Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 27
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 foreign 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 Sun! and Chriſts face as glorious as that is: in Dan. 12.3. it's ſaid, The wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteouſneſſe, as the ſtars for ever; but Chriſt, as the Sun, which is the great glory of the heavens; the godly may have firmament, and ſtar brightneſſe, but Chriſt Sun brightneſſe. Neither doth that reach the glory of Chriſts humane nature; it goes beyond it, Acts 26.13. when Chriſt appeared to Paul at his converſion, what ſaith hee? I ſaw a light from heaven above the brightneſſe of the Sun, ſhining round about mee; this was the light of the glory of Chriſt glorified, and it was beyond the brightneſſe of the Sun: The Star that led the Wiſe men to Chriſt,Epiſt ad Eph. Ignatius thinks did exceed all the reſt in light and brightneſſe, that none ever was like it; be it ſo, yet the glory of Chriſts humane nature is far above it; no creature is ſo glorious, as fully to repreſent the glory of it: therefore, ſaith the Apoſtle, Phil. 3. laſt, Hee ſhall change our vile bodies, and make them like, not the Stars or Sun, that were too low, but like his glorious body, the originall is, his body of glory: that is, his body which is exceeding glorious, above the glory of all creatures.
2. That the Lord Chriſt ſitting upon the Throne in judgement, is very dreadfull: hee is, ignis vividiſſimus, as hot burning coals: the Propht Malachi tels you of his coming, and when hee comes, who may abide the day of his coming; and who ſhall ſtand when he appeareth? for he is like refiners fire; and he ſhall ſit as a refiner and purifier of ſilver, Chap. 3.2, 3. A refiners fire is the hotteſt, it melts, purges, conſumes, and is terrible; ſuch a fire is Chriſt in his judgements, Jeruſalem could not ſtand before him, but hee deſtroyes them by the ſtrength of Babylon, and afterward is terrible to Babylon it ſelf, Jerem. 51.25. I am againſt thee, O deſtroying mountain, ſpeaking of Babylon, which deſtroyeſt all the earth, I will ſtretch out my hand upon thee, and rowle thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain; this burning coal, Chriſt, will fire and burn down that great mountain; and what then? they ſhall not take of thee a ſtone for a corner, nor a ſtone for foundations, but thou ſhalt be deſolate for ever; ſevere was the Spirit of Chriſt againſt Babylon in the letter, and as ſevere is he now againſt Babylon in the myſtery: hee ſhall deſtroy them that deſtroy the earth, Rev. 11.18. Hee makes Jeruſalem a burthenſome ſtone to all that meddle with it, Zach. 12.3. There is mention made in the 28. of our Prophet, 14. of ſtones of fire; Chriſt is the ſtone of fire that breaks and burnes the kingdomes of the earth; many kingdomes in Europe are on fire at this day, and almoſt broken in pieces, and burnt to aſhes: we may ſee that Chriſt is terrible in his judgements, hee is riding now upon his red horſe, taking peace from the earth; dipping his garments in blood, and cauſing his great ſword to eat fleſh and drink blood; he is upon his black horſe, bringing in famine and peſtilence; the pale horſe is ſadled, and death is on the back of him, and intends to ride through our Cities, Countryes, Townes, Families, and make a great ſlaughter, Rev. 2.6. and will yet be more terrible, verſ. 17. the great day of his wrath is at hand, and who ſhall be able to ſtand? neither Kings, great men, Captains, mighty ones, nor any other ſort can do it; they will call on rocks and mountains to fall upon them, and hide them from the face of him that ſits on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; his eyes ſparkled with fire, his feet are like burning braſſe, and out of his mouth iſſue flames of fire; and to ſet out the dreadfulneſſe of this Judge, Paul tels us, he ſhall come in flames of fire, 2 Theſ. 1.8. And as his appearance, ſo his name will be dreadfull, for he hath an unknown name belongs to him in his way of ruling and judgement, Rev. 19.12. and this will be known when he ſets up his Kingdome among the Jewes, ſaith Brightman.
3. That he is zealous in ſentencing and puniſhing Malefactors, he is pruna ſumme ignita, and not only ſo, but here is a fire within, zeal in his breaſt, a ſpirit of burning within; you may ſee the zeal of Chriſt in Joh. 2.14, 15, 16, 17. The Temple being a type of Chriſt, and by divine appointment ſet apart for worſhip, ſhould not have been made a place of merchandize, but Chriſt coming and finding in the Temple thoſe that ſold Oxen, Sheep, Doves, and changers of money ſitting, made a ſcourge of ſmall cords, and whipt them out of the Temple like a company of Rogues, drove out the Sheep and Oxen, powred out the changers money, overthrew the tables, bid them take away their Doves, and not make his Fathers Houſe an houſe of merchandize; they might have ſaid, All theſe are brought for ſacrificing, for publique ſervice and the worſhip of God; and what doſt thou pretend Gods glory, and take away his ſacrifice? we will whip thee out of the Temple, and uſe thee as an enemy to God and his worſhip: and it was a wonder they did not, Chriſt being a poore man, having no countenance from the Rulers, and medling with rude fellowes, and dealing with them ſo ſharply and ſhamefully, as to whip them out: it was wonder they tore him not in pieces, or ſtoned him to death for it; Chriſts zeal was hot, and carried him on to puniſh and diſgrace thoſe delinquents, not fearing their rage or malice, ſo Gods glory might be repaired. This zeal in Chriſt was ſo intenſe, that it warmed the hearts of his Diſciples, who upon it, remembred what was writ of him; The zeal of thine houſe hath eaten mee up. How zealous was Chriſt in his carriage towards the Aſian churches? he tels Epheſus, that except ſhee repent, recover her firſt love, and do her fitſt works, hee will come quickly, remove her Candleſtick out of its place, and unchurch her, Rev. 2.5. To Pergamus alſo he ſaith, Repent, for I come quickly, and will fight againſt thee with the ſword of my mouth, verſe 16. So for Thyatira, wherein Jeſabel lived, and did much hurt. Behold, ſaith Chriſt, I will caſt her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds; and I will kill her children with death, &c. verſ. 22.23. So for Laodicea, how zealous is Chriſt againſt that zealleſſe church; I know thou art neither hot nor cold, I would thou wert cold or hot, ſo then, becauſe thou art lukewarm, I will ſpew thee out of my mouth, Chap. 3.15, 16. His proceeding with the churches, anſwers his apparition to John, in the viſion which was with eyes as a flame of fire, and feet like burning braſſe. Chap. 1.14, 15.
4. That the divine nature of Chriſt 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,foreign. 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;foreign 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,foreign. 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.