Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Ver. 1. THen I looked, and behold in the firmament] Heb. In that expanſe, or firmament mentioned, chap. 1.22.
That was above the head of the Cherubims] Called before, living creatures, chap. 1. Now God is repreſented as in his Temple, where things are more clearly diſcryed and deſcribed, Pſal. 29.9. In his Temple doth every one ſpeak of his glory. Cherubims the Angels are called, from the greatneſſe of their knowledge, ſaith Hierom, as Gods Rabbines: or rather, becauſe the Lord rideth upon them, Pſal. 18.20. & 99.1. as upon his chariot, 1 Chron. 28.19. Here they are ſaid to be under the firmament and near the throne, to execute Gods commands with expedition. It is not therefore as thoſe miſcreants ſaid, chap. 9.9. The Lord hath forſaken the earth.
There appeared ever them as it were a ſaphire-ſtone] i. e. Jehovah in his glory.
As the appearance] It was but as, and as the appearance: we cannot ſee God as he is. Some have ſeen Merchabah velo harocheb, ſay the Hebrews, the chariot, but not the Rider therein.
Ver. 2. And he spake unto the man] See chap. 9.2. Chriſt, who had marked the mourners, ſcattereth coales upon the rebellious City. Kiſſe the Son leſt he be angry, and ye periſh.
And ſcatter them over the City] To ſhew that Jeruſalem was to be burnt by the Chaldees: as muſt likewiſe Rome by the Kings of the earth: for ſtrong is the Lord who judgeth her, Rev. 18.8.
And he went in my ſight] Saints ſee and foreſee that oft-times which is hid from others.
Ver. 3. Now the Cherubims ſtood on the right ſide] i. e. On the South ſide: being now removed from the North-door, chap. 8.3, 4. with 9.3. as loathing that place of ſo great idolatry.
And the cloud filled the inner court] To ſignifie that now upon Gods departure there ſhould be darkneſſe in the Temple, yea in the Prieſts court.Significat ſequentia tempora nubila fore. Lav. See Pſal. 18.11. Rev. 15.8.
Ver. 4. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub] i. e. From the Cherubims: ſo it had done once before, chap. 9.3. and returned again: to ſhew that he was even driven out by the peoples impenitency.
And ſtood over the threſhold of the houſe] As taking his laſt leave of it.
And the houſe was filled with a cloud] Sublatenter abit à ſuo loco Dominus: Oecol.ſo Iſa. 6.4. the houſe was filled with ſmoke. Joſephus ſaith that when God departed, a voyce was heard out of the Temple, ſaying, Let us leave theſe ſeats: like as a little before the laſt deſolation of it, there was heard Migremus hinc, let us go hence. And a heathen writer ſaith that a voyce greater then mans was heard,Audita major humana vox, excedere deos. Tacit. that the gods were thence departing.
Ver. 5. And the ſound of the Cherubims wings was heard] As applauding Chriſts act, and rejoycing thereat.
As the voyce of the Almighty God] i. e. As thunder, Pſal, 29. Hereby might alſo be ſignified inſignis & inſolita mutatio in urbe, a notable noiſe that ſhould be made in the City by clattering of armes, neighing of horſes, roaring of enemies, &c. The Hebrew word here uſed is Shaddai, which ſignifieth vaſtatorem & victorem, ſaith Aben-Ezra, a Waſter and a Victour.
Ver. 6. When he had commanded the man] Chriſt as Mediatour was at his Fathers command, Mat. 12.18. John 14.31. & 15.10.
Then he went in and stood beſide the wheeles] As conſidering, ſaith one, the mutability and uncertainty of all things: and obſerving the equity of the divine proceedings.
Ver. 7. And one Cherub ſtretched forth his hand] The holy Angels whom the Jews looked upon as Miniſters of Gods grace unto them (Joſephus calleth them the Keepers of the Jewiſh people) are here brought in as Miniſters of thoſe weapons wherewith they were to be deſtroyed.
Who took it and went out] Nevertheleſſe the City was not burnt, till four or five years after this viſion; Tam piger ad paenas Deus eſt, ad praemia velox.Ovid. Meanwhile how jocund were the Jews, as if no ſuch judgement were likely to befall them?
Ver. 8. And there appeared—the form of a mans hand under their wings] Quaſi gladius intra vaginam, as a ſword within the ſcabberd, ready to be drawn out for execution. The hand, ſaith Ariſtotle, is the inſtrument of inſtruments. Nature hath given us hands, ſaith Cicero, multarum artium miniſtras, &c. to act and do buſineſſe. Angels have neither hands nor wings, to ſpeak properly: yet are ſaid here to have both: to ſhew their activity and celerity in Gods ſervice: Hands of a man they are ſaid to have, to ſhew that they do all prudently and with reaſon: and theſe hands are under their wings, ſaith one, to ſignifie their hidden nature and operation. A good man, like a good Angel, ſaith another, hath the wings of contemplation, the hands of action: the wings of faith, the hands of charity:Eſſayes Mor. and Theol. p. 23. wings whereon he raiſeth his underſtanding, and hands wherewith he exciteth his will, &c.
Ver. 9. And when I looked, behold the four wheels] This chapter compared with the firſt, do, like glaſſes ſet one againſt another, caſt a mutual light.
As the colour of a Beryl ſtone] Lapidis Berylli thalaſſis: See chap. 1.16. wheels are voluble, and the ſea tumultuous: ſo are all things and places in this preſent life: lay hold on life eternal.
Ver. 10. As if a wheel had been in the midſt of a wheel] So intricate and perplexed oft-times are Gods wayes and works, that the wiſeſt men know not what to make of them, Zech. 14.6. In that day the light ſhall neither be clear nor dark, but betwixt both, tanquam foreign.
Ver. 11. Ʋpon their four ſides] That is, to their ſeveral quarters aſſigned them by God, who doeth things methodically, and in order.
Tranſlatio à re militari. Jun. Diod. foreign. Omnia in omnes partes illuſtrat Dei Providentia. Jun. Dei Providentia oculatiſſima. A Lap. Diod.But to the place whither the head looked] That is, God who guided the whole chariot by an univerſal and equal inſpiration, chap. 1.12, 20, 21.
Ver. 12. And the whole body] viz. Of the Cherubims, as chap. 1. The wheels are ſaid to be full of eyes. God who over-ruleth all, is All-eye. His Providence is like a well-drawn picture, which vieweth all that are in the room.
Ver. 13. It was cryed unto them] By him who ſat upon the throne, calling for their obedience: as indeed all things here, yea even the ſenſeleſſe creatures are Gods ſervants, Pſal. 119.91.
O wheel] O round world, q. d. Hear the voyce of thy Maker and Maſter: or, oh how unſtable and changeable art thou!
Ver. 14. The face of a Cherub] i. e. Humana quidem, ſed ſplendidiſſima, ſaith Junius: facies pueri alati, ſaith another. There are that tell us that in the Syriack tongue the word Cherub is taken from a word which ſignifieth drawing the plough, which is the bullocks proper labour. We muſt beleeve therefore, ſay they, that Cherub ſignifieth properly the figure of a bullock: under which hieroglyphically was repreſented an Angel. The laborious Preachers face ſhall once ſhine as an Angels.
Ver. 15. Were lifted up] Or, they lift up themſelves, ſc. to follow and attend their departing Lord.
That I ſaw by the river of Chebar] And now ſaw again, for further confirmation.
Ver. 16. And when the Cherubims went] Angels have a great ſtroke in ordering the affaires of the world, as hath already been noted on chap. 1. Quod vero candem rem ſaepe repeto, lectori moleſtum eſſe non debet, ſaith Lavater in his Preface to this Prophet.
Ver. 17. When they ſtood] See chap. 1.21.
The ſpirit of the living-creatures] Or, of life. God governeth all events: He moveth the Angels, they the wheels. No Clock hath ſo certain motions, as the viciſſitudes of all things are over-ruled by God.
Ver. 18. Then the glory of the Lord departed] This, the ſtubborn Jews would never be drawn to beleeve poſſible, till it befell them: hence they hear of it ſo often, but to little good purpoſe as to them.
Ver. 19. Over the Eaſt-gate] The gate of the Court where the people met and pray'd with their faces Weſt-ward: here now ſtood the Cherubims, and here ſtood the Glory over them; that all the City might ſee that God was going from them, and ſeek by all good means to retaine him with them.
Ver. 20. And I knew that they were the Cherubims] Now at laſt I knew. Divine light is darted into the ſoul by degrees: and at ſeveral times.
Ver. 21. Every one had four faces apiece] Ad taedium uſque candem rem repetis, ut nihil excuſationis haberent. Theſe careleſſe and croſſe-grained Jews are told the ſame things thus over and over: to leave them without all excuſe, if they would not be wrought upon by all.
Ver. 22. They went every one ſtraight forward] Let us, by their example, learn to advance forward to the high prize of the heavenly calling in Chriſt Jeſus.