Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 12
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's the Spirit of God is the great Agent that ſets Angels aworke, they performe nothing by their owne vertue and ſtrength, but at the command and impulſe of the Spirit they act, they ſet out, proceed, finiſh, returne; As it's in a Ship at Sea, there are the winds without to drive it, and the Pilot within to guide it to what place he pleaſeth; ſo here is the command of the Spirit ab extra, and the impetus intra, to carry out and order theſe; the great things Angels have done, have been done by the Spirit of God; if they ſuggeſt good thoughts; if an Angel ſtrengthen Chriſt in his agony; if they reveal myſteries and things to come to Daniel and others; if contend againſt Princes, and agitate the great affaires of the kingdome, it's by vertue of the Spirit of God, that works efficaciouſly in them, and in good men that are imployed for the glory of God, the publique good of Church or State. When choice garments were to be made for Aaron, Exod. 28.3. the 31. and v. 3. Cunning and carved work in gold, ſilver and braſſe was to be made for the Tabernacle, it was the Spirit of God that inabled and acted men for that ſervice: When great things were to be done by the Judges in Iſrael, it's ſaid, The Spirit came upon them, and the Spirit moved them, Judg. 3.10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and hee judged Iſrael, and went out to war, and the Lord delivered the enemies into his hand, and his hand prevailed. So Jephtah, Judg. 11.29. and Sampſon, Ch. 13.25. The Spirit came upon them, and moved them, and they did great things; And this is ſet down to let us ſee, that it's the Spirit doth all in the Magiſtracy, and in Martiall affaires, in City and Camp; yea, and Church too, Zach. 4.6. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: oft mention is made of the Lord of Hoſts, and truths that concern the Temple, are ſealed up with it in this Prophet more then others; becauſe there needed to ſuch a work as building the temple, the power of a mighty God; ſo many, ſo mighty were the enemies; yet God would not do it by the might and power Zorubbabel had, but by His Spirit.
3. That Angels are led, and eaſily led by the Spirit, they went; it notes their ducibleneſſe or tractableneſſe; they went without diſpute, without delay, immediatly, cheerfully, and they went whither the Spirit was to go, that is, whither the Spirit would have them go; the Spirit is ſo infinitely wiſe, holy and good, that even Angels do freely and fully ſubmit to the conduct of it; and therefore it is, that they go ſtreight forward, that there is no crookedneſſe in their works; that they do ſuch ſpeedy and honourable ſervice; and if ſuch glorious, able, and perfect creatures be willingly led by the Spirit, ſhall we that are baſe and beggerly refuſe the manuduction of the Spirit? if ſo, we forſake the choiſeſt mercy: for Rom. 8.14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the ſonnes of God, be they Angels or men. It ſeems there are but few that are led by the Spirit of God, becauſe he ſaith, As many as are led, intimating, all are not, few are: there be other ſpirits that leade men; there is a ſpirit of envie, Jam. 4.5. of the world, 1 Cor. 2.12. of whoredomes, Hoſ. 4.12. of ſecurity, Iſa. 29.10. a ſpirit of error, 1 Jo. 4.6. of Antichriſt, ver. 3. and by theſe moſt men are not only led, but driven, quenching, grieving, vexing and reſiſting the good Spirit of God, more like devills then Angels: but let us when we have imperium, or impetum, monitum, or motum Spiritus, let us ſay, whither the Spirit will have us go we will go, what that will have us do, wee will do; offer up our ſelves, freely and fully to the conduct of the Spirit, and that will leade you into all truth, and into the land of uprightneſſe. It's an argument you are of the world, if you receive not the Spirit of truth, and ſubmit not to the guidance thereof, John 14.17.