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
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
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
winde that filled all the house and the Spirit with it that filled all them So when Cornelius and his company heard Peter preach in a private room the holy Ghost fell on them all Acts 10.44 As no place can include the Spirit of God so can none exclude it There were Saints in Neroes Court and this hand of God had been working there it 's not a dungeon any prison can keep out the Spirit of God from comming to and comforting of his servants Glover found the truth of it when he said O Austin he is come 4. The more separate from the world the more fit for communion with God Ezekiel must goe into the plain and there the Lord would talk with him hee could have conversed with him at Telabib among the people in his own habitation but the Lord declines that intimating that while we are conversant with worldly and wicked men wee are incapable of divine mysteries but when we are remote from them solitary and sedate we are fitter to heare God speake When the Church was allured into the Wildernesse Hosea 2.14 then God would speak and that comfortably unto her It was by the river Cbebar he had his former visions when he was absent from popular noyse domestick troubles his minde serene and contemplative then the Lord opened himselfe unto him Christ oft left the multitude and when he was gotten aside into the mount then was his transfiguration and the voyce This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Matth. 17. VERS 23. Then I arose and went into the plain c. IF ought have need of opening in this verse it is the glory of the Lord and there is no cloud upon this The verse expounds it selfe it is the glory he saw before by the river Chebar that glorious vision he had there is represented again here unto the Prophet The Vision was not like the Temple fixed to a place but it was moveable it was first presented to him at Chebar and now again in this plain The reasons of this second apparition of the glory of God are First to possesse the heart of the Prophet with greater reverence of divine Majesty hee was unwilling to the service called to by God sought excuses thought to decline it which argued neglect of divine Majesty to strike out such distempers and to strike in a deeper impression of feare and respect to God This glorious vision is set before his eyes and frames him to a fitnesse for that imployment he might now see Christ sitting as Judge compassed about with glory having Angels ready to execute his pleasure power in and over all parts of the world and if hee should refuse the imployment appointed hee ran a manifest hazard of his life Secondly to confirme the truth of the Prophesie and him in it Thirdly to prepare the Church in all ages to an high esteeme of this Prophesie that was ushered into the world with such glorious vision Observ 1. Divine vertue makes men obedientiall unto the command of God The hand of the Lord was upon him hee bids him goe forth and presently he arose and went forth into the plaine If things enjoined suit not with our wills opinions and humours we deny them excuse and take off our selves from the doing of them or deferre them but let God enjoyn what hee will bee it harsh to flesh and blood contrary to our wills carnall reason c. if divine vertue once come upon us and the Spirit move in us wee will doe it God bid Abraham take his sonne his onely sonne Isaac whom he loved goe and sacrifice him upon a mountaine in the land of Moriah Gen. 22. Flesh and blood had much to object here but because hee was acted by divine vertue therefore hee obeyed presently he rose early took his sonne went to the place stretched out his hand to slay him and to make him a Sacrifice we stick oft at small things when nature only workes not at any thing when the Spirit of God works in us 2. They are obedient to God simply upon his command meet with mercies unexpected Ezekiel goes forth upon command not knowing what was to come what was to be done and hee meets with an extraordinary mercy he saw the glory of the Lord a ravishing a satisfying mercy Abraham obeying the command of God heares the voyce of an Angel twice and meets with a multitude of blessings Gen. 22.17 In blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven and as the sand of the sea shore and thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voyce So Jacob returned from Laban to his fathers house upon divine command and he meets with Angels Gen. 32.1 hee met with God and like a Prince prevailed with him for a blessing vers 28. No man ever lost by his obedience unto God though we see no reason for things yet if we have the will of God that 's reason enough let us be tractable and forward to do the will of God and wee shall not lose our labour wee may meet with mercies unexpected as some by coming to the Ordinances have done 3. See the goodnesse of the Lord in two things First in that hee will manifest his glory to the view of mortall sinfull creatures his glory is precious a hidden thing and not obvious to creatures yet here as before he is pleased in a Vision to present it to the sight of Ezekiel it was to the Ambassador of a Prince that Hezekiah shewed the house of his precious things Isa 39.2 and it was a great favour to let them see such rarities it was a greater favour from God to let Ezekiel see this rarity of rarities his Glory Secondly that God should act over the same thing again present the same Vision in living creatures wheels eyes firmament a throne and one sitting upon it and give a sight of his glory the second time this sets out Gods goodnesse abundantly men are unwilling to do the same thing twice when as they may do it better the second time then the first and advantage themselves by it but God hath no advantage doth it perfectly at first yet simply for mans good he condescends to do the same thing again So Ezekiel may be brought to a fitnesse for divine dispensations incouraged too and in his work he shall have a sight of glory and a glorious Vision presented to him the second time by Gods own hand wee think repetitions of things in vain a Sermon twice over is stale unwelcome oft neither Minister nor people find any savour in it and so of other things but God repeats the Vision without prejudice to himself or damage to the Prophet 4. Sin makes us uncapacious of happinesse it 's mans happinesse to see the glorious God and have communion with him While Adam stood
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
There is an accursed thing in the middest of you that is amongst you By the river Chebar This is the particular place The notes upon your quarto Bibles do say that this river Chebar was part of Euphrates Rabbins and others say it is Euphrates it self But if it were Euphrates why should the Spirit of God change that name which was known and take a name which was unknown Surely the Spirit of God would have said Euphrates and not Chebar If it be a part or channel of Euphrates why kept it not one of those names that is mentioned Gen. 2. Gihon Pison Hiddekel Gihon it cannot be for that river runneth toward Ethiopia Hiddekel it is most likely to be which lyeth in those parts but that river kept its name and was not changed as appeareth Dan. 10.4 where it is said He was by the â—iver Hiddekel if Pison be it some reason must be given of deserting that name and imposing one new and unheard of Interpreters therefore conceive this Chebar to be a river of it self rising from the mountain Masius running through Mesopotamia and emptying it self into Euphrates at a place where is a Town called Chebar whence the denomination probably may come but rather it is called Chebar because of the plenty of waters that are in it and for the plenty of grasse that is upon the banks thereof Neer this river had the Jewes their habitation and they were placed together Chapt. 3.15 I came to them of the captivity that dwelt by the river Chebar Here they were placed because the Jewes were odious to the Babylonians as of old they were to the Egyptians and dwelt distinct from them In Salmanassars time when the ten Tribes were carried into Assyria they were put in Halah and Habor by the river of Gozan 2 King 18. The Rabbins call this river Sabbation the Sabbaticall river because it flowed not but desisted from its ordinary course upon the Sabbath day and Josephus saith that it was certain this river did constantly forsake its course upon the Sabbath day God thereby miraculously intimated to them that he would have them keep a Sabbath though in a strange land These captives were fixed by Gozan or by Chebar which is the particular place the next is the generall place the land of the Chaldeans Chaldea was the countrey of Abraham hee went from Vr of the Chaldeans Genesis Chapt. 11. verse 31. and Stephen calls it Mesopotamia Acts 7.2 Abraham was in Mesopotamia before hee dwelt in Charran It lay on the north of Chaldea between Euphrates and Tygris in verse 4. it is said Abraham came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Charran these two Chaldea and Mesopotamia were promiscuously taken sometimes being neer together and sometimes distinctly The chief city in Chaldea was Babylon now called Bagdat from Baga which in Arabick signifieth a garden because it stood in a pleasant place and had many gardens in it it was built by Nimrod that mighty hunter the first King that ever the world had when the tower in it was built up nine thousand one hundred threescore and four paces from the ground which is above nine of our miles then it pleased God from heaven to confound their language Quia ibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of one made threescore and twelve hence was it called Babel Gen. 11.9 because God there confounded the language of all the earth and their work together This countrey was called the land of Nimrod Mic. 5.6 Quae excussit and the land of Shinar Gen. 10.10 which signifies shaking because it shook their language and scattered the people inhabited it out of the land It is branded by Zachary for the dwelling place of wickednesse Zac. 5.11 Out of this land of Chaldea it is conceived by some came the three Wise men who offered the gifts to Christ for the Chaldeans were the chiefest Astrologers and exactest Astronomers that were in the world as you may observe Dan. 2. These Chaldeans were a martiall people very cruell Jer. 6.22 23. A people cometh from the North countrey and a great nation Jer. 50.41.42 they shall lay hold on bow and speare they are cruell and have no mercy their voyce roareth like the Sea c. They were polluted with abominable Idolatries superstitions sorceries inchantments and all manner of prophanenesse into this land and among this people did God bring the Jews who had been so dear to him Babylon was the seat of the chiefest and greatest Monarch of the earth thither came a continuall conflux of people from all parts of the world to whose scornes and wrongs the Jewes were daily exposed they said These are the holy people these are they come out of the holy land come and sing us one of the songs of Zion and so prophane was Belshazzar as that hee took the holy vessells to quaffe and carouse in into this land were they brought and the godly were constrained to heare and see the blasphemies and abominations that were amongst them and to beare the scornes and frownes of all commers Thus have I opened to you the particular place by the river Chebar and the generall place the land of Chaldea Let us see now what observations will arise from hence 1. Observe that God is not tied to places let the place be never so holy let it be the holy Land the holy City the holy Temple God is not tied unto either of them but hath his liberty to work and manifest himself where he pleaseth even in Babylon The Rabbins have a rule goeth for truth amongst them Nunquam Spiritum sanctum extra terram sanctum prophetis loquâ— and is firmly believed that the Holy Ghost never spake unto the Prophets out of the holy Land and therfore they say Jonas fled to Tarshish from the face of the Lord to avoid the inspiration of the Almighty But here we see in Chaldea by the river Chebar is Ezekiel inspired here heaven is opened unto him here hee seeth visions of God here the Word of the Lord cometh expresly unto him and here the Spirit of God doth work mightily in him One shift they have for this They say Ezekiel was a Prophet before hee was carried out of the Land of Canaan before he came into Chaldea But we have nothing in Jeremy nor Ezekiel nor in any other part of Scripture that Ezekiel was a Prophet and moved to prophecy before he came into Chaldea and therefore it is said verse 3. That the hand of the Lord was upon me there there first in that polluted land I never had the Spirit of the Lord before I came into Chaldea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Inhabitants of Jerusalem had polluted the holy City prophaned the holy Temple and defiled the holy Land with their Idolatries and other wickednesses then God departs pitcheth his Tabernacle elsewhere and powreth out his Spirit in Babylon God is not tied to places he can in a dungeon
heaven opened in this City in a week How many visions have you from the Prophets What manifestations of truths are there What discoveries of the minde and will of God to your souls are there in these dayes I saw visions of God saith Ezekiel and so may you The Word of the Lord came expresly The Hebrew is emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ssendo fuit om iâ—o fuit fiendo factuÌ„ est the Word of the Lord by being hath been or hath altogether been had much being in me Besides the visions I saw there was a reall communication of truths to my understanding evident and expresse commanands from God came unto me and it came so as it had entrance and abiding in me Accurate factum est there was an accurate and reall work of it upon me and in me Prov. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep sound wisdome the word for sound wisdome in the originall is that which is essence or being intimating that all other things are nothing and the Word of God that hath only substance and being in it making substantiall where it comes and so here it gave being and was an ingraffed word in the soul and heart of the Prophet so that the meaning is the Word came with that evidence and clearnesse unto mee that I could not withstand it it had such entity and substance in it that it made me of a common man a Prophet And the hand of the Lord was there upon mee The hand of the Lord is taken in two senses especially in Scripture 1. For judgement or punishment so you have it Acts 13.11 speaking of Elymas the Sorcerer saith Paul The hand of the Lord shall be upon thee and thou shalt be blind Gods hand was upon Elymas and he was stricken blind for perverting the Deputy In this sense it is not taken here 2. The hand of the Lord is taken for prophecy When the Lord doth come upon the sons of men and stirs up their spirits to prophecy that is the hand of the Lord. But yet this is not all It noteth the vertue and power of the Spirit of God which came upon the Prophet not shaking disturbing and throwing of him down as some Rabbies conceive but changing comforting elevating and exciting the spirit of the Prophet to see divine mysteries and notes also that efficacy and power which did set on the Word upon the heart and conscience of the Prophet that power which did subdue all opposition carnall reasonings and remove all impediments whatsoever stuck upon the heart of the Prophet and hindred him in that work which God would have him to undertake It is this hand of the Lord that makes the Word mighty spirituall lively according to that in Hebr. 4.12 the Prophet felt the intrinsecall vertue of this hand the Spirit of God in his own heart it was a quick and lively word unto him This intrinsecall vertue of the Spirit if it reached not the Prophets hearers yet it abode in the prophecy and it remains an efficacious prophecy to this day It 's worth inquisition what the vertue of the Spirit is expressed here by the hand of God There are three things in it The hand is 1. Symbolum roboris 2. Index veritatis 3. Instrumentum operationis 1. The hand is Symbolum roboris the Type or Embleme of strength therefore of a strong man we say he is a man of his hands that is the symbol of his strength So the Spirit of God is a Spirit of strength the hand of God notes the strength of God and the Holy Ghost is the power and strength of God Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee And greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world The Spirit of God that is in the hearts of his children he is of more strength then Beelzebub the prince of Devils and god of this world 2. The hand is Index veritatis the hand or finger doth shew a thing If you would have a man goe this way or that way you shew him or point him with the finger you direct him with your hand Salomon Prov. 6.13 speaking of the wicked man saith He teacheth with his fingers that is he shewes others by his hand to do wickedly the Spirit of God is Index veritatis this hand of God doth shew you the truth 1 John 16.13 14. He shall shew you saith Christ things to come He shall take of mine and shew it unto you It is the Spirit of Christ this hand of God that sheweth you all things you will never know truths till this hand point to them and teach you you may have notions in your head and guessings in your spirits and bosomes but the reality and certainty of things will never be attained to till the spirit of God acquaint you with them 3. The hand is Instrumentum operationis the instrument of action men do all by the hand therefore it is called the Organ of organs by the Philosopher So the Spirit of God that doth all Zach. 4.6 Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit I will do all by that saith God It is the Spirit of God that doth convince it 's the Spirit that doth convert it 's the Spirit that doth dictate and inspire godly men it 's the Spirit that sanctifies it 's the Spirit that leads into truth that comforts the Spirit is the great agent the hand of God by which God doth all his works It was the Spirit that moved upon the face of the waters at first the Spirit of God was the agent in the work of creation and the great agent in the work of redemption and salvation These phrases being thus opened observe hence 1. That the Prophet received what he delivered to them from God The hand of the Lord was there upon me and the Word of the Lord came expressly The Prophets must deliver to the people what they receive from God and not what they bring of themselves They must not bring their own visions their own conceits what seemeth good in their own eyes but they must bring the Word of the Lord to the people They must not speak according to the humours of the people as they move them as they would have them but they must speak as the Spirit of God moves them as God will have them 2 Pet. 1.21 The holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 11.23 and Paul saith What I have received of the Lord that I deliver unto you he would not deliver any thing he had from the world or from himself but what I received from the Lord that I deliver unto you Ministers they are Gods Seeds-men and they must have their seed from God else they will sow tares 2. It is of much concernment for Ministers to see they have a good and clear Call to their Ministery Ezekiel here stands much upon it I saw
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
'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
Picts and Scots cald in the Saxons who for some time served them to purpose but in the end conquered them and their Countrey These could not foresee what would be the issue of things the motions of providence are so secret and various that it lyes not within the compasse of mans power to make certain conclusions therefrom 5. There is a connexion of causes and things together in the world Hosea 2.21 22. I will heare the heavens and they shall heare the earth that shall heare the corne wine and oyle and they shall heare Jezreel as in Architecture there is a dependance and connexion VER 17. When they went they went upon their foure sides and they returned not when they went and so on to the end of the 21. IN these Verses wee have two things 1. Wee have the effect of the wheeles which is motion laid downe in the 17 19 20 21. Verses And 2. The adjuncts of them which are two 1. Height 2. Eyes in the 18th verse The commodiousness of their motion for all parts and the forme of it are both in this 17th verse The Hebrew is In going they went to their foure foure sides to the foure parts which were next to their sides or through the foure parts and so the sense is they went to into or through the foure parts of the world if you read it according to our translation upon them the sense is when the foure living creatures moved the wheeles moved upon their sides It 's our phrase when we ask one which side went he of such a man we answer upon or on his right or left side but the better sense to me is they went according to their foure sides Looke what side what part of the world was appointed them that the wheeles went to and moved in And returned not They came not backe but went forward There might be varietie of motions but no backe motions no retrogradations being once gone forth they returned not The observation first is this That in all parts humane things move to their appointed period and there is no returne of them being once there Pharaoh and his Host came to their period in the bottome of the Sea and never saw Aegypt more The Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs have taken up their lodgings in the dust and returne no more What David said of the child I shall goe to it it shall not returne to me is a fit motto to all creatures they must goe to those are gone before not they returne to these Cities people families silver gold fine linnen they must see that corruption those saw in former dayes 2. That inferior causes move constantly in their motions to doe the will of God The wheeles turned not when they went nothing could turne them backe nor the Angels in their administrations but they goe on Wee thinke it 's the creature makes stops lets in the affaires of the world but it 's Gods hand his providence doth it the wheeles all inferior causes proceed in their motions till God check them and cause a stand Esa 43.13 I will worke and who shall let it VER 18. As for their Rings they were so high that they were dreadfull and their Rings were full of eyes round about them foure 19. And when the living creatures went the wheeles went by them And when the living creatures were lift up from the earth the wheels were lift up 20. Whither soever the Spirit was to goe they went thither was their Spirit to goe and the wheels were lifted up over against them for the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels 21. When those went these went and when those stood these stood and when those were lifted up from the earth the wheels were lifted up over against them for the Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels IN the 18th verse we have the rings of the wheels described from their highnesse and eyenesse They were so high they caused terror so full of eyes they caused wonder The Hebrew reading is somewhat different it runs thus And the rings of them both height to them and feare to them or by reason of them that is Propter cas the wheels were so high that they bred terror struck feare into the Prophet The word Rings in the Hebrew is Backs their backs were high dreadfull that is their Circumferences or Rings were so of such breadth and altitude for there is no difference between those in rings and circles that they caused feare to those looked upon them Now what is meant by this height and greatnesse of the wheels must be opened unto you and it 's this the motions of second causes and changes of things here in this world are so great so incomprehensible by man that they produce feares and terrors to the sons of men Men are troubled that they cannot fathome the deeps and measure the heighth and breadth of the wheels when men see times and seasons changed kingdomes dashed in pieces the godly brought into bondage the wicked advanced truth persecuted errours in credit justice troden down and all things moving by contrary motions they stand amazed and not able to reach the causes of things to measure the wheels and see into the exact motions of them they become sensible of their own weaknesse and say O the heighth of the wheels O the shallownesse of our spirits Observ 1. That the causes and motions and changes in the world are unknown to the sons of men the wheels are too high for them to measure man is so beetlelish and purblind that the dim sight of his soul pierceth not into the secrets and knowledge of causes Eccles 3.11 it only comes at the out-side and extremities of things the superficies of the wheel but not the heighth and depth of it not the true nature and causes of things so that admiration opinion not science is begotten in man this Agrippa knew that writ a Book of the vanity of Sciences and Zanche that writ a Tractat Quod nihil scitur and Socrates was judged the learned man so that hee said This I know that I know nothing â— Cor. 13.12 and above all these the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8.2 If any man thinke he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as hee ought to know and elsewhere Wee see through a glasse darkely things are a riddle to us we know not what to make of them Look into the world and what can we make of it the wheels in every quarter have such a heighth as none can reach second causes move so suddenly as none can spy them out Cast your eye upon Physicall wheels and they are too high for Physicians to measure what reason can they give of Antipathies or that some trees should have a venomous root on the one side and a remedy on the other they meet with diseases and difficulties that are Ludibria medicorum and must referre you to occult qualities Cast your eye upon Politicall
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
the glory of the Lord but it 's the greater mercy that God will put forth creating power in a vision and present the likenesse of his glory in variety of things according to the capacity and for the advantage of his servants so Moses saw the glory of the Lord in the Mount so Christ shewed unto Peter James and John his glory in his transfiguration Matth. 17. Isaiah hee had a glorious vision Chap. 6. and so glorious it was that it 's called the glory of the Lord and this did the Prophet Isaiah see in the likenesse and appearance of it not in its own nature for no man you ever could so see the glory of God and live Jehovah this name by the learned Jewes is called 1. Hashsham that name emphatically as the chiefest of all the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The name of four letters 3. The great Name 4. The blessed Name for the high Priest did pronounce it only once a yeer and that in the Temple at the feast of Propitiation at the solemne blessing Numb 6.24 25. 5. The glorious Name 6. The name Separate shem Hammephoraash because separate from ambiguity saith Maimon from our knowledge saith the son of Maimon 7. The name appropriated to God because it is most proper to him 8. The name of remembring because it brings to mind the being of God 9. The name of essence or being Shemhaguetzem a name of substance Plebi sub poena mortis ejus pronuntiatio vitita fuit Buxtorf Qui pronuntiat nomen Tetragrammatum non habet partem in suturo seculo The Jewes are exceeding superstitious about this name and say it must not be pronounced they term it The unexpressible Name themselves never utter it but Adonai or Elohim in stead of it they tell us that the womans son in the 24. of Levit. was accused of blasphemy and stoned to death because hee pronounced this name Jehovah And there is a relation of the Priests of the Sanctuary that not knowing how to read this name being written by Moses * Spasmo correpti interiorint Gerard. in loc Shindl. they laughed and were smitten to death of God for it It 's strange to think what miracles the Jewes attribute to this name Moses had it writ in a Rod or Staffe Christ got it and put in his thigh and so by vertue of it they both did all their miracles they tell of one David a Magician that by vertue of this name went in one day a journey of ten dayes But to leave Rabbinicall conceits This name Jehovah imports essence Ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit est being existence and by it the eternity independency efficacity and truth of God are laid before us together with his being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and here it 's attributed to Christ and tels us that hee hath his being of himself he is compleat in himselfe and an infinite sea of being Eternall Rev. 1.8 Independent Rev. 1.5 Efficacious giving being life and perfection to all creatures Hebr. 1.2 3. Col. 1.16 17. hee is true yea truth fulfilling the promises 2 Cor. 1.20 Observ 1. Jesus Christ who sate upon the Throne here is JEHOAVH of the same essence with the Father and the Holy Ghost hee is not consimilar but consubstantiall with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alius pater alius filius alius spiritus but not aliud pater aliud filius aliud spiritus not like the Father or like the Spirit but the same the one differs from the other personally but not essentially 1 Joh. 5.7 There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one one in essence one in propriety one JEHOVAH Jer. 23.6 the Prophet speaking of Christ tels us what his name shall be called Jehovah Zidkenus The Lord our righteousnesse and in Mal. 3.1 Jehovah whom you seek shall suddenly come to his Temple by the name JEHOVAH is meant Christ who is God and this is of great concernment it 's the foundation of our faith in Christ of our worshipping of Christ of our salvation by Christ and of all good from Christ if he were not Jehovab the Gospel should be a lie our faith a fancie our worship false the Church a fable all men lost and that for ever 2 Again that the glory here represented in this Vision was not the glory of a creature but of Jehovah there was a man presented to his eye but Jehovah to his faith it was the appearance of the glory of the Lord not only of Christ as man but as God-man and so the glory was glorious glory And when I saw it I fell upon my face Here is the first effect of it when hee had this vision beheld this glory hee was amazed so smitten with the lustre of it that hee could stand no longer but down hee falls and that upon his face There is frequent mention in Scripture that upon visions and appearances of Divine Majesty the servants of God have falne down Dan. 8.17 He fell upon his face and Saul Acts 9.4 hee fell to the earth Abraham hee fell on his face when God appeared to him Gen. 17.3 The three Disciples Christ took up into the mount when they saw the glory and heard the voyce they fell on their faces There is a great difference between falling on the face and falling on the back To fall forward notes respect and humility but to fall backward is a note of sin and guilt Abraham fell twice upon his face the Prophets oft the godly when they are to deale with God fall forwards the wicked backward Cadere in faciem observantiae est humilitatem semper olet sed retro cadere peccatum supponit aut indicat Jer. except old Eli. Wee read not of any good man that fell backward but all those came to take Christ Joh. 18.6 went backwards and fell to the ground So Isa 28.13 Precept upon precept that they might go and fall backwards There be divers reasons or grounds of mens falling upon their faces in visions and apparitions of God 1. The Majesty of God that is present in these visions and some way or other represented to those that have the Visions so Dan. 10.9 2. The lustre of Divine glory that accompanies the same this made Paul and his company fall to the ground Act. 26.13 14. 3. Some new and dreadfull thing that appeares in the Vision as here creatures with four faces and four wings wheels rings full of eyes and so high that they are dreadfull 4. Sense of their owne frailty and weaknesse Visions having divine Majesty Glory and some terriblenesse in them have wrought strange effects upon infirme men they have lockt up their senses and put them in a deep sleep Dan. 8.18.10 Chap. 9. made them sick and faint many dayes Dan. 8.27 much grieved and troubled their spirits Dan. 7.15 taken away their strength and comelinesse Dan. 10.8
into his mouth 3. In the whole race and work of his Ministery that hee might not be discouraged seeing that hee had seen such a vision heard such a voyce Thirdly to confirm the Jewes Gentiles all to whom this Prophecy should come of the Majesty reality and truth of it Note 1 God sets one sense awork after another his eye was taken up before with the sight of great and glorious things now his eares come to be exercised and fill'd with as choyce truths as the eye had objects and after there is a roll for his taste and touching God lets in mercy and goodnesse to us through every window and door Note 2 That grat feare doth astonish and hinder judgement hee heard a voyce but knew not whose it was feare doth disturb and surprize Ezekiel Chap. 2. vers 1. And hee said unto mee Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee IN the former Chapter wee met with great deeps and difficulties mysteries of a high nature and if any light have appeared in the opening of them let him that sits upon the Throne have the glory of it by his assistance we have gone over sundry rocks and through some deeps In quibus liberis gressibus locut onis nostrae inâ—repidum pedem ponamus Greg. Hom 9. in Ezek. and we desire by the same assistance to proceed and now wee are come from the Mountains to the Plains where wee may walk with more safety The glory of the Lord being set out in this government of the world in his dispensations towards his Church in the antecedent Chapter The scope of this Chapter is to corroborate Ezekiel smitten down with the sight of glory and to shew his Call unto his Propheticall Office the parts are the confirming sending and instructing of the Prophet 1. His confirmation and comforting is laid down in the two first verses 2. His sending in the three next to the sixth verse 3. His instructing from the sixth to the ninth after that mention is made of a roll in the two last verses and in the beginning of the next Chapter which is of much concernment as in its place may appeare The confirming of the Prophet is 1. By the Word of God in the first verse 2. By his Spirit in the second verse In the first verse are two things considerable 1. The party speaking 2. The matter spoken where you have 1. The Appellation Son of man 2. The Command Stand upon thy feet 3. The ground of it which is a gracious promise And I will speak unto thee It 's Christ who speakes and unto Ezekiel whom hee calls the Son of man the originall is the sonne of Adam that is of earthly man for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.47 The first Adam was of the earth earthly and Adam signifies earth or red earth whereof his body was made and when we read in Scripture this phrase it notes out to us 1. Our base beginning that we are of the earth there is no man be he never so excellent high wise honourable but hee is the son of Adam terrae filius a brat of the earth Psal 49.2 Both low and high Adam and Ish the base man and the noble man as the Chaldee renders it both the sons of Adam and the sons of Jacob are so they have all one father and all one mother and that is the earth 2. Our frailty that wee are earthen vessels and soon broken in pieces Psal 9.20 Put them in feare O Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men they think themselves gods but shew them thy power thine iron Rod and Scepter bring a War a plague a Famine amongst them and then they will know that they are frail weak men 3. Our worthlesnesse and fitnesse to be rejected who amongst us regards a clod of the earth an earthen vessell silver or golden ones some prize and prize too much but earthly ones are contemptible Nations are as the drops of the bucket and small dust of the ballance Isa 40. and are not they contemptible things this made David to wonder and say Psal 144.3 Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man the son of earth that thou makest account of him that thou visitest him Psal 8.4 and Job 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him these be high and great expressions to be bestowed upon so poor a thing as man is to take knowledge of him and such knowledge as to make account of him as to minde him visit him magnifie him to set the heart upon him this is exceeding much from an infinite great and glorious God towards worthlesse men and not credible if the Spirit of God had not revealed it 4. Our end that wee are earth thence wee came and thither we must Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto dust thou must return This title of Son of man I do not find given to any but three in the Book of God once to Daniel Chap. 8. 17. Vnderstand O sonne of man forty times and upwards to Christ and above eighty times to this our Prophet but with this difference Ezekiel is called the Son of man by another Christ alwayes calls himself so Ezekiel is four times in this Chapter so called and it 's given him 1. To prevent pride say some Expositers hee had a glorious Vision was among Angels saw the Lord Christ and was to enter upon the Propheticall Function the least of which might stir corruption and make pride blossome when Paul had his rapture into the third heavens and heard things unutterable what saith he 2 Cor. 12.7 Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abunance of revelation there was given to mee a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me c. Paul was in danger of being lifted up but God prevented it and so here Ezekiel is minded of his mean originall his frailty worthlesnesse and end that he might not be exalted with his Vision or Office we are exceeding apt upon the receit of great mercies to grow proud and confident which are evill in any but worst in a Prophet and therfore to prevent these hee calls him Son of man 2. To frame his spirit to a right estimate of himself through out the whole course of his Office that what ever good was done Nihil supra naturae humanae vires sibi assumeret he should still remember he was the Son of man and it was God not he that did it It 's a hard thing to keep the heart in an humble frame and fitnesse to give unto God the glory of what he doth by us God helps our Prophet by this title which runs through the whole Prophecy and took such interest in his heart that whatsoever was seen heard said or done by him the Son of man the glory of all was given to Christ the Son of
to cure our fear The word dismaid there is no difficulty in the other it comes from a word that signifies to bruise or beat in pieces be not thou so affected with feare as to have thy spirit faint broken sink and discouraged within thee be not dismaid let not thy spirit yeeld at all stand it out shew thy self a man of courage a man of God carrying thy self in thy place befitting the Son of God that put thee in that place The greater difficulty lies in the other words Briers Thorns and Scorpions Briers Sarabim this Hebrew word is no where found in holy Writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except in this place The Rabbies speak of twenty kinds of thorns in Scripture whereof this is one and notes Briers with sharp pricks which do fret and burn in the pricking much like unto a Nettle and therefore Kircker thinks the word here to signifie Nettles the Jewes would be as Nettles unto the Prophet Vrtica ab urendo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insanientes quasi boves aestro agitati Pertinaciter resistentes Buxt Retractantes Mont. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Nettles are stinging burning things The Septuagint expresses it by a word which notes a kinde of madnesse as cattell that are bit with Flies which suck blood and make them run as if they were mad so they should like wild beasts grow cruell and outragious against the Prophet Shindler interprets it rebellious contumacious others refractory drawing back and stubbornly resisting Thorns Sallonim Spina atuleatae sharp pointed thorns Ezek. 28.24 Spina dolorifica a pricking Brier a grieving thorn The Septuag an offence of bitternesse or a bitter offence the word here in our Text is in the Vulgar Subversores subverters because thorns in a mans way do hinder and subvert him therefore Kircker thinks sillon is aculeus qui sternitur from Salal which is properly viam aggesta terra sternere to lay heaps of earth and stones in the way and so here heaps of thorns which may prick and offend passengers There is one word more to open and that is Scorpion Scorpion Ackrabbim it signifies sometimes spinosam herbam a plant that growes in the form of a Scorpion whereof Instruments were made to scourge malefactors 1 King 12.14 Rehoboam would chastise them with Scorpions that is with whips that had hooks in them resembling the clawes and stings of Scorpions it 's also a living creature venemous hurtfull and stinging with its tail Deut. 8.15 God led them through the great and terrible wilderness where were fiery Serpents and Scorpions Mercer thinks the word to be from Guakeb Scorpion à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heel or hoof because this Serpent doth bite those parts and the name Scorpion is from its scattering and throwing its poyson up and down Now the great businesse we have to do is to open unto you who are meant by these Thorns Briers and Scorpions and by these are meant wicked and ungodly men I shall make that out unto you from two places of Scripture Josh 23.13 They shall be scourges in your sides and thorns in your eyes hee speaks of the nations that were wicked and among them and Luke 10.19 Christ tells the seventy they should tread upon Serpents and Scorpions that is wicked men which are like unto those venimous creatures and thrice in Matthew are wicked men call'd a generation of Vipers Matth. 3.7.12.34.23.33 I will shew you 1. Wherein they resemble Thorns 2. Scorpions and then draw some conclusions 1. Ungodly men are like unto Thorns in these respects First they are worthlesse things of little use they serve to make a hedge to stop a gap and that 's all they are not for great use and service and wicked men are worthlesse things Prov. 10.20 The heart of the wicked is little worth the best part of a wicked man his heart is of little or no value his lands may be worth somewhat his shop his clothes his jewels may be of great value but himself is a worthlesse thing Jer. 22.28 Coniah King of Judah because wicked is call'd a despised broken Idoll a vessell wherein is no pleasure an Idoll saith the Apostle is nothing 1 Cor. 8.4 in the world that is a thing of no moment of no use what then is a broken Idoll that 's altogether inconsiderable but may there not be some beauty some ingraving some guilding upon it that may delight No hee is a vessell wherein is no pleasure hee is so far from delighting at all that he is a vessell loathsome to be cast on the dung-hill and trod under foot hence in Dan. Antiochus Epiphanes is call'd a vile person Dan. 11.21 one so little worth as to be scorn'd and rejected as a vile thing and Job speaking of such men tells us they are viler then the earth men to be trod and spit upon as the vilest earth Job 30.8 Secondly they are vexing and grieving things Ezek. 28.24 there is mention made of the pricking brier and grieving thorn and wicked men are full of prickles and grievances Numb 33.55 If you will not drive out the Inhabitants of the land from before you then those you let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides and shall vex you in the land wherein you dwell Wherein lies this grieving and thorny disposition of the wicked 1. In their words and that appeares First in their misconstruing the words and wayes of the godly Matth. 26.61 said the witnesses against Christ this fellow said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and build it in three dayes they mistook Christ who spake of the temple of his body Joh. 2.21 Jer. 26.4.6 Thou shalt say unto them thus saith the Lord If you will not hearken to mee to walk in my law then will I make this house like Shiloh and this City a curse Now in the 9th Verse see how they mistook his words and perverted his meaning Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord saying This house shall be like Shiloh and this City desolate hee had told them it should be so if they did not hearken repent and amend but they left out that and pretend hee had absolutely said this house shall be like Shiloh so many people mistake the Ministers and say they preach damnation when it 's conditionally if they repent not and believe they must then certainly look for damnation 2. In their calumniations they forge lies and falshoods Job 13.4 Job's friends charged him with lies hypocrisie pride c. but he tels them they are forgers of lies you come to comfort mee but you wound mee with your lies and slanders Concinnarunt mendacia Vatablus and David found this Psal 119.69 The proud have forged a lie they trim up lies with shadowes of truth and neat language they have mints to frame their lies curiously in and presses to print their lies withall Nehâ—m 6.6 Sanballat calumniates Nehemiah that zealous and
the acquaintance of wicked men the Prophet Micah will give you reason for it Chap. 7.4 The best of them is a brier the most upright is sharper then a thorne hedge You think some of them are faire men have good natures good parts great places and you may bee intimate with them lean upon them and get good by them if not doe good to them but you are deceived saith he the best of them for wit parts birth breeding place is a brier yea the most upright those that are civill What shall you what can you have frō a Scorpion but aculeum vulnus venenum clam palam insidiabuntur Somper lanam saepe vitam perdunt When one commended Julian the Cardinall to Sigismund the Emperour he answered Tamen Romanus est And so when any wicked man is commended to you answer Tamen sentis est that have a form of godlinesse and walk according to their light even they are sharper then a thorn hedge And because it is incident to the nature of man to minde great ones and seeke their acquaintance he speakes in the verse before of Princes Judges and great men and beats men off from looking after leaning upon them the sheep run to the hedge for shade in the heat and shelter in the storm but what 's the issue If they eseape with their lives yet they goe off with rent garments and if the best of them bee briers what are the worst of them When David was become a Courtier he met with a spear and found Saul sharper then a thorn hedge his spirit was vext with him and no marvell wicked men vex the spirit of God who hath more patience and wisdome then man who is without all corruption and altogether holy yet his spirit is vexed with them Isa 63.10 Therefore the Spirit of God counsels us what acquaintance to seek Job 22.21 Acquaint thy selfe with God and be at peace and thereby good shall come unto thee he will not be a brier or thorne to run into thy hand he will not vex thy spirit trust him he will not deceive or disappoint thee 5. See what fruit to look for from them fruits sutable to their nature 1 Sam. 24.13 Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked it is a proverb and they have much truth and strength in them and it was ancient then and in all ages hath been made good observ'd that wickednesse comes from the wicked by it David cleares himselfe taxes his malicious enemies and confutes Saul himselfe As for me I am accused to be a seditious and traiterous fellow a man that seekes thy life O Saul thou hast followers and flatterers about thee to exasperate thee against me that put thee on to hunt me as a Partridge on the mountain and to spill my blood but I am no such man as they pretend and thou conceivest I had thee at advantage was counselled to take away thy life and could have done it but wickednesse was not in me I cut off the lap of thy Coat when I could have cut off thy Head I will make thee judge who is the wicked man those that accuse mee thou that pursutest the soule of an innocent man or my selfe that have spared thee having such advantage Wickednesse proceeds from the wicked if I had been a wicked subject as thou and others thought thy life had gone but thy Courtiers thy Counsellers are wicked yea and thou art wicked and nothing but wickednesse comes from you and that proceeds as light from the Sunne water from the fountaine breath from the nostrils Christ tells us wee must not look for good from them Matth. 7.16 Doe men gather grapes of thorns or figges of thistles If you looke for such fruit you will be deceived they may grow green as the vine and figge-tree but their fruit is different what fruit have Papists and Prelaticall ones brought forth in Church or State these many yeares corrupt trees cannot beare good fruit briers thornes brambles may bring fruit for Gadarens and swine not for Christ and his Disciples Judg. 9. The Olive tree had its fatnesse the Figge tree its sweetnesse and good fruit the Vine its pleasant wine they would not leave their places for promotion For usually when men are promoted they lose of their excellencie the Olive trees Figge trees Vines they lose of their fatnesse if not all their fatnesse of their sweetnesse if not all their sweetnesse but what had the bramble fire and fire to consume the Cedars of Lebanon brambles are of aspiring nature and when they are got up they fire States and Kingdomes 6. Then it 's no great losse when wicked men are taken away when briers and thorns are cut down and Scorpions killed who is damnified by it Spina sunt pestes terrae frugum morbi Plin. wicked men are the very plagues of the earth they suck away the sweet from the Vine the fat from the Olive It was said of Nero that he was venenum terrae and when that pitcher was broken it was gain not losse matter for praise not mourning the Husband-man is not grieved when the grieving thorn and pricking thistle are cut out of his corn Prov. 11.10 When the wicked perish there is shouting shouting on earth that justice is done his wickednesse at an end the Church and State eas'd of such a burthen rid of such a thorn and shouting in hell Isa 14.9 When Jehoiakim died there was no lamentation made for him hee was a wicked and worthlesse King his carkasse was no better then the body of an Asse and hee had the buriall of an Asse drawn and cast out in the high-way or ditches Jer. 22.18 19. hee had an infamous buriall and such saith Olimpiodorus is the end of every Magistrate or Minister that teaches and governs well but lives ill his end is infamous hee is buried in infamy but godly men are of great worth Heb. 11.38 the world was not worthy of them those precious ones mentioned there and those are living now God valued and values above the world godly men are the Pillars of the earth they are the marrow blood and soul of the world the world languishes and lies adying when they are pull'd away Moses Exod. 32.10 held Gods hands Moses is a man that hath power in earth and in heaven hee is a man that when there is a danger can go up to the heavens and so put the Lord to it that he saith Let mee alone that I may destroy this wicked people and I will make thee a great nation he would have hired him to have come to an accommodation men are now upon accommodating but a Moses will not accommodate no not with God himself when his people are in danger but he will have a blessing upon good terms hee will have Gods wrath removed and a reconciliation between heaven and earth or else Moses will never be quiet with God what a losse is such a man after his death if God had not
unpreaching Doctors and Prelates 4. That the gift of Prophecie is from Christ hee reached out a Hand and gave the roul of a Book hee is the great Prophet and hath all Prophecie and propheticall power in himself and whom he pleaseth hee can make a Prophet and inspire with propheticall vertue and where hee pleases even in Babylon as well as in Canaan VERS 10. And hee spread it before mee IN this Verse yee have the opening of the Roul the fulnesse and contents of it Hee spread it before me that is unrouled it and laid it open before me The word in the originall signifies to expound and interpret and wee may conceive that Christ did not only spread the roul before his eyes Expanditur quando hoc quod obscure prolatum fucrat per latitudinem intellectus aperitur Greg. but caused him to understand it by this spreading he saw it was written within and without but by Christs interpretation of it hee knew that there were written in it lamentations mourning and woes It was written within and without The Hebrew is in the face and in the back that is on both sides such writings the Greeks call Opisthographa that is writings writ on the backside fill'd within and without Lavater thinks that on one side were writ their sins and on the other Gods judgements this fulnesse of the Roul intimates either the length of the prophecie as Vatablus conceives or a multitude of evils hanging over the heads of the Jewes as Maldonate thinks or the abundance of revelations committed to the Prophet as Jun. not what Jerome and Bellarmine conceit that the writing within and without should note the literall and mysticall sense of the Scripture Lamentations mourning and woe Here is the contents of the Roul bitter and sad things Amara moesta the burning of the Temple the overthrow of Jerusalem the captivity of the Jewish nation and all the evill should befall them the word Kinim Lamentation noteth a plain complaint a sad speech testifying the sorrowes of mind as David in the case of Absalom O Absalom Absalom c. this was a naturall complaint and simple lamentation suddenly breaking forth without all premeditation Mourning is more it 's deeper and upon consideration the word in the Hebrewis from Hagah to meditate and noteth suspirium ab imo pectore tractum when one hath mused much and seriously upon the cause and matter of grief and then fetcheth deep sighs such as are inditiall of intense and bitter sorrowes that is the mourning here Isa 38.14 I did mourn like a Dove the Hebrew is I will meditate noting mourning that comes from meditation the Doves mourning is inward Cranes chatter and lament Doves mourne Woe This word vehi noteth not only the voyce in lamentations and grones in mourning but knocking of the breast and clapping of the hands together as is used in greater afflictions thus some Interpreters understand it but I conceive by Woe here is meant the threatnings of Judgement or Judgements threatned according to those woes in Matth. 23. and the fruit of them as it 's Lam. 5.16 Observ 1. That divine mysteries are unknown to men though very easie and familiar till they be unfolded this Roul could the Prophet never have comprehended the meaning of if Christ had not opened it take all the types and ceremonies of the Law there were mysteries wrapped up in them which neither Aaron nor Moses had known if they had been left to their own abilities those elements used in Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord we should never have known the mysteries of them if heaven had not helped us would we think the Rain-bow an Embleme of mercy if Scripture had not held it out to us Indians Heathens do not cannot so apprehend it take any divine mysteries they are too transcendent for our capacities there be depths in them that wee cannot fathome 2 Cor. 2.14 the naturall man cannot know the things of God they are spiritually discerned there must be a great mysterie wrought in him before he can discern mysteries 2. It 's the Lord Christ that opens and interprets mysticall things efficaciously unto the faithfull hee spread the Roul before Ezekiel and made him to understand the mysteries of it what is the Scriptures but a roul folded up a book sealed till Christ open it we may all say as the Eunuch being demanded if he understood what he read said How can I except some man guide mee Act. 8.30 31. so unlesse Christ guide us and lead us into the mysteries of the Word wee cannot understand Rev. 5.5 When none could open the booke sealed up the Lion of the tribe of Judah could do it He hath strength to untie all knots and a spirit to search all deeps Christ himself is the greatest mysterie and he is the great opener of mysteries Matth. 11.27 All things are delivered to mee and my Father and no man knowes the Father save the Son and hee to whom the Son will reveal him if ever God be made known savingly to the soul it must be by the Lord Christ and hee doth not reveal unto all but to whomsoever hee will to his Elect ones from others hee conceals him they have the Letter the Roul but not the mysterie thereof their light is darknesse But there be some in the world that Christ doth interpret the riddles and dark things of the Scripture unto see that place in Joh. 15.15 Hence first saith Christ I call yee not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have call'd you friends for all things that I have heard of my father I make known unto you these were Christs friends Christ revealed all to them but from other all was kept it was Christ revealed unto the Prophets what they had and to the Apostles what they had the Scripture may well be call'd the Revelation of Christ you have one Book call'd so Rev. 1.1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants that is his faithfull ones if we would therefore understand the Roul of the Book the mysteries in the Scripture wee must look up to Christ and intreat him to spread them before our eyes and to interpret them to our hearts 3. That the servants of God must not refuse to receive and propound large and sad messages to the people Here is a Roul writ within and without and fill'd with lamentations mourning and woe Here was liber mortis a book of death and deadly things this the Prophet must receive and declare to the people how ever they take it people would gladly heare from the men of God good tidings they would have a law of kindnesse in our lips our mouths to drop honey they would have us sons of consolation but wee must speak what our great Lord and Master puts into the â—oul if hee bid us preach lamentations mournings and woes we must do it 4 That the Lord gives
will Ezekiel was in bitternesse in the heat of his spirit unwilling to be a Prophet to this people yet he went I went Jonas he goes to Ninive but his heart is not full on the work there was not a throughnesse in it he saw there was a necessity of it God had power to punish disobedience and could quickly crush him and therefore now in a prudentiall way hee would go and prophesie to Ninive there was in him an unwilling willingnesse his spirit was not totally willing as you may gather from Chapt. 4.1 2 3. He was against the sparing of Ninive it stuck upon his spirit that he should lie under the imputation of a false Prophet hee wishes death upon it which shewes that his spirit was not wholly in the service wee do the worke and will of God oft times with great unwillingnesse as women part with their joyntures or children as Merchants throw their goods overboard in a storm as many now assessed part with their goods to the publique service necessity is too strong for them and prudence puts them on and there 's a willing unwillingnesse so it is with the godly they pray and heare unwillingly they give unwillingly c. This is from the imbecillity of grace the power of corruption misapprehension of God and his wayes violence of temptations intanglements with the world pressures of guilt and unsuccessefulnesse of service let us be sensible of our unwillingnesses in Gods wayes be humbled for them and strive to do all animo prompto Deut. 28.47 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies it 's good for us to have our wills and whole hearts in the works of God 8. The infirmities of Gods people do not interrupt his love and grace Ezekiel went in bitternesse in heat of spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon mee This great distemper in the Prophet did not distemper God it did not cause him to retract or divert his love but hee takes hold of him by his hand and upholds him as a parent would do to a childe falling or down the weaknesse or sicknesse of a childe doth not estrange the heart of the parent it rather inlarges and drawes out the bowels more fully and so it is with God Psal 103.13 14. As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him and why so Hee knowes our frames hee remembers wee are but dust the Lord knowes what weak and frail things we are The word for frame notes a formed vessell of earth and the Chaldee expounds it of our evill concupiscence which carrieth us into errour God knowes that wee are earthen vessels full of lusts and infirmities which lead us from him which disable us to serve him Now here is the love bowels goodnesse of a God because we are so therefore he pitieth us so Psal 78.37 38. Their hearts were not right nor stedfast with God but God was right and stedfast with them hee being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not Infirmities may bring crosses but cannot cut off from mercies this should strengthen our faith comfort our hearts and incourage us with a holy boldnesse to go to the Throne of Grace Hebr. 4.15 16. Christ saith the Apostle is a mercifull high Priest touched with the feelings of our infirmities and what infers hee upon it Let us go boldly to the Throne of grace that wee may obtain mercy and finde grace in time of need 9. The Spirit of Christ is the healer and helper of our infirmities Ezekiel was distempered and sick of the busines and the hand the Spirit of the Lord was strong upon him that helped that healed him Psal 107.20 He sent out his word and healed them the Spirit in that word did the cure and here he sent his Spirit to seise upon Ezekiel to work out the ill humour to settle his thoughts and sweeten his spirit that was so imbittered the Spirit is compared to oil Psal 45.7 1 John 2.27 and that is of a mollifying cleansing healing and quickning nature when Christ was anointed then he healed the broken hearted Luke 4.18 hee dropped that oile into their hearts and that did soften purge heale and quicken them Gifts of healing are attributed to the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.9 and helping our infirmities in prayer is the work of it Rom. 8.26 the Spirit brings the strength wee are infirm and can do nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Spirit together with us and for us takes up the work that wee faint not it answers to the word here was strong took hold on mee bound up my spirit together and strengthened mee not suffering my spirit to run out Lastly the Spirit works invincibly Ezekiel may strugle but the Spirit will overcome that was strong upon him men would not come in to Christ and do his work unlesse a Spirit mightier then their own come upon them Gods Spirit is a Spirit of power Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee the Holy Ghost is the power of the Highest and when Paul preached it was in demonstration of Spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.4 and his Ministery was able to beat down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. to cast down all high things and to captivate thoughts and spirits to the obedience of Christ the Spirit works invisibly it 's a hand under a wing and it works invincibly it 's a strong hand there is none can stand before the strength of it Antichrist shall be consumed by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Thes 2.8 This Spirit is fire to consume enemies it 's a hand powerfull to fetch in the friends under election the Jews are now stiffe enemies of Christ but when the Spirit of grace is poured out upon them when this hand takes hold of them then they will mourne come in submit to Christ no violence doth the Spirit offer to the wills of men Oportet non tantum moveri sed novum fieri Prosp notwithstanding it works invincibly it files off the enmity and aversnesse of our wills to God and inclines them to yeeld omnipotenti suavitate suavi omnipotentia VER 15. Then I came to them of the captivity of Tel-abib c. IN this Verse is the terminus of his journey and his condition at the end of it mourning and sadnesse The word Tel-abib signifies a heap of new fruits or green eares of corn A cervum novarū frugum Ad opera rustcana exercenda of TEL acervus ABIB spica maturescens Jerome and the Vulgar translate it a heap of new fruit or corne and Jerome thinks the Jewes were placed there to plough sow reap thresh and that now they were beating out the new corn but this opinion wee cannot admit for it was in the fourth moneth Chap. 1.1 that Ezekiel
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
accident 5. The afflictions and judgements befall Gods people are not casuall but providentiall If the Jewes be besieged famished taken carried away into other lands and eat polluted bread there Gods eye hath directed his hand hath acted and therfore he saith Whither I shall drive them what Nebuchadnezzar and his Army did was the work of God so Joseph said of the dealing of his brethren selling him into Egypt Gen. 45.5 That it was God sent him thither it 's the power and providence of God that acts in all troubles and circumstantiates them for time place measure Observ 1. Vers 14. That the Saints of old were carefull to walk according to the prescriptions of the Law The Law forbid eating of those things dyed of themselves what ever was torn in pieces every abominable thing and our Prophet was carefull to observe such and other prescriptions it was the Saints duty to live after the directions of the Law what God had written to them therein they were bound to observe and did exactly David had respect unto all the commands of God Psal 119. Moses was faithfull in all the House of God 2. A gracious heart will deprecate that is contrary to its sanctification Ah Lord my soul hath not been polluted thou art the author of honlinesse and I have walked holily hitherto and now must I defile my self ah Lord let it not be The words are very patheticall he saith not Jehovah in the originall but Jehovi which the servants of God have used in their most patheticall prayers and speeches as Abraham Gen. 15.2 8. Deut. 3.24.9.26 I prayed unto the Lord saith Moses and said O Lord God destroy not thy people and thine inheritance Moses spirit was exceedingly affected and in such cases he and others call'd God Jehovi and so doth Ezekiel here he was intense in deprecating defilements so Peter Acts 10. when the sheet was let down with all beasts fowls and creeping things in it and the voyce said Rise Peter kill and eat his heart was stirred What shall I eat that is common unclean and pollute my soul not so Lord vers 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in no wise Lord what ever becomes of me though I starve I will not eat any thing shall defile me 3. The godly are carefull not only to abstain from great sins but from little ones also it was no great matter to eat bread baked with a fire made of mans dung and that in a time of necessity but even this would not Ezekiel yeeld unto there was evill in it so Daniel would not defile himself with the portion of the kings meat Chapt. 1.8 Moses would not leave a hoof in Egypt Job made a covenant with his eyes not to look upon a maid and therefore â—ave not sway to his mind to think upon one Job 31.1 thinking is lesse then looking and this he would not allow himself Joseph abhorr'd the act and Job the thought of uncleannesse Paul would not be subject one hour unto false brethren Gal. 2.5 and he bids the Thessalonians to abstain from all appearance of evill not only evill but the appearances of it Bern. de consid Quicquid male fuerit coloratum this made Paul to blame Peter for yeelding to Jewish Ceremonies when they carried a face of evill Gal. 2.14 and to say rather then he would offend his weak brother by eating he would eat no flesh while 〈◊〉 world standeth 1 Cor. 8.13 The Primitive Christans would not throw a little Frankincense into the fire nor bow before an Idoll though their lives lay at stake upon the refusall 4. That the Saints through darknesse and doubts do stick at that which is lawfull and warrantable God bids Ezekiel bake his bread with mans dung and eat it here was warrant sufficient for him Gods command makes a thing holy Act. 10.13 kill and eat said the voyce to Peter no saith Peter and why the creatures in the sheet are common and unclean but it was replied what God hath cleansed that call not thou unclean or common How came all to be clean in the sheet when by the judgement of the Law there were creatures unclean in it it was the command of God made all so kill and eat Peter without doubting or questioning might have killed and eaten any creature there without polluting his spirit and so Ezekiel might have eaten such bread without defilement Gods command legitimates any thing Abrahams sacrificing of his son Gen. 22.2 Hosea's marrying a wife of whoredome Hos 1.2 the brother marrying with the brothers wife carrying of the bed on the Sabbath day Deut. 25.5 Joh. 5.11 Where there is a word from heaven for any thing we need not fear defiling our selves the Saints of God stuck at things when they had a word no marvell if Saints now stick at things when they have no word Vers 15. Note that God doth condescend to the weaknesses of his servants and mitigates what seems grievous unto them mans dung was very irksome to the spirit of the Prophet the Lord dispenseth with his command and gives him cowes dung for mans The Saints are precious in Gods eye and rather then grieve and displease them he will oft upon their petitioning to him dispense with his own will but take it up warily when the dispensation is in things that are not prejudiciall to his glory his wisdome his truth or his justice and here it was not God suffered no way in mitigating the sentence and giving cowes dung for mans it rather magnified God that he will yeeld to the desires of his when he is in a way of judgement Ioshuah when Israel had sinned and God smote them he falls down he weeps and laments beseeches God in behalf of the people and what saith God to him Iosh 7.10 Get thee up wherefore liest thou upon thy face I will have thee mourn no longer I will not destroy Israel so that in Amos 7. there is a sore judgement of Grasse-hoppers that eat up all the grasse of the Land the Prophet is grieved and prayes Oh Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom should Iacob rise for he is small and ver 3. it 's said The Lord reported for this and said it shall not be and so a second time after he yeelded to the request of the Prophet This should incourage us to sue to God in these times of distresse without doubting for a mitigation of our miseries if not a removall he is a God hearing prayer a God that will mitigate his own judgement rather then exasperate the spirits of his people Let it also lesson us to a condescension one to another let us not be rigid and stick to our wils and think it disparagement to abate of our wills and right and yeeld to others when God who is infinitely above us can yeeld to us and doth so daily bearing our infirmities remember that place Rom. 15.1 2 3. where the strong are bid to bear the infirmities of the
weak and not to please themselves but to please and edifie their neighbour and what 's the ground of it Christ pleased not himself but for our sakes hee bare reproach 1. It 's in Gods power to blast the comforts of this life behold Vers 16 17. I will break the staffe of bread God gives bread drink clothes what ever sweetens the lives of sinfull sorry men here on earth and when he pleases he can take them or the blessing of them from us What are clothes if they keep not warm What is bread if it do not nourish it's the same as if you had nâ—â—â— God can break the stâ—ffe of bread so that all your comforts shall be broken comforts and hee can take away the staffe of bread so that your comforts shall be no more Amos 4.8 Two or three cities wandred unto one city to drink water but they were not satisfied the waters quenched not their thirst they were broken comforts and Hos 4.10 They did eat but had not enough they were not filled and satisfied the staff of bread was broken and the comfort of it too short for them but that is not all sometimes there is no water no bread left Lam. 1.11 Chap. 4.4 5. Chap. 6. there was not a little but none God can take away all the comforts of this life and leave us as naked as wee came into the world neithet is it only in his power to break the staff of naturall bread but of the spirituall also Behold I will send a famine not of bread and a thirst not of water but of hearing the Word of God and men shall wander and not find it Amos 8.11 12. This is the sorest famine and such a famine is in many places Let us take heed wee provoke not God to plague us with such a famine 2. The end of God in his judgements is to perplex and ruine wicked impenitent sinners God sends a famine that they may eat and drink with care with ashonishment and consume away in a loathsome manner What a miserable sight is it to see a man pin'd even to death for want of bread many in time of plenty are fill'd with care and feare about their backs and bellies what they shall eat and what they shall drink and how live the next day how much more men in the depth of a famine see what Isaiah saith Chap. 9.19 20. there was a civill war to be amongst them famine accompanying that and the wrath of God to consume them as fire doth fuell and what then no man shall spare his brother and he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eat on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eat every man the flesh off his own arm Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh when they could not consume one another fast enough they would consume themselves eat their own arms to save life and that eating was death 3. It is mens iniquities which bring such consumptive judgements upon them they shall consume away for their iniquity sin is poison and that makes languishing it eats up the strength of a man wears out all his comforts and brings him to the pit Lev. 26.31 they shall pine away in their iniquitie their flesh their spirits their hopes their lives may leave them but their iniquities will not Ezekiel Chap. 5. Ver. 1 2 3 4. And thou Son of man take thee a sharp knife take thee a Barbers razor and cause it to passe upon thy head and upon thy beard then take the ballances to weigh and divide the haire 2. Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city when the dayes of the siege are fulfilled and thou shalt take a third part and smite about it with a knife and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind and I will draw out a sword after them 3. Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number and bind them in thy skirts 4. Then take of them again and cast them into the midst of the fire and burn them in the fire for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the House of Israel THis Chapter carries on the Argument of the former Jerusalem's misery in that was presented to you under single types a siege and famine in this also under a complex type is set forth the judgements of God against Jerusalem I call it a complex type because it contains many judgements of God it 's generally propounded in the first verse particularly in the three next The matter of this type is here and touching it he is commanded 1. To take a knife or razor and to cut off the hair of his head and beard 2. To weigh it being cut off and 3. To divide it Something I must open in the words give you the sense of them and then the obsâ—â—â—â—tions Take to thee a sharp knife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Hebrew it is a sword Chereb which signifies any instrument that cuts and divides of iron or stone in Josh 5.2 Make thee sharp knives Knives of flint is the originall what knife our Prophet meant is expressed a Barbers razor Hebrew a razor of Barbers such as they use when they trim men and they are very sharp most commodious and fit for that service This Razor here sets out the will and judiciary power of God in punishing the Jewes by Nebuchadnezzar who in Isai 7.20 is call'd a Razor and that is sharp strong and fit for shaving This Razor must passe upon the Prophets head and beard and take away the hair of both even close to the skin Head It types out unto us Jerusalem which had the regions round about subject unto it and now the chief city of Judah God would shave the head and beard of this city off The Citizens are resembled to hair of a mans head and beard 1. For their multitudes they are numberlesse and Jerusalem had multitudes in it of her own and thither was a conflux of all sorts from most parts 2. Hair is an ornament 1 Pet. 3.3 not only to women but also to men their hair doth become them Cant. 5.11 and people are a great ornament to a city a city unpeopled is a head without hair people are the beauty and glory of a city Prov. 20.29 Solomon saith gray hairs are the beautie of old men and gray-headed Counsellors are the beauty of cities A Lapid Barba est symbolum virilitatis Some by the hair of the head think the wise men of the City are figured out and by the hair of the beard are the strong men the beard is a token of manhood 3. Hair is a weak thing blown this way and that way with every wind and so it is with the people they are weak inconstant things Hebr. 13.9 They were carried about with divers and strange doctrines 2 Pet. 2.2 Many follow their pernicious wayes people are truly in this sense hair they move
come there and the Prophet brings in the Lord swearing As I live saith the Lord surely because thou hast done so I will therefore diminish thee here is the certainty of judgement neither shall mine eye spare neither will I have any pity here is the severity of it Gods Worship and the Ordinances of it are his Name Mal. 1.11 12. Exod. 20.24 in all places where I record my Name that is where God puts his Worship 1 Kin. 14.21 Jerusalem is the city that God chused out of all Tribes to put his Name in 1 King 8.29 My Name shall be there Hence saith David Psal 76.1 In Judah is God known his name is great in Israel the Gentiles knew not God they had not his Name amongst them nothing of his worship no true prayer and that is his Name Gen. 4.26 not the seals of the Covenant Mat. 28.19 not the censures of the Church 1 Cor. 4.5 and these are his Name Now Gods Name is very precious and the prophaning of it is forbidden in a speciall manner Lev. 22.31 32. Yee shall keep my Commandments and do them I am Jehovah and yee shall not prophane my holy name when they presumptuously break any command of God say the Rabbies then they prophane Gods Name it 's the greatest presumption and violation of Gods commands to corrupt his worship to mingle our inventions with it the spirit and the strength of the second Command is against all invented worship and Idolatry which is a hating of God and provokes to jealousie and wrath more then other sins Ezek. 23.37 38. they had sinned in murther and adultery Idolatry but what went neerest to the heart of God even their corrupting of his Worship and that is set out with a speciall Emphasis This they have done unto me they have defiled my Sanctuary to defile it with blood is bad but with false worship with Idols and superstitions is abominable what makes God reject a people and count them the generation of his wrath Jer. 7.29 30. they set their abominations in the house call'd by my name and pollute it read the 8th of Ezekiel and see the conclusion Therefore will I also deal in fury mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pity and though they cry in my ears with a loud voyce yet will I not heare them VER 12. A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee and I will scatter a third part into all the winds and I will draw out a sword after them HEre 's an explication of the Type in the first and second verses with a farther aggravation of Jerusalems misery from the variety of punishments 1. Pestilence 2. Famine 3. Sword 4. Dispersion Four sore judgements Pestilence It 's from a word that signifies to speak and speak out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pestilence is a speaking thing it proclaimes the wrath of God amongst a people Drus fetches it from the same root In Hab. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in Piel which is to decree shewing that the pestilence is a thing decreed in heaven not casuall Kirker thinks it 's call'd dever because it keeps order and spares neither great nor small the Hebrew root signifies to destroy to cut off and hence may the Plague or Pestilence have it's name The Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death for ordinarily its death and it 's exprest by death Rev. 6.8 he sate on the pale horse kill'd with sword hunger death and beasts of the earth it referres to Ezek. 14.21 where the Pestilence is mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestilence may be from a word signifies to spread spoil rush upon for it doth so 2 Sam. 24.15 70000. slain in three dayes and Plague à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to smite to wound for it smites suddenly and wounds mortally hence it is in Numb 14.12 I will smite them with the Pestilence this judgement is very grievous Psal 91.3 it 's call'd the noisome pestilence because it 's infectious contagious and therefore the French read it de la peste dangeruse from the dangerous pestilence it doth indanger those that come neer it and Musc hath it à peste omnium pessima and others the wofull pestilence it brings a multitude of woes with it to any place or person it comes unto it 's a messenger of wofull feares sorrowes distractions terrors and death it self With famine Of this sore Judgement hath been spoken in the 4th Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is exardere fame and the famine here is such an one as burns withers dries up a man when the calor nativus hath nothing able to feed upon it consumes the humidum radicale and man quickly perisheth The Scripture speaks of a three yeers famine 2 Sam. 21.1 a seven yeers famine Gen. 45.6 what numbers perished then when famines are mighty Luke 15.14 terrible Lam. 5.10 prevailing 2 King 25.3 and destroy not only the branches but the root Isa 14.13 By the sword round about thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charab signifies to dry up to lay waste to destroy whence Cherâ—b a sword is derived for it drawes out the blood dries up the body laies waste and destroyes Deut. 32.42 It 's said to eat flesh to drink and be filled with blood Isa 34.6 Here it 's put for wars the wars of the Babylonians against Jerusalem which are called The sword of the king of Babylon Ezek. 21.19.32.11 What a judgement the sword of war is wee begin to know and feel it dries up the blood of kingdomes it makes them wildernesses and destroyes round about hence the sword is said to be hurtfull Psal 144.10 powerfull Job 5.20 oppressive Jer. 46.16 bereaving Lam. 1.20 to reach to the Soul Jer. 4.10 to devour from one end of the land to the other so that no flesh shall have peace Jer. 12.12 I will scatter a third part into all the winds It 's such a scattering as is of dust or chaffe before the winds a fanning of them God would bring a wind out of the North should fan them as corn is fann'd and scatter them abroad Jer. 4.12 13. I will fan them with a fan Jer. 15.7 It 's the same word is here and notes a great fanning scattering of them and complaint is made of such scattering Psal 44.12 Thou hast scattered us among all the Heathens that was into the severall winds and countries round about and Zac. 7.14 I scattered them with a whirlewind amongst all the nations whom they knew not this was a heavie judgement to be remov'd from their own country friends to be scatter'd severall wayes to be with them whose language and manners they knew not that were cruell barbarous haters of God his Worship people to be servants and slaves to them this was a judgement sorer then pestilence