Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 43
CHAP. XLIII.
Ver. 1. AFterwards he brought me] Non niſi dimenſo prius montis ambitu: The Prophet ſaw not the glory of God, till he had firſt ſeen the Mount meaſured, the Temple reſtored. Men muſt (uſually) wait upon God in the uſe of means ere they ſee the King in his glory.
Even the gate that looketh toward the Eaſt] Men muſt awake out of the Weſt of wickedneſſe, and ſtand up from dead courſes and companies, if Chriſt, the day-ſtar from on high, ſhall give them light, Epheſ. 5.14. Luke 2.78, 79.
Ver. 2. And behold the glory] i. e. The viſion of the glory. God who by the Eaſt-gate had left the Temple and the City, chap 10. doth now the ſame way return, and filleth the houſe with the glory of his preſence.
And his voice was like a noiſe of many waters] Importing the multitude of his attendants, and his irreſiſtible power, in his Goſpel eſpecially, which is the power of God to ſalvation; and, like a mighty torrent, bears down all before it.
And the earth ſhined with his glory] How can it do otherwiſe, when the Sun of righteouſneſſe cometh in place, and irradiateth both Organ and Object, 2 Cor. 4.6. Into Solomons Temple God came in a thick cloud; not ſo here. Light is now more diffuſed then ever: woe be to thoſe that wink, or who ſeek ſtraws to put out their eyes withal, as Bernard hath it.
Ver. 3. And it was according to the viſion] Being ſo much the ſweeter and the welcomer to me. Hence he ſo oft repeateth it: And the Jew-doctours obſerve that eight times in this one Verſe. Viſionis ac videndi vocabulum repetitur, the word for Viſion and to ſee it is made uſe of.
When I came to deſtroy the City] i. e. To foretel the deſtruction of it, chap. 9.2, 5. from which time forth it was a done thing: See Jer. 1.10. with the Note.
And I fell upon my face] In reverence to his Majeſty, in admiration of his mercy, and in the ſenſe of mine own unworthineſſe. The nearer any one cometh to God, the lower he falleth in his own eyes; and the more doth rottenneſſe enter into his bones.
Ver. 4. And the glory of the Lord] See ver 2.
By the way of the gate] The ordinary entrance into the Temple. There, if anywhere, God is to be found: where ſhould a man be ſought for but at his houſe? Say he be from home a while, yet thither he returneth: So here.
Ver. 5. So the Spirit took me up] Who was fain upon my face: The lowly ſhall be lifted up.
And brought me into the inner court] As being a Prieſt: ſo is every true believer, 1 Pet. 2.9. Rev. 1.6.
Filled the houſe] Gods preſence is the full glory of each good ſoul. See Hag. 2.7.
Ver. 6. And I heard him ſpeaking unto me] The man Chriſt Jeſus, ſtanding by. Here then is a meeting and the myſtery of the bleſſed Trinity: yea here is a double myſtery to be taken notice of: viz. thoſe two wonderful unions of three perſons in one God, and of Chriſts two natures in one perſon.
Ver. 7. The place of my throne, and the place of the ſoles of my feet] i. e. My Church, which is unto me inſtead of heaven and earth. Behold the place of my throne, &c. ſo ſome read it: others, as for the place of my throne, &c.Iſa. 66.1.
No more defile] But hallow: for negative holineſs alone is little worth.
Nor by the carcaſſes of their Kings] i. e. Their idols; not unfitly called carcaſſes. Piſcat.1. Becauſe void of life. 2. Stinking ſtuffe. See Levit. 26.30. Jer. 16.18. Theſe were oft brought in, and countenanced by their Kings.
Ver. 8. In their ſetting of their threſhold by my threſholds] By broaching falſhoods for truth, and ſetting humane devices in competition with the good Word of God. That deteſtable decree of the Council of Trent is well known, whereby the Apocrypha… is ſet cheek by joule (as they ſay) with the holy Canon: the Vulgar Tranſlation, with the Original: traditions, with Scriptures; and unwritten verities, with thoſe that are written. This is intolerable preſumption: Jews and Turks do the like in their Talmud and Alchoran: that I ſpeak not of our Sect-Maſters who boldly obtrude their Placits without juſt proof, and require to be beleeved.
And the wall between me and them] Which they have wretchedly ſet up by their ſins, to their ſingular diſadvantage, Eſa. 59.2. or they have come under my noſe, as it were, to provoke me. Or, the nearer they were to Church, the further from God.
Ver. 9. Now let them put away their whoredom] So ſhall all be well betwixt us: See Jer. 3.1. Iſa. 1.18. with the Notes. Piſcator ictus ſapiat. Some read it, Now they will put away, &c. and ſo they did, after the captivity; but will not be yet drawn to worſhip the true God aright: the Lord perſwade their hearts thereto. Fiat, Fiat.
And the carcaſſes] See on ver. 7.
And I will dwell in the midſt of them for ever] This is the ſame with that, Mat. 28. I am with you to the end of the world.
Ver. 10. Shew the houſe] Heb. that houſe, ſc. which I have ſhewed thee in viſions: the idea of that Temple, which ſhall ſhortly be ſet up, its figure and dimenſions.
That they may be aſhamed] Of having dealt ſo unworthily with a God ſo gracious.
And let them meaſure the pattern] Ʋt metiantur univerſe, that by a holy Geometry they may, in the ſpirit of their minds take all the dimenſions of it, and be transformed into the likeneſs of the heavenly pattern. Theſe are thoſe holy and heavenly Mathematikes, which none can learn but thoſe that are taught of God; Scholae Platonis haec fuit inſcriptio, foreign.and without which, none can be Chriſts Diſciple: like as none might be ſcholar to Plato, that had not the grounds of Geometry.
Ver. 11. And if they be aſhamed of all that they have done] If they bluſh and bleed at heart for their iniquities. Penitents are to be taught the truth which is according to godlineſs: and all ſuch are exactly to know and to do the whole will of God, as had not rather be carnally ſecured, then ſoundly comforted.
Ver. 12. Ʋpon the top of the mountain] The Church is as a City on an hill, ſeen far and near, Mat. 5.14. and the members of it are ſtill aſcending from one degree of grace to another, from ſtrength to ſtrength, till they ſee the face of God in Sion, Pſal. 15.1. Heb. 12.22, 23.
The whole limit thereof round about ſhall be moſt holy] All the Lords people are ſo, at leaſt in profeſſion, inchoation, honeſt endeavour, divine acceptation: and ſhall be ſo one day in all perfection, Rev. 21.8, 27. & 22.14, 15.
Ver. 13. And theſe are the meaſures of the Altar] viz. Of burnt offerings, which was in the Prieſts court; and not at all ſpoken of till now.
The cubit] viz. That of the Sanctuary.
Even the bottom] Heb. the b…ſom.
This ſhall be the higher place] Heb. the back, as that which bore all. We have alſo an Altar, Heb. 13.10. even Jeſus Chriſt the juſt one, who is both our Ariel (Gods Lion, Rev. 5.5.) and our Harcel (Gods Mount) of four cubits, as being preached unto the Gentiles in all parts, believed on in the world, received up into glory, 1 Tim. 3.16.
Ver. 14. And from the bottom upon the ground] This ſo exact meaſuring of the Altar may import, ſaith Polanus, the faithful and perfect preaching of the Goſpel by the Apoſtles and all faithful Miniſters of Gods Word after them, 2 Cor. 10.13, &c. 1 Cor. 4.1, 2. Rev. 11.1.
Ver. 15. So the Altar] Heb. Harcel, the hill of God, or the only place of ſacrifices.
And from the Altar] Ariel, the Lion of God: ſo called, becauſe the fire of this Altar devoured the ſacrifices, as a Lion doth the prey. See Eſa. 29.16.
Ver. 16. Square in the four ſquares thereof] Chriſt the Chriſtian Altar, is compleat, firm and fixed.
Ver. 17. And his ſtaires ſhall look toward the Eaſt] As leading to the Sun of righteouſneſſe, and the light of eternal bleſſedneſs, ariſing out of heaven.
Ver. 18. Theſe are the ordinances of the Altar] Chriſtians alſo have their ſacrifices, (though of another alloy) to offer; and muſt look to the ordinances of their Altar. Miniſters muſt eſpecially.
Ver. 19. And thou ſhalt give to the Prieſts] All this is to be underſtood ſpiritually, as being figuratively ſpoken.
A young bullock] Together with a goat and a ram, ver. 22, 23, 25. All that are Chriſts have crucified the fl…ſh with the affections and luſts, Gal. 5.24. and are ſtill doing at it.
Ver. 20. And thou ſhalt take of the blood] Chriſt, as Mediatour, was conſecrated and qualified for the work.
Ver. 21. Without the Sanctuary] So Chriſt ſuffered without the gate, Heb. 13.11, 12.
Ver. 22. And they ſhall cleanſe the Altar] To ſet forth how Chriſt clenſeth and ſanctifieth his people, Heb. 9.19.—24. Job. 17.19. Heb. 9.13, 14.
Ver. 23. Thou ſhalt offer] See on ver. 19.
Plato ſal…ominat foreign, diu chariſ. Nihil utilius ſale …c ſo…e. Cael Rhodig. l. 6. c 1.Ver. 24. And the Prieſts ſhall caſt ſalt upon them] Chriſtians muſt have ſalt within themſelves, Mar. 9.50. and ſee to it, that all their ſpeeches be ſeaſoned with the ſalt of mortification and diſcretion, Eph. 4. ſo ſhall God make an everlaſting covenant with them, even a covenant of ſalt. See Levit. 2.13.
Ver. 25. Every day a goat] Mortification muſt be a Chriſtians dayly practice.
Ver. 26. They ſhall purge] Thou and they together. We muſt alſo ſanctifie the Lord God in our hearts, 1 Pet. 3.15.
Ver. 27. It ſhall be upon the eighth day] The ſervices of mortified men ſhall be accepted, on the eighth day eſpecially, the Chriſtian ſabbath, in the holy Aſſemblies.