destroy them Act. 12.23 And immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him Lorinus thinks it was the Devill did it but it was some good Angel that being zealous for God did vindicate his glory which was given to a mortall
sinfull man Angels cannot indure this dishonour Josephus in his 19th Book and 8. Chap. sets out this story fully how he came in in cloth of silver was saluted as a God saw an Owle over his head Ego illâ— vâ—stra apâ—llat une 〈…〉 vitam relinquere juâ—eor satali necessitate coarguente vestruÌ„ mudacum quem â—â—nâ—â—talem saluâ—astâ—s admoâ—tem 〈◊〉 felt a pain in his bowels and said I whom yee all call a God am commanded to leave my Godship and by death to confute your lie of my immortality Neither belongeth it to Angels only to punish the wicked but to exercise chastisement upon the godly an Angel meets Moses in the Inn and would have slain him Exod. 4.24 So the Greek and Chaldee reade it and that because he neglected the circumcision of Moses an Angel smote Zachary with dumbnesse because of his unbeliefe Luke 1. So an Angel corrected David for his sin of numbering his people 4. To defend the godly to save and deliver them from harms this is a constant office they keep the Saints from evill men spirits and things Rev. 7.1 2 3. Four Angels stood on the four corners of the earth and held the four winds of the earth that they should not blow on the Sea or any tree and another Angel cryes to the four hurt not the earth sea trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads Psal 34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them Angels are like Armies round about the Generall and keep from danger when Jacob was to meet with his brother Esau who came with a band of four hundred men against him the Angels of God met him they are forward to this service Gen. 32.1 2. And when he saw them what said he This is Gods host what need I fear my brothers host and he called the place Mahanaim or Machanaim It 's in the duall number and notes two Hosts two Camps if my brother have one band I have two if he have men I have Angels if four hundred men I have twice four hundred Angels When Elisha was in Dothan the King of Syria sent a great Host with horses and Chariots and they came by night compast the City about and now Elisha is a lost man and Gehezi cryes out Alas Master what shall we do Fear not saith he 2 King 6.14.15 16 17. they that be with us are more then they that be with them and when the young mans eyes were opened he saw the mountains full of Horses and Chariots of fire and that round about Elisha was there an army against Elisha here is an army for him were they many here are more were there Chariots and Horses here be Chariots and Horses of fire When Daniel was in the den of Lions hee had no fire to scare them no weapon or strength to kill them but an Angel is sent to shut their mouths so that here is a wonder a Lamb amongst Lions and not rent in pieces where Angels are the Lambs keepers there the Lions are toothlesse and mouthlesse the Angels have a speciall charge of the godly Psal 91.11 He shall give his Angels charge over thee the Angels stand charged with the custody of the godly and when a guard is set about a person of quality who dares come neer to hurt such a one It 's said in the 7. verse A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee It 's nigh when at a mans side at his right hand but it shall not come nigh to hurt thee and what 's the reason for hee shall give his Angels charge c. They look well to their charge they neither slumber nor sleep Rev. 21.12 Gods care of his Church now is greater then it was under the Law for the wrath is double to what it was then there are twelve Angels at the gates of Jerusalem whereas in Ezekiel 9.2 there were but six The Church being now inlarged the enemies are inraged and the guarding Angels increased no sooner were the Apostles imprisoned but an Angel brings them forth Act. 5.8 9. and what great things the Angel did for Peter Act. 12. is known to all Ver. 15. his deliverance was so great that they could not believe hee was come forth and knockt at the door but that it was his Angel whence the opinion of Tutelar Angels hath received great strength some affirm from hence Dan. 6 2â— that every man hath his particular Angel to keep him which seems rather a Platonicall conceit then a Scripture truth for Isidorus Clarius turns this place his Messenger Nuncius ejus and so the word is used in Scripture Judg. 2.1 The Angel of the Lord came up or Messenger as it 's in the Margent and Mal. 3.1 I will send my Messenger the Hebrew is my Angel and surely this party that knockt at the door was Peters Messenger not his Angel and if this be well rendred Angel why is not that so rendred Luke 7.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angels of John being departed it 's the Messenger and so it were better here his Messenger then his Angel for shall we suppose the faithfull so ignorant as to think an Angel could not come in without knocking and having doors opened Besides the apparition of an Angel woud have affrighted them greatly Not to stick at this although we find not warrant in the Word for assignment of a particular Angel to every man yet wee acknowledge many Angels appointed to that work Matth. 18.10 Their Angels not their Angel behold the face of my Father 5. To guide and leade the godly in good and safe wayes Gen. 24.7 Hee shall send his angels before thee and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence So ver 40. hee will send his Angel with thee and prosper thy way the businesse of marriage is so weighty and honourable that Angels presence and assistance is in it Angels are present and president over that work Psal 91.11 12. They are charged to keep thee in all thy wayes to beare thee up in their arms that is their strength shall be imployed to uphold and lead thee in a good way God begets children to himself by the Word and Spirit and puts them forth to Angels to nurse to guide and lead it 's a metaphor taken from Nurses that bear their children upon their arms and lift them over thresholds Exod. 32.34 Behold Angeli reges Domini eorum sunt quos regunt saith God to Moses my Angel shall go before thee he was to go to Canaan and an Angel was to lead him that way Angels are well acquainted with the wayes to heaven if you will go that way you are sure to meet with Angels 6. To comfort next Christ and the Spirit Angels are the best comforters because they stand neerest God always before his face and they are
sent to comfort Gods servants when in straits under pressures Mary was a poore Maid of mean condition and to her comes an Angel Luke 1.30 Feare not Mary thou hast found favour with God So Cornelius thy prayers and almes are come up a memoriall before God Acts 10.4 Chap. 27.24 When the Ship was tossed waves winds and darknesse conspired their ruine then saith Paul an Angel stood by me and said Fear not Paul God hath given thee thy life and the lives of all with thee wherefore be of good cheer he had drunk a cup of Angelicall consolation and knew well to comfort them with the same consolation When Daniel fasted and prayed and was much afflicted for his people Dan. 9. Chap. 10.11.12 O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee for unto thee am I now sent fear not Daniel Mary rises early and meets with Angels that comforted her John 20. Luke 22.43 An Angel appeared to Christ and strengthened him the servant comforted the master 7. To look unto the souls of men that they fall not into the hands of Devils at their death for if the Devill durst contend with Michael for the body of Moses much more for the souls of men Luke 16.22 Lazarus soul was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome men carry the carkasse to the ground but Angels carry the soul to glory they guard it through the clouds into the presence of the blessed God before he had none but Dogs to pity him now hee hath Angels to attend him The Devill is mighty busie while we live hee goes about like a roaring Lion but at death then he is most busie and presumes there is a tree cut down for his fire 8. They are Gods reapers at the end of the world Mat. 24.31 He shall send his Angels and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the world to another they must blow that terrible trumpet awaken the dead and cite them to judgement they must gather the ashes bones limbs bodies of Saints together Matth. 13.41 42. The Son of man shall send his Angels and they shall c. Basil in his Hom. of 40. Martyrs tels of one that seeing them thrust in a Winters night into a cold lake he saw Angels descend and putting Crowns upon all their heads but one 9. To declare Kingdomes Cities People cursed Judg. 5.23 Curse yee Meroz bitterly said the Angel of the Lord A Lapid in locum because they came not out to help c. Some think this Angel was Michael who was Generall in this war but that is the opinion of men not the warrant of Scripture 10. The Angels have work and power in the Church of God Rev. 15.6 Seven Angels came out of the Temple and Chap. 14.15 17. Another Angel came out of the Temple Angels being in the Temple is often spoken of and notes some power that they have in the Assemblies under the Gospel Zach. 3. Ribera The stone with seven eyes some make to be Christ with his Angels that are imployed for the government of the Church throughout the world and surely Michael and his Angels do contend daily in the Assemblies against the Dragon and his In the Assemblies Devils are present and active Satan stood at Joshuahs right hand to resist him to hinder all the Temple work when we are neer God devils are neer us intending mischief but Angels are at hand and hinder their designes they observe us and our carriages in the Congregation Eccl. 5.6 Make not vowes and then slight them there is an Angel present and it will not be enough to say it was an error God will be angry and an Angel may smite thee for it this is spoken of us when we are in the House of God there the Angels keep speciall watch Lib. 6. de bello Iudaico Relinquamus has fedes L. 7. c. 12. Migremus hinc Aud to major humana vox excedâ—re deos Tacit. Josephus saith that the voyce of an Angel was heard out of the Temple saying Let us leave these seats they had a place in the Church as well as others and again he saith the Angels were the keepers of the Jewish people and that a little before the Romans coming was heard a voyce out of the Temple Let us go hence and a Heathen Writer saith that a voyce greater then mans was heard That the gods were departing VERS 6. And every one had four faces c. NOw we come to their severall parts and first of their faces which are mentioned here in the 8th and 10th verses every one had foure faces and the likenesse of their faces were 1. The face of a Man 2. Of a Lion 3. Of an Oxe 4. Of an Eagle In some Pictures you may see severall faces so drawn they are that which way soever you look a severall face is presented so here before was the face of a man behinde of an Eagle on the right side of a Lion and on the left side of an Oxe here is not a face but is compared to the face of some principall creature man is the chief of all the rest a Lion is the King of wilde Beasts the Oxe is the chief of tame ones and the Eagle of Birds The face of a man types out unto us the understandings of Angels and that their administrations are with knowledge and equity of this hath already been spoken This face is put first to shew the excellency of reason which must have the introduction into and managing of all actions else they are neither humane nor Angelicall By this face also is noted their humanity and love to mankinde Angels are of a loving nature and most carefull of men therefore it is said Heb. 1. last They are ministring Spirits sent out c. The face of a Lion types out the strength of Angels A Lion is a creature of great strength Prov. 30.30 The strongest amongst beasts and turneth not away for any he never flies or feares Isa 31.4 Aâ—st nunquaÌ„ fugit aut metuâ—t If a multitude of Shepheards be called forth he will not be afraid of them nor abase himself at their noise and Judg. 14.18 What is stronger then a Lion said the Interpreter of Sampsons riddle and we may say among all creatures what is stronger then an Angel The Scripture calls the Devill the strong one Mat. 12.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it calls the Angel Rev. 10.1 I saw a mighty Angel and they are very mighty an Angel can hinder the blowing of the wind Rev. 7.1 stop the mouths of Lions Dan. 6.22 break iron chains open prison doors and iron gates Acts 12. an Angel can smite with blindnesse Gen. 19.11 2 King 6.18 Both Sodomites and Syrians were so smitten Angels work upon the fancy Matth. 2.13.19 20. suggest many things of great and good use to the mind for if Devils can take the word out of our
mindes sow tares in the field Luke 8.12 Matth. 13.24 25. put devillish thoughts into the heart Joh. 13.2 work powerfully in the heart of the disobedient Eph. 2.1 and trouble their spirits 1 Sam. 16.15 I see not but good Angels may do as much being more potent then they Rev. 12. Michael and his Angels overcame the Dragon and his and Psal 103.20 they excell in strength they are called exercitus coelestis Luke 2.13 one can do more then a great Army one slew 185000. in a night 2 King 19.35 They are Bellatores fortissimi and have appeared like Warriors David saw an Angel with a sword in his hand stretched over Jerusalem 1 Chron. 21.16 Elisha saw them with horses and Chariots of fire 2 King 6.17 Angels are Gods Militia Psal 68.17 the Chariots of God are 20000. even thousands of Angels they stand alwayes before God and can do what ever God wills and commands This consideration of the strength of Angels should adde to our comforts and Gods praises if a man be in danger and have a strong convoy appointed by the King he is secure much comforted and thankfull too that Majesty hath appointed it God hath given us the mighty Angels that are stronger then Lions to be our guard to convoy us through the Wildernesse of this world let it multiply our comforts and Gods praises The next face is that of an Ox and it notes out the obsequiousnesse faithfulnesse patience and usefulnesse of angels in their ministrations for an Ox accustomed to the yoke is very tractable not stubborn kicking and flinging as untamed Heifers are Hos 10.11 Ephraim is as a Heifer that is taught and loves to tread out the corne a Heifer taught and delighting in his work is willing to it such are Angels Psal 103.20 They hearken to the voyce of his Word they look upon God as the great Generall and if he give out the word they give out their strength and go about the work willingly they are very obsequious to his commands if he sayes Go smite Herod for his pride Balaam for his covetousnesse David for his vain-glory Senacherib for his blasphemy and Sodom for its uncleannesse presently they go Praestat fidum maisterium 2. Faithfulnesse an Ox doth faithfull service Horses do oft deceive in their service but an Ox seldome in plowing or carrying of burthens So Angels are faithfull in their ministrations they fail not in the least particular the Angels would not let John worship him the Angels would not suffer Lot to linger in Sodom 3. Patience an Ox is a patient creature what burthen soever is laid upon him or what work soever heels imployed in the Ox is not impatient So the Angels they are patient in their ministration though they meet with much opposition The Prince of Persia withstood Gabriel 21. dayes Dan. 10.13 In the midst of oppositions and great services they are without all impatience though their work never end Rev. 4.8 yet they never complaine 4. Usefulnesse Prov. 14.4 much increase is by the strength of the Ox no creature more usefull to the support of a family then the Ox for of old all the plowing was by Oxen. Elijah findes Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of Oxen 1 King 19.19 And Job had five hundred yoke of Oxen and it 's said they were plowing Job 1.3.14 no mention of Horses and in some places of this Kingdome they make greatest use of Oxen by their strength Kingdomes and Families are maintained Therefore Moses Deut. 3.17 compares Joseph to the Bullock or Ox because he sustained his fathers family and Egypt with corne Exod. 22.1 If an Ox or Sheep were stoln and so killed or sold the thiefe was to restore five for the Ox four for the Sheep and the reason was because of the service and usefulnesse of those creatures they served for sacrifice to God to plow the earth to feed and cloath the family in other things they were to restore only double David makes it one part of the happinesse of a Commonwealth that the Oxen be strong to labour Psal 144.14 Oxen are needfull and usefull creatures and Angels herein resemble Oxen they are ministring spirits sent out for the service of Gods family they live not to themselves but to the publike In the Revelations you may reade what great services the Angels are imployed in they sound the trumpets and powre out the vials of Gods wrath they preserve the Saints from the violence of Devils and devilish men This instructs man to be like Angels in these qualities if God command call for any duty to be obsequious yeelding and to say with Samuel Here I am Speak Lord thy servant is willing to heare ready to obey and when we are in the service let us be faithfull do it conscionably let us be patient although we meet with delayes oppositions reproaches and loss let us be serviceable and profitable to others Angels have no benefit by their ministrations God hath the glory and man the good The last face is that of an Eagle and in it as in a glasse we may see the perspicaciousnesse swiftnesse and vivacity of the Angels for these three are Eagles observable 1. They are quick-sighted Job 39.29 Her eyes behold afar off speaking of the Eagle from the top of the rocks out of the clouds they are said to behold fishes swimming in the Seas so strong is their sight that they soar aloft and can a long time behold the Sun with open and stedfast eyes In aquila Cicurata Merlin in Jobum c. 39 Scaliger hath seen it in a tam'd Eagle A man of acute parts that can see quick and far into matters we say he is Eagle-eyed the Angels are not wanting in this particular they are quick-sighted 2 Sam. 14.20 and Rev. 4.6 The four beasts they are mentioned being the same here in Ezekiel are said to be full of eyes before and behind and in the 8th verse full of eyes within they have much naturall knowledge much revealed knowledge set oâ—t by their â—yes within and much experimentall knowledge coming in by their observation and deep insight into things noted by their eyes before and behind they soar aloft stand before God behold the face of God alwayes Matth. 18.10 2. Eagles are swift in their flight 2 Sam. 1.23 Swifter then Eagles and Job 9.26 The Eagle maketh hast to the prey Pindar calls the the Eagle the queen of Birds Lam. 4.19 for her swiftnesse no Foul flies more swiftly then the Eagle hence when things were to be done suddenly the Scripture mentioneth the Eagle Hos 8.1 He shall come as an Eagle against the House of the Lord that is Nebuchadnezzar shall come suddenly Angels are no dull creatures in a night the destroying Angel slew all the first-born in Egypt in a night 185000. in the camp of Senacherib and Dan. 9.21 Gabriel came flying swiftly to Daniel and suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts Luke 2.13 3. Eagles are
fresh and lively alwayes age and sicknesse works not upon them as upon other Birds Nec annis debilitatur nec morbis obnoxia est the Eagle in her age is youthfull how then doth shee die Pliny tels us that it 's neither age or sicknesse that kils the Eagle but hunger the upper bill groweth so over her under that she cannot open her mouth to take in sustenance and so dies Psal 103.5 Their youth is renewed like the Eagles Crebra mutatione pennarum Hieron Imberbes ut juvenes the Eagle is renewed by the oft change of her feathers The Cherubims before the Mercy-Seat which represented the Angels were without beards to shew their vigour vavacity and eternity Angels never grow old they are alwayes lusty and lively their service doth not weare them out it 's mans sin that withers and consumes him more then his work Adam should never have look'd old never have decayed but retain'd an immortall vivacity if he had not sinned they are lively in their service not dull Observ 1. That Angels are fit for publike and great service they have four faces a Mans a Lions an Oxes an Eagles which tels us they have all is requisite to great undertakings they have wisdome to consult to contrive and manage the affairs of the world prudentially they have the strength of a Lion to execute they have the willingnesse and faithfulnesse of the Ox to rejoyce the heart of the commander patience to undergo the difficulties of the work and usefulnesse for the publique they are quick-sighted to discern and prevent the designes of enemies and speedy to dispatch much in a little time and that with cheerfulnesse this is meant by their four faces which notes their perfection and fitnesse for service in all parts of the world in regard of which and the Prophet to whom this vision was made they are said to have one face before another behind and on each side one and that God doth use their service in all creatures rationall and irrationall they have the shapes of men birds and beasts 2 That suitable persons ought to be imployed in publique and great services God imployes Angels in the government of the world who are wise trusty strong and speedy and you know what men God calls for in the State and Church Exod. 18.21 Provide thou out of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousnesse and place such over them to be Rulers of thousands hundreds fifties tens he must search amongst all the people for such far and neer and if in one Tribe he cannot find them he must in another The time hath been that seniority money favour friendship hath carryed the great places in this City but you have smarted for it in stead of good Angels you have had il spirits now I hope you will not look who hath most money in his hutch best friends to back him but most wisdome in his head and zeal in his heart and God on his side now I trust you will learn of God and imploy such as have the faces of men Lions Oxen and Eagles men full of wisdome courage trust serviceablenesse to the publike and of great dispatch such should be in the City in the Army So for the Church you know what men God points you to 1 Tim. 3. and 1 Pet. 5. Gods Bishops must not Lord it over Gods heritage and exercise dominion over it Gods Officers must not be Prelaticall it 's the fleece and not the flock that such men look after unlesse it be to scatter to wound their conscience and suck their blood some of that Sect in stead of preaching to save souls have only plotted to ruine Kingdomes 3. That Angels being noble and glorious creatures disdain not to do service to them that are far beneath themselves Man at first when in his glory was under the Angels but now since he sinn'd he is fallen lower as low as hell man is now a miserable mortall creature he hath a vile body a defiled conscience and a polluted soul yet Angels that are stiled Gods Psal 8.5 so is the originall that are Cherubims of glory Heb. 9.5 that are holy Mat. 25.31 Elect 1 Tim. 5.21 that are of the privie Councell of Heaven and the life-guard of God himself Matth. 18.10 even these blessed creatures are not ashamed to serve us though we have the sent of the earth and hell about us though we do oft grieve and offend them with our sinfull carriages and the great God their Lord and Master yet they despise us not but cheerfully minister unto us Would any great Prince attend a mean man full of sores and vermine if so it argues wonderfull humility it 's more that Angels do in waiting upon us it 's monstrous pride then in men that have parts place honour greatnesse grace what ever it be not to stoop to those that are inferiour thou hast not more worth in thee any way then an Angel hath and Angels condescend to serve us therefore let not us minde high things but condescend to men of low estate and not be wise in our own conceit Rom. 12.16 4. That God affects speed in his service Angels are swift as Eagles and dispatch great things in a little time they know a dull lazie motion is not the motion heaven approves Zach. 2.4 saith one Angel to another Run speak to the young man going is not sufficient where running can be had Festina lente is not a Motto for heaven gates In the worst work that ever was in the world Christ calls for speed What thou dost do quickly Joh. 13.27 when Judas was about his treason Speed and life in businesses is commendable acceptable Matth. 5.25 Agree with thine adversary quickly Zach. 8.21 Darius would have his decree done speedily Ezra 6.12 and God would have his Decrees and Will fulfilled done with speed It 's Gods will now that you should help him against the mighty When the Temple was to be built the people came so fast brought in so much that they were bid to stay and that work of theirs was pleasing to God and man We have a Babel to pull down as well as a Temple to build can you be imployed better Luke 16. you are Stewards may quickly be call'd to account Be speedy in what you do In the the 11th verse you have one thing more touching their faces and that is their faces were stretched upwards thus were their faces it 's in your books as if it had reference only to the former verse and not to that followes in the eleventh but Montanus and others that render the Hebrew exactly reade it thus But their faces and their wings were stretched upwards it 's true they have the faces of men and beasts but they are stretched upward they looked up to him that sate upon the Throne which was Christ the Cherubims faces Exod. 25.20 21. were towards the Mercy-seat and that was above upon the
Ark so that there and here the Cherubims these Angels looke upward Obser 1. That all creatures depend upon Christ these Angels have the faces of Men Lions Oxen Eagles and look up to him if there were nothing in it but this that Angels in their own nature looking up it might convince us that all inferiour creatures do depend upon him as well as those noble ones but when they come in with the faces of other creatures looking up it 's cleere evidence that all depend upon Christ Col. 1.16 17. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or Dominions Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and by him all things do consist he holds all in his hand heaven and earth men and Angels they all consist and subsist in him Heb. 1.3 He upholds all things by the word of his power 2. That in all our ministrations we are to have our instructions and directions from Christ Angels look up to him if hee speak they hear they move and act if not they stir not Moses and Aaron did nothing in the State or Church without direction from God Princes must look into the Law of God continually Deut. 1.7 that they may do things warrantably the Centurions souldiers and servants did come go and do at his appointment not their own and Angels run not of their own heads they will heare a word of command have a commission from Christ before they go It 's not enough that wee be knowing full of courage quick to dispatch much a Commission a Warrant from God we must have else all our doing is nothing nay let us do the will of God without knowing wee are warranted by God to do it it 's rather sin then service Pro. 3.5 6. Lean not to thine own understanding let it be never so great acute cleere it 's not beyond Angels they look up to God and so must thou In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christ is the great Counsellour and wee must not in one or two or some great exigence of businesse consult with him but in all our wayes what ever we attempt for our selves families State Church we must consult with him sits upon the Throne and he will direct our paths Most miscarry in their wayes or make little progresse because they consult not at all or very little with Christ whereas if men did consult with Christ and do all upon his warrant upon a divine ground they should never miscarry in their ways but proceed farther in the paths of godlinesse in a few weeks then they did before in may yeeres when David had consulted with God he could say God was at his right hand so that he should not be moved Psa 16. 3. That the pleasure of Christ is worthy our waiting for Angels look up and attend what he will say and make known unto them these holy glorious and mighty creatures think not much to wait upon Christ and exercise their patience till he please to reveal his minde Christ is a great King the only Counsellour and his counsell of infinite worth and it 's not State but equity that all creatures wait upon him Angels do it shall we grudge at it Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Behold as the eyes of servants looke to the hand of their Master and as the eyes of a maiden to the hands of her Mistresse so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God He interprets the meaning of looking up which is waiting upon God for manifestation of himself Psal 5.3 David would direct his Prayer to God and look up not down to the world downe to corruption but up to God what he would speak Psal 85.8 I will heare what God the Lord will speak Mic. 7.7 Let the resolution of the Prophet be thine I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear mee 4. That Christ is an object of admiration and adoration The looking upwards is Signum admirationis typus reverentiae the Cherubims looked towards the Mercy-seate admiring and adoring him was figured by it and wee lift up our faces towards heaven when we admire and adore God you have the phrase in Job 22.26 Thou shalt have thy delight in the Almightie and lift up thy face unto God That is admire and adore that God thou delightest in Where is most delight there is most admiration and adoration Christ is the delight of Angels when he was incarnate they bowed downe to pry into that mystery and now he is glorified they look up to admire him there is matter of admiration in Christ all in him is not yet drawne out and discovered 2 Thes 1.10 Christ shall come to be admired in all them that beleeve As it 's in a Country when it 's discovered still new and new things are met with so in Christ Rev. 22.1 2. There the vision of Christ is compared to River-water and that is alwayes new fresh and to a tree of life with twelve manner of fruits every moneth The vision and fruition of God is new savoury and pleasant unto them every moneth day and houre and this is to Angels as well as to any other 2. To adore him Heb. 1.2 Let all the Angels of God adore him They doe look up acknowledge him God and tender to him that glory the Father hath even adoration Christ that was despised rejected of men the stone disallowed of the Master builders that we hid our faces from and esteemed not he is the object of Angels adoration 5. That the service of Jesus Christ is honorable service Angels doe stretch up their faces and waite for it and it 's the glory of the Angels that they are ministring Spirits sent out by Christ Heb. 1.14 is a comparison between the glory of Christ and Angels and their glory is that they are his servants we think the service of great persons an honour to us Who is greater then Christ all power in heaven and earth is given unto him Mat. 28. And he is more honorable then all Princes he is King of Kings and must be honoured as the Father Joh. 5. Servire Deo est regnare Philo. The Apostles counted it their great honour to be servants of Christ Paul James Jude Peter begin their Epistles with it they set it in the front as the most honourable title this service is liberty not bondage Servitus Christianorum regia est l bertas August in Psal 99. his Spirit is a Spirit of libertie his Law is a law of libertie and Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made me free from the law of sinne and death he is not the servant of Christ is the slave of Satan this service is spirituall profitable honourable David had rather be a doore-keeper in Christs
house then dwell in the Tents and Courts of wickednesse Psal 84. Luther said He had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar Joh. 12.26 If any man will serve me him will my Father honour if wee serve Christ Angels are our fellow-servants Rev. 22.9 6. That holy creatures have heavenly minds Angels look up and that in their imployments their eyes are fixed above upon the Lord Christ and it 's certain where there is holinesse it carries upward water will rise as high as the spring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from looking upwards or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same Os homini sublime dedit and so doth the water of the Spirit Pauls conversation was in heaven Phil. 3.20 Rev. 10.2 An Angel hath sea and earth under his feet and Rev. 12.1 The Church hath the Moone under her feete all ceremoniall worship all mutables in the world and saith Cant. 7.10 I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me The Church finding Christs affection towards her cannot but look out and look up Most men look downwards and are neither like Angels nor men more like swine wormes moules Many are loath to come neere God lest he should say Put off thy shooes from thy feete put off thy earthlinesse if we would have God look down from heaven we must look up to heaven David said When I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.18 He was with God when he lay downe and with him when he awaked and rose The next thing is their wings mentioned in the sixt verse every one had foure wings and verse 8. under their wings on their foure sides and in the 8th they foure had their faces and their wings and in the 9th their wings were joyned one to another 11th their wings were stretched upward two of every one was joyned one to another and two covered their bodies Angels are set forth to us in Scripture with wings here with foure In Isa 6. and Rev. 4. with six wings each of them and they are said to be winged for the agilitie of their natures and swift motion in executing their office Omnis spiritus ales est Tertullian saith Every Spirit is winged they fly in a moment into any part of the world to execute the commands of God Gabriel came flying to Daniel Chap. 9.21 and that swiftly Astronomers observe that from the center of the earth which is 3000. to the surface up to the Sunne is above foure millions of miles to the Firmament where the fixed starres are Clavius in Sphaeram Lessius de omnipot Dei above fourscore millions of miles and from thence to the place of the blessed where Saints and Angels are more millions then from the earth to the Firmament So that according to their account it must be above 160. millions from heaven to earth and this space the Angel came flying in a little time we thinke a Bullet out of a Musket flies swiftly and it doth for it hits the bird or mark ere the report is heard and will fly 180. miles in an houre according to its motion The Sunne moves swifter 1160000 miles in one houre the fixed starres about the aequinoctiall Moone 42. millions of miles each houre and yet the motion of an Angel is swifter being a Spirit and passing through the ayre without opposition no creature in heaven or earth moves faster then an Angel Their wings are foure but the Seraphims in Isa 6. and the foure Beasts in Rev. 4. are set out by six wings each of them A question hereupon arises Why the Visions being correspondent the Angels here are described onely with foure wings Ans That paire of wings is wanting here did cover the face of Isaiah his Seraphims and Johns foure beasts for they standing before the throne and face of God were not able to behold such Majestie brightnesse and glory with open face although they were most pure creatures We cannot look upon the Sunne in its strength and glory but we cover our eyes with our hand so they their faces with their wings now here was something in stead of these wings and did the office of those wings and that was the Firmament Ver. 22. The likenesse of the firmament upon the heads of the living creatures and ver 26. Above the firmament was the throne This firmament interposed between the lustre of divine glory and their eyes as the wings did in the Prophets and Apostles vision and therefore here was no need of that paire of wings they were not before the throne but sub expanso and to doe works beneath in the world Observ That the glory and Majesty of God is such as no eye can fully behold there wings here the firmament is interposed between God and Angels When God came downe upon Mount Sinai and manifested his majestie and glory what said the people Speake thou to us and not the Lord lest we die They could not endure the shine of Moses face much lesse the lustre and majestie of the Lords something must interveene else man dyes for it Touching the wings of these our Angels three things are laid downe 1. The conjunction of their wings 2. The Extention of them 3. The use The Conjunction is in the 9th verse Their wings were joyned one to another and ver 11. Two wings of every one were joyned one to another The extremitie of their wings when stretched out and ready to flie did touch one another so as they seem'd to have but one wing Observ 1. That there is mutuall love and much agreement between the Angels the Connexion of their wings notes the Connexion of their hearts and the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Sisters that love one another intirely and work together most sweetly so are the Angels they love and labour together most sweetly Foemina ad sororem suam there be no divisions or distractions among them what businesse soever is appointed they all agree in wee men can hardly agree in any one businesse Aliud stans aliud sedâ—ns de republica sentis Declam in Ciceron so many men so many minds Salust told Tullie that his minde was very changeable concerning the Common-wealth and it 's true of most of us what we allow now in matters of the State or Church wee condemne anon and so are at agreement neither with others nor with our selves but Angelicall concord parallels yea exceeds our discord Angels are all love peace and unitie Alae aequaliter extentae elevatae conjunctae 2. That there is a blessed harmony in the works of God done by Angels their wings goe evenly joyntly not one before another above another divided any way but there is unitie and uniformitie in all their actions and operations Could wee behold the actions and works of Angels wee should see such glory and beauty as never was seene in the works of men If we look upon a building that is uniforme and every part proportionable wee
in pede ad quem pertinebat onus totius corporis quod per lincam rectam incumberet De Subtil they are called the strong men and Cant. 5.15 Christs legs are said to be as pillars of marble and Scaliger saith that mens firmnesse is in their feete on which the burden of the whole body directly depends Here then we have the firmnesse and constancy of Angels to goe on in Gods work no burthen can make them buckle no act no force can put them out of their way no wearinesse can make them sit still Angels will meet and stop Balaam and give him commands the Angel will have Lot out of Sodome The sole of their feet was like the sole of a Calves foot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it were the sole of a round foot Quasi planta pedis rotundi pedes rotundos like a globe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cumt alaribus Horat. Ad omnen occasionem nutum Dei. so the Hebrew signifieth both round and a Calf that is fat and hath round feet smooth round and movable to carry any way the Septuagint hath it winged feet Mercury the Poets god was painted with shoes which had wings This sets out unto us both the swiftnesse of Angels of which before and also their usefulnesse to move any way to do service in any part of the world like a Bowle or Globe is equally disposed for motion into any of the four quarters of the world so are the Angels ready to move any way upon every occasion and hint from heaven man cannot do so one man is fit for one service not for all one is fit for counsell another for war a third for Sea a fourth for Land c. They sparkled like the colour of burnished brasse Steel or Brasse being polished or burnished shines very beautifull and sends out eye-dazling beams such as have much glory in them and by this colour of their feet we are led into these observations Obser 1. That the Angels are unpolluted in all their ministrations they contract no filth no soile to their feet when they are in motion they are pure spirits act purely and abide most pure their feet are like polished not polluted burnished not blemished brasse and so hold forth to us an example of purity in our ministrations that wee should be conversant in them so as to be unblemished 1 Tim. 2.8 lifting up holy hands c. 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought yee to be in all manner of holy conversation here it 's answered like Angels 2. That the works of God by Angels or men done rightly with a streight foot that is done according to Gods will have much glory and efficacy in them they shine like the polished brasse there is their glory and sparkle there is their efficacy When the Angel destroyed Senacharibs host what glory and efficacy was in that work When the Angel came to Manoah and went up from him in a flame of fire how glorious was this sight how efficacious was the work in the heart of Manoah John preached the truth with a right foot and without delay when call'd to it and hee was a burning and a shining light Joh. 5.35 Herod found him so Mark 6.20 He feared John knowing hee was a just and holy man the glory of his justice and holinesse shines into his head and the power of them affected his heart hee knew hee feared actions done according to Gods will hold forth much of God in them 1 Cor. 14.24 If an unbeliever come in and heare them prophecy that is according to the minde of God carry the action as becomes the Church and the presence of God he is convinced and almost converted and saith God is in you of a truth hee sees so much glory feels so much power that hee can contain no longer c. Isa 52.7 Their feet are beautifull to your eyes and their actions are efficacious in your hearts Gods will is the Standard and measure of all actions and when they are done according to it they are very glorious and beautifull 3. That they are cheerfull in the wayes and works of God they go not dully about their service their feet do shine they have more delight in doing one act of Gods will then wee have in doing all the naturall acts of our lives you shall finde them in a sweet posture and frame alwayes Rev. 4.9 they give glory honour and thanks to God and Rev. 5. they are brought in singing and singing a new song which notes their cheerefulnesse and intention of it so in Luke 2. ver 13 14. Angels are the Quiristers of heaven they make heaven heavenly The last part they are described by is their hands VERS 8. They had the hands of a man under their wings SOme would make sixteen hands to each living creature or face but that 's not likely we finde no number set down and therefore will be content to leave that undisputed whether two four eight or sixteen Hands they had and hands of a man and that under their wings on their four sides The hand notes action Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findest to do do it with thy might So Prov. 3.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist 3. de anima The Philosopher calls it the Instrument of Instruments and saith God hath given to man two speciall Organs to the body the hand to the soul reason and look what use reason is of to the soul the hand is of the like use unto the body yea soul reason body are all beholden to the hand for the service that it doth the great things in families Cities Kingdomes are done by the hand Scalig. faith Scal. exercit 256. Nature hath armed man with three things Reason Speech Hands Reason is the hand of the understanding Speech the hand of Reason and Hand the Executresse of Speech that doth the commands all things would be as dead if the hand did not quicken them by the spirit and motion of art Obser 1. That Angels are fit for service they have hands and hands are not made in vain they are for work where there are no hands no power strength or way to put forth that power there is no fitnesse for service but Angels have power and wayes to execute that power they have hands not for ornament but for action 2. That Angels do their works rationally they have the hands of a man look as men do manage the works of their hands judiciously and wisely so do Angels there is nothing defective superfluous perverse rash indiscreet or culpable in their ministrations they know all circumstances and misse not in any how wisely did the Angel manage the businesse with Mary Luke 1.28 hee salutes her shee feares In the 30. verse hee comforts her and tels her shee should conceive and have such a son as never woman had and when she doubted of it ver 34. How shall this be seeing I know not man ver 35. the
Angel tels her The Holy Ghost c. And farther see the wisdome of the Angel he tels her ver 36. that her Cousin Elizabeth had conceived a son in her old age and that was the sixth moneth with her and how ever thou thinkest it impossible for thee that art young without man to conceive and for her is old with man to conceive ver 37. yet nothing is impossible with God 3. That knowledge must issue into actions Angels are full of eyes and full of hands too their actions are answerable to their knowledge Rev. 4.8 They are full of eyes within and they rest not day and night if they have no service in the world beneath they will be praising God above they know much and therefore act much Knowledge without practice is little worth Scire tuum nihil est n si te scire hoc sciat alter Pers if hid from others it is as nothing as not being saith the Poet Unlesse Learning Knowledge be improv'd it 's of no account the Egyptians painted a tongue and a hand under it to shew that Knowledge and Speech is efficacious and good Quid prodest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian when that which is known and said is done What good doth the unpracticall speech of Golden-tongued men Let men be Chrysostomes golden-headed and golden-mouthed if they be not golden-handed too it 's nothing God would not have us all eye and rest in knowledge Joh. 13.17 If yee know these things happy are yee if yee do them and Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commands that they may have right to the tree of life happinesse is intailed to doing not knowing and the Angels seem to finde greater happinesse in doing Gods commands abroad in the world then standing alwayes in his presence Psal 103.20 They hearken unto the voyce of his word if he bid them go they are gone and account it their greatest honour to be doing they have hands and would not be idle knowledge without action is a man without arms it 's wine shut up in the vessell that doth good to none and will corrupt at last and ma◠the vessell such knowledge will be like the poyson that lies long in the body and at last kills without remedy 4. That Angels are great agents and do much service they have hands on their foure sides at least they had four hands and they were able to do much and great service some make more and no hands of theirs is idle one Angel can do more then thousands of men witnesse that great slaughter in a night and other things formerly spoken of Briareus a great doer is said to have an hundred hands 5. That God doth carry on his works here in the world by invisible vertue by hands under wings by wayes and means not seen There is vis plastica in the womb which forms and perfects the birth yet is not seen and in the womb of the world God hath vires plasticae which form and perfect his works yet not seen much is done by the power of Angels yet their power not seen Mighty things are done by Gods Spirit in the Ordinances in the Assembly in our hearts and yet Gods Spirit is an invisible agent the Minister the Word would not do it unlesse some invisible vertue went along therewith Zaeh 4.2 3. though none were found to powre oile into the Lamps yet God had Olive trees were not thought of nor seen Zachary saw not the Candlestick Bowle Lamps or two Olive trees till the Angel awakened him and made him see that God had wayes to communicate vertue unto the Church he knew not of and that though the Church were poor low not able to make a considerable Army to carry them to Jerusalem and plant them there yet he had his Spirit to work it out for them and therefore saith Not by might not by power but by my Spirit 2 Thes 2.8 The Lord shall consume Antichrist by the Spirit of his mouth and so the two witnesses Fire goes out of their mouths and devours their adversaries Rev. 11.5 in an invisible way by a secret work It was a hand under the wing that made peace betwixt Scotland and us that gathered this Parliament that hath and doth keep it it 's invisible vertue that hath made them unanimous and magnanimous invisible vertue that upholds this Kingdome that restrains the remainder of wrath that daunts the adversary that hath shaken the Prelacy and brought forth the great things in our dayes it 's the hand under the wing that hath opened the hearts and purses of many to further the great service in hand 6. That wee are to do Gods works without noise or notice of our selves Angels that are agents for God have their hands under their wings their actions are seen but not their hands In Jud. 13. when Manoah Catechized the Angel and asked him What is thy name v. 17. the Angel would not tell him but said Why askest thou thus after my name seeing it is secret ver 18. And you shall not finde the names of above two Angels in Scripture Gabriel and Michael Angels are jealous of Gods glory and had rather conceale their hands and names then God should lose the least degree of his glory for Manoah would therefore have known his name that he might have honoured the Angel afterward and we are very apt to look at the instrument and neglect the principall it 's wisdome to muffle up our selves and to hold forth God as much as may be Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works c. he doth not say that they may see you but see your good works and glorifie their father not you As Fishers they would have the bait seen not themselves they would catch the fish with their bait not scare them with their sight Mat. 6.1 Take heed you do not your almes before men to be seen of them almes must be given but wee and our hands must be hid Paul exhorts the Philippians to hold forth the word of life Phil. 2.16 not themselves but the Word of God which is the word of life 7. That their operations and presence are together they are not in heaven and so work on earth or in one part of the world and work in another but their hands are under their wings whither their wings do carry them there they act and not elsewhere The Angel came down to stir the water in the pool Joh. 5.4 and cure the Party that stept in first they have not that power to work at any distance 8. That Angelicall vertue and nature is hid from us it 's too high for our capacity their hands their operative vertue we cannot discover or see into a little of the Angels is presented to us by these faces wings feet hands c. but the distinct knowledge of Angels as Angels is reserv'd til wee are like the Angels in heaven therefore wee must
may heare and not heare c. What 's the reason Christ knocks at the dore so oft and is not let in the heart is dead asleep or abroad 4. Ad transitum facici suae aut tractum faciei suae objectum So Piscat That Angels have the scope and marke in their eye which they aime at They went every one streight forward the Hebrew is to the way or passage of his face that path was before his face that is they went thither where their eyes or faces were fixed as they looke not back nor aside so they alwayes looke upon the marke each goeth forward to that is before him this keeps them on to the work and in the work they have the marke in their eye Pro. 4.25 Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids looke streight before thee looke to the charge appointed to that is right to that is set before thee of God and this will quicken thy industry Phil. 3.13 14. Forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth unto those things which are before I presse towards the marke Paul had not his eye upon what was done bygone or on what was upon either side of him but upon that was before him the marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heaven eternall life was the marke in his eye and he pressed after them he was as intent upon them and as pursuant of them as he was in the work of persecuting the Saints he reached after them as the one thing necessary Assequitur nulla qui sequitur multa Is Angelicus qui nec multus nec varius est we set not the mark before us in stead of heaven Christ eternall life we have the world our pleasures and a multitude of things in our eyes and so we are divided and doe nothing 5. That Angels minde and pursue every one his own work not others They went forward to the worke object mark set before their faces he that had his work designed him in the East minded not his work lay in the West each acted his own part and fell not upon any thing concern'd another although their imployments lay the same way what was before their faces that they did and nothing else Devills compasse the earth and medle with all men and with all matters it 's not so with the good Angels they kept their station and doe keep order they intermedle not with ought concerns them not The Apostle would have Christians to be Angelicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 4.11 Study to doe your own businesse those things concerne our generall and particular calling if men will with their wit and curiositie run out of their bounds they are extravagant and busi-bodies Some think because they are Neighbours they may medle in all contentions because Subjects they may interpose in all State-affaires because Christians deale with others sinnes but this is to break the hedge to break out of our own callings into others and such though they seeme great doers doe nothing 2 Thes 3.11 There are some among you that walke disorderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working not at all they are busie-bodies What busie and doe nothing Yes because they doe things impertinent unto them unfruitfull unprofitable out of place When Peter medl'd too far in Johns matters What shall this man doe Christ takes him up sharply What is that to thee Joh. 21.22 And some thinke this made Peter so sharpe against that sinne afterwards and to looke upon it as bad as theft and murther 1 Pet. 4.15 Let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thiefe or as an evill doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters They ran and returned Here is the qualitie of their motion it was swift they had wings to fly and feete to run much hath been spoken of the Angels swiftnesse I shall here therefore touch upon their returne when their work is done they make no stay they linger not at all but returne with all speed when God sends them out or calls them in their motion is very speedy it 's set out here by a flash of lightning that is the soonest into the world and out againe of any sensible creature in a moment it is in your houses and out againe in a moment it shines from East to West and is gone it 's very glorious and marvellous active Angels are Cherubims of glory Heb. 9.5 and the most active of all Gods works and when their work is finished they retire immediately as lightening when it 's come to its period doth reciprocate and fall back into its selfe without delay so doe the Angels returne to him sent them out to know his farther pleasure and to doe him more service Obs 1. That Angels in their services are glorious and terrible They are like the lightning which shines dazles and doth dreadfull things Judg. 13.20 When Manoah and his wife saw the Angel goe up to heaven in a flame of fire they fell downe on their faces to the ground and thought they should dye ver 22. It was a received opinion among the Jews that if they saw God or an Angel they should dye upon it Judg 6.22 23. Gideon a mightie man of valour cryes out Alas O Lord God because I have seen an Angel of the Lord face to face and the Lord said Feare not thou shalt notidye If they had a vision being awake they apprehended death but they never had experience of any that dyed upon any such occasion this rose rather from the apprehension of glory majesty in God and Angels and consciousness of their own weaknes guilt as not able to abide the presence of those glorious creatures that came immediatly from the presence of the glorious God and we finde that some have been much affrighted and almost struck dead at the presence of the holy Angels Mat. 28.2 3 4. An Angel comes from heaven whose countenance was like lightning and his rayment as the Sunne and for feare of him the Keepers of the Sepulchre did shake and became like dead men there was no spirit left in them the glory of the Angel did exanimate them they are glorious and terrible in their ministrations and so should the Ministers of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angels of the Church be Nazianz. saith of Basil his speech was thunder and his life lightning Such were James and John Boanerges sonnes of thunder Mark 3.17 They were terrible to sinners in their preaching like thunder and lightning 2. That account is to be rendered to God of all our services whom God sets awork he will reckon with Angels returne and become responsable to God their Lord and Master those mightie and glorious creatures when their work is finished doe willingly and chearfully returne and give in their answer God looks for it and they delight to doe it and account we must all give of our work in the world Rom. 14.12 Every one of us
shall give account of himselfe unto God God will say to us Come give account of your Stewardships Luk. 16.2 Every one hath a talent is a Steward hath some trust committed to him and he must not thinke to run and never returne let men act how they will returne they shall be they never so great be they Princes Magistrates Commanders c. Eccles 12. God shall bring every worke unto Judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill both the work and the workman must be questioned Mat. 12.36 Of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account of in the day of Judgement 3. That Angels are lively and unweariable in their negotiations they run and returne as a flash of lightning when they had done great service in the world they were as lively at the end of it as at the beginning they return back with as much life and speed as they went forth and were ready for new imployments they return'd as to give account of what was done so to receive new commands and worke This is a good patterne for us all that in the workes of God those imployments he calls us to we grow not weary of one sinne fits for another and men are unweariable in that trade So one dutie should fit for another and wee should never be tyred in our spirits Ad laetitiam et animi pacem magnum pondus habent rectae actiones though we be in our bodies Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary in well-doing the wicked are weary of and in well-doing What profit is it say they that wee keepe his Commandements and that we walke humbly before the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3.14 When will the new Moone be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat Amos 8.5 Psal 36.3 He hath left off to be wise and to doe good Mal. 1.13 They said What a wearinesse is it and snuffed at it and brought that was torne lame sicke but the godly are never weary of Gods work Desidia est mors superstes Vacua est vita though sometimes they are weary in it through the strength of the flesh weaknesse of grace and other discouragements but they having tasted how gracious the Lord is are not will not cannot be weary of his service his Commandements are not grievous to them 4. That they seek not themselves but the honour and glory of their Master they stay not when their work is done upon pleasure curiositie to see or know any thing but immediately returne and are taken up wholly with the glorifying of God they are attent watching his Commands for they look up they are intent upon his work they turne not to either side look not backe but goe streight forward they contend for his glory they runne returne and give account and would have new Commissions be at work againe and have God to be glorified to their utmost abilities Isa 6.3 Holy holy is the Lord of Host the whole earth is full of his glory they see God so glorious excellent and holy in himselfe so glorious in all his works that they minde not themselves but God and make it their onely and great designe to glorifie God Rev. 4.8 9. And this is our duty and comfort if done 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether you eate or drinke c. The glory of the infinite holy wise and great God should be precious to us we should attend his commands intend his worke contend against all lets within or without and promote his worke and glory to our utmost That worke is not referr'd to Gods glory but our gaine credit or profit is a dead work Omnibus operibus nostris coelestis intentio adjungi debet Aquinas The School-men call for a right intention in every work as that which animates and inlivens the same and though we cannot actually intend Gods glory alwayes in every thing yet there should be a vertuall intention of it A bowle runs an arrow flies by vertue of that arme first sent them forth and all our actions should proceed in the strength of a morning or primary intention of Gods glory One thing yet remaines touching the motion of Angels namely the efficient cause of their motion and it 's the Spirit set down in these words VER 12. Whither the Spirit was to goe they went SOme doubt there is what is meant by the Spirit here not the counsell or will of the Angels and so the sense to be that they went which way they had a minde whither their own wills and spirit carried them and my reason is because they are brought in here as servants and officers and therefore not to be left to their own wills but to be under command and at the will of another Souldiers goe not where they please but where their Generall pleaseth By Spirit we are to understand neither the will of Angels nor winds nor the soule of man for Spirit in Scripture doth signifie all these but the essentiall and eternall Spirit of God and this is evident by the 20th verse Whithersoever the Spirit was to goe they went it 's not said whithersoever their Spirit was to goe they went but whithersoever the Spirit that is the Holy Ghost coessentiall and coequall with the Father and the Sonne whither that Spirit of wisdome and power led them thither they went when that Spirit bad them returne they returned as that Spirit moved them so they moved Object The Spirit of God neither goes nor moves from place to place being infinite how then can this be meant of the Spirit Ans This is spoken humanitùs after the manner of men in regard of the vision Ezekiel had Non mutatione loci aut essentiae sed declaratione potentiae gratiae it seemed so to him but the Spirit being infinite neither goes nor moves by reall change of place or essence but by declaration of its power and grace When the Spirit or God doth that is unusuall then they are said to come and be present Againe the Spirit went in the Angels not simply in it selfe there was in the Angels imperium impetus Spiritus the imposition and impression of the Spirit which carried them on Observ That Angels although exceeding wise full of knowledge active and able to doe great service yet are not at their own dispose they move not at their own pleasure they went not where they listed Let the abilities of the creature be never so rare excellent they must be under the power of a Superior they must be ordered and directed by a higher cause Angels themselves are not Lords of themselves they are not sui juris much lesse men that are lower then Angels 1 Cor. 6.19 Men are bought and they must be his servants at his dispose that hath bought them and that is God And therefore they must not abuse their bodies and soules to fornication any sinne but glorifie God with both 2. That it
direct them to their journeyes end so that they misse not the marke they aime at What if many second causes be ignorant blind know not their own motions yet if they have guides infallible to lead them it 's sufficient to conduct them to the intended end If a seeing dog can lead a blind begger from place to place direct his motion to the desired end shall not the eye of providence lead any all second causes to their end Providence is an unerring thing and disappoints not God of his expectation The Pilot carries a great ship from harbour to harbour over the Seas through the stormes and fulfils the mind of the Master and so Providence carries the great wheels up and down to the very place appointed 4. The least motions of the wheels are not without providence some think that the great things in kingdomes and the world are transacted by providence but for they lesser they passe in a casuall manner providence reaches them not but the eyes were every where the wheels were full of eyes not a few eyes here and there one but in every part that so mans minde might be freed from such sinister thoughts as that there should be any motion of any wheel without the direction and influence of providence God hath made the least and greatest creatures and hee causeth the least and greatest motions Providentia ita curaâ— omnia ut unum aliquid ita singula ut si illud curaret unicum August in Confess And the Schoolmen say that providence is infinita in omnibus infinita in singulis Let us pitch our thoughts upon some lesser motion the dispensation of a lot the fall of a haire from the head the preparations of the heart the answer of the tongue these are all of the Lord and directed by providence the earth loseth not a pile of grasse the trees not a leafe the water not a fish the aire not a bird without an ordinance of providence 5. Providence orders the motion of the rings and wheels in all parts all the world over not one two or three wheels had eyes but all foure had eyes round about them God by his divine providence ordered things as well in Babylon as in Sion Providence wrought in Aegypt and in the red Sea As there are wheels in all parts of the world in all Kingdomes of the earth so there are eyes in all those wheels 6. The works of God in disposing and governing second causes are admirable glorious and beautifull workes The wheels were full of eyes fitly disposed wisely carried on certainly attaining their ends Could we see the eyes in the wheels we should never fault the workes of God in the world but stand and admire their glory and beauty when the heavens are vailed with clouds we have sowre and discontented thoughts of the heavens themselves but when the clouds are gone that we can see the Starres those eyes of heaven then we admire their beauty and glory and certainly it 's a most glorious sight to see the heavens full of starres in a cleare night and it 's no lesse glorious to see the eyes in the wheels and the choice acts of providence in all their turnings and windings Caussin saith the world in all its parts is ruled like a paper with musick lines and if wee could see those lines they would be as glorious as lines of gold 7. The motions of the wheels are such as that they hold out a providence to all there is something in the wheels that none can reach and something that any may see they are full of eyes and the weakest may see one providence or other if not all the eyes yet some of them there be mysteries in the wheels to exercise the greatest and eyes to satisfie the weakest As no man but sees the stars in the heaven at one time or other so no man but may see the eyes in the wheels That evill doth not over-run all and the wicked devour the good argues a providence In one of the Conanie Islands Johannes Metellus saith there is a tree which drops water at every leafe and sufficeth the Inhabitants and their flocks being a drie Island without water Mithridates when in his cradle had his clothes consumed with lightning and his body not toucht A father and a son shipwrackt at sea the son sail'd to shoar upon the back of his dead father In these particulars and such like providence doth eminently appeare VERS 19. And when the living creatures went the wheels went by them and when the living creatures were lift up from the earth the wheels were lift up 21. When those went these went when those stood these stood and when those were lifted up from the earth the wheels were lifted up over against them Here we have 1. The motion of the wheels farther commended unto us 2. Their station 3. The time of both THe motion was forwards upwards and downwards and for the time of their motion and station it was when the creatures moved or stood as the Cherubims moved so moved the wheels forward upward downward and when they stood still the wheels stood The kind and manner of their motions with their rest depended on the living creatures they moved equally at their motion What 's meant by the lifting up of the wheels must be inquired for Angels to be lifted up is not strange they are heavenly creatures and heaven is their habitation But for the wheels to be lifted up that is very strange wee must search out the sense for into heaven they were not lifted Expositers leave us in the dark all except one that I have met with passe over this difficulty and what I find in that one is this the lifting up of the Angels and the wheels referre to the supreme cause and seems to tell us that inferiour and superiour causes wheels and Angels are under the regiment of the first cause and if wee take the words actively as Montanus doth render them viz. the living creatures in lifting up themselves from the earth the wheels lift up themselves also and that is they looked up to heaven for direction and assistance which may well be called a lifting up themselves Psal 25.1 Vnto the Lord do I lift up my soul that is to thee do I look for counsel comfort strength If wee take the words passively when the living creatures are lift up from the earth the wheels were lift up then I will give you my thoughts what the sense may be and it 's this the lifting up is not meant of lifting up to heaven but to service when God should more then in an ordinary way let out himself to the Angels give them new light new strength and so lift them up to great service then the wheels also were lifted up proportionably to do their parts and the words in the Text invite me to conceive it to be the sense because it 's said The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels
when God by his Spirit lifted up the Angels to great imploiments then that Spirit lifted up the wheels the second causes to more then ordinary service and the word lifting up notes service a higher degree of it then before 2 King 19.4 Lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left Hezekiah sends to Isaiah when Rabshakeh blasphemed and Jerusalem was besieged and saith Isaiah thou art a Prophet and hast more then an ordinary measure of the Spirit lift up thy prayer let it be extraordinary such as may lift up the spirits of all to joyn with thee higher then ever such as may lift up Jerusalem out of misery So Jehoiaehin when he was set up upon the throne to governe and to do great service it 's said his head was lifted up Jer. 52. and so in Psal 12.10 the lifting up of Gods hand notes doing of some great matter The next thing inquirable into is the standing of the living creatures and the wheels when the one stood the other stood do the Angels stand still at any time they are active spirits and alwayes in motion Two things this standing implies 1. A cessation from any service in hand at the will and pleasure of God if he would call off the Angels from their imployments before they were finished In this sense the Angels are said to stand and so the second causes they used although they were both imployed in some other service or 2. When they had perfected any work in hand then they were said to stand not idle but in expectation of a new Commission like faithfull servants when their work is done present themselves before their Master and demand their pleasure so the Angels and second causes hearken what God will say more and what is the next word and work to be done they wait upon God for new instructions Observ 1. The motions of this inferiour world and the second causes in it do depend upon higher causes even heavenly motions the ministery of Angels The observation is plain from the words When the living creatures went the wheels went by them If the Angels move the wheels move also they are great things the Angels have in their hands the wheels of Nature of States and Kingdomes yea of the Church it self 2. Nothing in the world is casuall many things seem so to us but in veritate rei are not so all things here below move at the motions of others and that which is ordered by the motion of Angels or God himself cannot be casuall The wheels are moved by Angels Angels by God himself God directs all nothing happens falls out amongst us wherein the hand of God or Angels is not things are not accidentall if a thing could drop from the heavens or be done on earth without God and his Angels that were casuall and accidentall indeed And because men see not the immediate or remote causes of things who they be move the wheels on earth therefore they attribute effects events and accidentall things to fortune chance luck to good to bad dayes and hours which proclaims mens ignorance and forgetfulnesse of God Qui paratis mensam fortunae Hier. Qui ponitis mensam fortunae Vulg. Isai 65.11 Those that forget God prepared a table for that troop for Fortune some read it but those who know God acknowledge his eye and hand seeing and ordering all Austin misses his way and so escapes the danger of death was intended another being in a despairing humour seeks a knife a halter to undo himself and findes a great treasure a third hath his ring drops off his finger into the Sea and after finds it in the bowels of a fish God so directs all these accidentall things that there is nothing done but by a secret instinct and hint from himself Absconditum quid and in all such passages we should mind something of God 3. That nothing can let the motion of the wheels when Angels and Providence would have them stir When the living creatures moved the wheels went presently it 's not in the power of second causes of men or devils to hinder the work of God in the hand of Angels The King of Persia may withstand Gabriel 21. dayes together Dan. 10.13 but the wheels moved all the time Gabriel prevailed and Gods work prospered in his hand wicked men make head against God Providence Angels and think to stop the wheels when they move not on their side but all is in vain if a man should catch hold of a Chariot running to stop or turn the course of it were it not folly or madnesse in him and because he would be the Chariots remora that may prove his ruin so here men and devils do ruine themselves in opposing the wheels which notwithstanding all oppositions proceed and keep their course And let me tel you a riddle Gods works go on through the hearts heads and hands of his greatest enemies Providence fetches them in and makes them subservient to the worke they oil the wheels although they know it not and forward the work though against their wils God in this kind makes use of kine and cart men and devils yea any creature to carry his Ark to its place 4. That God doth sometimes raise the spirit of the creature to more then an ordinary heighth and inables it to unwonted service The living creatures and wheels were lifted up So Moses when called up to the mount his spirit was raised much else the service had been too hot and hard for him Joshuah was advanced when it was told him that there should not any man stand before him all the dayes of his life Josh 1.5 Jeremy tells the Jews that the Chaldeans whom they thought would depart and not meddle with their City hee tels them that though they had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans and that there remained but wounded men yet they should rise up every man in his Tent and burn the City with fire Jer. 37.10 When men are wounded thrust thorow as the Hebrew is they can have but little strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how should they be able to do it God would lift them up to that service as David when he grappled with the Bear and Lion incountred with Goliah had his spirit lifted up to a great heighth Hence that in Zachary 12.8 H◠that is feeble among you at that day shall be as David that is such a warrier as David who though a young stripling slew a Bear a Lion and Goliah and the house of David shall be as God and as the Angel of the Lord. The godly though weak yet shall be lifted up to divine and Angelicall strength this was made good in the time of the Maccabees when the people of God were weak Antiochus fierce and vile then God raised up the spirit of Judas Jonathan and Simeon to do extraordinary things this was also made good in the time of the Apostles what great things did they do and
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
hired to it Numb 24. 5. That the wheeles readily do the will of God and follow the Spirit where ever it goes thither their spirit was to go the Spirit was in the motion and therefore they are said to have eyes and the Spirit in them and to move at the motion of the Spirit wheels have roundnesse and so readinesse to move but not Gods way full of eyes they are and looke at Gods ends but if they had not the Spirit in them they would not move that way or if they did it would not be without dispute sloth murmuring it 's the Spirit makes them move the right way and readily in that way where the Spirit is in any there the motion is right and ready Ayre Sea Land have no vigour in them but what the Spirit puts in and they move as the Spirit will have them Psal 148.8 Fire and haile snow and vapour stormy wind fulfilling his word they all do the will of God fulfill his word readily they have the vigour of Gods Spirit in them Gen. 1.2 The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters not an Angel not the wind but the eternall Spirit of God and so they move by vertue of the Spirit into their place the Spirit createth cherisheth and sustains all things and they are all obedient to the call of the Spirit and tread in the paths of it all creatures move after the Spirit Psal 104.30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth Herbs Plants Trees Beasts Fowls all living creatures are created and formed by the Spirit and move according to those principles and instincts the Spirit puts into them their motions and services are no other then what the Spirit leads them unto and those motions they readily performe 6. The wheels and second causes do go on and move incessantly unweariably in the way the Spirit puts them they went whither the Spirit went neither the Spirit nor the wheels do faint or fail in their motions 7. The Spirit of God is a living and lively Spirit a Spirit of livelinesse it 's the Spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3.5 And the living God cannot have a dead and livelesse spirit it 's a Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus The Spirit hath life in it self it gives life to all Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life all life comes from this Fountain and Author of life Eve was called the mother of all living that is of all men and women but the Spirit is the father of all living men women and other creatures It 's the Spirit that maintains life Act. 17.28 Job 27.3 All the while my breath is in me the Spirit is in my nostrils the Spirit of God is in that breath and maintains life by it The Spirit quickens and improves life 2 Cor. 3.6 The Spirit quickens not only makes life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but makes lively it 's the Spirit that quickneth not only from death but from deadnesse and dulnesse Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out the meaning is Let the Spirit breath in the Ordinances and quicken up the Saints and then they will be lively active and fragrant as spicerie The Spirit rested upon Christ Isa 11. and he was quick in understanding and quicke in operation Act. 10.38 hee was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power and went about doing good the Spirit made them lively and so it 's the work of the Spirit that makes the Saints lively and active it 's the Spirit that leads unto life 8. It 's that Spirit of God which worketh all in all things the Spirit is in the wheels and works in them and by them we speak not now of the choice operations of the Spirit in the Elect but the common operations of the Spirit in all creatures There be admirable qualities instincts and excellent operations in Plants Birds Beasts what ever they be it 's the Spirit that wrought them there the Spirit is in the wheels the instincts in the Bees and Birds to build so curiously in the Locusts to go out by bands in the Ants to gather their meat in Summer in the Conneys to make their houses in the rocks in the Spider to weave so fine a web is put in by the Spirit of God 1 Sam. 10.6 The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophesie and be turned into another man that is thou shalt have gifts fit for government the Spirit wil instruct and inable thee to rule this people The consideration of this point should be a stay to our spirits which way soever the wheels move the Spirit of God is in them When we look abroad behold the crosse and confused motions of the world our hearts repine murmure sink in us shift and wee are ready to start aside out of our places to unwarrantable practices but let us remember the Spirit of God is in the wheels and stirs them at its owne pleasure If Shimei curse David sees God in that motion and saith Let him alone God hath bid him so Job when all was taken away by the Chaldeans Sabeans he was so far from impatience that hee falls a praising and blessing God there is no just ground of impatience in the world it 's the Spirit in the wheels which moves them It should also help our faith because in all designes of men motions of the wheels God hath his designe going on the Spirit is in the wheels which is an invisible but a strong agent and doth invisible work carrie on the Lords designe how ever the motions of the wheels seem to us let the wheel be intangled run stand still or move contrary wayes yet Gods work goes on and our faith should get up VER 22 c. And the likenesse of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of terrible Crystall stretched forth over their heads above 23. And under the firmament were their wings streight the one towards the other every one had two which covered on this side and every one had two which covered on that side their bodies 24. And when they went I heard the noyse of their wings like the noyse of great waters as the voyce of the Almighty the voyce of speech as the noyse of an host when they stood they let down their wings 25. And there was a voyce from the firmament that was over their heads when they stood and had let down their wings IN these Verses we have the fourth Vision or fourth part of the generall Vision which is concerning the firmament This Vision as formerly hath been shewne holds forth unto us the glory of God and of that glory which lies in his providence and government of the world wee have spoken in the
terrible Crystal such as caused dread in a Prophet what eye can look upon the Sun in its glory and strength could we see an Angel in his glory Jud. 6. Jud. 13. Sensibile excellens destruit sensorium it would terribly affright us when Angels vayl'd up their glory in humane shapes it made great Worthies of God to quake as Gideon Manoah and others glorious objects work strongly upon our spirits and quickly scatter them And if the glory of creatures be such what is the glory of God himself 1 Tim. 6.16 God dwels in the light which no man can approach unto it 's such exceeding glorious light that no created eye can endure that light or glory is Gods habitation and so glorious a one it is that wee cannot look upon it Act. 22.11 Paul could not behold that glorious light shined about him The earth heavens and world which are Gods out-house we may behold but his glory which is himself his inmost roome we may not wee cannot eye this light is darknesse unto us there is so much brightnesse in it that it will put out our eyes and whether this glory be accessible by the Saints or Angels may 〈◊〉 disputable because God is invisible and his glory inaccessible and besides the Angels they had wings to cover their faces Isa 6. And here they are presented to Ezekiel under the firmament with that upon their heads which shewes that they and all creatures are distanced from God and capable of seeing his glory only in that way he thinks good to propound it That in Mat. 18.10 seems to speak the contrary where it 's frid that in heaven their Angels do alwayes behold the face of my father it 's true they are in the speciall presence of God have sweet and satisfactory communion with God stand ready to do his will but God hath no face in heaven and whether they see his essentiall glory I leave to farther inquiry 4. That all things here below are expressed to the eye and view of Christ the firmament is so cleere that Christ sees through it It 's the window of heaven and through it hee looks into the world it 's a molten looking-glasse Job 37.18 and as wee may see Gods attributes and glory in it so Christ sees our shapes thoughts distempers and motions he saw Saul when he got the Letters to Damascus to persecute the Saints the Lord Christ saw him and knew the bloodinesse of his mind and said unto him Saul Saul Acts 9. many are Atheisticall and say in their hearts as hee in Job 22.13 How doth God know can he judge through the dark clouds Esa 29.15 they do evill in the dark and say who seeth us and who knoweth us there is one in the heavens that seeth through the clouds and darknesse it self they are as the Sun and Firmament to him darknesse is no darknesse the firmament is as light it self all things done in Armies Councels Markets Shops Families Closets Beds Hearts are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom wee have to do Heb. 4.13 I come now to the 23. Verse where the glory of Christ is set out from his Ministers or Officers and they are the living creatures VER 23. And under the firmament were their wings streight the one toward the other every one had two which covered on this side and every one had two which covered on that side their bodies I Have spoken before of the wings yet somewhat I shall adde four wings they had and more wee may not give them though it may seem in this Verse they had more for it 's said their wings were streight that is stretcht out and then that they had two on this side and two on that side but the meaning is when they did flie those wings that did cover upward were stretcht out and the other did still cover their bodies or feet The scope of the verse is to shew that the Ministery of the Angels doth refer to and set out the glory of Christ and that may be seen in the observations to be given Obser 1. That where Christ is there the Angels are neer unto him he was above the firmament and they just under it the firmament was upon their heads there was only a glorious transparent firmament betweene Christ and them distanced from Christ they are but not far 2. The Angels wise strong serviceable swift and glorious creatures attend Christs Throne and are subject unto him they were under the firmament about his Throne Is it not for the honour and great glory of a King to have Nobles Potentates and Princes under him attending in his Court It was much for Ahashuerus his glory and honour when he had the Nobles and Princes of the Provinces before him and under him Est 1.3 And so it 's much for the honour of Christ that hee hath Angels which are greater then the Kings of the earth attending him 3. They are ready to exercise the will and pleasure of Christ this farther advances the honour of Christ their wings were stretched out and they willing to move in any service if their Lord gave out the word when the Centurions servants were so willing to go and come at his bidding it made much for his honour Matth. 8.9 ready cheerly active servants are an ease and honour to their Masters unreadinesse and unwillingnesse in inferiours do disparage authority and stain the glory of it Angels that serve at Christs Throne are never unready or unwilling for any service 4. They are unanimous in their Ministrations they fall not out by the way their wings are streight the one towards the other they cary on the work put into their hands with love sweet agreement peace and constant At the birth of Christ they sung all one song and sung without division Glory to God on high on earth peace good will towards men as they sung so they act there is no disagreement amongst them Can two walke together except they be agreed Angels do flie together and act together they are so agreed that no devill no creature can divide them they have all but one minde and serve the Lord Christ with one consent and what honour is this to Christ that hath so great so many servants and all minding the same thing 5. They reverence the greatnesse and Majesty of Christ though they be high and glorious yet they see so vast a distance between Christ and themselves that they cover their faces Isa 6. and their bodies here they come not into his presence rudely but with great respect and reverence As God is to be had in reverence of all that are about him Psal 89.7 so Christ is reverenced by all the Angels that are about him Women are to be vail'd in the assemblies because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 to shew their reverence and subjection to them being present and Angels are covered to shew their reverence and subjection unto Christ it 's an honour to
of the whole earth this is the day that we looked for These expressions you have in the Book of Lamentations David a King a Prophet a man of a warlike spirit that feared not the Bear the Lion Goliah saith my flesh trembleth for feare of thee I am afraid of thy judgements Psal 119.120 When other things did not daunt him at all Gods judgements did there was daunting terror in them and no marvell there is wrath in them such rage wrath fury as is in wild beasts Hos 5.14 I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion and as a young Lion to the House of Judah I even I will teare and go away I will take away and none shall rescue such terror as is in an earthquake that shakes the foundations of all Isa 29.6 such as in a strong winde and an overflowing showre Ezek. 13.13 such as in a flail that beats out the corn and breaks the straw in pices Hab. 3.12 such as in the Sea or Earth swallowing up Psal 21.9 What a dreadfull cry when Corah and his company sunk alive into the earth when Pharaoh and his host were overwhelmed in the Sea such terror is in Gods judgements yea more dreadfull yet such as in thunder lightning and devouring fire Isa 29.6 yea such as is in fire and brimstone Psal 11.6 God is Baal-chemah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nahum 1.2 A Lord of wrath so the originall is a Possessour of wrath and in his judgements doth distribute terrors and sorrows him therefore should the sonnes of men reverence 2. Gods Judgements have the voyce of speech in them they speak unto sinners Mic. 6.9 The Lords voyce cryeth unto the City and the man of wisdome shall see thy Name heare yee the rod and who hath appointed it If the first voyce be the cry of the Prophets and Ministers the second is the cry of the Judgements of God the rod speaks aloud it proclaims Gods anger wrath fury jealousie revenge his Omniscience holinesse justice the terror of the Almighty it proclaimes our folly shame and ingratitude treachery and great guiltinesse before God it cries to us for repentance when destruction lay at the gates of Ninivie they understood the language thereof and repented in dust and ashes Jon. 3. It cries to us for righteousnesse when Gods judgements are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse Isa 26.9 They cannot learne unlesse they be taught and do they not teach and teach many lessons to feare God whom men have forgotten in their prosperity to make restitution to men whom they have wronged in the day of their wills to be charitable in censuring others and rigide in censuring themselves 3. Angels are not only swift but efficacious in their motions and administrations The great waters mighty thunders and numerous armies make way before them and nothing can withstand their force and so it is with Angels when they are upon service none can stand before them they destroy armies shake kingdoms move all the wheels in the quarters of the world and their motions are not faint but forcible 4. It 's not every eare that heares the noyse of Angels wings though their noyse be great efficacious like waters thunder the voyce of speech as an host yet all heare them not it 's the Prophet heares them and such as have divine spirits the operations of Angels are unperceiveable to most of the world all eyes see not visions neither do all eares heare the things that visions do speak few are capable of divine mysteries To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome Mat. 13.11 There be mysteries in the government of the world as well as in the Kingdome of heaven and it 's a speciall gift to be acquainted with them Gods secrets are made known to them that feare him Psal 25.14 some choyce precious excellent spirits they heare they see what others do not such as turn from iniquity Dan. 9.13 such as are wise Hos 14.9 they understand such as are deeply interested in the truth and Churches cause as have suffered much and have their drosse purged out by the fire of afflictions they heare they see more and greater things then the men of the world Nehemiah Isaiah Daniel Ezekiel John that were men of great sufferings they heard voyces others heard not In the Revelation it 's said oft Hee that hath an eare to heare let him heare every man hath an outward eare but not the inward the eare of the heart whereby to perceive the meaning of the Spirit men heare not the voyce of the Spirit in the Churches they heare men but not the Spirit what that speaks in the Ordinances and as they heare it not in them so they heare not the Spirit in the wheels nor the voyce of it in the great judgements of God VERS 25. And there was a voyce from the firmament that was over their heads when they stood and had let down their wings HEre we have a description of the firmament from the noyse that came from it and that is the cause of the Angels making their appearance before the Lord and the manner of their appearance is they stood with their wings let down Whose voyce this was comes now into question it was not a voyce of the firmament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De super firmenta but from above which is in the originall besides from the firmament so that it was not the noyse or voyce of the firmament neither of any Angel for they are here present under the firmament but it was the voyce of Christ of him that was above upon the throne and it hath much in it 1. It sets out the Majesty and State of Christ who like a mighty Emperor sits upon his Throne and speaks unto his Nobles and people at distance 2. His authority calling in the Angels his great agents in the world from their services to appeare before him they upon this voyce come from the quarters of the world and stand about his Throne to give account of their administrations to receive new instructions and are sent out by him to great services 3. To awaken quicken and prepare the Prophet who had hard things to meet with harsh people to deal withall but when hee saw Angels come and go at the voyce of Christ it hushed all objections and set his spirit to attend to the voyce of Christ to receive instructions from him and to do his will thought hee Shall those glorious Angels those great Agents in the world hearken to Christ be informed by him execute his Will and shall I a poore captive stick at it dispute the case with him no no I will be like to these Angels heare receive and obey Of the standing of the Angels formerly hath been spoken in the 21th Verse to which I refer you The letting down their wings notes their cessation from imployment as Birds or Fowls when they fall upon their feet on trees or ground
the worm his mother Job 17.14 you see what stock and kindred Job came of and wee are all of the same house therefore afterward in the 25. Chap. v. 6. It 's said man and the Son of man is a worm and so David I am a worm and no man Psal 22.6 velo Ish hee was enosh sorry sinfull miserable man he was Adam an earthly man but not Ish a man of worth strength a worm son of the earth weak contemptible Coniah Jer. 22.28 in the vulgar is called vas fictile an earthen vessell a broken Idoll or a vessell in which is no pleasure and then followes O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Princes Priests and People he calls them all earth to minde them of their mean originall to bring down their spirits to make them sensible of their weakness and condition they were hastening unto Isai 40.6 All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field grasse withereth the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it surely the people is grasse 4. That the command of Christ is powerfull Stand upon thy feet saith hee and it proved efficacious let Christ speak and the thing is done By him were all things made Joh. 1.3 hee said Let there be light and there was light he said Let there be an earth and let it bring forth an it was so hee call'd forth things that were not and gave them a being under the Gospel how powerfull were his commands he bade devils depart the possessed and they did so he bade the winds and waves be still and they were so he called Lazarus out of the grave and he came forth presently there is infinite power in Christ and great yea oft exceeding great vertue goes forth with his commands he said to the Fishermen that were strangers to him Follow mee and they left all and followed him 5. That the Lord loves to incourage man to his duty hee saith not here stand upon thy feet only which might have sufficed but he makes him a promise and I will speak with thee I that am upon the Throne compassed with glory that have the rule of all the world in my hand I will speak with thee here was singular incouragement to this duty and so to other duties it 's mans duty to walk uprighty and to incourage unto it the Word saith No good thing will be with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psa 84.11 It 's our duty to believe and did not Christ tell Martha in a particular case that if she would believe shee should see the glory of God Ioh. 11.40 And told he not another that all things are possible to him that believeth Mar. 9.23 So Christ is lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3.14 15. So for prayer it 's our duty but see what incouragement Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 and Whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name hee will give it you John 16.23 To persevere and overcome is our duty and see Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and hee shall be my Son to give alms is mans duty as Luke 6.38 Give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosome 6. That the word of Christ is a sweet comfort to a soul troubled Stand upon thy feet and I will speak to thee thou art amazed cast down but my word will revive thee put life and spirits into thee What a comforting word is that of Christs Matth. 11. Come unto mee yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you and Ioh. 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I cast out in no wise Christ had the words of eternall life verse 68. and those must needs be sweet and acceptable to afflicted spirits and these words hee hath given us in the Gospel which is glad tidings the savour of life the power of God to salvation VER 2. And the Spirit entred into mee when hee spake unto mee and set me upon my feet that I heard him that spake unto mee THe Prophet being confirmed by the word of Christ in the foregoing verse here he is comforted and confirmed by the Spirit also What is meant by the Spirit must be opened some have conceived that when our Prophet fell upon his face at the sight of him and his glory that sate upon the Throne his spirit left him and hee lay for dead and so here by Spirit to be understood his soul or spirit returned entred revived him and set him upon his feet but this interpretation wee cannot admit for three Reasons 1. We never reade that ever any were stricken dead when God appeared unto them in Visions the utmost wee finde is that of Daniel Chap. 10. v. 17. Neither was there breath left in me through feare he was as a man out of breath but not without a soul hee had a deadly feare but was not dead 2. The Text it self confutes that opinion for in the last words of the former Chapter it 's said I heard a voyce of one that spake if Ezekiel had been spiritlesse soulelesse when hee fell upon his face it had been impossible for him to have heard a voyce 3. Had it been the return of his own spirit the words would not have been he set me upon my feet but I arose we must therefore leave that interpretation 2. By Spirit some understand an Angel and their reason for it is because it 's said He set me upon my feet the Prophet being among Angels and they seeing him down one lifted him up and set him upon his feet but this interpretation although it be Piscators I cannot commend unto you for First how could any of these Angels that had faces bodies wings and feet enter into the Prophet for here it 's said The Spirit entred into mee Secondly if it had been an Angel the words must have run thus rather then as they do one of the Spirits one of the Angels entred into me and not the Spirit By Spirit then understand that Spirit which was in the living creatures and in the wheels Chap. 1.20 Even the eternall Spirit of God and of this judgement is Jerome Gregory Calvin Junius Maldonate c. If their testimonies suffice not take the testimony of Scripture Chap. 3.24 Then the Spirit entred into mee and set me upon my feet and spake with mee and said Go shut thy self within thy house c. Here the Prophet repeating the same words sheweth that it was the Spirit of God he spake of and neither Angel nor his own spirit The meaning is this when Christ spake unto me and I heard his voyce presently I felt divine vertue the Spirit seised upon entred into mee comforted and confirmed me set me upon my feet and fitted mee to heare the
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
soul hateth they were the Lords people hee appointed the new moons and feasts but because they had corrupted them hee owns them not but calls them theirs so in Exod. 32.7 God bids Moses get him down from the mount what was the matter Thy people thou broughtest out of Egypt have corrupted themselves their corrupting themselves with Idolatry made God disclaim them they are thy people go look after them I will destroy them else he calls them Moses his people there and here he calls them Ezekiels to let them see how his heart was estranged from them while they were faithfull to God hee counted highly of them they were precious in his sight honourable beloved but when they went a whoring from God Isa 43.4 hee accounts not of them he calls them not his owns them not they had shamefully dishonoured God by their sins and he will not honour them with the title of his people 3. The servants of Christ must execute their Functions without respect of persons or regard to successe Speak to them what ever they be and tell them Thus saith the Lord that one greater then themselves hath sent thee and will call them to account and whether they will heare or forbeare let not that trouble thee do thy duty be not troubled at the oppositions of men or successesnesse of thy labours VER 12. Then the Spirit took mee up and I heard behind me a voyce of a great rushing saying Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place 13. I heard also the noyse of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another and the noyse of the wheels over against them and a noyse of a great rushing 14. So the Spirit lifted mee up and tooke mee away and I went in bitternesse in the heat of my spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon mee 15. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abid that dwelt by the river of Chebar and I sate where they sate and remained there astonished seven dayes THese words are the second part of the Chapter and contain in them a Declaration of what befell the Prophet being so call'd and the particulars are these 1. The work of the Spirit in taking and lifting him up ver 12th 2. The voyce he heard vers 12. and what it was Blessed c. 3. The noyse of wings and wheels vers 13. 4. The ablation of the Prophet vers 14. In the 12th was a sublation in this an ablation 5. The journey he went in the 14. and 15. verse And 6. His condition hee was in bitternesse of spirit hee sate and mourned seven dayes vers 14 15. The Spirit took me up By Spirit here we understand not the wind as if some great wind should take up the Prophet nor an Angel as if hee had been lift up by Angelicall vertue nor his own spirit as Jerome would have it but that Spirit which was in the living creatures and wheels Chap. 1.12 20. and led them that Spirit entred into Ezekiel and set him upon his feet Chap. 2.2 That Spirit which led Christ into the Wildernesse Matth. 4.1 even the eternall Spirit of God This taking up of Ezekiel by the Spirit of God was 1. To perfect and ratifie his Call to the Propheticall Office the Lord Christ had spoken much unto him about it and now the Spirit lifts him up and seals the same unto his soul strengthening him in the full assurance thereof when hee had heard Christs voyce and found his Spirit working so extraordinarily as to lift him up this could not but mightily prevail with and satisfie the soule of the Prophet 2. That hee might have a more cleer and full view of the glory of him that sate upon the Throne when wee would have one see things distinctly and fully wee set or lift him up on high The Devill carryed Christ unto an exceeding high mountain and shewed him the glory of the kingdomes of the world Matth. 4.8 3. To put honour upon him in letting him see that he was to be an organ of the Spirit for the future he was to be imploy'd in great service by the Spirit and that was a great honour Hee was to be the mouth of the Spirit unto that people to be wholly at the dispose of the Spirit 4. To avocate his thoughts from things below and to settle them upon contemplation of things divine a Prophet is not to look downward his heart should be lifted up to heaven and heavenly things And I heard behind me the voyce of a great rushing It was not the voyce of thunder or of an earth-quake but of the living creatures and the voyce some make to be the words Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place which words are in the originall the blessed glory of the Lord from his place that is the glory of God is now going out of his place and it troubles the Angels that they lament and make a great noyse to behold so dreadfull a judgement to befall Jerusalem and the Jewes and so the voyce to be differing from these words If it be granted that these words were the voyce uttered yet may they be taken in that sense as is expressed to shew their sorrow for the ruine of the Church The blessed glory of the Lord is departing from its place God is leaving his habitation and people and all is hastening to spoyl and desolation this affected the very Angels when some great man that hath been a great Patron and friend to a place is going away what lamentation is made what a noyse and stir is there at it as in these dayes when some Ministers Magistrates and other eminent Christians are forced from their place by the enemies what complaint doth it cause what a noyse doth it make and so when God leaves a people that were beloved and deare unto him it fetches sighs and complaints not only from men but even from angels also the soul finds it a sad thing when God departs from it and oft mourns bitterly Some take the words for a Doxologie and make the sense this Blessed be the glory of God which is seen in punishing the wicked and delivering the Church God shewes himself just and righteous that he will no longer stay among a sinful people but be gone from them and render to them according to their wayes The Quere will be in what sense we may take the words both senses may without prejudice be admitted while the Angels looked upon the great losse the Jews should have by Gods departure the great evils would follow therupon they sympathized and were so affected with it that they brake out into these expressions The blessed glory of God is going out of its place and so it was vox lamentationis but when they look'd at Gods Justice and holinesse they said Blessed is or be the glory of the Lord. Though men be ruin'd Cities and Nations destroyed and God driven from his habitation yet let
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
of a people defending them that is the glory and excellency of a kingdome 2 Chron. 13.25 saith Abijah God is with us for our Captain this was more then all the strength of Judah beside when Jeroboam came against him with 800000 chosen men With you are the golden calves vers 8. you have a great number but God is not with you to be your glory and defence you have the calves which is your shame and nakednesse but God is with us who is our glory and defence And when Jerusalem fell to Idolatry God tels them that they had changed their glory for that did not profit Jer. 2.11 they had driven away their glory and here was the beginning of their woe That 's the misery of a kingdome to have God depart from it then publike enterprises prosper not 2 Chron. 22.24 then counsell failes 1 Sam. 28.15 protection is gone Isa 5.5 then peace loving kindnesse and mercies go Jer. 16.5 This is as taking the Sun out of the firmament the eyes out of the head or soul out of the body now a kingdome and people lie exposed to all evils and mischiefs Hos 9.12 Wo to them when I depart from them all mischiefes presently step croud in upon a people left of God famine wars captivity a perverse spirit and treacherousnesse one to another came upon this people when God left his place And so after Christs dayes when God left them and that voyce was heard in the Temple Migremus hinc Joseph de hel Jud. l. 7. c. 2. Lâ—b 11. which Tacitus in his Annals also mentions Auditâ— major hum ma vox exâ—edere Deos simul ingens motus excedentium after this dreadfull misery befell them war famine dispersion was their portion they are without God Christ and mercy to this day an undone and most unhappy people Wee had almost driven away God by our sins specially by our Idolatry superstitions but God and his glory are not quite gone Jer. 14.9 Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy Name leave us not 4. God is glory or glorious there is nothing in God inglorious as in the Son is only light so God is light and in him is no darknesse hee is all light all glory his Attributes are glory his Essence is glory his Life is glory God is only glory Blessed be the glory the Lord. 5. Under the Law God confined himself to a particular place to the Temple there he dwelt appeared received sacrifices gave answers c. So that the Temple was not only locus but medium divini cultus the Jewes were bound to set their faces towards it when they prayed 1 King 8.48 Dan. 6.10 it being also a type of the body of Christ Joh. 2.19 that sanctified their Assemblies and sacrifices Matth. 23.19 But it 's otherwise now under the Gospel neither Jerusalem nor Samaria is the place where God is fixed Joh. 4.21 but Gods habitation is in all places where hee hath Saints Matth. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am there in the midst of them 2 Cor 6.16 Yee are the Temple of the living God and what saith God I will dwell in them and walk about in them that is in the Church of Corinth and so in all Congregations Now the Congregations are Gods habitation he walks amongst the golden Candlesticks there is the glorious God seen the glorious God heard But the place now where the meetings are be neither means nor parts of worship no types of Christ nor do they sanctifie the people or service done in them rather do the people and Ordinances while they are there sanctifie them and yet when the Ordinances are ended and people gone no holinesse abides in them but they are as other places 6. The Lord is worthy of praise when he is in a way of judgement Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place now he was departing from Jerusalem all woes and miseries taking hold of them yet was he a God deserving praises Gods judgements are deep we oft know not the reasons of them see not the equity of Gods proceedings in them yet wee should be so far from murmuring that we should count him worthy of honour and praise when he deserts Churches and kingdomes Exod. 15.11 God is fearefull in praises 7. It 's the work and office of Angels to praise God the living creatures here said Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place and Rev. 5.10 11. There were many Angels about the Throne and what did they they sang Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing So the Seraphims in Isa 6.3 their song was Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Angels are musicall creatures and make the best melody Arias thinks it was an Angel dictated the Song of Deborah unto her A. Lapid on Judg. 5.23 Luke 2.13 14. there was a heavenly Chorus and sang a heavenly song Glory to God in the highest on the earth peace and good-will towards men this was a short but a sweet song when great things have been done by God the Angels have been brought in praising God as when God created the world Job 48.4.7 Where wast thou saith God to Job when I laid the foundations of the earth When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy that is the Angels as Interpreters observe who at the sight of that great and glorious work were much affected and sang the praises of God so at the birth of Christ and here at the departure of God out of the Temple the great God doing great works must have great praises even the praises of Angels praise is an Angelicall work and the office of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. and the Spirit calls for it at their hands Psal 148.2 Praise him all his Angels and they do it when he is in his judgements The Jewes thought God dealt hardly in punishing them but Angels saw cause to praise God for his departure from them and vindicating his glory in the punishment of hypocrites 8. God doth his works without motion or mutation Here it 's said from his place there is a shew of motion and change but no such thing befalls God his works make motions and changes in the creature not in himself he is infinite fils heaven and earth and never removes from one place to another he is immutable and not subject to changes For the 13th Verse of the wings wheels and noyse of them I have spoken in the first Chapter largely yet a little I shall speak of the Verse it 's said that the living creatures touched one another The Hebrew is from Nashash to kisse and each other in the Hebrew is a woman to her sister Observ 1. God makes use of Angels
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
from Aristotle Justinian Machiavil from Traditions Fathers or Councels but from Christ Ministers are watchmen and therefore they must heare the Word at Christs mouth they must inform the Church and people of God in nothing he speake not and warrants not you have an excellent place in Habbak 2.1 I will stand upon my watch and set mee upon the Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me The Prophets eye and eare were towards God hee cared not what the people and false Prophets said desired determined expected but he only looked at God he would see what he did heare what hee said which way hee mov'd and take all his light from him and then he knew he should not erre hee should not wrong any and it followes The Lord answered me and said Qui patrum pâ—â—câ—â—a câ—ncilâ—orum decreta visiones hominum pro verbo Dei Ecclesiae obtrudunt the Prophet durst not give out any thing to the Church til the Lord first gave out to him and when ought was revealed to him he durst not keep it back If prophets might not bring what they had not from the mouth of God how shall we dare to do it they sin greatly who obtrude upon the Church the wills and decrees of men as authenticall 3. That it 's the office of Prophets and Ministers to premonish their people to foresee danger and foretell them The word Zahar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies to shine inlighten to make cleere as the Son and metaphorically to admonish because he is admonished Qui admonetur illustratur de rebus futuris edocetur is inlightned Ministers must deal plainly and cleerly with sinners convince them of their sins and the punishments are threatned against them Ministers must not daub and sow pillows under mens elbows but as it 's in Isaiah 58.1 They must cry aloud and not spare they must lift up their voyce like trumpets and shew the people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins The word shew them notes a setting of them before their faces so that they must see and take notice of them and the danger they subject unto the Ministers must not spare any not great ones not the greatest the house of Jacob must be told of them and Ezekiel is a watchman to the house of Israel to the Kings Princes Nobles great small to all therefore all must be warn'd Chrysostome told Eudoxia the Empresse of her sins and spared not for her greatnesse shee had set up a silver Statue about which the people exercised vain and needlesse sports which tended to the disgrace of the Church and for this he dealt roundly with her it 's the Prophets fault that Princes and great ones are so bad they seldome heare of their own sins or Gods truths 4. The Prophets and Ministers of Christ are to do their office in the name of Christ Thou shalt give them warning from mee not from thy self not in thine own name Christ when hee was upon the great work of redeeming man and revealing the Gospel said he came in his Fathers name Joh. 5.43 And did his work in his Fathers name Joh. 10.25 God sent the Son and he did all in his name Christ sends Prophets Apostles Ministers and they must preach and work in his name because what they ask in his name they receive it 's done for them and what they do in his name abides is blessed Joh. 15.16 This should prevail with people to receive the Messengers of Christ as his Messengers as those come in his name what ever their message be conviction of sin denouncing of judgement saith Paul 2 Cor. 5.20 Wee pray you in Christs stead and here Ezekiel must warn them from Christ be it matter of comfort or terror all must be done in Christs name and stead and they entertained as those that are sent of Christ and come from him it 's good for us so to do for in receiving them we receive Christ and that 's not all wee receive the Father also that sent Christ Matth. 10.42 A Minister is good company when hee brings God and Christ with him and there is nothing lost by receiving any Messenger of Christ the right way vers 41. Hee that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward you must not receive a man because hee is learned witty of note Non quia dives potens amicus akin unto you because he is ingaged to you or you to him because you have some design upon him but you must receive him in the name of a Prophet because he belongs to Christ is sent out by him and comes in his name and then you shall have a Prophets reward you shall profit by his Doctrine hee shall blesse you in the name of Christ 1 King 17. 2 King 4. his prayer shall be availeable for you the widow of Sarepta lost nothing entertaining Elijah nor the Shunamite by receiving Elisha their presence and prayers did much advantage them But you may take the words thus a Prophets reward that is the Prophets have a great hard and glorious work in hand and the shall have an eminent reward in heaven and seing you receive them as Prophets in my name notwithstanding all the reproach discouragements they meet with and danger their Doctrine brings seeing you incourage them and help on their work you shall have such reward as they have be received into the same Mansion I receive them VERS 18 19. 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 c. IN these Verses is a more particular object of his Office viz. The wicked whom he must tell of his sin or die for it here was the operation of the Roul sad and bitter work in the thoughts and apprehensions of the Prophet When I say unto the wicked God speaks not immediatly unto the wicked how then is it here said When I say c. God sometime speaks to them by their conscience which tels them from God that they are guilty and shall die But this reaches not the sense of the words it may be thus taken When I say to the wicked that is in my Word Gods speaks to all wicked men in his Word and there it 's evidenc'd what is the portion of every sinner but yet there is somewhat more in this phrase When I say to the wicked that is of the wicked thou shalt die and thou givest him not warning c. That in Heb. 1.7 Of the Angels hee saith in the originall is to the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the sense is of the Angels he saith and so here to the wicked is of the wicked or if this be not full enough you may take it thus When I suggest to thee by my Spirit that the wicked shall die and thou dost not
he could behold God converse with him in his glorious appearances unto him but after his fall he fled from his presence was disabled and incapacious of the sight of him and his glory so here Ezekiel cannot abide the sight of this glorious Vision but falls down upon his face and hides himself from his own happinesse till sin be purged out of us it will be so therefore God hath appointed purging ordinances that we being purified might at last see him and have fruition of him Two things especially are required to the sight of glory Holinesse and Strength to both which sin is opposite it defiles it infeebles so that we dare not we cannot behold glory see what mischiefe sin hath done us 5. Apprehensions and sight of glory doe much humble gracious hearts When Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord he fell upon his face the glory of a creature raises a carnall heart but the glory of the Creator humbles a gracious heart Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory as the onely begotten of the Father and this made John the greatest Prophet that ever was borne of a woman to be so low in his own eyes that he professed himselfe unworthy to loose the lachet of his shooe ver 27. There be some things in the sight of divine glory that works strongly to humble the soule First It is of that lustre and excellency as that it darkens all the glory of the world and makes it seeme no more then the lustre of a Glow-worme to the Sunne Secondly It sets out the shamefulnesse and blacknesse of sinne Thirdly The Insufficiency of all humane motions and duties to attaine unto it Fourthly Shews the infinite distance between God and the creature All which are humbling things and concurring doe humble more throughly Ezekiel was not onely amazed doth not onely fall downe but falls upon his face and that after a second sight of the same glory so that it 's in the nature of glory to humble other things may humble a little but glory most of all that comes by the eare doth something but that is seene by the eye affects most Isaiah had heard the Seraphims crying Holy holy holy the earth is full of his glory but this struck not so deeply into his heart as the sight of glory when he saw the King the Lord of Hosts in his glory then he cryed out woe is me I am undone his holinesse was nothing his propheticall office was nothing all was nothing to him he was an undone man he saw so much sinne in himselfe I am a man of uncleane lips c. VER 24. Then the Spirit entred into mee c. BEing in a dejected condition the Spirit entred It was said before the hand of the Lord came upon him which was the Spirit and here the Spirit entred into mee What difference is there between these two phrases you may observe this difference The hand of the Lord upon the Prophet notes the efficacy and work of the Spirit in generall the common gifts and graces of it which may fit a man for publick imployment The entring of the Spirit notes not onely those but the sanctifying of a man so that he shall imploy his gifts and graces to the glory of God and eternall good of his own soule Of the Spirits entring and setting the Prophet upon his feet I spake in the 2. Chap. ver 2. It was not the ayre his own spirit returning nor an Angel but the Holy Spirit of God This entrance of the Spirit notes not motion from place to place for the Spirit is infinite and fills heaven and earth but it notes operation manifestation impletion when the Spirit doth work efficaciously manifest it self for there may be invisible operations fill the heart of any with divine vertue when it doth any one of these or all these it 's said to be sent to come to enter it comforted the Prophet being amazed sunk in apprehension of his own unworthinesse and manifested its operation by setting him upon his feete giving new strength to goe and prophesie when time should serve Goe shut thy selfe within thy house These words are not ironically spoken or by way of Sarcasme because he had formerly shut up himselfe but they are a command from God to the Prophet it 's true by reason of the rebellious disposition of the people the weightinesse of the calling he was to be in and the infirmitie of the flesh he had withdrawne from his dutie and God beares with him bids him withdraw from the publick view Jerome thinks this shutting up was a type of the besieging of the Citie that as he should be shut up in his house so the Jewes at Jerusalem Others thinke more probably that it was to receive instructions from God and to heare from him before he should speake ought to the people therefore some observe that our Prophet heard and saw much and spake not till the end of the 11th Chap. 23. vers where he saith Then I spake unto them of the captivitie c. This shutting up made way for the credit and authoritie of the Prophet and his prophesie Observ 1. The Spirit affects and visits an humble soule When the Prophet was humbled with the sense of his owne unworthinesse trembled at the sight of glory and majesty was destitute of strength then it pleased the Spirit of God to enter humiliations upon sight of glory and greatnesse are deepest and the Spirit loves to visit them speedily God doth not long leave humble soules without operations and manifestations of his Spirit Jam. 4.6 He resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble he sends the Spirit into their hearts to comfort and strengthen them because they are low vile in their own eyes but destruction is for the proud God is in battaile array against them the Spirit appeared like a dove and is a dove of the valleys not of the mountains while Paul was a mountaine in his owne eyes the Spirit never came neere him but when he was humbled with the sight of glory Act. 9. even the glory of Christ and became a valley then quickly the spirituall dove tooke her flight to him for ver 17. saith Ananias Brother Saul the Lord hath sent mee that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost the Lord Jesus would not let him want his Spirit to revive him that was so effectually humbled at the sight of his glory 2. The godly before Christ had the same Spirit grace and comforts that wee have since Christ Ezekiel had the Spirit enter into him What Spirit Even the Spirit of God and Christ the third Person in the sacred Trinitie neither doth that in John crosse this truth The Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified Chap. 7.39 Not given at all is not the meaning but was not given so plentifully so visibly till Christ was glorified You know that Kings when they enter their Kingdomes first or
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
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
up and send officers belongs to Christ 228 unable ones not sent by Christ 229 Ordinances do good when the Spirit is on them 60 efficacy of them is from Christ 294 they are Gods name 454 P Pan What the iron pan signifies 385 Patience God bears long with the sins of his people 400 yet forgets not their sins ibid. People enemies to their own good 375 their sins deprive them of spirituall mercies 379 like to hair in three respects 418 Gods people may become worse then Heathens 432 Perseverance Angels go on 116 Pestilence The etymologie and nature of it 455 Pity What the word notes 453 Place God hath three places 309 no holiness in them now 312 449 no place can hinder the working of the Spirit 364 how places become holy 448 Pope And his Hierarchy not of Christ 228 229 Principles There are opposite principles in the best of men to the wayes of Christ 319 Priest Occasion of setling the Priesthood upon Levi. 45 Prophet Whence 8 of the first and second Temple 9 a Prophet in Babylon 23 subject to scorne reproach 47 they were carried on in their propheticall work hy the might of the Spirit 316 they could not prophecy at their pleasure 326 they must speak the words of the Lord 336 how a Prophet should be received 338 counted mad men 373 Providence Acts in all motions 144 it puzzles the ablest unsearchable dreadfull 149 it 's in the least motions 152 works of it glorious beautifull ibid. 287 it over-rules secondary agents 403 Punishment conformable to sin 412 Q Quiet The quiet spirits are fittest to receive and act spirituall things 329 R Rainbow The naturall cause of it 192 the naturall and theologicall signification of it 193 194 Ram A war-like instrument and why so called 385 Rebellion What 226 what in Gods account 279 Relatives Vsed in Scripture without Antecedents 23 24 Repetition Of the same words and things of what use 466 Reproached such honoured 48 reproaches are bitter piercing things 464 Reproof People are impatient of them and why 378 379 Righteousnesse A double righteousnesse 350 two sorts of righteous men 351 righteousnesse of faith never fails and why 352 353 there be deceiveable righteousnesses 356 we must not confide in our own righteousnesse ib. three rules to help against it 357 Roul 282 the eating of it what 290 Prophets must feed upon Christs rouls 292 Ruine Kingdomes States the cause of their ruine is in themselves 77 mans is in himself 359 S Salvation Few saved 241 Saphire What it signifies and represents 177 178 Seraphims What. 80 Sephar 3. Shekel Of sanctuary why so called 405 Side The Prophet lying on his side and left side 393 394 Sight the certainest sense 53 54 Sgnification To impose higher significations on things then they have by nature belongs to God 72 281 Signes God deals with his people in signes and types 387 why ibid. hee gives to the sign the name of the thing signified 429 Sin A fire infolding 76 disables us from seeing glory 205 causeth Gods people to lose their glory 231 sin is rebellion ibid. progresse in it causeth impudencie 237 sinners come to a height of sinning 243 it's an imbittering thing 244 the fruit of it is death 343 difference betweene Hamartanein and Poiein hamartian 353 sin it makes uncapacious of happinesse 367 cuts off spirituall mercy 379 sin may so provoke that neither God nor man will shew mercy 391 God forgets not the sins of men 400 seldome any return from sinfull wayes 402 it defiles 453 Son of man opened and what it notes 210 how oft given to Ezekiel and why 211 Speed It 's required in Gods service 100 Spirit Why called the hand of the Lord 56 57 it's author of all good done and received 60 how said to move or go 122 the Spirit is the great agent in all 123 363 it works any where and cannot be shut out of any place 364 how the spirit of the living creature is said to be in the wheels 160 it moves all ib. consent between Angels and wheels is from the Spirit 162 the Spirit is living and lively 164 what is meant by Spirit 216 entrance what 218 369 a chief comforter ibid. whether it goes alwayes with the Word 221 it affects and visits the humble 370 it's a comforting and encouraging Spirit 371 Spirit speaks in a man 372 the Spirit enables to discerne 223 why the Spirit took up the Prophet 306 heals our infirmities 321 it works invincibly ibid. Standing Of that posture 212 Stubbornnes Men wil not hear God 299 Stumbling-block What meant by it 354 how God layes it 354 355 takes them out of the way of his 350 Sword What it doth 456 T Tel-abib What it signifies 322 Temple Was a part of worship 312 consecrate to what end 448 449 what defiled it 450 Terrible What makes so 166 Throne What it signifies 176 Christ sate not stood in it 179 Christs throne must be of Saphire 182 Time No good plea for sinners 402 Tongues Thorny in what respect 254 255 how the Prophets clave to the roof of his mouth 377 power of it in Gods hand 378 Tree Dropping water in a dry Iland 153 Truth All truth should be received 204 sweet to taste bitter in operation 318 V Vision What things are in a vision 52 visions have excellency in them 54 effects of them 204 why men fall upon their faces at visions 204 why the Prophet had a second apparition of Gods glory 365 Voyce Of Christ how taken 206 W Watchman Christ appoints watchmen in the Church 332 they must be knowing not sleepy 333 must endure hardship ibid. they are for the flocke 335 Weary Godly may be weary in but are not weary of Gods worke 120 121 Wheels What is meant by lifting up the wheels 154 none can hinder the motion of the wheels 156 God puts stands to them at his pleasure 158 they cannot move otherwise then they do 160 motion of the wheels never unseasonable 161 wheels move whither the Spirit will have them 163 wheele why the world likened to it 130 secret motion in the wheele 140 high dreadfull 143 149 motions of the wheels are judicious 151 Whirlewind Nebuchadnezzar compared to it in three things 67 68 Wicked The worse for the Word 245 without excuse having means 246 shall see what mercy they have refused 247 248 they are like thornes and wherein 252 like scorpions 258 we must take heed of them 262 267 their acquaintance not to be sought 265 what fruits they bring ibid. their losse not considerable 266 Christ knows who are such 241 there is hope of those are very wicked 344 they deal cruelly with the Prophets 375 lesser sins punished in the wicked more severely then greater in the godly 402 403 wicked men are worthlesse 252 421 Gods people more wicked then heathens 432 Will Mans will his ruine 299 Wisdome Mans crosse to Christ 318 Word The power of it from the Spirit 220 it's the Chariot of the
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