within shee was all glorious within so if Christs Throne the outside of it be so glorious what is hee in the Throne all glorious all glory Joh. 1.14 Wee beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten If Apostles saw glory in him being on earth in his low condition what did our Prophet see in him being above the firmament in his Throne and glorious condition The Scriptures set him out not only to be glorious but glory Psal 24.8 King of glory Jam. 2.1 Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons The word Lord in the second place is not in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thus it stands there have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the glory so that Christ is glory and the glory the glory of heaven the glory of the world the glory of Sion the glory of the soul and not only is Christ glorious and glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hee is Heb. 1.3 the brightnesse of glory that is spotlesse perfect intense exceeding glory hee is the brightnesse of the glory of the Father or the Fathers glory shines out most brightly and intensly in the Son the Fathers glory in the whole creation is but darknesse to his glory in Christ and therefore he is brightnesse of glory and every thing that comes from Christ hath some beames of glory in it his works are called glorious Luke 13.17 they rejoyced for all the glorious things done by him the liberty he purchased is glorious liberty Rom. 8.21 his Church is glorious Ephes 5.27 his Gospel is glorious 1 Tim. 1.11 6. That Christs Throne must not be of common stone but precious ones of Saphires the pavement of God was of stones or bricks of Saphire Exod. 24.10 and Christs throne must be of Saphires the Church is Christs Throne visible and conspicuous as the heavens Jerem. 3.17 Jerusalem is called the throne of the Lord and the Churches under the Gospel are the throne of Christ hee sits in the Congregations and bears rule in them Rev. 2.13 I know where thou dwellest where Satans seat or throne is there was a congregation of persecutors Idolaters and unclean parties for such sinners are mentioned in the 13. and 14. verses and this company was the seat and throne of Satan many congregations are thrones of iniquity and shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee Psal 94.20 But godly congregations are the Seat and Throne of Christ Now as the conscience which is the invisible seat of Christ must be pure 1 Tim. 3.9 holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience so must the visible Seat of Christ be pure the congregation where hee will sit and reigne therefore the promise is Isa 54.11 12. that the state of the Church under the Gospel shall be better then it was under the Law there all stones were laid in the building but here should be a difference made God wll lay stones with faire colours Saphires Agats Carbuncles and pleasant stones and that it 's meant of Gospel-times and Churches the words following in the 13. verse shew All thy children shall be taught of the Lord which Christ applies to these times Joh. 6.45 So then the Churches now are to be of Saphires such as have a heavenly vertue and purity in them not of Sand-stones Tode-stones or any High-way-stones they are fitter to make Satan a seat then Christ a Throne 1 Pet. 2.5 they are called lively stones not dead stones that have no true grace in them but lively ones they must be that make a house a throne for Christ Stones that it may be a solid building lively that it may be a usefull profitable building and Saphire that it may be a pure and glorious building 7. Judiciary power is put into the hand of Christ not only as God but as man there was the appearance of a man above upon the Throne there sate the Sonne of man Acts 23.3 and sitting upon the Throne imports power and power judiciall therefore when Christ tels his Disciples of sitting upon the twelve thrones hee tells them also of judging the twelve tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 and that Christ had such power and that as Sonne of man appeares Joh. 5.27 The father hath given the Son authority to execute judgement because hee is the Son of man verse 22. hee hath committed all judgement to the Son both judgement of actions things and persons Acts 17.31 God will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man hee hath ordained the last judgement shall be by Christ even that great judgement So particular judgements here as now Christ sate in judgement upon Jerusalem and sentenced them to death and captivity And because judgement is opus potestatis an act of power therefore Christ himself tels us that all power in heaven and earth is given unto him Mat. 28.18 8. The Lord Christ actually ruleth the world and all things in it hee sits upon the Throne and exerciseth his power and authority 1 King 2.12 There sate Solomon upon the throne of David his Father that is hee ruled the kingdome and all the affaires of it so Christ sitting upon the Throne presents to us his active ruling the Prophet might see hee held the globe of the world in his hand that hee raised tempests out of the North sent abroad the four living creatures in the severall parts of the world that hee orders the wheels and causes them to stand or go at his pleasure the Lord Christ is not out of office or idle now in heaven though hee sits upon a Throne of glory at his Fathers right hand hee is not neglective of the world he upholds it by his power Heb. 1.3 hee sends out his Angels to minister unto his verse the last hee still gives gifts to men and provides for his Church Ephes 4. and makes the Word the favour of life or death to men hee restraines the wrath of enemies and hedges up their wayes hee makes use of them as rods to drive his stragling sheepe into the fold hee subdues hearts and spirits to himself and protects them being subdued hee discovers confounds the enemies plots and persons 9. The Lord Christ doth govern all with great tranquillity and with great facility hee sits upon the Throne and doth all that imployes quietnesse of mind A sedate temper there is no passion or perturbation in him hee is a Lion for his power a Lamb for his meeknesse hee rules by counsell and wisdome in much quietnesse Act. 17.31 he judgeth in righteousnesse and what hee doth is done without difficulty let him speak the word and presently it 's done if hee bid Nebuchadnezzar go and sack Jerusalem carry them away to Babylon hee goes hee accomplisheth his will fully 10. That Christ is ready ever to heare the causes and complaints of his Church he sits upon the Throne other Judges are of the Bench and Throne and parties agrieved
fresh and lively alwayes age and sicknesse works not upon them as upon other Birds Nec annis debilitatur nec morbis obnoxia est the Eagle in her age is youthfull how then doth shee die Pliny tels us that it 's neither age or sicknesse that kils the Eagle but hunger the upper bill groweth so over her under that she cannot open her mouth to take in sustenance and so dies Psal 103.5 Their youth is renewed like the Eagles Crebra mutatione pennarum Hieron Imberbes ut juvenes the Eagle is renewed by the oft change of her feathers The Cherubims before the Mercy-Seat which represented the Angels were without beards to shew their vigour vavacity and eternity Angels never grow old they are alwayes lusty and lively their service doth not weare them out it 's mans sin that withers and consumes him more then his work Adam should never have look'd old never have decayed but retain'd an immortall vivacity if he had not sinned they are lively in their service not dull Observ 1. That Angels are fit for publike and great service they have four faces a Mans a Lions an Oxes an Eagles which tels us they have all is requisite to great undertakings they have wisdome to consult to contrive and manage the affairs of the world prudentially they have the strength of a Lion to execute they have the willingnesse and faithfulnesse of the Ox to rejoyce the heart of the commander patience to undergo the difficulties of the work and usefulnesse for the publique they are quick-sighted to discern and prevent the designes of enemies and speedy to dispatch much in a little time and that with cheerfulnesse this is meant by their four faces which notes their perfection and fitnesse for service in all parts of the world in regard of which and the Prophet to whom this vision was made they are said to have one face before another behind and on each side one and that God doth use their service in all creatures rationall and irrationall they have the shapes of men birds and beasts 2 That suitable persons ought to be imployed in publique and great services God imployes Angels in the government of the world who are wise trusty strong and speedy and you know what men God calls for in the State and Church Exod. 18.21 Provide thou out of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousnesse and place such over them to be Rulers of thousands hundreds fifties tens he must search amongst all the people for such far and neer and if in one Tribe he cannot find them he must in another The time hath been that seniority money favour friendship hath carryed the great places in this City but you have smarted for it in stead of good Angels you have had il spirits now I hope you will not look who hath most money in his hutch best friends to back him but most wisdome in his head and zeal in his heart and God on his side now I trust you will learn of God and imploy such as have the faces of men Lions Oxen and Eagles men full of wisdome courage trust serviceablenesse to the publike and of great dispatch such should be in the City in the Army So for the Church you know what men God points you to 1 Tim. 3. and 1 Pet. 5. Gods Bishops must not Lord it over Gods heritage and exercise dominion over it Gods Officers must not be Prelaticall it 's the fleece and not the flock that such men look after unlesse it be to scatter to wound their conscience and suck their blood some of that Sect in stead of preaching to save souls have only plotted to ruine Kingdomes 3. That Angels being noble and glorious creatures disdain not to do service to them that are far beneath themselves Man at first when in his glory was under the Angels but now since he sinn'd he is fallen lower as low as hell man is now a miserable mortall creature he hath a vile body a defiled conscience and a polluted soul yet Angels that are stiled Gods Psal 8.5 so is the originall that are Cherubims of glory Heb. 9.5 that are holy Mat. 25.31 Elect 1 Tim. 5.21 that are of the privie Councell of Heaven and the life-guard of God himself Matth. 18.10 even these blessed creatures are not ashamed to serve us though we have the sent of the earth and hell about us though we do oft grieve and offend them with our sinfull carriages and the great God their Lord and Master yet they despise us not but cheerfully minister unto us Would any great Prince attend a mean man full of sores and vermine if so it argues wonderfull humility it 's more that Angels do in waiting upon us it 's monstrous pride then in men that have parts place honour greatnesse grace what ever it be not to stoop to those that are inferiour thou hast not more worth in thee any way then an Angel hath and Angels condescend to serve us therefore let not us minde high things but condescend to men of low estate and not be wise in our own conceit Rom. 12.16 4. That God affects speed in his service Angels are swift as Eagles and dispatch great things in a little time they know a dull lazie motion is not the motion heaven approves Zach. 2.4 saith one Angel to another Run speak to the young man going is not sufficient where running can be had Festina lente is not a Motto for heaven gates In the worst work that ever was in the world Christ calls for speed What thou dost do quickly Joh. 13.27 when Judas was about his treason Speed and life in businesses is commendable acceptable Matth. 5.25 Agree with thine adversary quickly Zach. 8.21 Darius would have his decree done speedily Ezra 6.12 and God would have his Decrees and Will fulfilled done with speed It 's Gods will now that you should help him against the mighty When the Temple was to be built the people came so fast brought in so much that they were bid to stay and that work of theirs was pleasing to God and man We have a Babel to pull down as well as a Temple to build can you be imployed better Luke 16. you are Stewards may quickly be call'd to account Be speedy in what you do In the the 11th verse you have one thing more touching their faces and that is their faces were stretched upwards thus were their faces it 's in your books as if it had reference only to the former verse and not to that followes in the eleventh but Montanus and others that render the Hebrew exactly reade it thus But their faces and their wings were stretched upwards it 's true they have the faces of men and beasts but they are stretched upward they looked up to him that sate upon the Throne which was Christ the Cherubims faces Exod. 25.20 21. were towards the Mercy-seat and that was above upon the
precedent parts of this Vision there is yet more and higher glory to be spoken of and that is the glory of God in the person of Christ This Vision of the firmamen is preparatory to the Vision of Christ upon the Throne it 's described 1. From the place of it it was upon the heads of the living creatures 2. From the colour it was like Crystal and terrible Crystal 3. From the nâ—yse came thence vers 25. In the 23. and 24. Verses wee have a renewed and intermixt description of the living creatures from their wings the situation the number the office and noyse of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d stendere expandere To begin with the Firmament the Hebrew word is Rachiah from a word signifies to draw out and make thin as metals are and wooll to stretch out as Curtains and Tents are Isa 40.22 whence heaven is called expansum because it is stretched out over the whole earth the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the firmnesse and permanency hereupon wee call it the firmament not from the hardnesse or solidity as if it were like Iron or Stone but from the firmnesse of it that it hath endured many thousand yeers and is not melted by its motion nor at all changed it 's taken sometimes for the ayre sometimes for the clouds and sometimes for heaven it self and so wee may take it here even the starry firmament This firmament was over the heads of the living creatures the wheels Angels were under it and it was between the Lord Christ and these creatures and did the office of that pair of wings which did cover the faces of the Seraphims in Isa 6.2 great was the glory of Christ and through this vail of the firmament presented to them The colour and likenesse of it was as the terrible crystal We must a little explain these words it was the likeness of the firmament not the firmament it self The Hebr. words run thus the ice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the terrible or the terrible ice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ice water hardened by cold whence Crystal hath its birth for though ice be not Crystal yet Crystal is from ice when ice is hardened into the nature of a stone it becomes Crystal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nat. hist l. 37. c. 2. more degrees of coldnesse hardnesse and cleernesse give ice the denomination of Crystal and the name Crystal imports so much that is water by cold contracted into ice and Pliny saith the birth of it is from ice vehemently frozen and so you see the originall of Crystal The Epithet here added terrible hath some difficulty in it that heaven a visionall firmament should be terrible seems strange terriblenesse ariseth from newnesse greatnesse or the glory of a thing Things new and strange do cause fear as when the earth opened and swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram there was great feare it was a terrible thing and this is called a new thing Numb 16.30 If the Lord make a new thing so when new sights are seen in the heavens they cause astonishment to the beholders as comets the standing of the Sun and the like 2. Things great are dreadfull great waters great mountains great armies Deut. 1.19 he calls the Wildernesse a great and terrible wildernesse Joel 2.11 the day of the Lord is great and terrible and so the Lord great and terrible Nehem. 4.14 from the greatnesse of it therefore might this Crystal be terrible 3. The glory of it that might make it terrible for glorious things are so lightning is glorious and dreadfull when Gods glory appeared in the mount it was terrible unto Moses and made him to quake Heb. 12.21 At Pauls conversion there was a glorious light which stroke feare into all were with him Act. 9. And this Crystalline firmament was full of glory Crystal is a cleer thing receives the light so as to affect the eyes much in like manner this firmament had a great cleernesse and transparency being the foot-stool of Christ sitting upon the Throne Suppedaneum Christi sedentis in throno 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuag sometimes translate the Hebrew word for terrible glorious Deut. 10.21 Who hath done for thee these great and terrible things great and glorious things say they so Isa 64. ver 3. Thou diddest terrible things they render it glorious things Tam vehementer nitebat ut form dinem aspicienti afferret Pol. Divinitatem quandam praese ferâ—bat Mald. for they are terrible and here from the gloriousnesse of this Crystal or Crystalline visionall firmament it may be called terrible and this I conceive to be the true cause of its terriblenesse it was so glorious that none could behold it without being dazled astonished and put into a trembling Observ 1. That all creatures are under Christ even Angels themselves they and the wheels are under the firmament where Christ is he walks above his feet are where creatures heads are all are subject to the power of Christ and hee sits above and hee rules them and over-rules their actions Angels and all wheels stoop to him the Prophet saw the wheel on the earth the Angels under the firmament but Christ was above 1 Cor. 15.27 All things are put under him all Angels all men all devils God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name Phil. 2.9 2. That heavenly things are pure and glorious and hold forth the glory of God Rev. 22.1 they have the cleernesse splendor and lively colour of the Crystal The higher wee ascend the more purity beauty and glory there is more in the ayre then in the earth and waters more in the Sun more in the stars and firmament then in the inferiour things Gods glory is every where the earth is full of it If wee look downwards we may see it but if we look upwards we shall see more excellency and glory How much glory is in the Sun who can tell how many wonderfull things it hath in it and so the firmament Psal 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work The out-spread firmament that is so vast so transparent so beset with stars that darts down such sweet influences it holds forth Gods glory exceedingly the glory of his wisdome power goodnesse There is much of Gods glory seen in it Job 37.18 The sky or firmament is compared to a looking-glasse not because you may see severall species of things as we see severall faces in the water and birds in the ayre but chiefly because in it wee see so much of the glory of God even most of his attributes we should be oft looking in this glasse and observe the glory of God 3. That the things above are dreadfully glorious so glorious that our weak eyes cannot behold Incuâ—iunt sacrum quendam honorem the glory of the firmament was as the
terrible Crystal such as caused dread in a Prophet what eye can look upon the Sun in its glory and strength could we see an Angel in his glory Jud. 6. Jud. 13. Sensibile excellens destruit sensorium it would terribly affright us when Angels vayl'd up their glory in humane shapes it made great Worthies of God to quake as Gideon Manoah and others glorious objects work strongly upon our spirits and quickly scatter them And if the glory of creatures be such what is the glory of God himself 1 Tim. 6.16 God dwels in the light which no man can approach unto it 's such exceeding glorious light that no created eye can endure that light or glory is Gods habitation and so glorious a one it is that wee cannot look upon it Act. 22.11 Paul could not behold that glorious light shined about him The earth heavens and world which are Gods out-house we may behold but his glory which is himself his inmost roome we may not wee cannot eye this light is darknesse unto us there is so much brightnesse in it that it will put out our eyes and whether this glory be accessible by the Saints or Angels may 〈◊〉 disputable because God is invisible and his glory inaccessible and besides the Angels they had wings to cover their faces Isa 6. And here they are presented to Ezekiel under the firmament with that upon their heads which shewes that they and all creatures are distanced from God and capable of seeing his glory only in that way he thinks good to propound it That in Mat. 18.10 seems to speak the contrary where it 's frid that in heaven their Angels do alwayes behold the face of my father it 's true they are in the speciall presence of God have sweet and satisfactory communion with God stand ready to do his will but God hath no face in heaven and whether they see his essentiall glory I leave to farther inquiry 4. That all things here below are expressed to the eye and view of Christ the firmament is so cleere that Christ sees through it It 's the window of heaven and through it hee looks into the world it 's a molten looking-glasse Job 37.18 and as wee may see Gods attributes and glory in it so Christ sees our shapes thoughts distempers and motions he saw Saul when he got the Letters to Damascus to persecute the Saints the Lord Christ saw him and knew the bloodinesse of his mind and said unto him Saul Saul Acts 9. many are Atheisticall and say in their hearts as hee in Job 22.13 How doth God know can he judge through the dark clouds Esa 29.15 they do evill in the dark and say who seeth us and who knoweth us there is one in the heavens that seeth through the clouds and darknesse it self they are as the Sun and Firmament to him darknesse is no darknesse the firmament is as light it self all things done in Armies Councels Markets Shops Families Closets Beds Hearts are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom wee have to do Heb. 4.13 I come now to the 23. Verse where the glory of Christ is set out from his Ministers or Officers and they are the living creatures VER 23. And under the firmament were their wings streight the one toward the other every one had two which covered on this side and every one had two which covered on that side their bodies I Have spoken before of the wings yet somewhat I shall adde four wings they had and more wee may not give them though it may seem in this Verse they had more for it 's said their wings were streight that is stretcht out and then that they had two on this side and two on that side but the meaning is when they did flie those wings that did cover upward were stretcht out and the other did still cover their bodies or feet The scope of the verse is to shew that the Ministery of the Angels doth refer to and set out the glory of Christ and that may be seen in the observations to be given Obser 1. That where Christ is there the Angels are neer unto him he was above the firmament and they just under it the firmament was upon their heads there was only a glorious transparent firmament betweene Christ and them distanced from Christ they are but not far 2. The Angels wise strong serviceable swift and glorious creatures attend Christs Throne and are subject unto him they were under the firmament about his Throne Is it not for the honour and great glory of a King to have Nobles Potentates and Princes under him attending in his Court It was much for Ahashuerus his glory and honour when he had the Nobles and Princes of the Provinces before him and under him Est 1.3 And so it 's much for the honour of Christ that hee hath Angels which are greater then the Kings of the earth attending him 3. They are ready to exercise the will and pleasure of Christ this farther advances the honour of Christ their wings were stretched out and they willing to move in any service if their Lord gave out the word when the Centurions servants were so willing to go and come at his bidding it made much for his honour Matth. 8.9 ready cheerly active servants are an ease and honour to their Masters unreadinesse and unwillingnesse in inferiours do disparage authority and stain the glory of it Angels that serve at Christs Throne are never unready or unwilling for any service 4. They are unanimous in their Ministrations they fall not out by the way their wings are streight the one towards the other they cary on the work put into their hands with love sweet agreement peace and constant At the birth of Christ they sung all one song and sung without division Glory to God on high on earth peace good will towards men as they sung so they act there is no disagreement amongst them Can two walke together except they be agreed Angels do flie together and act together they are so agreed that no devill no creature can divide them they have all but one minde and serve the Lord Christ with one consent and what honour is this to Christ that hath so great so many servants and all minding the same thing 5. They reverence the greatnesse and Majesty of Christ though they be high and glorious yet they see so vast a distance between Christ and themselves that they cover their faces Isa 6. and their bodies here they come not into his presence rudely but with great respect and reverence As God is to be had in reverence of all that are about him Psal 89.7 so Christ is reverenced by all the Angels that are about him Women are to be vail'd in the assemblies because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 to shew their reverence and subjection to them being present and Angels are covered to shew their reverence and subjection unto Christ it 's an honour to
according to his humane nature hee should sit upon the Throne of God and judge the sonnes of men hee was administrator Patris the great Agent of his Father Whether Christ in this Vision sate or stood is doubted because it 's said above upon it neither standing nor sitting being expressed but my inclinations are to conceive that the Lord Christ sate and stood not 1. Because Thrones are not for standing but sitting and we never find in Scripture that any stood in Thrones but sate they have sitting in Thrones is the usuall phrase of Scripture 1 King 2.12 Solomon sate upon the Throne of David his father and in the 22th Chap. 10. The King of Israel and the King of Judah as they sate each upon his Throne and Isa 6.1 Isaiah sâ—â— the Lord sitting upon a Throne Rev. 4.10 The twenty four Elders fell down before him that sate on the Throne 2. Kings and Judges here on earth do not use to stand but sit which doth more fully set out their State and Majesty and if Kings on earth do so how much more this King in heaven Besides standing is a servants posture Deut. 17.12 and Ch. 10. v. 8. but sitting is not Luke 17.7 8. that is the Masters the Lords posture Obser 1. The wisdome of Gods Spirit in laying down things to prevent the corruptions and mistakes of man wee are apt to think grosly of the divine nature that God is visible corporeall contained in place sitting as man but see how the Spirit of God carries it here and takes off from all such conceits here is mention of likenesse appearance of things not that they were materially so it 's the likenesse of a Throne the appearance of a Saphire and upon the likenesse of the Throne was the appearance of a man no true body The Anthropomorphites thought God to be like unto us to have his Throne in heaven and sit in it and so far did these men proceed in this opinion of Gods corporeity and circumscription that they assembled into troops and threatned to stone all opposed it So tenacious of and violent for errors are men even the deluded sons of men 2. That man is not capable of immediate accesse to and converse with God Here be many steps and degrees before the Prophet comes to see Christ and then it 's not in his Divine nature but in the appearance of a man Here be the living creatures in the way by the firmament over their heads and then a Throne and that of Saphirine colour and afterward a sight of Christ in the form of a man and then converse If the Lord should not condescend to our weaknesse and mantle up his Majesty there could be no communion between him and us 3. That the Lord Christ who appeared like man hath Kingly Majesty Here is a Throne and a Throne set before him Thrones present royall Majesty unto us and this Throne presenteth Christs when on earth he was in the forme of a servant but in heaven he appeared to the Prophet in the form of a King Neither hath he a Throne only but what ever appertains to Kings Vnction he had and such as other Kings had not hee was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power Act. 10.38 Promulgation Zach. 9.9 O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee A Crowne Hebr. 2.9 Wee see Jesus crowned with glory and honour the Jews crowned him with thornes the Lord with glory A Scepter hee hath also and better then of Gold Hebr. 1.8 A Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy Kingdom A royall guard of Angels they are under the firmament stand ready at his foot-stool he hath his Agents and Ambassadors in the kingdome of the world to declare his pleasure to transact his appointments Ephes 4.11 Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers these negotiate the great affaires of this King they dispense the mysteries of his Kingdome he is not a titular King but hath large Dominions Dan. 7.14 There was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people nations languages should serve him and Psal 2.8 The heathens are his inheritance and the ends of the earth his possession He hath a Legislative power he makes and abrogates Lawes at his pleasure Gen. 49.10 He came of the Princely Tribe that made the Lawes Judah bare the Scepter and gave the Lawes and therefore by David is called The Law-giver Psal 60.7 and Christ descending thence and being typified by the King of Judah he is the true Law-giver Jam. 4.12 there is one Lawgiver and therefore Matth. 28. last Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you hee hath a pardoning and punishing power he pardoned Mary Magdalene and punished him had not on his wedding garment 4. That Christ is not only King but the chiefest of Kings his Throne is not on earth but in heaven it 's above the firmament that was over Angels heads and Christs Throne is above them both so that all power in heaven and earth are under Christ his Throne is exalted above them all Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him the greatest Archangel must do it those Thrones for so they are termed Col. 1.16 must stoop to this Throne Ephes 1.20.21 God hath set Christ in heavenly places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the heavenly thrones yea in supercelestiall places for it followes hee hath set him far above all Principalitie and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet even Angels are under the firmament where his feet stand and all the Princes of the earth are under him Rev. 1.5 Hee is the Prince of the Kings of the earth The inscription of his vesture and thigh is King of Kings and Lord of Lords this title is not Xerxes Nebuchadnezzars nor Alexanders but Christs alone the kings of the world when they sit upon their thrones they have their expansum over their heads some cloth of state made of the richest stuffe that the brains of men can reach unto bedeckt with Diamonds and Pearles that are most costly but this over their throne intimates their subjection to some higher power but it 's not so with Christ hee is above the Expansum nothing is over his head Angels Kings Devils are under his feet and unto him must every knee bow 5. That the Lord Christ who hath such a glorious Throne is exceeding glorious himself his Throne is like Saphires of a Saphirine colour which is very beautifull it 's like the glory of the heavens if an earthly throne be a Throne of glory as Hanna styles it 1 Sam. 2.8 what is this throne a resemblance of the Throne of his glory which hee speaks of in Matth. 19.28 and Chap. 25. vers 31. The cloathing of the Kings daughter Psalm 45.13 was wrought Gold a glorious outside but there was more glory
is too glorious for mans eyes to behold and therefore is presented here more remote and hidden from the Prophets sight There was the appearance of fire in the colour of Amber or within the outward fire this was glorious that exceeding glorious the fire in the fire here is infinite glory shut up obscured by that is lesse glorious You heard before of Christs humane nature that it is very glorious much more the Divine that communicates the lustre glory to the humane 2 Pet. 1.17 a voyce came from the excellent glory glory that excell'd all the glory of the creature that excell'd all the apprehensions of creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the glory greatly becoming or great becoming glory it 's glory that greatly becomes the great God and such is the glory of the Divine nature of Christ it 's excellent glory and if it were let out a little in the strength and fulnesse of it wee should be sunk by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Glory is a weighty thing the Hebrew word for glory signifies gravitas pondus onus intimating that glory as it 's a bright so a heavie thing brightnesse and weightinesse are in it 2 Cor. 4.17 it 's call'd a weight of glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the glory of Christs divine nature would oppresse us if fully opened to our view Moses made a request to God which if he had granted would have been his death Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee saith he shew me thy glory God tels him in the 20th verse no man can see me and live my glory will be a consuming fire unto thee yet God is pleased to communicate the glory of his divine nature here to Moses in that way might do him good and not destroy him hee puts him into the cleft of a rock and shewes him his back parts vers 23. which was some glorious body as Testatus thinks some humane shape as others conceive and not unlikely to be Christ Oluaster Osiander as hee appeared in his transfiguration full of glory and Majesty thus God condescended to Moses and so here to the Prophet Non cadit sub sensum corporis Juxta possibilitatem humanam Fulgor ille tantae majestatis nos in nihilum redigeret hee sees the glory of the divine nature in the humane which in it self is not subject to mans sense but through divine dispensation is made visible according to mans capacity If wee cannot behold the Sun for its brightnesse nor one creature behold another without prejudice to it self how can wee behold the exceeding glory of the Creator of the divine nature without great danger without death the glory of such Majesty would turn us into nothing 5. That Christs actions even judicary ones are glorious there was brightnesse round about his presence sitting in judgement and his actuall punishing of the Jewes with war famine captivity are all full of glory This supreme Majesty executing judgement fils all with brightnesse and glory when the Angels came with power to judge Babylon Rev. 18.1 2. it 's said the earth was lightned with his glory Acts of judgement and justice are glorious and shining Ribera saith this is meant of judgement upon Rome which shall be evident to all and fill the world with the glory of it when it shall be fulfilled God was glorious as well in destroying the Egyptians as delivering the Israelites there is so much beauty and brightnesse in works of justice and judgement that they are call'd the glory of the Lord Numb 14.21 The people upon the ill report brought upon the Land of Canaan murmured thought to make a captaine and go back to Egypt whereupon God threatned to smite them with the pestilence and to disinherit them Moses interposes intercedes for them God answers him and saith Rev. 14.11 The fire and brimstone they are tormented with is vindicta Dei ex qua quasi sumus produt Dei laus gloria Alcazar At thy request I have pardoned them but as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord what 's that the glory of his just judgements upon them in the Wildernesse and shortly after Corah and his confederates were swallowed alive by the earth Zimri and Cosbi were run thorow for their wickednesse and in these and other particulars was the glory of the Lord seen evidently Would Magistrates and those have power in their hands shine and be glorious let them execute judgement and see justice done Solomon by that act of judgement between the two Harlots touching the dead and the living childe became renowned What a glorious act was in it when Darius set Daniel at liberty and caused his accusers to be cast into the den of Lions If men in place would punish delinquents executing justice in the feare of God without respect of persons distemper of affections or any sinister respects they would be like Angels and enlighten the City and Kingdome with glory such a one is Sol justitiae and fils the world with the beams of righteousnesse hee is dextra Dei and relieves Kingdomes Cities Families with equity VER 28. As the appearance of the bowe that is in the cloud in the day of rain so was the appearance of the brightnesse round about HEre is a description of that brightnesse or glory which compassed him that sate upon the Throne himself was glorious the brightnesse of glory and he had circumferentiall brightnesse and this is resembled unto the Bowe in the cloud that which we call the Rainbowe first mention of it is in the 9th of Genesis verse 13. where God puts double honour upon it 1. He ownes it for his I do set my Bowe in the cloud and 2. Makes it foederall a token of the Covenant between him and the earth and so by divine institution is exalted to a supernaturall work a sacramentall signe I shall speak something of this Bowe Philosophically and something Theologically 1. Philosophically the generation of it is in the wombe of a cloud and the cause naturall viz. the reverberation of the Sun-beames in a moyst cloud for when there is a moyst cloud opposit to the Sun fitly disposed to receive the Sun-beams and to reflect them then is the Rain-bowes birth and appearance the figure of it a semicircle sometimes lesse but never greater sometimes there hath been a Rain-bowe in the night from the beames of the Moone which is weak and like a white cloud Mylichius observes In lib. 2. Plin. that from the Sunne hath sometimes been a white Rain-bow but constantly the Rain-bowe is of divers colours specially blew green and red all very glorious Thaumantis filiam propter admirationem In Theaeteto and wonderfull drawing the eyes of the world to behold it whereupon Plato thinks it 's called the daughter of Wonder it 's so admired The naturall signification of it is rain and moyst weather Scaliger saith if it be in the morning it
vid. â—â—b de viden Deum Hom. 2. 2. q. 174. 175. and absent in the flesh Augustine and Aquinas are of opinion that Moses and Paul saw God in his essence but they were men and not without their errors for had they seen Gods essence their faith had ceased being swallowed up in vision The School-man would help it thus the light of glory in them had not a permanent being but was given them transitively Esse permanâ—ns per modum transeuntis But this answer will not bear up the opinion for faith and vision of glory cannot consist in a larger tract or in the least instant of times as in one man there cannot be a perfect and obscure light together the full light of the Sun and least degree of darknesse cannot at once be in the eye And farther if they saw the essence of God they had not the act of faith but evidence for if a man had seen Rome and after remembers it Non habet fidem sed evidentiam de eo quod vidit he saith not he believes there is such a City but hee hath seen it and so of Gods essence It must not be granted that ever any saw Gods essence you have incontrollable authority for it Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time Durand saith these words are to be understood exclusively 1. Of corporeall vision for with a bodily eye none ever did or shall see God 2. Of intellectuall naturall Vision because a naturall understanding cannot attain unto the cleer vision of God 3. Of the vision of comprehension from all created understandings though Angels and Saints in heaven see God yet not comprehensively and 1 Tim. 6.16 whom no man hath seen nor can see there 's a deniall both of the fact and the possibility Aust himself confesseth in l. 2. de Trin. C. 16 17 18. That the substance of God is not ullo modo corporaliter visibilem not to be seen at all with the eyes of flesh and the rule of School-men touching visions and apparitions is infallible that the nature of God is not seen with the eyes of the body but only some corporeall thing is exhibited which being visibly seen or sensibly perceived God is invisibly represented to the understanding Al. Halcus But Moses saw God face to face Exod. 33.11 So Jacob saw God face to face Gen. 32. Answ Those Patriarchs and Prophets that are said to see God saw him in divers resemblances and this is an unanswerable argument that they never saw Gods essence for that is pure immixt alwayes alike neither standing nor sitting having no parts no shape or likenesse to any thing therefore saith Athenasius those Fathers saw God in some creature Deum non fuiss ab antiquis pâ—râ—bus vâ—sum nost 〈◊〉 assumptioâ—e creatu ae secundum Deitatem vero esse 〈◊〉 v sioâ—â—em not in his own nature for it is invisible Again this phrase of seeing God face to face in the Hebrew dialect imports two things First Familiarity Secondly Perspicuity 1. Familiarity they had familiar converse with God Deut. 5.4 the Lord talketh with you face to face you asked him questions and he gave you answers and it 's evident that this is intended in the phrase Exo. 33.11 The Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend Moses questioned it with God and God most friendly answered him So in Numb 12.8 Mouth to mouth will I speak with him it notes the presentiality and familiarity of God with Moses 2. Perspicuity cleernesse they saw God face to face that is comparatively others saw God in dreames and visions which were more obscure but these saw God more cleerly had more illustrious visions of God they saw Gods back-parts these saw Gods face and the phrase is used in the New Testament 1 Cor. 13.12 Then shall wee see face to face that is more fully and perfectly then here but whether wee shall see the divine essence in patria in heaven is questionable Chrysost Hom. 14. on John saith That before the incarnation the Son of God was Angelis invisibilis and if they in their glory saw not the divine nature of Christ it 's like wee shall not Whether Christ saw the Father or Holy Ghost with the eyes of his body is questionable if some doubt it others deny it Halens grants that the soul of Christ saw God perfectly from his conception but hee saith not the eye of his body saw him Aquinas saith that glorified eyes shall see God in that manner as now our eyes do see the life of man life not seen with a bodily eye as a thing visible by it self but by the intervention of something else and so accidentally becomes sensible it 's our understanding not the eye reacheth life and so in God But in 1 John 3. we shall see him as hee is Answ He speaks of a new and unutterable way of seeing God Wee shall see him as hee is to be seen mediante lumine gloriae the beams of the Sun so fill the eye that wee cannot behold the nature of it and whether it be so in heaven wee shall not know till wee come there let us get holinesse and then wee shall see him will resolve this doubt Observ 1. That all the glory is seen of God in this life any wayes is but the appearance and likenesse of the glory of God There was much and great glory in this vision there is more in the world in the creatures more in the Church and yet all this is only a shadow and a small appearance of the glory of God If we should see ten thousand Torches lighted up in a dark night they make a glorious light yet are they nothing to the light of the Sun when that comes torch-light star-light seem appearances of light rather then light it self So when the glory of God shall be revealed it will darken all other glory and there was not so great a difference between the light in Goshen and darknesse in Egypt as there will be between the glory of God and that glory now appeares in the world The glory of God is neither expressible or comprehensible by any or all the creatures The glory that Isaiah saw on the earth and that Ezekiel saw in the heavens did not expresse the thousand part of this glory and neither heaven not earth are able to comprehend the same 2. See the infinite goodnesse of the Lord that will expose that to the eyes of his servants which is so deare unto him his own glory Precious things of Princes and great ones are not common for the view of all but choyce friends favorites shall see them God hath nothing more precious then his glory yet this shall his choyce friends and favourites see and because they cannot see it in the perfection of it God will draw a picture of it with his own hand and hold forth to the eyes of his here Ezekiel had an appearance of
God he could say I am an earthen vessell if there be heavenly treasure in it hee that sate upon the Throne put it in for mine own part I am the Son of man like all the children of Adam and if there be any difference hee made it and if there be any glory hee shall have it so Paul 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly then they all that seems a derogating speech but hee corrects himself for it yet not I but the grace of God that was with mee 3. To let Ezekiel and others see the rich bounty and goodnesse of God in that he would take a Son of man who is earth frail and worthlesse and exalt him to so high and honourable a condition and specially at such a time as this was when God was wroth with his inheritance laid them waste had brought them into Babylon and was stripping them naked of all comforts yet now to give them a Prophet to call out Ezekiel this could not but put his spirit and all their spirits into admiration of Gods goodnesse Stand upon thy feet Here is the Command of Christ Ezekiel I see thou art a frail man stricken with great feare and canst not indure my glory and presence stand up this is not for thy hurt but good I appeare not to confound thee but to comfort thee not to cast thee down but to exalt thee Stantis est div norum auditio non resu pini Apollin Why doth the Lord command standing 1. It 's a fitter posture for hearing then lying on the ground was Stand that thou mayest recover thy spirits and heare the better what I shall say unto thee so the Angel bid Daniel stand upright Dan. 10.11 Oracles are for standers not prostrate ones therefore when Balaam came with the Oracles of God to Balak he said Rise up Balak and heare Numb 23.18 shew thou reverence and respect to the Word of God for Kings were wont to stand when messengers from God were brought unto them so Eglon rose out of his seat when Ehud told him hee had a message from God unto him Jud. 3.20 Eusebius tels us of Constantine the great Nefas esse institutis de Deo disputationibus negligentes aures praebere Euseb de vita Constant that hee did heare the Word standing and being requested to rest himself in his royall throne which was set there for that purpose hee refused and being pressed after long time of hearing to sit down with a sterne countenance hee answered It were a great sin in me not to heare attentively when God is spoken of 2. To shew that all mundane things should be beneath us when wee deal with God wee must not lie down and imbrace them but stand up and have them under our feet Jerome saith the Saints stand and tread all down Sanctorum est stare but sinners they fall and imbrace the earth and furniture of it Rev. 12.1 the Church hath the Moon under her feet all sublunary things are under the Saints feet not in their hearts or over their heads 3. That he might be in a posture for service Ephes 6.14 Stand having your loynes girt prostration on the earth is no posture for imployment but standing is and the Lord Christ would not have his so affected with his greatnesse and glory so reverentiall as to be hindred or disabled from his service holy reverence doth not make idle or inept to service Stand on thy feet therefore saith Christ and be in a readinesse to execute what I command The words being opened now take the Observations Observ 1. That the Lord Christ is full of bowels and comspassions Ezekiel was fallen down upon his face the glory of the Vision and greatnesse of him that sate upon the Throne had conquered and fell'd this our Prophet to the earth and there hee lay as a man wounded and without strength but Christ leaves him not in this condition but speaks and that kindly to him Son of man stand upon thy feet he is affected with his infirmity sensible of his fears and troubles the man that fell among thieves going from Jerusalem to Jericho being plundred and wounded found no pity from the Priest and Levite but much from the good Samaritane when he saw him hee had compassion on him he went to him bound up his wounds put in oyle and wine set him upon his own beast was content to go on foot by him brought him to an Inn and took care of him and paid for his cure Luke 10.33 34 35. This Samaritane was Christ who pitied Adam and in him man-kinde that went from Jerusalem the state of perfection to Jericho a state of change for as Chemnit observes Jericho signifies the Moon and so a changeable condition the Priest and Levite notes the Law with all its additaments they passed by and never reached or healed the wounded soul of man but Christ the Samatitane with the grace of the Gospel and blood of the Covenant with that oyle and wine cured man brought him upon his own shoulders to the Church to Jerusalem again and there took care for him we have not a legall high Priest which is without bowels and can do little for us but we have an Euangelicall high Priest full of bowells and mercy such an one as is touched with our infirmities Heb. 4.15 which should incourage us with boldnesse to come unto his Throne which is a Throne of Grace compassion 2. That those are humble and smitten down with sense of their own vilenesse weaknesse or worthlesnesse through the sight of glory and greatnesse Christ quickly raises to comfort again our Prophet was down in the end of the former Chapter and in the beginning of this he is up again The humbling from the sight of God his glory and greatnesse is the most effectuall humbling and the most speedy effectuall and sweetest comfort doth follow it Job after he had seen God and humbled himself thereupon his captivity is turned his comforts multiplied Job 24.5 6.10.12 So Isaiah being humbled upon the sight of glory presently a Seraphim comforts him touches his lips with a coal from the Altar and saith Thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin is purged Daniel was humbled for his own sins the sins of his forefathers and the afflictions of the Church Dan. 9. and the Lord sent Gabriel to comfort him who told him hee was a man greatly beloved and that he came to give him skill and understanding verse 22.23 God doth not humble and throw down his to leave them but reaches out a hand to raise them 3. That man carries about him principles of humiliation he is the Son of man the son of the earth Isa 31.3 The Egyptians are men and not God Adam velo el they are weak and worthlesse things and so are not only Egyptians but Israelites all men and so have no cause to be puffed up at all but great cause to be humbled Job call'd corruption his father and
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
the wicked and that for speciall ends I have set thee in the midst of the nations and God had peculiar ends in it The nations and countrey about was full of ignorance Idolatry and prophaneness God recorded his name at Jerusalem set his worship there and them in the midst of the nations that they might make known the true God the true Religion the true way of Worship that they might by their holy lives win those that were without bring them in to serve the God of Israel and had the Jewes been consciencious of their wayes faithfull and spirituall in their worship they might have prevail'd much with the nations to have turned from their Idols and other sins to the living God at least have convinc'd them of the evill of their own wayes and the excellencie of Gods wayes Therefore Moses used this Argument to perswade the Jewes to keep Gods Statutes Deut. 4.6 Keep and do them saith he for this is your wisdome and understanding in the sight of the nations which shall bear all those statutes and say Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people Examples of ciâ—â—es and nations are convincing and perswasive Orators if they be â—â—lly â—eakons on a hill whose light extends far great cities have influence into all the counties and countreys round about they came from all places to Jerusalem from Sheba 1 King 10.1 from Ethiopiae Acts 8.27 from Parthia Mosopotamia Lybia Rome and many other parts Acts 2.9 10. and what they saw and heard at Jerusalem that fastned upon them What is done in great cities is much observed and goes forth to the ends of the earth Rev. 17.5 Babylon the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth 4. Ingratitude is a sin that provokes heaven it self it caused God the giver to upbraid Jerusalem the receiver I set thee in the midst of the nations I made thee the head put honour upon thee call'd thee my city was thy defence glory strength I gave thee my Judgements and Statutes and what hast thou done corrupted thy self corrupted the nation changed my judgements into wickednesse and rejected them this troubled the Lord greatly in all ages Deut. 32.6 Do you thus requite the Lord Oh foolish people and unwise is not he thy father that hath bought thee hath hee not made thee c. and notwithstanding all that God had done for them and was to them yet they corrupted bespotted themselves dealt perversly and crookedly with God so Isai 1.2 Heare O heavens and give eare O earth I have brought up children and they have rebelled against mee Oxen and Asses were more respective of their owners then they were of their God and therefore God upbraids them with it God had done much for that people his Law Prophets Temple Worship Miracles choycest blessings of heaven and earth were for them and yet they were ingratefull therefore God calls heaven and earth to witnesse against them how unreasonable they were in their carriage towards the Lord so in Jer. 2.12 he puts it higher Be astonished O yee heavens at this be horribly afraide very desolate and why should there be such a change in the heavens because Gods people had made a dreadfull change on earth God had been a fountain of living waters unto them fill'd them with comforts of all sorts made them green and flourishing and now they had forsaken him for puddle and broken cisterns of their own ingratitude troubles heaven and earth Bernard saith mans ingratitude troubled Christ more then his crosse nails whippings reproaches yea his death for Christ to become man to suffer all for man and he to be unthankfull this pierced him to the heart most and when God doth much for kingdomes and cities and they prove ingratefull it puts God into an upbraiding way Isa 5.4 I did so and so for my Vineyard Oh what could have been done more I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up trod downe laid waste it shall have briers and no rain shall fall upon it 5. Those have the name and face of Gods people may become worse then Heathens Jerusalem changed Gods Statutes into wickednesse that was ill but she did it more then the nations which was exceeding ill hence you find Ezek. 16.46 47 48. that the sins of Jerusalem exceeded the Samaritans and Sodomites Thou hast not walked after their wayes nor done after their abominations but as if that were a very little thing thou wast corrupted more then they in all thy wayes their sins were inconsiderable to Jerusalems and because Sodoms sins being so great notorious as that they fetched fire from heaven and God could forbear them no longer it would hardly be received that Jerusalems sins were worse then Sodoms the Lord swears to it As I live saith the Lord God Sodom and her daughters have not done as thou and thy daughters have done the nations and countreys about never sinned so desperately against God as those professed his name and went for his people and you have the sentence of heaven for it Jer. 2.10.11 Passe over the Iles of Shittim and see send unto Kedar and consider diligently and see if there be such a thing hath a nation changed their gods which are yet no gods but my people hath changed their Glory for that which doth not profit the turpitude of their fact is fully set out it was such as could not be parallel'd among Heathens inquiry was made the report given in that the Gentiles changed not their gods they would not alter their lawes and worship they had from men but the Jewes parted with their glory when they would not part with their shame they let go their Religion which was divine Hos 9.10 and without any just cause changed Gods judgements and statutes into wickednesse into that which neither did nor could profit they were changelings chopt away heaven for earth God for Idols and his worship for mens inventions this made the Lord say of them Jer. 3.5 Behold thou hast spoken and done evill things as thou couldest What could they do worse then let the infinite glorious wise most holy and blessed God go for Idols and Idolatrous worship when the heathens would not let their gods goe that were of base and corruptible materialls made by the hands and art of men that could neither see heare or help them What could Manasses doe worse then he did 2 King 21.11 VER 7 8. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Because you multiplyed more then the Nations that are round about you and have not walked in my Statutes neither have kept my Judgements neither have done according to the judgements of the Nations that are round about you 8. Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I even I am against thee and will execute judgements in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations c. THe 7th verse is of the nature of the sixt and hath in it motives unto God to proceed in judgement
God when God is in his jealousie hee speaks dreadfull things and doth answerably to speak in zeal is to decree an irrevocable and bloody sentence Hence Josh 24.19 hee is a jealous God and then followes and will not forgive your transgressions and Deut. 29.20 The Lord will not spare his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses in this Book shall lie upon that man What man the man that breaks covenant with God gâ—ing out to false worship and thereby putting him into jealousie which as it 's the rage of a man and makes him cruell in the day of vengeance so it 's the rage of God and makes him without pity or mercy when hee executes vengeance he will then accomplish his wrath and not spare powre out all his wrath and vengeance VER 14 15. Moreover I will make thee waste and a reproach among the Nations that are round about thee in the sight of all that passe by 15. So it shall be a reproach and taunt an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee when I shall execute judgement in thee in anger and fury and furious rebukes I the Lord have spoken it IN the 14th Verse are two judgements more laid down desolation and reproach this last is aggravated from the extent of it to the nations round about and all that passed by In the 15th you have the repetition of the last judgement and the ends of both annexed which are First for information Secondly for astonishment I will make thee waste That is Jerusalem with the Villages and all the land adjacent Judah was a fruitfull land Isa 5.1 the glory of all lands flowing with milk and honey Ezek. 20.6 Moses calls it a good land a land of brooks waters fountains deeps that spring out of vallies and hills a land of Wheat and Barley Vines Fig-trees Pomgranats a land of Oil Olives and honey a land where nothing was lacking the stones of it were iron and in the hils was brasse Deut. 8.7 8 9. it was the Lords land Hos 9.3 Immâ—â—uels Isa 8.8 a land that God cared for and watched over all the yeere long Deut. 11.12 Egypt was an inconsiderable land to this vers 10. that was prophane this was the holy land Zach. 2.12 the pleasant land Zach. 2.14 it was well built well till'd and greatly peopled yet this land must be laid waste they should be in ariditatem like a river dried up that if you looke for water in it there is none so if look for a Temple Worship or Ordinance c. in Jerusalem there is none their cities and habitations are burnt their gardens unfenced their trees cut down their Vines undressed their fields untilled and all made a wildernesse a land of briers and thorns Isa 7.24 And this was fulfill'd as you may see in Nehem. 2.17 Lam. 1.4 The wayes of Sion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts 2.2 3.5.18 and the adversaries hand was upon all her pleasant things Lam. 1.10 Hence the Church complains Isa 64.10 11. Thy holy Cities are a wildernesse Sion is a wildernesse Jerusalem a desolation our holy and beautifull house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste see here the truth of divine threats and the mischief of sin it so exasperates God that he turns a fruitfull land even his own land into barrennesse saltnesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 107.34 A reproach among the nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God would make them not only for a waste but also for a reproach Charaph is simply to reproach to disgrace and that 's not all they should have but they should be for a taunt also and that 's more Vide de Dieu in Mat. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Giddeph to blaspheme revile and so it 's used Mat. 27.39 for Matthew writ his Gospel in Hebrew where it 's said they reviled Christ and wagged their heads so should this people be reproached and revil'd have bitter taunts and sarcasms thrown at them Jer. 24. They shall be removed to all kingdomes of the earth for their hurt to be a reproach a Proverb a taunt and a curse hence grew those reproaches and imprecations Let it be with thee as it was with Zedekiah his family and followers Plaga Zedekia tangat tâ— fit frater servus Zedekia Vatab. and Jer. 29.22 the curse in the captivity was The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon roasted in the fire this judgement was very sore reproaches and taunts are bitter things piercing deep scarce any thing afflicts an ingenuous spirit more then they do Zedekiah feared nothing more then reproach and mocking Jer. 38.19 I am afraid lest the Jews fall to the Chaldeans deliver me into their hand and they mock me it was a sad thing to be stript of all their cities the land to be laid waste but much more to be expos'd to scorn yea publikely of all and that by the appointment of the Judge even God whom they took to be their friend and that to the nations they had hated and held tributary many yeers this was exceeding pungent especially they being the top and glory of all nations it was fulfill'd Lam. 2.15 16. All that passe by clap their hands at thee they hisse and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty The joy of the whole earth All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee they hisse and gnash their teeth they say We have swallowed her up certainly this is the day that we looked for we have found we have seen it The Lord hath done that which he had devised he hath fulfilled his Word An instruction The Vulgar is Exemplum this act of God upon Jerusalem exposed so to reproach should be an example to the Heathen The Hebrew is musar from jasar to bind to discipline to instruct the judgements of God upon his people are vincula bonds to bind up Heathens from their sins they are disciplinae reproofs unto them being guilty of great sins they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instructions to teach them to repent of their sins because the Jewes by their holy lives did not excite the nations to inquire after and serve the true God therefore their judgements shall be their instructions teach them to fear and forsake their Idolatry they could reason thus If God spared not the holy city the holy people the holy land when they fell to Idolatry uncleannesse and other vile sins how will he spare us if we be found in the same wayes his judgments are exceeding dreadfull we will take warning their sufferings shall be our safety if judgements were to be instructions to Heathens and wrought upon them shall they not much more be so to Christians the ruines of Germany the blood of Ireland the
sinfull man Angels cannot indure this dishonour Josephus in his 19th Book and 8. Chap. sets out this story fully how he came in in cloth of silver was saluted as a God saw an Owle over his head Ego illâ— vâ—stra apâ—llat une 〈…〉 vitam relinquere juâ—eor satali necessitate coarguente vestruÌ„ mudacum quem â—â—nâ—â—talem saluâ—astâ—s admoâ—tem 〈◊〉 felt a pain in his bowels and said I whom yee all call a God am commanded to leave my Godship and by death to confute your lie of my immortality Neither belongeth it to Angels only to punish the wicked but to exercise chastisement upon the godly an Angel meets Moses in the Inn and would have slain him Exod. 4.24 So the Greek and Chaldee reade it and that because he neglected the circumcision of Moses an Angel smote Zachary with dumbnesse because of his unbeliefe Luke 1. So an Angel corrected David for his sin of numbering his people 4. To defend the godly to save and deliver them from harms this is a constant office they keep the Saints from evill men spirits and things Rev. 7.1 2 3. Four Angels stood on the four corners of the earth and held the four winds of the earth that they should not blow on the Sea or any tree and another Angel cryes to the four hurt not the earth sea trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads Psal 34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them Angels are like Armies round about the Generall and keep from danger when Jacob was to meet with his brother Esau who came with a band of four hundred men against him the Angels of God met him they are forward to this service Gen. 32.1 2. And when he saw them what said he This is Gods host what need I fear my brothers host and he called the place Mahanaim or Machanaim It 's in the duall number and notes two Hosts two Camps if my brother have one band I have two if he have men I have Angels if four hundred men I have twice four hundred Angels When Elisha was in Dothan the King of Syria sent a great Host with horses and Chariots and they came by night compast the City about and now Elisha is a lost man and Gehezi cryes out Alas Master what shall we do Fear not saith he 2 King 6.14.15 16 17. they that be with us are more then they that be with them and when the young mans eyes were opened he saw the mountains full of Horses and Chariots of fire and that round about Elisha was there an army against Elisha here is an army for him were they many here are more were there Chariots and Horses here be Chariots and Horses of fire When Daniel was in the den of Lions hee had no fire to scare them no weapon or strength to kill them but an Angel is sent to shut their mouths so that here is a wonder a Lamb amongst Lions and not rent in pieces where Angels are the Lambs keepers there the Lions are toothlesse and mouthlesse the Angels have a speciall charge of the godly Psal 91.11 He shall give his Angels charge over thee the Angels stand charged with the custody of the godly and when a guard is set about a person of quality who dares come neer to hurt such a one It 's said in the 7. verse A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee It 's nigh when at a mans side at his right hand but it shall not come nigh to hurt thee and what 's the reason for hee shall give his Angels charge c. They look well to their charge they neither slumber nor sleep Rev. 21.12 Gods care of his Church now is greater then it was under the Law for the wrath is double to what it was then there are twelve Angels at the gates of Jerusalem whereas in Ezekiel 9.2 there were but six The Church being now inlarged the enemies are inraged and the guarding Angels increased no sooner were the Apostles imprisoned but an Angel brings them forth Act. 5.8 9. and what great things the Angel did for Peter Act. 12. is known to all Ver. 15. his deliverance was so great that they could not believe hee was come forth and knockt at the door but that it was his Angel whence the opinion of Tutelar Angels hath received great strength some affirm from hence Dan. 6 2â— that every man hath his particular Angel to keep him which seems rather a Platonicall conceit then a Scripture truth for Isidorus Clarius turns this place his Messenger Nuncius ejus and so the word is used in Scripture Judg. 2.1 The Angel of the Lord came up or Messenger as it 's in the Margent and Mal. 3.1 I will send my Messenger the Hebrew is my Angel and surely this party that knockt at the door was Peters Messenger not his Angel and if this be well rendred Angel why is not that so rendred Luke 7.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angels of John being departed it 's the Messenger and so it were better here his Messenger then his Angel for shall we suppose the faithfull so ignorant as to think an Angel could not come in without knocking and having doors opened Besides the apparition of an Angel woud have affrighted them greatly Not to stick at this although we find not warrant in the Word for assignment of a particular Angel to every man yet wee acknowledge many Angels appointed to that work Matth. 18.10 Their Angels not their Angel behold the face of my Father 5. To guide and leade the godly in good and safe wayes Gen. 24.7 Hee shall send his angels before thee and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence So ver 40. hee will send his Angel with thee and prosper thy way the businesse of marriage is so weighty and honourable that Angels presence and assistance is in it Angels are present and president over that work Psal 91.11 12. They are charged to keep thee in all thy wayes to beare thee up in their arms that is their strength shall be imployed to uphold and lead thee in a good way God begets children to himself by the Word and Spirit and puts them forth to Angels to nurse to guide and lead it 's a metaphor taken from Nurses that bear their children upon their arms and lift them over thresholds Exod. 32.34 Behold Angeli reges Domini eorum sunt quos regunt saith God to Moses my Angel shall go before thee he was to go to Canaan and an Angel was to lead him that way Angels are well acquainted with the wayes to heaven if you will go that way you are sure to meet with Angels 6. To comfort next Christ and the Spirit Angels are the best comforters because they stand neerest God always before his face and they are
Ark so that there and here the Cherubims these Angels looke upward Obser 1. That all creatures depend upon Christ these Angels have the faces of Men Lions Oxen Eagles and look up to him if there were nothing in it but this that Angels in their own nature looking up it might convince us that all inferiour creatures do depend upon him as well as those noble ones but when they come in with the faces of other creatures looking up it 's cleere evidence that all depend upon Christ Col. 1.16 17. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or Dominions Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and by him all things do consist he holds all in his hand heaven and earth men and Angels they all consist and subsist in him Heb. 1.3 He upholds all things by the word of his power 2. That in all our ministrations we are to have our instructions and directions from Christ Angels look up to him if hee speak they hear they move and act if not they stir not Moses and Aaron did nothing in the State or Church without direction from God Princes must look into the Law of God continually Deut. 1.7 that they may do things warrantably the Centurions souldiers and servants did come go and do at his appointment not their own and Angels run not of their own heads they will heare a word of command have a commission from Christ before they go It 's not enough that wee be knowing full of courage quick to dispatch much a Commission a Warrant from God we must have else all our doing is nothing nay let us do the will of God without knowing wee are warranted by God to do it it 's rather sin then service Pro. 3.5 6. Lean not to thine own understanding let it be never so great acute cleere it 's not beyond Angels they look up to God and so must thou In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christ is the great Counsellour and wee must not in one or two or some great exigence of businesse consult with him but in all our wayes what ever we attempt for our selves families State Church we must consult with him sits upon the Throne and he will direct our paths Most miscarry in their wayes or make little progresse because they consult not at all or very little with Christ whereas if men did consult with Christ and do all upon his warrant upon a divine ground they should never miscarry in their ways but proceed farther in the paths of godlinesse in a few weeks then they did before in may yeeres when David had consulted with God he could say God was at his right hand so that he should not be moved Psa 16. 3. That the pleasure of Christ is worthy our waiting for Angels look up and attend what he will say and make known unto them these holy glorious and mighty creatures think not much to wait upon Christ and exercise their patience till he please to reveal his minde Christ is a great King the only Counsellour and his counsell of infinite worth and it 's not State but equity that all creatures wait upon him Angels do it shall we grudge at it Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Behold as the eyes of servants looke to the hand of their Master and as the eyes of a maiden to the hands of her Mistresse so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God He interprets the meaning of looking up which is waiting upon God for manifestation of himself Psal 5.3 David would direct his Prayer to God and look up not down to the world downe to corruption but up to God what he would speak Psal 85.8 I will heare what God the Lord will speak Mic. 7.7 Let the resolution of the Prophet be thine I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear mee 4. That Christ is an object of admiration and adoration The looking upwards is Signum admirationis typus reverentiae the Cherubims looked towards the Mercy-seate admiring and adoring him was figured by it and wee lift up our faces towards heaven when we admire and adore God you have the phrase in Job 22.26 Thou shalt have thy delight in the Almightie and lift up thy face unto God That is admire and adore that God thou delightest in Where is most delight there is most admiration and adoration Christ is the delight of Angels when he was incarnate they bowed downe to pry into that mystery and now he is glorified they look up to admire him there is matter of admiration in Christ all in him is not yet drawne out and discovered 2 Thes 1.10 Christ shall come to be admired in all them that beleeve As it 's in a Country when it 's discovered still new and new things are met with so in Christ Rev. 22.1 2. There the vision of Christ is compared to River-water and that is alwayes new fresh and to a tree of life with twelve manner of fruits every moneth The vision and fruition of God is new savoury and pleasant unto them every moneth day and houre and this is to Angels as well as to any other 2. To adore him Heb. 1.2 Let all the Angels of God adore him They doe look up acknowledge him God and tender to him that glory the Father hath even adoration Christ that was despised rejected of men the stone disallowed of the Master builders that we hid our faces from and esteemed not he is the object of Angels adoration 5. That the service of Jesus Christ is honorable service Angels doe stretch up their faces and waite for it and it 's the glory of the Angels that they are ministring Spirits sent out by Christ Heb. 1.14 is a comparison between the glory of Christ and Angels and their glory is that they are his servants we think the service of great persons an honour to us Who is greater then Christ all power in heaven and earth is given unto him Mat. 28. And he is more honorable then all Princes he is King of Kings and must be honoured as the Father Joh. 5. Servire Deo est regnare Philo. The Apostles counted it their great honour to be servants of Christ Paul James Jude Peter begin their Epistles with it they set it in the front as the most honourable title this service is liberty not bondage Servitus Christianorum regia est l bertas August in Psal 99. his Spirit is a Spirit of libertie his Law is a law of libertie and Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made me free from the law of sinne and death he is not the servant of Christ is the slave of Satan this service is spirituall profitable honourable David had rather be a doore-keeper in Christs
are much taken with it A garden that is drawne out exactly and every thing in it set in order An Army that keepeth ranke and posture and proceeds in all things according to rule how beautifull and comely are they All the actions of Angels are such one runneth not before another one is not divided from another one disallowes not what another doth but their harmony and correspondency is such that if a man could see the same he would be ravished with the works of Angels Jam. 3.16 Where envying and strife is there is confusion but among Angels there is no envie no strife so no confusion Mutuas sibi invicem tradunt operas ad exequenda Dei decreta 3. That wee should joyne our helps for furtherance of the works of God Angels joyne their wings and afford help to each other to doe the will of God Devils and wicked men joyne together against God and his wayes Psal 2.2 The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his Anointed c. And good men should joyne together their heads their purses and abilities whatsoever to further Gods worke If Angels appeare and put forth their wings to doe the will of their God let us appeare and put forth our hands to doe the worke of our God The second thing about their wings is they were stretched upwards not let downe drawne up resting upon their bodies but extended as ready for service as might be ver 11. This notes unto us the readinesse of Angels to doe the will of Christ their faces look up attend his commands and their wings are stretched out to fly about them as soone as they are made knowne as a Hawke that is upon the wing watches till the fowle rise and then falls upon her and flyes after her immediately Angels are upon the wing before the command goes out and when it 's out God shall not need to use motives or arguments to put them on The manifestation of his will is the strongest motive unto them and it should be so with us We pray that Gods will may be done on earth as it 's done in heaven the meere manifestation of Gods will therefore should prevaile with us as with Angels but let God manifest his will bring forth his strong arguments to move us yet we have no wings or if wings not stretched forth or if stretched forth wee rather flag then fly with them The third thing is the covering of the wings ver 11. Femora two covered their bodies their thighes feet that is in Isa 6.1 their uncomely parts which are in Scripture-phrase call'd the feete One wing did cover the fore-part of their body another their hinder parts Obs 1. In this covering of their bodies God propounds them a patterne of chastitie and modestie unto us Those parts are hid which might uncovered argue disreverence of God or concupiscence in them or be offensive unto men God loves chaste spirits and chaste behaviours the Angels are very chaste and would not have any undecent thing objected to divine view whose authoritie and majestie they adore Nihil impurum in conspectum Dei veniat No impure thing must come into the sight of God therefore God ordered Exod. 20.26 That there must be no steps to his Altar lest the nakednesse of the Priests were discovered in their going up and so offence given to God and man and further he appointed linnen breeches to cover the Priests nakednesse Exod. 28.42 2. It notes out to us that Angelicall nature is a thing hidden and too high for us while we are in our houses of clay their natures are beyond the reach of mans braine and that wee are so farre from the knowledge of Gods face nature and abilitie to behold them that we cannot know and behold the lowest parts the very feet of Angels they are vail'd up from us As too transcendent for our capacities we know not the natures of any creatures here below not of a flower a fly we describe things but doe not cannot define them I would see the proudest of you all define the nature of a straw as one preached in Cambridge to all the Scholars Vitreum vas lamâ—imus pultem non attingimus if we know not the nature of these visibles of bodies then much lesse of Angels and if not of Angels least of all of God 3. That men are apt to Idolize choice Instruments imployed in Gods service and therefore the Angels are covered with wings to prevent it Such is the beauty wisdome strength use and celeritie of Angels in Gods service that man is apt to deifie them John falls down to worship before the feete of an Angel Rev. 22.8 And when Paul and Barnabas had heal'd a creeple the Lycaonians said The Gods are come downe to us in the likenesse of men and they would have sacrificed to them Act. 14. And should the Angels appeare to us in their natures without being covered up wee should take them to be Gods but they will not have that honour they will hide their beauty and excellency and desire the glory onely be given to God The next thing wee are to come unto is their feete in the seventh verse VER 7. And their feete were straight feete and the sole of their feete was like the sole of a calves foot and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass STraight feete They were feete of men and by a Synecdoche feete are put for the leggs and thighs the Septuagint read it Their thighs were right or straight and therefore could not be the thighs or feete of beast which in the hammes are with compasse and not straight they were neither bending inward nor outward but straight as pillars Columnarum instar This types out to us 1. That the wayes of Angels are all straight and right feete in Scripture are put for wayes inward of the soule outward of the whole man Pro. 4.26 Ponder the path of thy feete Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet that is all my actions and Eccles 5.1 Keepe thy foote when thou goest to the house of God that is thy thoughts affections will reason and all within Take the feete of Angels for their thoughts desires wils reason actions they are all right there is no act of theirs voyde of reason as the acts of brutes are none done by rash motion or suddain passion as too many of mens are they goe not without warrant and when they goe they goe in the way appointed of God never turne out but are exact keeping to his will 2. They are firme constant in their resolutions and service for God that is noted by feete in Scripture for feete are the basis and foundation of things Exod. 30.28 The Laver and his foote that is his basis whereon he rested mens feet or legs are the foundation whereon the body rests In Eccles 12.13 Firmitas homini debebatur
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
and seen far They are light to the godly when Angels execute Gods judgements upon sinners the Saints see much in it they see matter of feare and praise of feare in that Gods power wrath and hatred are manifested in them against sin and sinners of praise in that themselves are delivered and justice is performed Psal 58.10 11. The righteous shall rejoyce when hee seeth the vengeance hee shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked when the wicked are taken away by a divine stroke by the hand of justice and God hath the glory of his justice the righteous rejoyce at it but is that all no Hee washeth his feet in the blood of the wicked that is by this judgement he fears and reformes it 's a metaphor taken from the practice of those parts where they went barefoot or with Sandalls and so contracted much filth and used to wash and cleanse their feet when they came in so here the godly seeing the hand of God upon the wicked feares and judges himself for his sins purges his conscience and affections and stands now in awe of that God who hath stricken the wicked for those sins which hee himself in part is guilty of Waldus a man of note in Lions seeing one struck dead in his presence he washed his hands in his blood for presently he gave almes to the poor instructed his family in the true knowledge of God and exhorted all came unto him to repentance and holinesse of life They are lightning to the wicked that is dreadfull and confounding In this worke of executing judgement as they are lamps to light the godly so they are burning coales and lightning to destroy the wicked How terrible was the destroying Angel when the plague was in Davids dayes Rev. 16. when the Angels powred out their vials of wrath how dreadfull were they men blasphemed and repented not to give glory to God VERS 15. Now as I beheld the living creatures behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures with his four faces VVEe have done through divine vertue two parts of the Vision and now are coming to the third That of the wheeles which hath its darknesse and difficulties and here the glory of God in his providence is considerable from earthly things and second causes In the Vision of the wheels two things I shall present unto you First the signification Secondly the description of these wheels What these wheels may signifie there is great variety of opinions with all which I will not trouble you Wheels by a Synecdoche some think is put for a Chariot in which God is presented to the Prophet guarded with Angels on every side who stand with great reverence and readinesse to do his will and by this Chariot they understand the Majesty Glory Providence and Kingdome of God in which he rules all things at his pleasure as a Waggoner or Pilot Quasi auriga and by the wheels the Immensity Eternity celerity perspicacity and efficacy of God in his operations Some thinke by Chariot is meant the Church and by the wheels the Apostles These are thoughts of men we will therefore labour to give you the thoughts and intention of Gods Spirit so neer as we can By the Wheels wee are to understand this visible world with all things in it the kingdomes of the earth and the Church of God and condition of all humane things which are all in motion and uncertain and that this is the sense of the Wheels may be gathered from the Prophet in the 10th Chapter and 13th verse where it 's said Ipsis nomen vocatum est hic orbis or ipsae vocatae sunt orbis Iun. as for the wheeles it was cryed unto them in my hearing O wheel O world Their name is the or this world the word in the Hebrew is Haggalgal and not the same with the usuall word for wheel and it 's both Substantively and distinctively used and notes out this world in which we live in which Ezekiel was it 's not Galgal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but haggalgal which is demonstrative and distinguishing Psal 77.18 there is the same word and it 's not rendred in the wheel Illuxerunt coruscationes orbiterae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Greeks do absolutely take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the world Heins in Iacob 3.6 but in the heaven or in the round that is the ayre and the Vulgar translates it The lightnings have shined in the world and so the Septuagint Seeing it's evident that by the wheels is meant the world and things therein it 's needfull to examine the fitnesse of this comparison and so to see the wisdome of Gods Spirit in it Orbe rotundato sydera quaeque micant 1. The wheel or wheels are round such is the form of the world it 's called orbis globus from the roundnesse 2. A wheel is movable and mutable that part is on high is presently at the bottome and that which is at the bottome is quickly again at the top and this informs us in the mobility and mutability of all humane and mundane things and is principally intended by this vision of the wheels Kingdoms Churches Families volvuntur revolvuntur are daily wheel'd about mov'd changed and never long permanent in any condition The four great Monarchies the Babylonian Persian Grecian Roman how were they kickt like Foot-balls and tossed like Tennisballs from one to another and at last devoured by each other After that great rent made in the house of David by Jeroboam what changes what wars and famines were in the kingdomes of Judah and Israel you find in the Books of the Kings and Chronicles You may see the relation of these wheels in one Chapter 1 King 16. you shall finde that in twelve or thirteen yeers of Asa's reign King of Judah there was the death of Baasha Elah Zimri Tibni Omri that were wretched Kings and made fearfull stirs and murthers in Israel and beside wicked Ahab in that time began his reign and troubled all Israel The Church what a low ebb was it at in Elijah's dayes when he complains Gods Covenant is forsaken his Altars thrown down his Prophets slain himself left alone and his life also sought for 1 King 19.14 The Church now when Ezekiel had this vision was in captivity without a Temple Altar Sacrifice and the Church is never long in any settled condition Rev. 8.1 There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour under the ten fiery Persecutions the Church had no rest but in Constantines times it had a little but presently the Arrian heresie brake out and did more mischieve the Church then all the persecutions before The Church is wheeled about from condition to condition sometimes it 's in Egypt sometime in the Wildernesse sometimes in Canaan and sometimes in Babylon it 's Noahs Arke that rides upon rough waters and is not like to take harbour before
the vexation of it Shall wee let out our hearts to that runs from us like a rolling thing and if wee overtake it runs into us like a thorn they that will be rich catch the world pierce themselves thorow with many sorrowes 1 Tim. 6.9 10. and breake upon this wheele Because it runs smoothly sometimes men are taken with the motions of the world but at length you shall find its motion rough swift ready to overthrow and break you all in pieces they are broken in Ireland and wee are breaking here now let the Apostles counsell be acceptable 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Brethren the time is short let them that have wives be as if they had none let them that weep be as if they wept not and them that rejocye as if they rejoyced not and they that buy as if they possessed it not and they that use this world as not abusing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterit decipit and why all this for the fashion or shew of this world passeth away it acts otherwise then you expect if you affect the world wives children or any part of it it will deceive you you think to hold it and it 's but a shadow no substance and a shadow a shew going away let us therefore not look at this wheel but at him that moves the wheel who is unchangeable unmovable of infinite being in comparison of whom the world is a drop a little dust let us with David say Whom have we in heaven but thee and there is none in earth we desire in comparison of thee let us let go our hold of the world draw in our affections from it hopes after it and look only after that City Heb. 11.10 Having given you the signification of the Wheels the next thing premised is the description of them and now I come to the particular handling of the Wheeles where we shall meet with difficulties and excellencies VER 15 16. Now as I beleld the living creatures behold one wheele upon the earth by the living creatures with his four faces The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a Berill and they four had one likenesse and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of of a wheel IN these Verses they are described 1. From their number implyed in the 15th expressed in the 16th verse foure 2. The place where they were and that is the earth 3. Their colour they were like a Berill 4. Their likenesse between themselves they foure had one likenesse 5. Their form was as it were a wheele in a wheel Touching the first viz. the number of the wheels they were four mention is made of one in the 15th verse but it 's one with four faces not the faces of the four Cherubims but of four wheels which wheels were so like that they are said to be one wheel hee that saw one saw all As in some picture of a Prince when wee have seen the same in divers places or oft in the same wee say this is one and the same picture so here our Prophet saith hee saw all the wheels but they were so like that they might well be called one and the same for the Prophet mentions in the 16th verse wheels and four wheels and one likenesse of them Here by a figure called Hypallage we may make the sense more easie thus there appeared one face in the four wheels for one wheel having four faces In the 10th Chapt. it 's out of all dispute that there were four wheels Verse 9. When I looked behold the four wheels by the Cherubims one wheel by one Cherub and another wheel by another Cherub These wheels being four represent to us the four parts of the world Eastern Western Northern Southern that in them are great stirs and changes The next thing in this verse is the place I saw one wheel upon the earth how could that be when Ezekiel saw the vision in heaven Answ This is a vision and it appeared to him to be on the earth not the true earth but the earth in a vision as in pictures if a wheel a Chariot a City be drawn and presented to the eye they are presented as being upon the earth Observ 1. That all inferiour causes wheels instruments agents whatsoever are but as one wheel before the Lord. All things in the four quarters of the world were presented by God to the Prophet as one wheel to us they are many mighty divers contrary infinite but unto God they are otherwise all the Armies Parliaments Kingdoms Crowns Agents in this world are but one cause one wheel before the great God they are a small thing to him Isa 40.15 16 17. Behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold hee taketh up the Isles as a very little thing Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beast thereof sufficient for a burnt offering all nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity 2. That changes stirs and tumults are here on the earth not in heaven the Prophet saw the wheels on earth not in heaven there be no wheelings no turnings no troubles no wars no deaths no diseases no sins no feares no teares no wicked men no wicked thing and so no changes it 's only the prerogative of heaven to say I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 the world cannot say it Jam. 1.17 With him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning in God and heaven there is nothing of the wheel all is constant immutable but on earth it 's contrary the things under the Sun are vanity inconstancy and change it self 3. That all the inferiour agents and causes are at the dispose of the superiour of Angels they have a great interest in the government of the world the wheel is by the living creatures at their feet to move and turn it which way they please if they will bespeak wars in the North or South if they will have the world in an uproare it 's done Angels are Gods hands and deputies in the administration of all things here below in the world God supports and subverts kingdomes by them Dan. 10. Gabriel tels Daniel that hee withstood the Prince of Persia 21. dayes and his counsellers that sought to oppresse the people of God and that hee would go again and fight with him Kingdomes and the affaires of them yea the quarters of the world under God are ordered by Angels and while Angelicall and divine protection are over kingdomes they prosper but when God is provoked by the sins of a people hee leaves the wheels of that Kingdome to men and devils it runs to ruine Then the Princes and Potentates are deluded with strong delusions grow tyrannicall Idolatrous false hostile c. then the kingdome growes weak without spirit counsell strength successe and is infinitely intangled with
wheels and there you will finde such heighths and depths as neither Ahitophel can measure nor Machiavil can sound Look at Theologicall wheels and motions Deorum crimen syllatum faelix Sen. and there be such heighths that none of the Prophets nor Apostles have been able to measure I will give you an instance in two or three Jer. 12.1 2. Righteous art thou O Lord yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very trecherously Jeremiah a great Prophet is puzled at this heighth of the wheel Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit thou art neere in their mouth and far from their reines Job is at a stand in this case Chapt. 12.7 Wherefore do the wicked live become old yea and are mighty in power God puts Job to it in the 38 39 40 41. Chap. So Asaph Psal 73. and Hab. 1.3 were troubled at the prosperity of the wicked and could not take the altitude of the wheels in their dayes Nature nor Grace could do it If Solomon knew not the way of an Eagle in the aire of a Serpent upon the rock of a ship in the midst of the Sea of a man with a maid Prov. 30.19 how shall we know the motions of the wheels in the world 2. That the consideration of the unsearchablenesse of Gods wayes should beget feare and trembling in us the wheels had a heighth and dreadfulnesse upon that heighth When a man comes to the sea shoare beholds the vastnesse and strange motion of it and findes hee is puzled feare creeps upon him from the apprehension of the greatnesse and Majesty of God who sits upon the floods and commands the deeps so here when wee thinke of the wheels how high they are that wee cannot search out the cause of their motions this way or that way our souls should tremble at the Majesty of that God which sets such mighty wheels awork Psal 36.6 Thy judgements are a great deep mens sins are a great deep and Satans wayes are called a depth but Gods judgements his wayes in the wheels are the greatest deep of all they are unsearchable That Christian kingdomes are shaken in pieces with wars when Heathen kingdomes are spared that there is such unequall dispensation of the means of grace in the world that the greatest part are without the knowledge of God and Christ to this day that many able men are laid by or cast into corners where are but handfuls of people and great towns where are multitudes have no Ministers or such as preach holinesse and the power of godlinesse out of their parishes that people are most hardened under the most powerfull means of grace that there be such unequall distributions of riches talents of nature and grace that precious young Ministers and others are taken away in a time of great need when others that are vile and base are spared that wicked Pirats prosper at Sea when honest men are shipwrackt that those have little or no means thrive and those have the best who are barren Gods working in sinfull actions his fitting vessels for destruction his leaving his ancient people the Jewes sixteen hundred yeers under a curse Rom. 11.23 O the depth how unsearchable are his wayes The next thing in the Verse to be touched is the eyes in these rings And the rings were full of eyes round about them four or on every side to them four Every wheel had eyes they were stellatae oculis bedeckt with eyes as the heaven with stars there were eyes within and eyes without and not a few but many every ring every wheel was full of eyes By eyes we are to understand the active and infinite providence of God which runs through all things 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth that is divine providence is active every where The Scripture by eyes referring to God intends first his knowledge and notice of things Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good secondly his care Psal 34.15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous that is hee careth for them thirdly his direction Psal 42.8 I will guide thee with mine eye and these eyes note out Gods inspection care and ordering the wheels in all their motions and that in all quarters The rings were full of eyes and whatever the thoughts of men were they moved according to direction of divine providence Observ 1. That how ever the wheels and motions of them be too high for men and dreadfull unto them yet they are not so to God hee sees into all the wheels they have eyes on every side God knowes them throughly their essences qualities operations we cannot pry into the state of Kingdomes Councels Armies Cities there be as secrets of States Arcana imperis arcana rotarum so secrets of wheels in those States which none know but God and God knowes them perfectly let wheels be never so great terrible move never such strange and crosse wayes as Kings Armies Parliaments are great wheels and have unknown motions yet they are subject to the Lords eyes he sees into all their secrets and sees more in their motions then they themselves 2. The motions of the wheels are considerable and judicious they are not carryed on blindly how ever they seem to be carried Non caeco impetu volvuntur rotae yet they are carryed by reason and counsell there be eyes in the wheels when men do things rashly injudiciously we say Have you no eyes in your head here be eyes in the rings and they move not casually Those motions in the world that seeme most confused are composed and ordered motions Are rich men made poor honourable men base are conquerers made captives do servants ride and Princes go on foot are the wicked oppressors in the seats of justice are the godly beneath and the vile above are the counsels of Jesuits forainers and desperate malignants entertained and others rejected are there civil wars in a Land great plundering spoyling of Ministers Christians Parliament men themselves these things are not done without considerate and judicious motions of the wheels Acts 4.27 28. When Herod Pilate Gentiles Jewes were gathered together against Christ were not the motions then though inhumane bloody and murtherous considerate and providentiall motions The Text saith They did whatsoever the hand and counsell of the Lord determined before to be done it was no blinde businesse the wheels of it were full of eyes and moved by the motions of heaven Gods owne eye heart and head were in it And now when the Herods Pilates and Malignants of the world do stir against Christ and his members the wheels move considerately 3. The motions of the rings wheels and all second causes are certain arriving at the end appointed They are full of eyes which
direct them to their journeyes end so that they misse not the marke they aime at What if many second causes be ignorant blind know not their own motions yet if they have guides infallible to lead them it 's sufficient to conduct them to the intended end If a seeing dog can lead a blind begger from place to place direct his motion to the desired end shall not the eye of providence lead any all second causes to their end Providence is an unerring thing and disappoints not God of his expectation The Pilot carries a great ship from harbour to harbour over the Seas through the stormes and fulfils the mind of the Master and so Providence carries the great wheels up and down to the very place appointed 4. The least motions of the wheels are not without providence some think that the great things in kingdomes and the world are transacted by providence but for they lesser they passe in a casuall manner providence reaches them not but the eyes were every where the wheels were full of eyes not a few eyes here and there one but in every part that so mans minde might be freed from such sinister thoughts as that there should be any motion of any wheel without the direction and influence of providence God hath made the least and greatest creatures and hee causeth the least and greatest motions Providentia ita curaâ— omnia ut unum aliquid ita singula ut si illud curaret unicum August in Confess And the Schoolmen say that providence is infinita in omnibus infinita in singulis Let us pitch our thoughts upon some lesser motion the dispensation of a lot the fall of a haire from the head the preparations of the heart the answer of the tongue these are all of the Lord and directed by providence the earth loseth not a pile of grasse the trees not a leafe the water not a fish the aire not a bird without an ordinance of providence 5. Providence orders the motion of the rings and wheels in all parts all the world over not one two or three wheels had eyes but all foure had eyes round about them God by his divine providence ordered things as well in Babylon as in Sion Providence wrought in Aegypt and in the red Sea As there are wheels in all parts of the world in all Kingdomes of the earth so there are eyes in all those wheels 6. The works of God in disposing and governing second causes are admirable glorious and beautifull workes The wheels were full of eyes fitly disposed wisely carried on certainly attaining their ends Could we see the eyes in the wheels we should never fault the workes of God in the world but stand and admire their glory and beauty when the heavens are vailed with clouds we have sowre and discontented thoughts of the heavens themselves but when the clouds are gone that we can see the Starres those eyes of heaven then we admire their beauty and glory and certainly it 's a most glorious sight to see the heavens full of starres in a cleare night and it 's no lesse glorious to see the eyes in the wheels and the choice acts of providence in all their turnings and windings Caussin saith the world in all its parts is ruled like a paper with musick lines and if wee could see those lines they would be as glorious as lines of gold 7. The motions of the wheels are such as that they hold out a providence to all there is something in the wheels that none can reach and something that any may see they are full of eyes and the weakest may see one providence or other if not all the eyes yet some of them there be mysteries in the wheels to exercise the greatest and eyes to satisfie the weakest As no man but sees the stars in the heaven at one time or other so no man but may see the eyes in the wheels That evill doth not over-run all and the wicked devour the good argues a providence In one of the Conanie Islands Johannes Metellus saith there is a tree which drops water at every leafe and sufficeth the Inhabitants and their flocks being a drie Island without water Mithridates when in his cradle had his clothes consumed with lightning and his body not toucht A father and a son shipwrackt at sea the son sail'd to shoar upon the back of his dead father In these particulars and such like providence doth eminently appeare VERS 19. And when the living creatures went the wheels went by them and when the living creatures were lift up from the earth the wheels were lift up 21. When those went these went when those stood these stood and when those were lifted up from the earth the wheels were lifted up over against them Here we have 1. The motion of the wheels farther commended unto us 2. Their station 3. The time of both THe motion was forwards upwards and downwards and for the time of their motion and station it was when the creatures moved or stood as the Cherubims moved so moved the wheels forward upward downward and when they stood still the wheels stood The kind and manner of their motions with their rest depended on the living creatures they moved equally at their motion What 's meant by the lifting up of the wheels must be inquired for Angels to be lifted up is not strange they are heavenly creatures and heaven is their habitation But for the wheels to be lifted up that is very strange wee must search out the sense for into heaven they were not lifted Expositers leave us in the dark all except one that I have met with passe over this difficulty and what I find in that one is this the lifting up of the Angels and the wheels referre to the supreme cause and seems to tell us that inferiour and superiour causes wheels and Angels are under the regiment of the first cause and if wee take the words actively as Montanus doth render them viz. the living creatures in lifting up themselves from the earth the wheels lift up themselves also and that is they looked up to heaven for direction and assistance which may well be called a lifting up themselves Psal 25.1 Vnto the Lord do I lift up my soul that is to thee do I look for counsel comfort strength If wee take the words passively when the living creatures are lift up from the earth the wheels were lift up then I will give you my thoughts what the sense may be and it 's this the lifting up is not meant of lifting up to heaven but to service when God should more then in an ordinary way let out himself to the Angels give them new light new strength and so lift them up to great service then the wheels also were lifted up proportionably to do their parts and the words in the Text invite me to conceive it to be the sense because it 's said The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels
may come unseasonably to them but it 's not so here Christ sits upon the Throne and that constantly to assure us that he is alwayes willing and ready to heare the motions his shall make and to execute judgements upon their enemies which is matter of great comfort to poor afflicted soules that they may at any time finde this Judge sitting and open their grievances unto him and have audience other Judges are absent from their seats or not at leasure or stately and will not give way to poore oppressed ones to ease themselves and acquaint them with their suits none of these are to be feared here 11. Christ sitting on the Throne prompts unto us that Christ should accomplish the whole work of mans redemption which the Father had appointed him and so sit downe in glory upon the Throne He appeared as man in that nature hee did and suffered the will of God on earth and in that nature he sate down at the right hand of God had not Christ been to fulfill all righteousnesse he had not appeared as man sitting on the throne and had he not done it hee should never have returned to heaven and sate down in glory hee hath satisfied the Law is freed from the guilt of our sins and hath presently finished the work undertaken and therefore told his Father he had glorified him on earth he had finished the work he had given him to do and thereupon desired him to glorifie him and set him upon the Throne Joh. 17.4 5. which is done and this may be of singular comfort against all our imperfections corruptions temptations and death it self VERS 27. I saw as the colour of Amber as the appearance of fire round about within it c. HEre the man that sate upon the Throne is described unto us 1. In generall 2. More particularly 1. In generall I saw as the colour of Amber 2. Particularly upwards and downwards upwards as the appearance of fire round about within it from the appearance of his loynes upward so that this fire was more latent and then downwards the fire was more visible and had brightnesse about it Touching the word Hashmal or Chasmal I have spoken largely in the 4th verse Quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinanter consumens and it signifies a coale intensly hot and as it were presently consuming what ever it touches such coals are most fierie and lively and they that render the word color vividissimus a most lively colour or as the colour of a burning coal give the truest sense of the word Before it referred to the Angels here to Christ the word Chasmal read backward is Lammashach or Lammashiach which is interpreted the Messiah it 's the Cabalists observation and the summe in generall is this I saw as the colour of Amber I saw Christ that sate upon the Throne all of an intense fierie colour like the most hot burning coals and so the Lord Christ is set forth Rev. 1.14 15. His eyes were as a flame of fire his feet like unto fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace so here from head to feet Christ is presented in a fiery colour and it 's frequent in Scripture when acts of power and judgement are to be executed against kingdomes or churches to have Christ presented in a fierie way so Rev. 10.1 the mighty Angel Christ is brought in there with his face shining as the Sun and his feet at pillars of fire and presently there were great thunders and dreadfull things so Rev. 2.18 hee is brought in with eyes like fire and feet like brasse and then tels Thyatira hee hath a few things against her so Rev. 19.11 12 13. In righteousnesse he doth judge and make war and then his eyes were as a flame of fire and his vesture dipt in blood thus is he described when some great designes are afoot as sentencing a church warring against his enemies c. The particular description is next which falls into farther inquiry from his loynes upward was as the appearance of fire within it there is a difference between the fire in the upward parts of Christ and that in his lower the one is externall the other internall Within it within what within the colour of the Amber or according to the word as we have interpreted it within that fire of burning hot coals there was as the appearance of fire in the concave of it round about Ignis latens igniens intrinsecus Sanct. so that there was a fire in a fire a secret hidden fire burning inwardly this fire did not put forth its vertue so apparently as the other did but burnt inwardly and reflected upon it selfe What this fire was is our work to open unto you By fire within Gregory in his seventh Homily understands Christ before his incarnation he was ignis in Judaea tantum there only hee shined the Gentiles knew him not but after his incarnation hee shined from his loynes downward and was made known unto all but by it wee understand the divine nature of Christ which being full of perfection too bright for humane eyes was more inward and remote from sense and it 's likened unto fire in regard of the lustre and efficacy of it which none can indurc By the burning hot coales wee may understand the burning zeale of Christ to the glory of God in executing judgement upon the wicked and at this time hee sate in judgement upon Jerusalem From his loynes downward there was as the appearance of fire and it had brightnesse round about it this fire and brightnesse was more apparent visible and enlightning then the other and it represents to us the great glory and Majesty of the Lord Christ as it is exhibitive to and comprehensive by creatures it 's the glory of humane nature which was the lower part of Christ lesse glorious the strength of the divine natures glory shining through it and giving out it self in that way and degree as man is capable of the Sun in a cloud may be beheld by the weakest eye in it self not by the strongest the glory of both Christs natures are shadowed out unto us in this verse And it had brightnesse round about Splendor ei circum that fire produced a brightnesse and a brightnesse on every side it sets out the glory of Christ in execution of justice upon those are delinquents or the glory of his presence and actions hee dwels in light and all his actions are lightsome Observ 1. That the Lord Christ as man is very glorious hee was here in the appearance of man and the Prophet saw him having the colour of Chasmal that is like unto the most burning and hottest coale or coales not those in common fires but those that are in a furnace which glow and shine most Dan. 10.6 Rev. 1.16 in his transfiguration which was a Praeludium to his glorious condition in heaven Christs face shined as the Sun Mat. 17.2 What a glorious creature is the
betokens rain Exercitat 80. if in the evening fair weather but we may finde by observation that evening Rain-bows in our Horizons have been messengers of rain as oft as morning ones the Grecians call it Iris which Eustathius saith is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nuntio because it doth foretell rain some derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contention because it presageth stormy and wet weathee Homer constantly calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a divine messenger to tell the world there should be rain and storm This is the observation of some learned that if the colours of the Bowe appeare thick and end in blacknesse of a cloud rain followes certainly but if they grow cleerer and so vanish a serene followes Besides this signification Lib. 12. c. 22. Pliny attributes a speciall operation to it where the hornes of the Bowe do light Plants and Herbs are made more fragrant and pleasant Iridis incubatu Plantae fiunt odoratiores Exercit. 80. Ad generationem mannae mellis â—eriâ— and Scal. is of the same opinion who saith the incubation of the Rainbowe upon Plants makes them more odoriferous and Aristotle tels us lib. 5. Hist Animal cap. 22. that it doth much conduce to the generation of hony-deaw 2. For the Theolocall consideration of this Bow it is to put us in minde of the great flood that drowned the world and to assure us that God will never more do so Gen. 9.14 15. When I bring a cloud over the earth and the Bowe shall be seen in the cloud I will remember my Covenant between me you and every living creature and the water shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh When we see the Bowe therefore in the heavens wee should 1. Be led to consideration of divine Justice against the iniquities of the world which hee punished most severely as to destroy all flesh And 2. To mind the rich mercy of God to our forefathers and our selves to whom hee hath bound himself by covenant and the Bow being the signe of it that hee will never destroy the world again in that kinde and whereas some make the red colour in the Bowe a sign of the worlds destruction by fire at last it hath foundation in mans brain not in any institution of God But I come to the words of our Prophet here is a Bow in a cloud in the day of rain Qui infra lumbos imaginis apparebat Maldon A lapid c. some make the brightnesse here to be that which is downwards from his loynes and to be like unto the Bow in the cloud and so they exclude all the parts from his loynes upward from having reference to this Bow understanding by his upper parts the divine nature by his lower the humane and something there is in it because the Text saith in 27th verse I saw from the appearance of his loynes downwards as the appearance of fire and it had brightnesse round about it That fire had not the other but it seems to mee more suitable to the Text and truth that this brightnesse being in circuit round about it did compasse not the lower parts only but the whole Throne and Person of Christ and so wee finde in Rev. 4.3 where Christ is upon the Throne that there is a Rain-bow round about it and therefore conceive that here also the Rain-bow was round about the Throne We will not stand upon that longer but come to see what the Bow points at And 1. It is an Embleme of glory Gods glory is much seen in the heavens alwayes but when the Bow is set in the cloud Habet accessionem aliquam non spernendam ac si Deus adderet aliquid ad nudum Coeli aspectum Cal. It 's a glorious creature and hath glorious colours in it various and yet beautifull affecting the eye for the present more then all the glory of the heavens besides and I finde among Interpreters that it signifies First the glory and beauty of divine Providence in its various proceedings with the wicked and the godly it punisheth the one it rewards the other and when these are done there is so much glory in it that Angels and men are affected with it Secondly the glory which is conveyed and communicated to the creatures for in the heavens the glory of God doth shine You know the Rain-bowes originall and being is from the beams of the Sun communicated received and reflected and though it be glorious yet it 's a borrowed glory and so informs us that the glory in all creatures is from another from Christ By him Kings raigne He gives gifts to the sonnes of men He enlightens every man that comes into the world 2. It is a token of mercy and favour Symbolum clementiae gratiae misericordiae it 's a Bow without arrows the back saith Ramban of it being towards the heavens and ends downward it 's a signe of mercy for when one shooteth arrowes hee holds the back from him And that it is a signe of grace and mercy we will make out by Scripture unto you that covenant made by Noah about the waters in Isa 54.8 9 10. is applyed to the Covenant of Grace striken with man in Christ In a little wrath saith God I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee for this is â—s the waters of Noah unto mee for as I have sworne that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworne I would not be wroth with thee for the mountains shall depart and the hils be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Here you see the Covenant of waters applyed to the Covenant of grace and in the Revelation you shall see the same signe even the Rain-bow applied for a signe of grace Rev. 4.3 There is Christ sitting upon the Throne and a Rain-bow round about it which shewes that the Throne of Christ is compassed about with mercy and Rev. 10.1 A Rain-bow was upon his head Christ is presented in Visions crowned with the Rain-bow as a messenger of grace and peace Isa 9.6 for hee is the Prince of peace and his Crown is the Rain-bow a certain Embleme of peace Gen. 9.13 14. The Rain-bow hath variety of colours and all glorious and so doth the more fitly resemble the mercies of Christ which are various and glorious This brightnesse then in the figure of a Rain-bow signifies grace and mercy held out to those that were godly or should repent of their wickednesse the brightnesse before noted the glory of his judicary proceeding and here being form'd into a Bowe it betokens mercy Observ 1. That mercy and grace come to us through the humane nature of Christ from thence goeth out the brightnesse and the beams that make the Bow when the Word was made
flesh then went out glory John 1.14 and grace Vers 16. Then was Sol in nube the most glorious Rain-bow that ever was or shall be in the world he was not a signe of peace but our Peace Ephes 2.14 By his blood we are brought nigh for he is our peace 2. God hath his dayes of Rain When the flood was then there was rain to purpose forty dayes together If God hath rained bread Exod. 16. he hath rain'd wrath Job 20.23 snares storms fire brimstone Psal 11. God rains blood upon kingdomes Ezek. 38.22 I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood and I will rain upon him and his bands and the many people with him over-flowing rain great hailstones fire and brimstone 3. That the Lord Christ in wrath remembers mercy he mingles mercy with judgement hee sits as Judge upon the Throne hee pronounces sâ—â—tence against a sinfull kingdome executing the vengeance written against sinners and yet here hee is compassed with the Rain-bow shewing that hee will not utterly destroy the Jewes a remnant should be spared When the great deluge of water was drowning the world yet Noah and his were saved there was mercy in the midst of judgement and here is a Judge with a Rain-bow over his head to assure the godly they should not perish in this flood of wrath now powring out upon the Jews Jerome saith of the Bowe it is a sign of mercy and the covenant which God made with man that when it appeared in the cloud we might know we should not perish by a flood and much more when Christ sits in judgement with the Rain-bow about him may the godly know that they shall not perish by the wrath of God if the glory of his Majesty statelinesse of his Throne terror of his Justice and the greatnesse of his Power do at any time discourage us wee must looke at the Rain-bow round about him and remember his Throne is compassed with mercy It 's said of the Jews when they see the Rain-bow they go forth confesse their sins but will not look upon it Confession of sins or any duty whatsoever will do us no good unlesse wee look upon the Bowe the mercy of Christ now was a storm and in it a Rain-bowe for the Prophet and godly to looke at it 's said in the Text the Bowe in the cloud in the day of rain then it 's a rainy day when God rains snares fire and brimstone and horrible tempest upon the wicked even then the bow is in the cloud and the righteous should look for it and look to it they should remember the covenant and mercy of it Is it not a rainy and stormy time now is not this great Prince angry with the kings and kingdomes of the earth doth he not frown chide and smite and that with deadly strokes in many places Let us look at the Rainbow now and know if there should come an overflowing scourge a deluge of wrath upon the world yet the Noahs shall be arked and safe the righteous shall be hid Christ will manifest mercy to them Saith John Rev. 4.2 I was in the Spirit and behold a Throne was set in heaven and there was a Rain-bow round about the Throne no sooner was John in the Spirit but he saw the Throne and the Rain-bow let us now be in the Spirit look with eyes of faith and wee shall see the Throne him sits on it and the bow round about him and then though kingdomes lie under the floods of errors superstition and ungodlinesse though drown'd in troubles and blood yet wee shall see God and Christ in a way of love and mercy towards us 4. That Justice and Mercy do compasse the Throne of Christ there was brightnesse round about and the bow was round about go to Christs Throne any way there is nothing but justice for the sinner unlesse penitent and believing and if such nothing but mercy This was the appearance of the likenesse of the Glory of the Lord and when I saw it I fell upon my face and I heard a voyce of one that spake Here is the conclusion of the Vision and in it wee have the scope of all was presented to the Prophets view and it is to manifest the infinite glory of God and then followes a double effect First upon sight of it he fell upon his face And Secondly He heares a voyce and so a fit pass … is made to that which followes The first thing is the manifestation of Gods glory aâ—◠〈◊〉 glory of God is considerable 1. In God himself in the Divine 〈◊〉 and there it is infinite glorious exceeding glory 2. In the creation as it is expressed and opened in the volume of the creatures there Gods glory is greatly seen Isa 6.3 The earth is full of his glory the Hebrew is the fulnesse of the earth is his glory the world is glorious and filled with Gods glory it 's nothing else but Gods glory interpreted and opened unto us in the creatures Quid est mundus nisi Deus explicatus and divine providence about them 3. In divine dispensations towards his Church and people Gods glory is in the firmament in all the creatures but more specially and fully in the Church Psal 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speake of his glory there it is most visible affecting and provoking of every one to speak In the world few take notice of it but in the Temple every one sees it and speaks of it the world is God opened and so glorious the Church is Christ opened and so very glorious this made David long to be in the Sanctuary when hee was in the Wildernesse and why so to see thy power and thy glory Psal 63.2 Could not David see them in the heavens in the mountains in the goodly Cedars and other works of God Yes but not as in the Sanctuary and therefore hee saith to see thy power and glory so as I have seen thee in thy Sanctuary there I have seen thee otherwise then ever elsewhere there he saw the King upon his Throne and in his glory The glory of God in each of these is held forth in this Vision in some measure there was the Spirit in the wheels a fire within by which the glory of the divine nature appeared there was a whirlewind a cloud fire brightnesse living creatures wheels moving severall ways which represent the glory of God in the world and government of it there was a firmament and a throne one sitting upon it surrounded with a Rain-bow which sets out the glory of God in his severall dispensations towards his Church both in his judgements mercies and government thereof A Question is moved Whether our Prophet saw the glory of God The Answer is It was the appearance of the likenesse of the glory of the Lord he doth not say hee saw God in his essence it 's acknowledged by most that we cannot see Gods essence while wee are Pilgrims on earth In
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
the worm his mother Job 17.14 you see what stock and kindred Job came of and wee are all of the same house therefore afterward in the 25. Chap. v. 6. It 's said man and the Son of man is a worm and so David I am a worm and no man Psal 22.6 velo Ish hee was enosh sorry sinfull miserable man he was Adam an earthly man but not Ish a man of worth strength a worm son of the earth weak contemptible Coniah Jer. 22.28 in the vulgar is called vas fictile an earthen vessell a broken Idoll or a vessell in which is no pleasure and then followes O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Princes Priests and People he calls them all earth to minde them of their mean originall to bring down their spirits to make them sensible of their weakness and condition they were hastening unto Isai 40.6 All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field grasse withereth the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it surely the people is grasse 4. That the command of Christ is powerfull Stand upon thy feet saith hee and it proved efficacious let Christ speak and the thing is done By him were all things made Joh. 1.3 hee said Let there be light and there was light he said Let there be an earth and let it bring forth an it was so hee call'd forth things that were not and gave them a being under the Gospel how powerfull were his commands he bade devils depart the possessed and they did so he bade the winds and waves be still and they were so he called Lazarus out of the grave and he came forth presently there is infinite power in Christ and great yea oft exceeding great vertue goes forth with his commands he said to the Fishermen that were strangers to him Follow mee and they left all and followed him 5. That the Lord loves to incourage man to his duty hee saith not here stand upon thy feet only which might have sufficed but he makes him a promise and I will speak with thee I that am upon the Throne compassed with glory that have the rule of all the world in my hand I will speak with thee here was singular incouragement to this duty and so to other duties it 's mans duty to walk uprighty and to incourage unto it the Word saith No good thing will be with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psa 84.11 It 's our duty to believe and did not Christ tell Martha in a particular case that if she would believe shee should see the glory of God Ioh. 11.40 And told he not another that all things are possible to him that believeth Mar. 9.23 So Christ is lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3.14 15. So for prayer it 's our duty but see what incouragement Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 and Whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name hee will give it you John 16.23 To persevere and overcome is our duty and see Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and hee shall be my Son to give alms is mans duty as Luke 6.38 Give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosome 6. That the word of Christ is a sweet comfort to a soul troubled Stand upon thy feet and I will speak to thee thou art amazed cast down but my word will revive thee put life and spirits into thee What a comforting word is that of Christs Matth. 11. Come unto mee yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you and Ioh. 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I cast out in no wise Christ had the words of eternall life verse 68. and those must needs be sweet and acceptable to afflicted spirits and these words hee hath given us in the Gospel which is glad tidings the savour of life the power of God to salvation VER 2. And the Spirit entred into mee when hee spake unto mee and set me upon my feet that I heard him that spake unto mee THe Prophet being confirmed by the word of Christ in the foregoing verse here he is comforted and confirmed by the Spirit also What is meant by the Spirit must be opened some have conceived that when our Prophet fell upon his face at the sight of him and his glory that sate upon the Throne his spirit left him and hee lay for dead and so here by Spirit to be understood his soul or spirit returned entred revived him and set him upon his feet but this interpretation wee cannot admit for three Reasons 1. We never reade that ever any were stricken dead when God appeared unto them in Visions the utmost wee finde is that of Daniel Chap. 10. v. 17. Neither was there breath left in me through feare he was as a man out of breath but not without a soul hee had a deadly feare but was not dead 2. The Text it self confutes that opinion for in the last words of the former Chapter it 's said I heard a voyce of one that spake if Ezekiel had been spiritlesse soulelesse when hee fell upon his face it had been impossible for him to have heard a voyce 3. Had it been the return of his own spirit the words would not have been he set me upon my feet but I arose we must therefore leave that interpretation 2. By Spirit some understand an Angel and their reason for it is because it 's said He set me upon my feet the Prophet being among Angels and they seeing him down one lifted him up and set him upon his feet but this interpretation although it be Piscators I cannot commend unto you for First how could any of these Angels that had faces bodies wings and feet enter into the Prophet for here it 's said The Spirit entred into mee Secondly if it had been an Angel the words must have run thus rather then as they do one of the Spirits one of the Angels entred into me and not the Spirit By Spirit then understand that Spirit which was in the living creatures and in the wheels Chap. 1.20 Even the eternall Spirit of God and of this judgement is Jerome Gregory Calvin Junius Maldonate c. If their testimonies suffice not take the testimony of Scripture Chap. 3.24 Then the Spirit entred into mee and set me upon my feet and spake with mee and said Go shut thy self within thy house c. Here the Prophet repeating the same words sheweth that it was the Spirit of God he spake of and neither Angel nor his own spirit The meaning is this when Christ spake unto me and I heard his voyce presently I felt divine vertue the Spirit seised upon entred into mee comforted and confirmed me set me upon my feet and fitted mee to heare the
finde a reward in heaven if none on earth 5. That those are sent of God must deliver not their own but Gods message and thou shalt say unto them Thus saith the Lord God a Prophet is os Dei and it 's great honour to him that the great God will speak by his tongue Thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15.19 So Jeremy had Gods words put in his mouth Chap. 1.9 and those hee must speak not his own words what God commanded that he must speak and not what himself fancied When a man comes furnished with the word of God then hee comes as a man of God with authority and power this made the Apostle say our weapons are not carnall not the words of mans wisdome but the Oracles of God which are mighty through God Acts 20. he delivered the whole counsell of God and not his own VER 5. And they whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare for they are a rebellious house yet shall know there hath been a Prophet amongst them HEre the end or reason of the Prophets sending is given I send thee to this people to take away all pleas and pretences of theirs thou shalt prophesie unto them and tell them of their sins what I require at thy hands and if they will not heare I have not left my selfe without witnesses they shall know c. they would otherwise have had to object against thee and said If we had had a Prophet in our captivity to have reproved us for our sins to have shewed us Gods displeasure our danger and the way to escape we would have ceased from our evill wayes have learned righteousnesse and laid hold of offers of mercie and grace but we had not to reprove or instruct us wee perished for want of visions It 's true wee had Prophets in our countrey but there they were common and we did not much regard them but had one been given us now in this desolate afflicted condition we would have hearkened obeyed c. This objection God takes away and tells them whether they will heare or no a Prophet they shall have he will not be wanting to them they shall have no cause to object against or complain of him A rebellious house The originall is a house of rebellion it 's in the abstract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and notes the strength and provocation of their sin the Vulgar hath it the exasperating house the house that provokes and vexes the Lord Domus exasperans Irritans Sept. Domus amaricans In amaritudinemme convertunt or the imbittering house that imbitters God and so the Septuagint renders that in the third verse which have rebelled against mee which have turned mee into bitternesse and made me deal bitterly with them A house not because God dwelt amongst them and was now driven out by their rebellions but a house because they were the family and seed of Israel and this parenthesis is inserted to arm the Prophet against their obstinacie that he understanding before hand what they were might not be despondent but proceed cheerfully in his work what ever he met withall Observ 1. That there be few that heare and receive the Word savingly I send thee to this people and there be not many among them that will entertain thy message or believe the word that I put into thy mouth Whether they will heare or forbeare for they are a rebellious house this strongly imports they would not heare not savingly but rather oppose the truth there was a great number of them in Babylon yet very few hearkened to the Prophet and so was it before they went into Babylon Isa 53. Who hath believed our report we have preached and made report of God and Christ in the Temple in the Synagogues in the gates and streets but Who hath believed us Isaiah was a Princely Prophet had a Princely language and yet neither among the great ones at Court nor inferiour sort was there any considerable number for Isa 8.18 He saith I and the children the Lord hath given mee are for signs and wonders in Israel if they had been many they would not have been for wonders that is a wonder which is rare unusuall and it 's a rare unusuall thing for men and women to believe the Word of God multitudes flock to the gates and posts of Wisdome but few lay up sound wisdome in their hearts â—â—x cent â—simum quimque sore fiddem Calv. â—t Es 51 Quot esse putatis qui in eâ—vitate nostra salventur infestum quidem est quod d cturus sum d cam tamen non possunt in tot millibus centum inveniri qui salventur quin de his dubito Quanta enâ—m est in juvenibus malitia quantus in senibus torpor nemo zelum habet multitudo sumus saeni inordinatum mare Chrys Ad fidem plures veniunt sed ad coelestia regna pauci perducuntur Greg. Hom. 19. in Euang. many hearers few believers 1 Cor. 1.22 Wee preach Christ crucified unto the Jewes a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishnesse the generality of both reject Christ and his Doctrine of those that heare the Gospel scarce the hundreth man is a believing man saith Calvin and Chrysostome exceeds him in his 40. Hom. Ad pop Antioch hee thinks that scarce the thousand man that hears the Word will be saved It 's conceived by some Expositers that in Antioch were above an hundred thousand people and yet this Father feared that hardly an hundred of them were right Noah preached unto the old world and few or none hearkened When the Jewes were in the Wildernesse how few hearkened unto the voyce of the Lord of 600000 only Caleb and Joshua hearkened obeyed and entred into Canaan set aside all prophane hearers all negligent ones all forgetfull all unbelieving and unpracticall hearers and you shall find the number very few of saving hearers many come to heare but few get into heaven And you know what Christ hath said That narrow is the way to life and few there be that find it but broad is the way to destruction and many there be that go in thereat Let Christ speak hee is not heard not received let Satan or Antichrist do it they are heard and followed Josh 5.43 I come in my Fathers Name and yee receive mee not if another shall come in his own name him yee will receive When Antichrist came hee was received Rev. 13.3 And all the world wondred after the Beast and worshipped the Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast The Doctrine and worship of the Beast was easie suitable to carnall spirits but the Doctrine of Christ is spirituall deep contrary to our fleshly and sinfull principles and herein the greatnesse of the mysterie of the Gospel is set out that few do heare and believe 2. See the infinite goodnesse of God that will give a Prophet to such a people as this they were rebellious had sleighted rejected abused
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
of a people defending them that is the glory and excellency of a kingdome 2 Chron. 13.25 saith Abijah God is with us for our Captain this was more then all the strength of Judah beside when Jeroboam came against him with 800000 chosen men With you are the golden calves vers 8. you have a great number but God is not with you to be your glory and defence you have the calves which is your shame and nakednesse but God is with us who is our glory and defence And when Jerusalem fell to Idolatry God tels them that they had changed their glory for that did not profit Jer. 2.11 they had driven away their glory and here was the beginning of their woe That 's the misery of a kingdome to have God depart from it then publike enterprises prosper not 2 Chron. 22.24 then counsell failes 1 Sam. 28.15 protection is gone Isa 5.5 then peace loving kindnesse and mercies go Jer. 16.5 This is as taking the Sun out of the firmament the eyes out of the head or soul out of the body now a kingdome and people lie exposed to all evils and mischiefs Hos 9.12 Wo to them when I depart from them all mischiefes presently step croud in upon a people left of God famine wars captivity a perverse spirit and treacherousnesse one to another came upon this people when God left his place And so after Christs dayes when God left them and that voyce was heard in the Temple Migremus hinc Joseph de hel Jud. l. 7. c. 2. Lâ—b 11. which Tacitus in his Annals also mentions Auditâ— major hum ma vox exâ—edere Deos simul ingens motus excedentium after this dreadfull misery befell them war famine dispersion was their portion they are without God Christ and mercy to this day an undone and most unhappy people Wee had almost driven away God by our sins specially by our Idolatry superstitions but God and his glory are not quite gone Jer. 14.9 Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy Name leave us not 4. God is glory or glorious there is nothing in God inglorious as in the Son is only light so God is light and in him is no darknesse hee is all light all glory his Attributes are glory his Essence is glory his Life is glory God is only glory Blessed be the glory the Lord. 5. Under the Law God confined himself to a particular place to the Temple there he dwelt appeared received sacrifices gave answers c. So that the Temple was not only locus but medium divini cultus the Jewes were bound to set their faces towards it when they prayed 1 King 8.48 Dan. 6.10 it being also a type of the body of Christ Joh. 2.19 that sanctified their Assemblies and sacrifices Matth. 23.19 But it 's otherwise now under the Gospel neither Jerusalem nor Samaria is the place where God is fixed Joh. 4.21 but Gods habitation is in all places where hee hath Saints Matth. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am there in the midst of them 2 Cor 6.16 Yee are the Temple of the living God and what saith God I will dwell in them and walk about in them that is in the Church of Corinth and so in all Congregations Now the Congregations are Gods habitation he walks amongst the golden Candlesticks there is the glorious God seen the glorious God heard But the place now where the meetings are be neither means nor parts of worship no types of Christ nor do they sanctifie the people or service done in them rather do the people and Ordinances while they are there sanctifie them and yet when the Ordinances are ended and people gone no holinesse abides in them but they are as other places 6. The Lord is worthy of praise when he is in a way of judgement Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place now he was departing from Jerusalem all woes and miseries taking hold of them yet was he a God deserving praises Gods judgements are deep we oft know not the reasons of them see not the equity of Gods proceedings in them yet wee should be so far from murmuring that we should count him worthy of honour and praise when he deserts Churches and kingdomes Exod. 15.11 God is fearefull in praises 7. It 's the work and office of Angels to praise God the living creatures here said Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place and Rev. 5.10 11. There were many Angels about the Throne and what did they they sang Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing So the Seraphims in Isa 6.3 their song was Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Angels are musicall creatures and make the best melody Arias thinks it was an Angel dictated the Song of Deborah unto her A. Lapid on Judg. 5.23 Luke 2.13 14. there was a heavenly Chorus and sang a heavenly song Glory to God in the highest on the earth peace and good-will towards men this was a short but a sweet song when great things have been done by God the Angels have been brought in praising God as when God created the world Job 48.4.7 Where wast thou saith God to Job when I laid the foundations of the earth When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy that is the Angels as Interpreters observe who at the sight of that great and glorious work were much affected and sang the praises of God so at the birth of Christ and here at the departure of God out of the Temple the great God doing great works must have great praises even the praises of Angels praise is an Angelicall work and the office of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. and the Spirit calls for it at their hands Psal 148.2 Praise him all his Angels and they do it when he is in his judgements The Jewes thought God dealt hardly in punishing them but Angels saw cause to praise God for his departure from them and vindicating his glory in the punishment of hypocrites 8. God doth his works without motion or mutation Here it 's said from his place there is a shew of motion and change but no such thing befalls God his works make motions and changes in the creature not in himself he is infinite fils heaven and earth and never removes from one place to another he is immutable and not subject to changes For the 13th Verse of the wings wheels and noyse of them I have spoken in the first Chapter largely yet a little I shall speak of the Verse it 's said that the living creatures touched one another The Hebrew is from Nashash to kisse and each other in the Hebrew is a woman to her sister Observ 1. God makes use of Angels