Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1
The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.
FEw of the other ſacred Books have this Title in the originall prefixed. The word Sephar, foreigna book, ſignifieth any writing; be it great or ſmall, ſhort or long, it hath this name in the Hebrew language. Jer. 3.8. a Bill of divorce is mentioned; the word in the originall is Sephar, a book of Divorce. It was the uſe of the Jewes to call any Writing, though it had but a few lines in it, Sephar, a book. And ſo a Catalogue that had not many names in it, is called a book, Mat. 1.1. The book (or, the catalogue) of the generation of Jeſus Chriſt.
This Book of Ezekiel is large, having eight and fourty Chapters in it, and may rather be called a Volume, then Sephar, a Book, a Bill, a Catalogue. Some Books in the Scripture that are far leſs then this of Ezekiel have that title. Eſther which is not long, hath this title, Megillath Eſther, the Volume of Eſther, or the Book of Eſther, ſo it is in your Bibles. The word cometh from Gabal, foreignwhich ſignifieth to roll or fold up, for the uſe of the Jewes was to fold up their Writings, as being the beſt way to preſerve them from duſt and other dangers. Theſe two words are ſometimes found both together, as in this Prophet, Chap. 2. v. 9. There was ſent unto the Prophet a hand, and in it there was Megillath Sephar, a roll of a Book.
The Jewes had many Megillaths, many ſuch volumes or rolls, eſpecially five, which they did uſe at ſeverall times.
There was the Megillath of the Canticles, which they read at the Feaſt of the Paſſeover, becauſe it contained much of the love of God to the Church, and in the Paſſeover they apprehended much of Gods love towards them.
2. Then they had the Megillath of Ruth, which was read a… the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, becauſe it contained the Genealogie and originall of David their King, who was ſo beloved and dear unto them.
3. They had the Megillath of Eccleſiaſtes, and that they read at the Feaſt of Tabernacles, in memory of Gods protection of them forty yeers in the Wilderneſs, becauſe that volume did contain in it many acts of Gods providence which watcheth over his people continually.
The fourth was the Megillath of Eſther, which was read in the MonethMonth of Adar, becauſe that diſcovered the plot of Haman, and the goodneſs of God that did deliver them from that imminent danger.
The laſt Megillath was the Book of the Lamentations, and this contained, as the ſumme, ſo the bewailing of the Babyloniſh captivity which was grievous unto them. This Book they read in the fifth MonethMonth which was anſwerable to the latter end of July.
Theſe were all little books, little volumes, Ezekiel is rather a Megillath, and Ezekiel muſt be one volume, a book written in the Babyloniſh captivity, ſome five hundred and fourſcore yeers before Chriſt; ſo that it is above two thouſand two hundred yeers ſince this book was written. From hence you may obſerve:
Firſt, the Wiſdome of God in cauſing this and other books to be written. A book is a writing, the originall word ſignifieth to write. Here is the wiſdome and goodneſs of God, that the Prophecies of Ezekiel and other Prophets ſhould be written. God will have his Church furniſhed with, and regulated by written truths, not unwritten traditions: The Jewes they had their Cabbala, which they ſay were full of ſecret Myſteries. The Papiſts, they have their Traditions, they call them unwritten verities, and wee call them unwritten vanities We have a ſure word of Prophecie to ſtick unto, and they uncertain fancies, which corrupt the worſhip of God, and indanger immortall ſouls. Bellarmine hath a whole book de Verbo Dei non ſcripto, of the Word of God unwritten; ſuch words of God wee acknowledge not. It was the wiſdome of God that the Prophets ſhould write, and that their writings ſhould be extant. When the Lawyer asked Chriſt what he ſhould do to inherit eternall life, Chriſt doth not ſend him to unwritten Traditions, or to Jewiſh Cabbala's, but he ſends him to a known and written Law, What is written in the Law? how readeſt thou? Luke 10.26.So wee muſt look to what is written, and how we may reade, not what they tell us was revealed to ſuch a Saint, and hath continued to ſo many generations, and is the truth of God: theſe are deluſions. The writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles are ſufficient for us, and wee acknowledge the infinite goodneſs of God, in that theſe ſhould be written for us to have reſort unto. If this Prophets, others, and Apoſtles works had not been written, there would have been great inconveniences; ſome things would have been forgotten; ſome neglected; many things corrupted, and all things in time queſtioned, and ſo the whole truth would have been without authority in the hearts of people.
Secondly, ſee here the providence of God likewiſe, in preſerving this book of Ezekiel; which was written in Babylon, for there was the Prophet, and there he had his viſions: for a book to be preſerved in Babylon is a wonder. The Law was loſt in Sion, in Manaſſes his dayes, and found again in Joſiah his time: If the Law may be loſt in Sion, much more may a Prophecie be loſt in Babylon; and if not loſt in Babylon, yet it might have been left in Babylon; if not left there, it might have miſcarryed in their return; if not then, yet when Titus and Veſpaſian took and ſacked Jeruſalem, it might there have periſhed, and been utterly extinguiſhed, and we never have heard of this Prophecie of Ezekiel. But here is the hand of God manifeſted in it, that though this Prophecie were revealed to Ezekiel in Babylon, and run through ſo many hazards, yet it ſhould be preſerved to this very day.
Again, ſee where is the true antiquity: This book was written five hundred and fourſcore yeers before Chriſt, two thouſand two hundred yeers ago, and is not this book now very ancient? other Prophets, and the whole Scripture are the true Antiquity. Papiſts, and many amongſt us ſtand upon antiquity, and what is their antiquity? The Fathers, or ſome Heathen Writers, are their antiquity. But what is the true antiquity but the Word of God? That is Prima veritas, and pura veritas, the firſt truth, and the pure truth, that is the fountain, all other are but muddy channels. When any points are in controverſie they flie to Fathers and to Antiquity, and what is found there they take for truth: but this is to deſert God, and run to man. My people have forſaken me the fountain of living waters, Jerem. 2.13.and hewed them out ciſrerns, broken ciſterns, that can hold no water. I am the fountain, ſaith God, my Scriptures are the fountain of living waters, yet they run to their own pits and ciſterns that hold no water. Some moth-eaten and old writings, ſome ancient copies that have lain hid ſome hundreds of yeers from the world, are brought forth, & obtruded upon people for truths, and they muſt be truths. But for your direction, know, that if they be not in the Kings Records, what ever writings they be, never regard them: and if you will ſearch, never ſearch into inferiour Courts, ſearch not books that are on this ſide the Kings Court, that are made of late; but go to the King of heavens Records, have recourſe to his Court, look into the Law of God;Iſa. 8.20. To the Law and to the Teſtimony; if they ſpeak not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them; throw them by; that truth which is found in any writings, and not to be drawn out of Gods Book, is not from antiquity, theſe are the true Records, here is the true antiquity; And ſo much for this word Book; The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.
foreign.Ezekiel, that is the name of our Prophet. Among the Jewes there were no Sir-names, but every man had onelyonly one name, as Samuel, David, Iſaiah, Jeremie, Ezekiel, &c. This name Ezekiel doth ſignifie the ſtrength of God, or, one ſtrengthened by God: He had a great work to doe, he needed great ſtrength for that work. He was to deale with wicked Princes, & wretched people, ſuch as were exceeding oppoſite, deſperately wicked, impudent, hard-hearted, rebellious. Therefore Chap. 3. verſ. 8, 9. Behold (ſaith God) I have made thy face ſtrong againſt their faces, and thy fore-head ſtrong againſt their fore-heads, &c. The Hebrew words here for ſtrong, are Chazakim and Chazak, foreign.I have made thy faces Chazakim, ſtrong, I have given thee many faces, and I have given thee many ſtrengths, ſtrong both in the ſingular and plurall number, all the ſtrengths that is fit for a Prophet that had ſuch a great task to undertake and goe about. He was to reprove them for their ſinnes, to threaten Gods judgements, to vindicate Gods juſtice in bringing them into captivity, himſelfe was to endure much hardſhip, and many conflicts, for which ordinary ſtrength would not ſuffice: therefore he is fitly called Ezekiel, the ſtrength of God, or a man ſtrengthened of God.
Or thus: Ezekiel doth ſignifie one girt of God:Cingere, vineire. for Chazack is to gird or bind, and Ezekiel is one whom God hath girt and bound up for ſome imployment: anſwerable to that expreſſion of Paul, Behold (ſaith he) I goe goe bound in the Spirit to Jeruſalem, ſo you read it; but it may be, bound to the Spirit;Acts 20 22. foreign. the Spirit of God goes before me; and I being bound to the guidance of the Spirit, doe follow the ſame whitherſoever it leads me. So here, our Prophet was girt up of God from the world, bound in, or to the Spirit, and ſo followed that, which way ſoever it led him.
Touching this name of Ezekiel, you may obſerve a note or two.
Firſt, ſee the wiſedome of God in giving names ſutable to the events that doe follow and fall out afterward. Ezekiel was to deale with a ſtubborne people, a rebellious houſe, that did oppoſe heaven, that did ſtand it out againſt God to the uttermoſt. There was need therefore of a ſtrong Prophet to ſubdue their rebellious ſpirits. If an ordinary man had come, he would ſoone have been diſcouraged, his ſpirit would have ſunk and fallen within him; therefore here the Lord ordereth it ſo, that a name ſhall be given unto him which ſhall be ſutable to the event, he ſhall be a man of God, he ſhall be ſtrong, ſtrengthened, girt up of God, to deale with a proud, rebellious, obſtinate people.
You may find in Scripture divers names that have been impoſed through the wiſedome and guidance of God upon parties before their birth, and the event hath anſwered afterward very fully: as Gen. 17. Thou ſhalt call his name Iſaac. Iſaac ſignifieth laughter, and Iſaac proved matter of laughter to his father and mother all their dayes, he was a dutifull ſonne, you never read that Iſaac fell into ſuch ſinnes as ſome other of the Patriarchs and Prophets fell into. He was a child of laughter to them. So 1 Chron. 22.9. His name ſhall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietneſs unto Iſrael in his dayes: and the event was anſwerable to his name. So Joſiah, 1 Kings 13.2. it ſignifies the fire of the Lord, and Joſiah was the fire of God indeed to make a reformation, to pull downe Jeroboams Altar, and to offer upon it the Prieſts of the high places that had burnt Incenſe upon it, to burn mens bones thereon, to throw out idolatry, and to deſtroy the high places. So the name of our bleſſed Saviour which was impoſed before his birth, Thou ſhalt call his name Jeſus, They ſhall call his name Emanuel, he ſhall ſave his people, he ſhall be God with us, and it was ſo. Luke 1. Call his name John. John noteth Gracious, and he was gracious in the eyes of his very enemies, he had favour in the eyes of Herod, favour in the eyes of the people. Gods wiſedome is ſeen in ordering of names before-hand, ſutable to events that follow afterward.
2. This ſhould direct parents to impoſe incouraging names upon their children. What incouragement was it to Ezekiel to think of his name, the ſtrength of God, a man girt up of God for ſome great deſigne and imployment? Names at firſt were impoſed for diſtinctions ſake, and not only ſo, but to ſhew the hopes and deſires of parents touching their children for the time to come;Obvirtutis auſpicium imponunt u… vocabula, Jeron. Good names were prognoſticall, Parents expected, and children were incouraged much by them: Leah nameth her ſon Judah, which is praiſe, that ſhe might praiſe God for him, and he might do things worthy of praiſe all his dayes, and the Tribe of Judah did worthily in Iſrael.
Thus much from the name of Ezekiel.
The Boook of the Prophet Ezekiel.
This word Prophet, is not in the Hebrew. The Book Ezekiel, or the book of Ezekiel: But it is in the body of the Prophecie, Chap. 2. v. 6. They ſhall know that there hath been a Prophet among them. Prophet is from the Greek word,foreign. and it ſignifies one that foretells things to come.foreign The Hebrew word Nabi of Naba, which ſignifies to fore-know,foreign fore-tell, or diſcover things. Some derive it from a root, which ſignifieth to bud, to bring forth: for as a tree drawes ſap from the earth, ſends forth that ſap into leaves and fruit, becomes profitable and ſerviceable unto man; ſo doth the Prophet, he drawes ſap from the root, which is God, from him he hath many hidden deep and divine truths, which hee reveals and ſends forth for the delight and benefit of others.
Prophets were of two ſorts, diſtinguiſhed by the Temples; ſome were Prophetae priores, and others Prophetae poſteriores. The former Prophets were thoſe of the firſt Temple, the latter Prophets were thoſe of the latter Temple, and they were Haggai, Zachariah, Nehemiah, Ezra, and Malachi; theſe Prophets continued but forty yeers after the ſecond Temple was built, and then did Prophecie depart from Iſrael, Trauſiit prophetia ab Iſraele, Shind.which was the ſaddeſt blow one of them, that ever Iſrael had. All the reſt were Prophets of the firſt Temple, and among them was our Prophet Ezekiel and Daniel, though they were in the captivity; for the firſt Temple was not yet deſtoyed, and they had lived at Jeruſalem among the Prophets: and the Prophets of the former Temple (it is obſerved) had the largeſt viſions, and the fulleſt diſcoveries of the minde of God, more was diſcovered in the firſt Temple then in the ſecond, till Chriſt his comming: for the ſecond Temple had Prophets but forty yeers after it was built, and the firſt Temple had Prophets for four hundred and thirty yeeres.
The Prophets (to ſpeak for the honour of this our Prophet) were all honourable men, men of great eſteem and worth, they were men of God, as it is ſaid, 1 King. 17.24. I know thou art a man of God, Iſh Elohim, a man of the Gods, a man of God the Father, a man of God the Son, a man of God the Holy Ghoſt, hee had to do with all, a man of Gods counſell, a man of Gods protection, a man of Gods countenancing, a man of God that ſtood for God, a man of God that would plead the cauſe of God in the corrupteſt times, againſt the deſperate enemies. A Prophet was a man of God.
That they were very honourable, you ſhall find by that paſſage, 1 Sam. 10.11. Is Saul alſo among the Prophets? It is a Proverbiall ſpeech, and noteth a thing that is very rare and unuſuall; What, is Saul that was a man of mean condition, Saul that was erewhile ſeeking his fathers Aſſes; is Saul now come to ſo high and honourable a condition, as to be a mong the Prophets? This was matter of wonder. The Prophets they were ſo honourable, and in ſo high an eſteem, that it was counted a ſtrange thing for any to come to that dignity and preferment, that were not of the Propheticall race, the Tribe of Levi, or ſuch as were in order to thoſe holy functions.
They were likewiſe men priviledged, Pſal. 105.15. Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm; Anointed is the ſame with Prophet, as Expoſitors obſerve, though it is carryed otherwiſe in the generall apprehenſion of men for Kings, but anointed here is the ſame with Prophet: They were anointed when the Holy Ghoſt was given unto them, and they were called unto their Office; this was their anointing of God, and they muſt not be touched nor harmed. Gen. 20.7. ſaith God to Abimelech, Give the man his wife, for he is a Prophet; he is an honourable man, he is a man of high account in mine eyes. Princes muſt not wrong a Prophet, God ſpake to a Prince, Give him his wife, for he is a Prophet; the greateſt perſon in the world ſhould not dare to touch a Prophet that is a man ſo honourable, a man of God, and ſo gifted, and ſent of him to ſuch great imployments.
foreignFurther, a Prophet was called in Scripture a Seer, 1 Sam. 9.9. Let us go to the Seer, for he is now called a Prophet that was before time called a Seer; foreignthat i, from the Hebrew word to ſee, and not barely to ſee, but to ſee exactly, curiouſly, throughly into things. The Prophets ſaw through the clouds, they ſaw into the heavens, they ſaw into the very counſell of God. Iſa. 30.10. Which ſay to the Seers, See not; you ſee too much, the meaning is, you ſee too acurately, why do you ſee ſo, and tell us ſuch things? So Abraham he was a Prophet, you heard before, he was likewiſe a Seer, Joh. 8.56. Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day; he ſaw it diſtinctly, he ſaw it ſo, as it affected him, he ſaw it and was glad.
There is, beſides this word, another name in the Hebrew, which the Prophets had,foreign and that was Chozeh. Iſa. 30.10. That ſay to the Prophets, Prophecie not, the Hebrew is La chozim, to thoſe that foreſee, and foretell things: you have a conjuncture of theſe three in one verſe, 1 Chron. 29.29. They are written in the book of Samuel, Haroah, the Seer, and in the book of Nathan Hannabi the Prophet, and in the book of Gad, Hachozeh the Seer. The word cometh of Chazah to contemplate, to ſee; from which root comes our Engliſh word, to gaze, and ſo it is interpreted, Iſa. 47.13. Star-gazers; this only by the way.
Our Prophet had the honour to be a Seer as well as a Prophet, therefore verſe 1. it is ſaid, I ſaw viſions, I had the honour to ſee viſions, foreignand viſions of a God.
Theſe Titles of Seer and Prophet, as they ſet out the dignity, ſo likewiſe they point out the duty of the perſon. As they were Seers, they were the eyes of the Church,Oculi Eccleſiae. to ſee good coming, or evill, that they might incourage them upon the one, and draw them to repentance upon the other. As they were Prophets they were os Domini, the mouth of the Lord, to ſpeak to the people whatſoever the Lord himſelf did make known to them.
All this then doth but ſerve to breed in you an honourable eſteem of this our Prophet; hee is a man of God; hee is a man honourable among the reſt of the Prophets; hee is a Seer; he is the eye of the Church; he is the mouth of God.
Having thus opened unto you the Title, I ſhall now ſhew to you;
1. The ſcope and occaſion of this Prophet.
2. The nature and condition of it.
3. The ſeaſonableneſs of this Prophecie for this time.
4. What benefit you are like to have by this Prophet; and then divide the Prophecie in generall, and fall into the Chapter.
1. For the ſcope and occaſion of this Prophecy. In generall, it is to ſhew the certainty of Jeruſalems deſtruction, and the ſeventy yeers captivity, which were now in queſtion; and ſo to confirm the Prophecy of Jeremy, being of the ſame argument.
Jeremy having prophecied of the captivity of Jeruſalem for ſeventy yeers, the utter ruine of the City and Temple; many, both in Jeruſalem and Babylon (the captivity being begun, for now Ezekiel and divers were in Babylon) murmured and complained of Jeremy, that he was a falſe Prophet; that hee had not the Spirit of God; that hee had miſled the people; that he had brought them into bondage by his fair words, put them upon yeelding unto the King of Babylon, and betrayed them: You ſhall finde falſe Prophets beſtirred themſelves, and oppoſed his prophecy both in Sion and in Babylon, as Jer. 28.1, 2, 3. Hananiah being at Jeruſalem, when Jeremiah was in the houſe of the Lord, in the preſence of the Prieſts and of all the people, ſaith he, Thus ſpeaketh the Lord of Hoſts, the God of Iſrael, ſaying, I have broken the yoak of the King of Babylon; within two full yeers will I bring again into this place all the veſſels of the Lords houſe that Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon took away from this place, and carryed them to Babylon; And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the ſonne of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, with all the captives of Judah that went into Babylon. Here is a falſe Prophet contradicts all that Jeremiah had ſpoken, touching the ſeventy yeers captivity.
The falſe Prophets likewiſe in Babylon, they were at work, and they ſtrengthen the hands of the falſe Prophets at Jeruſalem by their doctrine, Jer. 29.8, 9. Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, the God of Iſrael, Let not your Prophets and your Diviners that be in the midst of you deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which you cauſe to be dreamed, for they prophecy falſly unto you in my name, I have not ſent them, ſaith the Lord. And in the 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. verſes of the ſame Chapter, you ſhall find, that Shemaiah the Nehelamite, ſent Letters from Babylon to all the Prieſts, and to all the people that were at Jeruſalem, accuſing Jeremiah for a mad man, for making himſelf a Prophet, for ſending Letters to them in Babylon, for lengthening out the captivity to ſeventy yeers, for incouraging them to build houſes, to plant gardens, to eat the fruit of them, he would have Jeremiah impriſoned and ſet in the ſtocks.
Thus Jeremiah was accuſed, cryed down at home and abroad, his prophecy was ſleighted, ſcorned by many, and moſt were troubled at what Jeremiah had prophecied: This made ſuch work, both at Jeruſalem and at Babylon, that the people of God were much deſpondent, and their enemies mightily inſultive: Now hereupon the Lord ſtirreth up Ezekiel, powreth out his Spirit upon him calleth him forth to prophecy, ſetteth him a work to juſtifie Jeremiah, and to ratifie what he had fore-told concerning the Babyloniſh captivity, threatning ruine to the City and Temple, to Kingdome and King, to their Nobles, Prieſts and all the people.
Hereupon, (ſaith Joſephus) the prophecy of Ezekiel, as ſoon as ever it was written (I conceive he meaneth not the whole Prophecy, but ſome part of it) was ſent to Jeruſalem, but little fruit came of it; For Zedekiah being then King, and having ſeen it, he would neither believe Jeremy nor Ezekiel, but preſently concludes, that both were lyers and falſe Prophets; and that upon this ground; Jeremiah had ſaid, Chap. 21.7. that Zedekiah ſhould be carryed captive into Babylon; and Ezekiel denyed that he ſhould ſee Babylon, Chapt. 12.13. Hereupon, ſaith Zedekiah, they were both falſe, here is a contradiction, the one ſaith, I ſhall be carryed into Babylon, the other ſaith, I ſhall not ſee Babylon. But God quickly made this good,2 King. 25.7. for ſhortly after, Nebuchadnezzar came, beſieged Jeruſalem, took Zedekiah captive, put out both his eyes, bound him with fetters of braſs, carried him to Babylon, which he never ſaw.
From hence by the way you may obſerve; firſt, upon what ſleight and weak grounds Princes and people will caſt off prophecies and truths of God, even upon miſtakes and miſapprehenſions. Zedekiah could not apprehend what truths there were in theſe two prophecies, had he compared one thing with another, hee might eaſily have ſeen truth; but ſmall matters will make Princes and people turn off the truths of God, eſpecially when they are not ſutable to their own ſpirits; and in theſe dayes people can without much ado turn off any truths Miniſters bring, if they be not ſutable to their apprehenſions and fancies.
2. That God will make good the word of his Miniſters and Prophets, though they ſeem contradictory to mens fancies and ſenſe. Jeremiah ſaith, that Zedekiah ſhall go into Babylon, and Ezekiel ſaith he ſhall not ſee Babylon: God makes it good notwithſtanding the prophecy is thrown away. The word of God ſhall take hold upon Princes, Nobles, people, and ſlay them if they have deſpiſed and ſtood out againſt it.
But from this generall ſcope of Ezekiels prophecy, that hee is ſent to ſtrengthen and juſtifie Jeremy, take this obſervation, That it is good for Miniſters to ſtrengthen the doctrine, works, hands and hearts one of another. A Prophet is queſtioned, trod under foot, his prophecy thrown out as falſe; an Ezekiel is ſtirred up to juſtifie a Jeremy: When Miniſters juſtifie one another, the work goes on with more ſtrength; when there is a double witneſs to a truth, it will ſeal it more ſtrongly to the heart. God gave foure Euangeliſts; one had been a great mercy; but that things might be ratified in your hearts, ſealed up in your conſciences, you have foure Euangeliſts, each one ſtrengtheneth the doctrine and things of another: So the conſent of Miniſters and Prophets is a great matter to ratifie truths in the hearts and conſciences of people, and to eſtabliſh the Church. It is good therefore for an Ezekiel to ſtrengthen a Jeremy.
2. More ſpecially the ſcope of the Prophet is, to comfort the captives that were then in Babylon; for they began now to be troubled that they had hearkened to Jeremiah, yeelded to the King of Babylon, becauſe Jeremy had prophecied that Jeruſalem ſhould be deſtroyed, the Temple burnt, and that all ſhould be laid waſte, whereas Jeruſalem ſtood ſtill; and now five yeers were gone, and nothing done unto the City or Temple (for it was in the fifth yeere of Jehoiachins captivity, that Ezekiel began his Prophecie) They now began to be diſcouraged that they had left their habitations, that they had hearkned to Ieremy ſo far, as to come to Babylon: they were likewiſe diſheartened in Babylon, they met with much hardſhip there, being put upon building, planting, ſowing, and other difficulties,: yea, the Babylonians themſelves ſcoffed at them, and ſaid, Sing us one of your ſongs of Sion. This made them to droop, and to wiſh, O that we were at Ieruſalem again, that we had never hearkened to Ieremy. The Iewes alſo at Ieruſalem reproched them, and they ſaid, they were men of cowardly and baſe ſpirits, diſcouraged with the words of a timerous and lying Prophet, one Ieremy, and thereupon yeelding themſelves into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, they wretchedly betrayed the City, Religion and their Countrey; theſe things went to the very bowels and reins of the godly, and did greatly diſturb them. Hereupon the Lord, to ſupport, their ſpirits, to comfort them in theſe their diſtreſſes, and to be an Ezekiel, even the ſtrength of God unto them, ſtirreth up Ezekiel, ſets him on work.
Laſtly, the ſcope of the Prophet is the ſame with the reſt of the Prophets, viz. to lead unto Chriſt, as you may ſee by reading, Luke 24.44. Act. 3.18.21.24. They ſpake of Chriſt, and led to him; but it is more eſpecially aimed at by this our Prophet, who begins with the Law executed, a Captivity, but ends with a Temple, and reſtauration by Chriſt, thereby leading the people that were captives in Babylon, to Chriſt the King of Ieruſalem. In Epheſ. 1.10.foreign. you have this expreſſion, That he might gather together in one, all things in Chriſt, the word notes, to ſumme up, or to make a brief collection of the heads of all that was ſpoken before; implying, that much hath been ſaid of Chriſt by others, and that the chief heads of all ſhould be ſummed up, brought together, and be found in Chriſt. Much was ſpoken by David of Chriſt, much by Iſaiah, much by Ieremy, Zachariah, Ezekiel; now the ſumme of all that is in them, and in the reſt, ſhall be gathered together as in one head, you ſhall meet it all in Jeſus Chriſt; He is the Magazine and Treaſury of all their ſtrength and wealth, the chief things that ever have been ſpoke by the Prophets formerly, they are all concentred in him. He is the Alpha and Omega; the Alpha of Geneſis, The ſeed of the woman ſhall break the Serpents head; and the Omega of the Revelations, The grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt be with you all. So that all between Geneſis and the Revelation, leads either directly or collaterally unto Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.10. The Prophets prophecied of grace that ſhould come unto you, ſearching when, or what manner of time the Spirit of Chriſt which was in them did ſignifie, when it teſtified before-hand the ſufferings of Chriſt, and the glory that ſhould follow. See here, they ſhewed you the grace that ſhould come, the Spirit teſtified in them of the ſufferings of Chriſt, and of the glory that ſhould follow. They were Seers, and they ſaw Chriſt, and the glory of Chriſt, and they lead the people up to Chriſt.
Thus you have the ſcope and occaſion of our Prophets prophecying and writing; it was to convince them of the heavie captivity of ſeventy yeers, to ſtrengthen Ieremyes prophecy, to incourage the Church of God in Babylon, and to lead them unto Chriſt.
2. In the next place we are to ſhew you the nature and condition of this Prophecy, which is full of Majeſty, obſcurity and difficulty. Nazianzen ſaith,Orat. 23. That Ezekiel is the chiefeſt of all the reſt for matter of admiration, and acuteneſs he is the greateſt of all the Prophets, and the deepeſt; which made Ierome ſay, there was in this Prophecy of Ezekiel a ſea of Scripture, hee is ſo deep, a labyrinth of the myſteries of God, he is ſo dark, ſo difficult; if he do but equalize other Prophets in dignity and worth, yet he exceeds them in difficulty and darkneſs. It muſt be ſaid of this Prophet, as of Pauls Epiſtles,2 Pet. 3. There are ſome things in them hard to be underſtood, and ſo there are many things in this Prophet which are hard to be underſtood: There are ſome ſtrange words in him, ſuch as are no where elſe in Scripture to be found: He hath dark viſions in him, ſuch as will exerciſe the greateſt abilities in the world to find out the aim of God, and thoſe truths that are wrapped up in them; he hath uncertain Chronologies and Chorographies, myſticall Parables, forain Hiſtories, and many tranſcendent matters, which may awaken your attention, and do call for the uttermoſt of mans induſtry in the opening.
Hence it was counted raſhneſs for any one to read this Prophet till he was thirty yeers of age. And Ierome tels us,Maldonat. that it was prohibited among the Iewes, that any ſhould read the beginning of Geneſis, the book of Canticles, the beginning or ending of this Prophet, till he were thirty yeers of age.Ante aetatem ſacerdotalem. The Rabbins think it not lawfull to interpret this Prophet, but only by touching ſome generall things in it; particular things might not be deſcended into. One ſaith,A Lapid. Ezekiel is Ieremy vail'd, a hand ſhut up, and you know not what is in it; like a book ſealed up, and none can open it, or knowes what is written within. Theſe expreſſions have been uſed to ſet forth the darkneſs and difficulty of our Prophet.
And I will appeal unto you all this day, that if that queſtion were put to you, when you ſhall read this Prophet, which Philip once put to the Eunuch,Acts 8.30.31. Vnderſtand you what you read? might you not all anſwer without bluſhing, How ſhall we underſtand without a guide? And who is ſufficient to guide your underſtandings through this difficult and dark Prophecy? For mine own part I durſt not have ventured to launch into this deep, unleſs I had been requeſted unto it: And being called unto it, I deſire to go out in the ſtrength of the Lord, and to be as a Star in his hand, guided by his Spirit, to lead you through the difficulties of this Hieroglyphicall Prophet.
But you will ſay, If this Prophet be ſo difficult and dark, ſurely hee is not ſeaſonable, nor ſutable to theſe times; ſome other Scripture might have had the preheminence.
For this, take two or three anſwers: Firſt, I finde that many Interpreters have fallen upon this Prophet in troubleſome and tumultuous times. Gregory the great, he writ and preached upon this Prophet, when the Barbarians were almoſt at the gates of Rome, and when the ſword was devouring multitudes. Ierome likewiſe ſtudied and writ upon this Prophet, what time Alaricus, King of the Goths, took Rome and waſted all, and filled the Chriſtian world with teares and blood. Calvin that great Light of Europe, ſpent his laſt breath upon this Prophet, and in times that were not very peaceable, but ſtirring and troubleſom. Lavaters Lectures upon this Prophet were together with the commotions in France; Gallicis tumultibus.and he profeſſeth, that he did the more willingly give up himſelf to the ſtudy of this Prophet, that ſo hee might free his ſpirit, from the ſad thoughts of the publike and private miſchiefs which were in his dayes, and acknowlegdeth this was a remedy to him againſt many evills.
Secondly, I anſwer, that compare our times a little with the times and ſtate of the Iewes, and wee ſhall ſee ſome ſeaſonableneſs in handling this Prophet at this time.
1. The ſins the Prophet cryes out of amongſt them, are rife amongſt us; the ſins then were Idolatry, Superſtition, oppreſſion, corruption in the worſhip of God, luxury, uncleanneſs, prophaneneſs, ſcorning at goodneſs, hiding their eyes from the Lords Sabbaths, and the like. Now I ask, are not all theſe ſins alive, and too luſty in our Kingdome at this time, and in this City wherein we live?
2. There was then a malignant party which was active and at work, and did oppoſe and hinder the reformation (what lay in them) which was on foot by Ieremy, by Ezekiel, by the three Children, by Bacuch, by the Rechabites; all theſe and many others oppoſed the corruptions of the times, & laboured to have a reformation in the worſhip of God, to bring the people back again from their corrupt wayes to the Lord; but there was a great oppoſition by the malignant party, and the chief oppoſers then were the Prieſts, and the falſe Prophets, who poyſoned the judgements of the people, who ſuggeſted falſe things unto them, who fed them with vain hopes, with corrupt opinions and deceivable doctrines: the chief of the Prieſts were chiefeſt in malignancy and oppoſition, this you ſhall ſee, 2 Chron. 36.14, 15, 16. All the chief of the Prieſts and the people tranſgreſſed very much, they polluted the houſe of the Lord, they mocked the meſſengers of God, deſpiſed his words, and miſuſed his Prophets; this was the practice of thoſe times; Was there ever any great diſorder, corruption in the Church, or any ſedition, treaſon almoſt in the State, but ſome of the chief of the Prieſts have had their hands in it? When the Calf was ſet up in Moſes his dayes, Aaron the Prieſt had his head and hand in it; when David was a dying, Adonijah makes the ſedition and ſtir in the Kingdome, but Abiathar the Prieſt had a great hand in it? Both in the State and in the Church you may well obſerve, that the chief of the Prieſts have had their hands in the evill, in the trouble. And have not we now a malignant party that oppoſe the reformation intended and begun? Do they not ſet themſelves with all their might againſt the Ieremies, Daniels, Ezekiels, and Rechabites of the Land that will not defile themſelves? There is ſuch a party, you all know, that do oppoſe godlineſs, that deſpiſe the Prophets, ſcorne the Saints, make ſad the hearts of the righteous, and ſtrengthen the hands of wickedneſs, therefore this prophecy may be ſeaſonable enough in regard of that malignant party that doth oppoſe too openly.
3. They had loſt their countrey, their choyſeſt comforts, they were in captivity and conſtant jeopardy of their lives, if they provoked the Babylonians, they were ready to fall upon them, and root them out preſently; and thoſe at Ieruſalam were in danger every day to have their liberties, eſtates, conſciences, Religion, and lives taken from them; And are not we like unto them? and are not we even in a Land of liberty in a ſtate of captivity? Do not our eſtates, our liberties, our conſciences, our Religion, our lives, and all lie at the ſtake? Wee are even in Babylon in the midſt of Sion; wee are in a ſad and heavie condition; therefore this Prophecy may be ſeaſonable now, conſidering our eſtate is ſo like to theirs.
4. The times then were ſuch, that they loathed Manna, ordinary and plain truths would not down, unleſs truths were new and tranſcendent, they were weary of them, and ſlighted them; Ieremy was too plain a Prophet for them, too low, and God gives them Ezekiel, a dark and hard Prophet. And is it not ſo in theſe dayes? we have been fed with Manna ſo long, that we loath Manna, as a wormy thing; If we have not ſomething new, unheard of, tranſcendent, we are weary, wee think it not worth our going out of doors, if ſo, then here is a Prophet that may be ſutable to theſe times, and your deſires; God gave them this Prophet in a time of affliction, and there was ſomething in it; for afflictions open mens underſtandings,Vexatio dat intellectum. and inlarge their capacities: when people are under preſſures, then their underſtandings are quickeſt, then they are moſt apprehenſive: therefore God gave them ſuch a Prophet as might ſute with their condition, in exerciſing their parts and graces to the full, when at the beſt. Now is a time of affliction, if your ſpirits be awakened, and the bent of them be after high and hard things, lo, here are difficulties and tranſcendencies for you; here are high things to draw up your thoughts, to exerciſe your ſpirits, be they never ſo choice and apprehenſive.
One thing more for the ſeaſonableneſſe of this Prophet, it is ſaid heaven was open, & Ezekiel ſaw viſions of God. If ever God hath opened heaven ſince Chriſt, now he hath done it in theſe ſad times; God hath now cauſed, & is cauſing you every day to ſee viſions out of the Prophets, and out of the Goſpel. Theſe expoſitory Lectures are openings of heaven, and let out cleare and choice light unto you from heaven; therefore ſeeing heaven is opened, let viſions of God be counted ſeaſonable, and become acceptable unto you.
But if this Prophet be ſo dark and difficult, what is the benefit and fruit we ſhall have by him?
This is the next head wee are to come unto, and the benfits of this Prophet are theſe: the darker the Prophet is, the more of God may you look for from him. God dwelleth in darkneſs, as well as in light. Pſalm. 18.11. He made darkneſſe his ſecret place. And Exod. 19.9. God came to Moſes in a thick cloud, Tenebrae ſunt latibulum D…i.and there Moſes had the moſt of God. Here God is coming to you in a dark Prophet, and queſtionleſs you ſhall find much of God in him; here you ſhall ſee much of Gods mercy in upholding and comforting the ſpirits of his people, and providing for them in a ſtrange land; here you ſhall ſee much of Gods juſtice in puniſhing ſinners for their ſins and iniquities; here you ſhall ſee much of Gods truth in fulfilling of prophecies; here you ſhall finde much of Gods power in ſubverting of Kings and Kingdomes; here you ſhall finde much of his manifold Wiſdome in theſe dark viſions; here you ſhall finde more of God then you expect.
2. This prophecy is an exact Hiſtory of the time of the Jewes being in captivity; in it you have many paſſages, of Nebuchadnezzars reign and government, of his acts abroad and at home, and of Gods dealing with his people in the time of this their ſeventy yeers captivity. Were not Daniel and Ezekiel extant, wee ſhould have ſuch a great loſſe as the world could not tel how to repair it; the acts of Gods dealing with his Church and people in that ſeventy yeers, would be ſwallowed up in a Chaos of darkneſs.
3. You ſhall ſee for what ſins God ſubverteth and overthroweth Kingdomes and States. In this Prophet you ſhall find, that the Lord doth ruine glorious Churches, great Cities, mighty Kingdomes, men of great renown, families and poſterities, and the particular ſins for which he doth it; Namely, for falſe worſhip, Idolatry, injuſtice, uncleanneſſe, prophaning of his Sabbaths, contempt of his Word, abuſe of his Prophets, and ſins of that nature. So that as it is, Prov. 21.30. There is no wiſdome, no counſel, nor underſtanding againſt the Lord. God will overthrow even Kings and their Councels, Kingdoms with their Nobility and Gentry, with their Magiſtrates and people; God will overthrow them when he once ſets upon ſuch a worke, ſuch a deſigne: There is no ſtanding out againſt him.
4. You ſhall ſee here alſo the different carriage betweene the godly and the wicked, in times of Judgement. When judgements are abroad in the world, the inhabitants of the earth ſhould learn righteouſneſs; but wicked men they grow more active againſt God, more impudent, more deſperate and hard-hearted; they combine and plot together to roote out the righteous: this you ſhall ſee in this Prophecie. And for the godly, you ſhall finde that when judgements are neare and upon them, they are mourning in ſecret, they get together, they that feare God ſpeake often one to another; they faſt, they pray, they redeeme the time, they worke out their ſalvation with feare and trembling, they give God no reſt, they will be at it at midnight: In a word, you ſhall finde the carriage of the godly to be exceeding contrary to the carriage of the wicked.
5. Here you ſhall find Gods new Covenant, wherein you ſhall ſee the riches of free grace, God doing all, both making the Covenant and performing it, both commanding and giving what he doth command unto your ſoules.
6. You ſhall finde that this Prophet is an Evangelicall Prophet, for he points at Chriſt, he will ſhew you where he is, he will lead you to the Temple, where you ſhall ſee Chriſt with his line in his hand, and meaſuring out a Temple for the times of the Goſpel, meaſuring of his worſhip, his worſhippers, and all that doth concerne the new Jeruſalem. Much of Chriſt will be found at leaſt in the concluſion of this Prophet.
7. You ſhall have a lively repreſentation of the uncertainty of all things, and of all conditions in this world. In Lament. 4.12. it is ſaid there, that the Kings of the earth and all the Inhabitants of the world, would not have beleeved, that the adverſary and the enemy ſhould have entred into the gates of Jeruſalem. None thought, none of the Kings of the earth, none of the Kings of Iſrael beleeved that ever Jeruſalem, which was ſo fortified by mountaines round about, ſhould be taken by the enemy: But you ſhall ſee in this Prophet, that even Jeruſalem, the Citie of God, the Temple that was the glory of the world, and Sion the perfection of beauty, they are all laid waſt: Neither Prince, Prieſt, Prophet, Nobles, nor any are ſpared, but all are deſtroyed, all are carried into captivitie, all are brought under, the ſonnes, the precious ſonnes of Sion are carried away into Babylon. So that there is no place, no condition, no prerogative that can priviledge any from the hand of God where once ſinne is come to a perfection.Prov. 14.34. Righteouſneſs exalteth a Nation, but ſinne is a reproach to any people. Let them be Jewes or Gentiles, let them be Kings, Prieſts, or Prophets, when ſin is growne to a height, then the wrath of God comes to a perfection, and God will lay a Sion waſt, God will raze a Temple, God will carry a Iehojakin, a Zedekiah, Prince and Prophet, Prieſt and People into captivitie. Is Sion gone? is the Temple razed? is Ieruſalem laid in the duſt? What confidence then can any Kingdome, can any Citie have? Let not England, let not London be ſecure. Feare and Tremble. Repent of ſinne. Take heed of provoking God. Looke beyond the Kingdomes of the earth. Looke up to heaven, and make ſure of that Kingdome which cannot be ſhaken, which cannot be taken from you. Thus you have ſome of the benefits that are to come by this Prophet.
We are now to fall upon the generall diviſion of the Prophecy.
In this Prophet you have,
1. The Preface; wherein is contained Gods appearing to Ezekiel, his calling of him and ſtrengthning of him in his office; And theſe are laid downe in the three firſt Chapters.
2. You have the Prophecy it ſelfe; wherein you have theſe foure things.
1. The deſtruction of the Iewes by the Babyloniſh captivitie, with the cauſes thereof, viz. their ſinnes. This is laid downe in the next 21. Chapters.
2. Threatning of judgement and deſtruction to ſeverall Nations that had inſulted over the people of God, being carried away captive, and the hand of God being upon them: theſe were the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Edomites, the Philiſtines, the Aſſyrians, and Babylonians: And this he doth from the 25. to the 33. Chapter.
3. Sharpe reproving of the Iewes for their iniquitie, for their hard-heartedneſſe, for their not improving the hand of God upon them; & exhorting them to repentance, he tels them of freedome, ſome mercy and deliverance; and after that againe of affliction and trouble that ſhall befall them: And this he doth from the 33. to the 39. Chapter.
4. A typicall Prophecy concerning Chriſt and ſpirituall freedome through him; laid downe in the viſion of the new Temple, and of the new Ieruſalem, from the 39. Chapter to the end; wherein there will be many glorious things made knowne in due time.
Thus you have the generall diviſion of the Prophecy.