Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 28
VER. 28.
As the appearance of the bowe that is in the cloud in the day of rain: ſo was the appearance of the brightneſſe round about.
HEre is a deſcription of that brightneſſe or glory which compaſſed him that ſate upon the Throne; himſelf was glorious, the brightneſſe of glory, and he had circumferentiall brightneſſe, and this is reſembled unto the Bowe in the cloud, that which we call the Rainbowe; firſt mention of it is in the 9th of Geneſis, verſe 13. where God puts double honour upon it.
1. He ownes it for his; I do ſet my Bowe in the cloud: and,
2. Makes it foederall, a token of the Covenant between him and the earth; and ſo by divine inſtitution is exalted to a ſupernaturall work, a ſacramentall ſigne.
I ſhall ſpeak ſomething of this Bowe Philoſophically, and ſomething Theologically.
1. Philoſophically, the generation of it is in the wombe of a cloud, and the cauſe naturall, viz. the reverberation of the Sun-beames in a moyſt cloud; for when there is a moyſt cloud oppoſit to the Sun, fitly diſpoſed to receive the Sun-beams, and to reflect them, then is the Rain-bowes birth and appearance; the figure of it a ſemicircle, ſometimes leſſe, but never greater; ſometimes there hath been a Rain-bowe in the night from the beames of the Moone, which is weak, and like a white cloud.
Mylichius obſerves,In lib. 2. Plin. that from the Sunne hath ſometimes been a white Rain-bow, but conſtantly the Rain-bowe is of divers colours, ſpecially blew, green, and red, all very glorious,Thaumantis filiam propter admirationem. In Theaeteto. and wonderfull, drawing the eyes of the world to behold it; whereupon Plato thinks it's called the daughter of Wonder, it's ſo admired.
The naturall ſignification of it is rain, and moyſt weather; Scaliger ſaith, if it be in the morning, it betokens rain,Exercitat. 80. if in the evening, fair weather; but we may finde by obſervation, that evening Rain-bows in our Horizons have been meſſengers of rain, as oft as morning ones; the Grecians call it Iris, which Euſtathius ſaith, is from foreign, nuntio, becauſe it doth foretell rain; ſome derive it from foreign, contention; becauſe it preſageth ſtormy and wet weathee; Homer conſtantly calleth it foreign, a divine meſſenger, to tell the world there ſhould be rain and ſtorm. This is the obſervation of ſome learned; that if the colours of the Bowe appeare thick, and end in blackneſſe of a cloud, rain followes certainly, but if they grow cleerer, and ſo vaniſh, a ſerene followes.
Beſides this ſignification,Lib. 12. c. 22. Pliny attributes a ſpeciall operation to it; where the hornes of the Bowe do light, Plants and Herbs are made more fragrant and pleaſant;Iridis incubatu Plantae fiunt odoratiores, Exercit. 80. Ad generationem mannae & mellis …eri…. and Scal. is of the ſame opinion, who ſaith, the incubation of the Rainbowe upon Plants, makes them more odoriferous? and Ariſtotle tels us, lib. 5. Hiſt. Animal. cap. 22. that it doth much conduce to the generation of hony-deaw.
2. For the Theolocall conſideration of this Bow; it is to put us in minde of the great flood that drowned the world, and to aſſure us, that God will never more do ſo; Gen. 9.14, 15. When I bring a cloud over the earth, and the Bowe ſhall be ſeen in the cloud, I will remember my Covenant between me, you, and every living creature, and the water ſhall no more become a flood to deſtroy all fleſh. When we duplicate page duplicate page ſee the Bowe therefore in the heavens, wee ſhould,
1. Be led to conſideration of divine Juſtice againſt the iniquities of the world, which hee puniſhed moſt ſeverely, as to deſtroy all fleſh: And
2. To mind the rich mercy of God to our forefathers and our ſelves, to whom hee hath bound himſelf by covenant, and the Bow being the ſigne of it, that hee will never deſtroy the world again in that kinde; and whereas ſome make the red colour in the Bowe a ſign of the worlds deſtruction by fire at laſt, it hath foundation in mans brain, not in any inſtitution of God.
But I come to the words of our Prophet; here is a Bow in a cloud in the day of rain, Qui infra lumbos imaginis apparebat Maldon. A lapid.&c. ſome make the brightneſſe here to be that which is downwards from his loynes, and to be like unto the Bow in the cloud, and ſo they exclude all the parts from his loynes upward, from having reference to this Bow, underſtanding by his upper parts, the divine nature, by his lower the humane; and ſomething there is in it, becauſe the Text ſaith, in 27th verſe: I ſaw from the appearance of his loynes downwards, as the appearance of fire, and it had brightneſſe round about it. That fire had not the other: but it ſeems to mee more ſuitable to the Text and truth, that this brightneſſe being in circuit round about it, did compaſſe, not the lower parts only, but the whole Throne and Perſon of Chriſt; and ſo wee finde in Rev. 4.3. where Chriſt is upon the Throne, that there is a Rain-bow round about it, and therefore conceive that here alſo the Rain-bow was round about the Throne.
We will not ſtand upon that longer, but come to ſee what the Bow points at: And,
1. It is an Embleme of glory, Gods glory is much ſeen in the heavens alwayes; but when the Bow is ſet in the cloud, Habet acceſſionem aliquam non ſpernendam, ac ſi Deus adderet aliquid ad nudum Coeli aſpectum, Cal. It's a glorious creature, and hath glorious colours in it, various, and yet beautifull, affecting the eye for the preſent, more then all the glory of the heavens beſides; and I finde among Interpreters, that it ſignifies,
Firſt, the glory and beauty of divine Providence in its various proceedings with the wicked and the godly, it puniſheth the one, it rewards the other; and when theſe are done, there is ſo much glory in it, that Angels and men are affected with it.
Secondly, the glory which is conveyed and communicated to the creatures; for in the heavens the glory of God doth ſhine. You know the Rain-bowes originall and being is from the beams of the Sun, communicated, received, and reflected, and though it be glorious, yet it's a borrowed glory, and ſo informs us, that the glory in all creatures is from another, from Chriſt, By him Kings raigne, He gives gifts to the ſonnes of men, He enlightens every man that comes into the world.
2. It is a token of mercy and favour;Symbolum clementiae, gratiae & miſericordiae. it's a Bow without arrows, the back (ſaith Ramban) of it being towards the heavens, and ends downward, it's a ſigne of mercy; for when one ſhooteth arrowes, hee holds the back from him. And that it is a ſigne of grace and mercy, we will make out by Scripture unto you: that covenant made by Noah about the waters in Iſa. 54.8, 9, 10. is applyed to the Covenant of Grace, ſtriken with man in Chriſt; In a little wrath, ſaith God, I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy on thee; for this is …s the waters of Noah unto mee: for as I have ſworne that the waters of Noah ſhould no more go over the earth, ſo have I ſworne I would not be wroth with thee: for the mountains ſhall depart, and the hils be removed, but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Here you ſee the Covenant of waters applyed to the Covenant of grace; and in the Revelation you ſhall ſee the ſame ſigne, even the Rain-bow applied for a ſigne of grace, Rev. 4.3. There is Chriſt ſitting upon the Throne, and a Rain-bow round about it, which ſhewes, that the Throne of Chriſt is compaſſed about with mercy: and Rev. 10.1. A Rain-bow was upon his head; Chriſt is preſented in Viſions, crowned with the Rain-bow, as a meſſenger of grace and peace;Iſa. 9.6. for hee is the Prince of peace, and his Crown is the Rain-bow, a certain Embleme of peace, Gen. 9.13, 14. The Rain-bow hath variety of colours, and all glorious, and ſo doth the more fitly reſemble the mercies of Chriſt, which are various and glorious.
This brightneſſe then in the figure of a Rain-bow, ſignifies grace and mercy, held out to thoſe that were godly, or ſhould repent of their wickedneſſe; the brightneſſe before noted the glory of his judicary proceeding, and here being form'd into a Bowe, it betokens mercy.
Obſerv. 1. That mercy and grace come to us through the humane nature of Chriſt, from thence goeth out the brightneſſe and the beams that make the Bow; when the Word was made fleſh, then went out glory, John 1.14. and grace, Verſ. 16. Then was Sol in nube, the moſt glorious Rain-bow that ever was or ſhall be in the world; he was not a ſigne of peace, but our Peace, Epheſ. 2.14. By his blood we are brought nigh, for he is our peace.
2. God hath his dayes of Rain: When the flood was, then there was rain to purpoſe forty dayes together; If God hath rained bread, Exod. 16. he hath rain'd wrath, Job 20.23. ſnares, ſtorms, fire, brimſtone, Pſal. 11. God rains blood upon kingdomes, Ezek. 38.22. I will plead againſt him with peſtilence, and with blood, and I will rain upon him, and his bands, and the many people with him, over-flowing rain, great hailſtones, fire and brimſtone.
3. That the Lord Chriſt in wrath remembers mercy, he mingles mercy with judgement; hee ſits as Judge upon the Throne; hee pronounces ſ…tence againſt a ſinfull kingdome, executing the vengeance written againſt ſinners; and yet here hee is compaſſed with the Rain-bow; ſhewing, that hee will not utterly deſtroy the Jewes, a remnant ſhould be ſpared. When the great deluge of water was drowning the world; yet Noah and his were ſaved, there was mercy in the midſt of judgement: and here is a Judge with a Rain-bow over his head, to aſſure the godly, they ſhould not periſh in this flood of wrath, now powring out upon the Jews. Jerome ſaith of the Bowe, it is a ſign of mercy, and the covenant which God made with man, that when it appeared in the cloud, we might know we ſhould not periſh by a flood; and much more when Chriſt ſits in judgement with the Rain-bow about him, may the godly know, that they ſhall not periſh by the wrath of God; if the glory of his Majeſty, ſtatelineſſe of his Throne, terror of his Juſtice, and the greatneſſe of his Power do at any time diſcourage us, wee muſt looke at the Rain-bow round about him, and remember his Throne is compaſſed with mercy. It's ſaid of the Jews, when they ſee the Rain-bow, they go forth, confeſſe their ſins, but will not look upon it. Confeſſion of ſins, or any duty whatſoever, will do us no good, unleſſe wee look upon the Bowe; the mercy of Chriſt, now was a ſtorm, and in it a Rain-bowe, for the Prophet, and godly to looke at, it's ſaid in the Text the Bowe in the cloud in the day of rain, then it's a rainy day when God rains ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and horrible tempeſt upon the wicked, even then the bow is in the cloud, and the righteous ſhould look for it, and look to it; they ſhould remember the covenant and mercy of it: Is it not a rainy and ſtormy time now? is not this great Prince angry with the kings and kingdomes of the earth? doth he not frown, chide, and ſmite, and that with deadly ſtrokes in many places? Let us look at the Rainbow now, and know, if there ſhould come an overflowing ſcourge, a deluge of wrath upon the world, yet the Noahs ſhall be arked and ſafe, the righteous ſhall be hid, Chriſt will manifeſt mercy to them. Saith John, Rev. 4.2. I was in the Spirit, and behold, a Throne was ſet in heaven, and there was a Rain-bow round about the Throne; no ſooner was John in the Spirit, but he ſaw the Throne and the Rain-bow; let us now be in the Spirit, look with eyes of faith, and wee ſhall ſee the Throne, him ſits on it, and the bow round about him; and then, though kingdomes lie under the floods of errors, ſuperſtition and ungodlineſſe, though drown'd in troubles and blood, yet wee ſhall ſee God and Chriſt in a way of love and mercy towards us.
4. That Juſtice and Mercy do compaſſe the Throne of Chriſt; there was brightneſſe round about, and the bow was round about; go to Chriſts Throne any way, there is nothing but juſtice for the ſinner, unleſſe penitent and believing, and if ſuch, nothing but mercy.
This was the appearance of the likeneſſe of the Glory of the Lord; and when I ſaw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voyce of one that ſpake.
Here is the concluſion of the Viſion, and in it wee have the ſcope of all was preſented to the Prophets view, and it is to manifeſt the infinite glory of God; and then followes a double effect:
Firſt, upon ſight of it, he fell upon his face; And
Secondly, He heares a voyce; and ſo a fit paſſ… is made to that which followes.
The firſt thing is the manifeſtation of Gods glory: a… … glory of God is conſiderable,
1. In God himſelf, in the Divine …, and there it is infinite glorious, exceeding glory.
2. In the creation, as it is expreſſed and opened in the volume of the creatures, there Gods glory is greatly ſeen, Iſa. 6.3. The earth is full of his glory; the Hebrew is, the fulneſſe of the earth is his glory; the world is glorious, and filled with Gods glory, it's nothing elſe but Gods glory interpreted and opened unto us in the creatures,Quid eſt mundus niſi Deus explicatus? and divine providence about them.
3. In divine diſpenſations towards his Church and people; Gods glory is in the firmament, in all the creatures, but more ſpecially and fully in the Church, Pſal. 29.9. In his Temple doth every one ſpeake of his glory, there it is moſt viſible, affecting and provoking of every one to ſpeak. In the world few take notice of it, but in the Temple every one ſees it, and ſpeaks of it; the world is God opened, and ſo glorious; the Church is Chriſt opened, and ſo very glorious: this made David long to be in the Sanctuary, when hee was in the Wilderneſſe; and why ſo? to ſee thy power and thy glory, Pſal. 63.2. Could not David ſee them in the heavens, in the mountains, in the goodly Cedars, and other works of God? Yes, but not as in the Sanctuary; and therefore hee ſaith, to ſee thy power and glory; ſo as I have ſeen thee in thy Sanctuary; there I have ſeen thee otherwiſe then ever elſewhere; there he ſaw the King upon his Throne and in his glory.
The glory of God in each of theſe, is held forth in this Viſion, in ſome meaſure: there was the Spirit in the wheels, a fire within, by which the glory of the divine nature appeared: there was a whirlewind, a cloud, fire, brightneſſe, living creatures, wheels moving ſeverall ways, which repreſent the glory of God in the world, and government of it: there was a firmament and a throne, one ſitting upon it, ſurrounded with a Rain-bow, which ſets out the glory of God in his ſeverall diſpenſations towards his Church, both in his judgements, mercies, and government thereof.
A Queſtion is moved; Whether our Prophet ſaw the glory of God?
The Anſwer is; It was the appearance of the likeneſſe of the glory of the Lord; he doth not ſay, hee ſaw God in his eſſence; it's acknowledged by moſt, that we cannot ſee Gods eſſence while wee are Pilgrims on earth,In vid. …b. de viden. Deum, Hom. 2. 2. q. 174. 175. and abſent in the fleſh: Auguſtine and Aquinas are of opinion, that Moſes and Paul ſaw God in his eſſence; but they were men, and not without their errors: for had they ſeen Gods eſſence, their faith had ceaſed, being ſwallowed up in viſion.
The School-man would help it thus: the light of glory in them had not a permanent being, but was given them tranſitively.Eſſe perman…ns per modum tranſeuntis. But this anſwer will not bear up the opinion: for faith and viſion of glory cannot conſiſt in a larger tract, or in the leaſt inſtant of times; as in one man there cannot be a perfect and obſcure light together, the full light of the Sun, and leaſt degree of darkneſſe cannot at once be in the eye. And farther, if they ſaw the eſſence of God, they had not the act of faith, but evidence; for if a man had ſeen Rome, and after remembers it,Non habet fidem, ſed evidentiam de eo quod vidit. he ſaith not he believes there is ſuch a City, but hee hath ſeen it; and ſo of Gods eſſence: It muſt not be granted that ever any ſaw Gods eſſence, you have incontrollable authority for it, Joh. 1.18. No man hath ſeen God at any time. Durand. ſaith, theſe words are to be underſtood excluſively,
1. Of corporeall viſion; for with a bodily eye, none ever did, or ſhall ſee God.
2. Of intellectuall naturall Viſion; becauſe a naturall underſtanding cannot attain unto the cleer viſion of God.
3. Of the viſion of comprehenſion; from all created underſtandings; though Angels and Saints in heaven ſee God, yet not comprehenſively: and 1 Tim. 6.16. whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee; there's a deniall both of the fact and the poſſibility; Auſt. himſelf confeſſeth in l. 2. de Trin. C. 16, 17, 18.That the ſubſtance of God is not ullo modo corporaliter viſibilem, not to be ſeen at all with the eyes of fleſh; and the rule of School-men touching viſions and apparitions, is infallible, that the nature of God is not ſeen with the eyes of the body, but only ſome corporeall thing is exhibited, which being viſibly ſeen, or ſenſibly perceived, God is inviſibly repreſented to the underſtanding.Al. Halcuſ.
But Moſes ſaw God face to face, Exod. 33.11. So Jacob ſaw God face to face, Gen. 32.
Anſw. Thoſe Patriarchs and Prophets that are ſaid to ſee God, ſaw him in divers reſemblances, and this is an unanſwerable argument, that they never ſaw Gods eſſence, for that is pure, immixt, alwayes alike, neither ſtanding nor ſitting, having no parts, no ſhape or likeneſſe to any thing; therefore ſaith Athenaſius, thoſe Fathers ſaw God in ſome creature,Deum non fuiſſ ab antiquis p…r…bus v…ſum noſt: … aſſumptio…e creatu ae, ſecundum Deitatem vero eſſe … v ſio…em. not in his own nature, for it is inviſible.
Again, this phraſe of ſeeing God face to face, in the Hebrew dialect imports two things:
Firſt, Familiarity.
Secondly, Perſpicuity.
1. Familiarity, they had familiar converſe with God, Deut. 5.4. the Lord talketh with you face to face; you asked him queſtions, and he gave you anſwers; and it's evident that this is intended in the phraſe, Exo. 33.11. The Lord ſpake to Moſes face to face, as a man ſpeaks with his friend, Moſes queſtioned it with God, and God moſt friendly anſwered him: So in Numb. 12.8. Mouth to mouth will I ſpeak with him, it notes the preſentiality and familiarity of God with Moſes.
2. Perſpicuity, cleerneſſe; they ſaw God face to face; that is, comparatively; others ſaw God in dreames and viſions, which were more obſcure, but theſe ſaw God more cleerly, had more illuſtrious viſions of God; they ſaw Gods back-parts, theſe ſaw Gods face; and the phraſe is uſed in the New Teſtament, 1 Cor. 13.12. Then ſhall wee ſee face to face; that is, more fully and perfectly then here; but whether wee ſhall ſee the divine eſſence in patria, in heaven, is queſtionable. Chryſoſt. Hom. 14. on John, ſaith, That before the incarnation the Son of God was Angelis inviſibilis; and if they in their glory ſaw not the divine nature of Chriſt, it's like wee ſhall not. Whether Chriſt ſaw the Father or Holy Ghoſt with the eyes of his body, is queſtionable, if ſome doubt it, others deny it: Halenſ. grants, that the ſoul of Chriſt ſaw God perfectly from his conception; but hee ſaith not, the eye of his body ſaw him: Aquinas ſaith, that glorified eyes ſhall ſee God in that manner, as now our eyes do ſee the life of man; life not ſeen with a bodily eye, as a thing viſible by it ſelf, but by the intervention of ſomething elſe, and ſo accidentally becomes ſenſible; it's our underſtanding, not the eye, reacheth life, and ſo in God.
But in 1 John 3. we ſhall ſee him as hee is.
Anſw. He ſpeaks of a new and unutterable way of ſeeing God. Wee ſhall ſee him as hee is to be ſeen, mediante lumine gloriae; the beams of the Sun ſo fill the eye, that wee cannot behold the nature of it; and whether it be ſo in heaven, wee ſhall not know, till wee come there; let us get holineſſe, and then wee ſhall ſee him will reſolve this doubt.
Obſerv. 1. That all the glory is ſeen of God in this life any wayes, is but the appearance and likeneſſe of the glory of God. There was much and great glory in this viſion, there is more in the world in the creatures, more in the Church, and yet all this is only a ſhadow, and a ſmall appearance of the glory of God. If we ſhould ſee ten thouſand Torches lighted up in a dark night, they make a glorious light; yet are they nothing to the light of the Sun, when that comes, torch-light, ſtar-light, ſeem appearances of light, rather then light it ſelf: So when the glory of God ſhall be revealed, it will darken all other glory; and there was not ſo great a difference between the light in Goſhen, and darkneſſe in Egypt, as there will be between the glory of God and that glory now appeares in the world. The glory of God is neither expreſſible or comprehenſible by any or all the creatures. The glory that Iſaiah ſaw on the earth, and that Ezekiel ſaw in the heavens, did not expreſſe the thouſand part of this glory; and neither heaven not earth are able to comprehend the ſame.
2. See the infinite goodneſſe of the Lord, that will expoſe that to the eyes of his ſervants, which is ſo deare unto him; his own glory. Precious things of Princes and great ones, are not common for the view of all, but choyce friends, favorites ſhall ſee them. God hath nothing more precious then his glory; yet this ſhall his choyce friends and favourites ſee; and becauſe they cannot ſee it in the perfection of it, God will draw a picture of it with his own hand, and hold forth to the eyes of his here: Ezekiel had an appearance of the glory of the Lord, but it's the greater mercy, that God will put forth creating power in a viſion, and preſent the likeneſſe of his glory in variety of things, according to the capacity, and for the advantage of his ſervants: ſo Moſes ſaw the glory of the Lord in the Mount; ſo Chriſt ſhewed unto Peter, James, and John, his glory in his transfiguration, Matth. 17. Iſaiah, hee had a glorious viſion, Chap. 6. and ſo glorious it was, that it's called the glory of the Lord; and this did the Prophet Iſaiah ſee in the likeneſſe and appearance of it, not in its own nature, for no man you ever could ſo ſee the glory of God and live.
Jehovah: this name by the learned Jewes, is called,
1. Haſhſham, that name emphatically, as the chiefeſt of all the reſt.
foreign.2. The name of four letters.
3. The great Name.
4. The bleſſed Name; for the high Prieſt did pronounce it only once a yeer, and that in the Temple, at the feaſt of Propitiation, at the ſolemne bleſſing, Numb. 6.24, 25.
5. The glorious Name,
6. The name Separate, ſhem Hammephoraaſh, becauſe ſeparate from ambiguity, ſaith Maimon, from our knowledge ſaith the ſon of Maimon.
7. The name appropriated to God, becauſe it is moſt proper to him.
8. The name of remembring, becauſe it brings to mind the being of God.
9. The name of eſſence or being, Shemhaguetzem, a name of ſubſtance.
Plebi ſub poena mortis ejus pronuntiatio vitita fuit, Buxtorf. Qui pronuntiat nomen Tetragrammatum, non habet partem in ſuturo ſeculo.The Jewes are exceeding ſuperſtitious about this name, and ſay it muſt not be pronounced; they term it The unexpreſſible Name; themſelves never utter it, but Adonai, or Elohim in ſtead of it: they tell us, that the womans ſon in the 24. of Levit. was accuſed of blaſphemy, and ſtoned to death, becauſe hee pronounced this name Jehovah. And there is a relation of the Prieſts of the Sanctuary, that not knowing how to read this name, being written by Moſes, *Spaſmo correpti interiorint. Gerard. in loc. Shindl.they laughed, and were ſmitten to death of God for it. It's ſtrange to think what miracles the Jewes attribute to this name; Moſes had it writ in a Rod or Staffe, Chriſt got it, and put in his thigh, and ſo by vertue of it, they both did all their miracles: they tell of one David a Magician, that by vertue of this name went in one day a journey of ten dayes. But to leave Rabbinicall conceits; This name Jehovah imports eſſence,Ab foreign fuit, eſt. being, exiſtence; and by it, the eternity, independency, efficacity and truth of God are laid before us, together with his being;foreign. and here it's attributed to Chriſt, and tels us, that hee hath his being of himſelf; he is compleat in himſelfe, and an infinite ſea of being; Eternall, Rev. 1.8. Independent, Rev. 1.5. Efficacious, giving being, life and perfection to all creatures, Hebr. 1.2, 3. Col. 1.16, 17. hee is true, yea, truth; fulfilling the promiſes, 2 Cor. 1.20.
Obſerv. 1. Jeſus Chriſt, who ſate upon the Throne here, is JEHOAVH, of the ſame eſſence with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt; hee is not conſimilar, but conſubſtantiall with them,foreign. Alius pater, alius filius, alius ſpiritus, but not aliud pater, aliud filius, aliud ſpiritus. not like the Father, or like the Spirit, but the ſame; the one differs from the other perſonally, but not eſſentially, 1 Joh. 5.7. There be three that beare record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoſt, and theſe three are one; one in eſſence, one in propriety, one JEHOVAH, Jer. 23.6. the Prophet ſpeaking of Chriſt, tels us what his name ſhall be called, Jehovah Zidkenus, The Lord our righteouſneſſe, and in Mal. 3.1. Jehovah whom you ſeek ſhall ſuddenly come to his Temple: by the name JEHOVAH, is meant Chriſt, who is God: and this is of great concernment; it's the foundation of our faith in Chriſt, of our worſhipping of Chriſt, of our ſalvation by Chriſt, and of all good from Chriſt; if he were not Jehovab, the Goſpel ſhould be a lie, our faith a fancie, our worſhip falſe, the Church a fable, all men loſt, and that for ever.
2 Again, that the glory here repreſented in this Viſion, was not the glory of a creature, but of Jehovah, there was a man preſented to his eye, but Jehovah to his faith: it was the appearance of the glory of the Lord; not only of Chriſt as man, but as God-man, and ſo the glory was glorious glory.
And when I ſaw it, I fell upon my face.
Here is the firſt effect of it, when hee had this viſion, beheld this glory, hee was amazed, ſo ſmitten with the luſtre of it, that hee could ſtand no longer, but down hee falls, and that upon his face. There is frequent mention in Scripture, that upon viſions, and appearances of Divine Majeſty the ſervants of God have falne down, Dan. 8.17. He fell upon his face, and Saul, Acts 9.4. hee fell to the earth, Abraham hee fell on his face when God appeared to him, Gen. 17.3. The three Diſciples Chriſt took up into the mount, when they ſaw the glory, and heard the voyce, they fell on their faces. There is a great difference between falling on the face, and falling on the back. To fall forward, notes reſpect and humility, but to fall backward is a note of ſin and guilt: Abraham fell twice upon his face; the Prophets oft; the godly, when they are to deale with God, fall forwards, the wicked backward,Cadere in faciem, obſervantiae eſt, & humilitatem ſemper olet; ſed retro cadere peccatum ſupponit, aut indicat, Jer. except old Eli. Wee read not of any good man that fell backward: but all thoſe came to take Chriſt, Joh. 18.6. went backwards, and fell to the ground: So Iſa. 28.13. Precept upon precept, that they might go and fall backwards.
There be divers reaſons or grounds of mens falling upon their faces, in viſions and apparitions of God.
1. The Majeſty of God that is preſent in theſe viſions, and ſome way or other repreſented to thoſe that have the Viſions: ſo Dan. 10.9.
2. The luſtre of Divine glory that accompanies the ſame; this made Paul and his company fall to the ground, Act. 26.13, 14.
3. Some new and dreadfull thing that appeares in the Viſion as here; creatures with four faces, and four wings, wheels, rings, full of eyes, and ſo high, that they are dreadfull.
4. Senſe of their owne frailty and weakneſſe; Viſions having divine Majeſty, Glory, and ſome terribleneſſe in them, have wrought ſtrange effects upon infirme men; they have lockt up their ſenſes, and put them in a deep ſleep, Dan. 8.18.10. Chap. 9. made them ſick and faint many dayes, Dan. 8.27. much grieved and troubled their ſpirits, Dan. 7.15. taken away their ſtrength and comelineſſe, Dan. 10.8. ſmitten dumb, Dan. 10.15. breathleſſe, verſe 17.
5. To teſtifie two things: firſt, thankfulneſſe for ſome mercy received or promiſed; upon this ground Abraham fell on his face, Gen. 17.23. when God appeared to him, and told him, that hee would make a covenant with him, and multiply him exceedingly, hee fell on his face, to manifeſt, as his humility, ſo eſpecially the gratefull frame of his ſpirit towards God for ſuch a mercy.
2. Reverence, worſhip and reſpect unto divine Majeſty; falling upon the face notes ſo much in the language of Canaan, 2 Chro. 20.18. Jehoſaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jeruſalem fell before the Lord and worſhiped him: ſo bowing in Pſal. 72.9. is to note reverence and worſhip, They that dwell in the wilderneſſe ſhall bow before him, and his enemies ſhall lick the duſt; they ſhall come in to Chriſt, and by bowing their faces to the ground, and licking the duſt of his feet, ſhall teſtifie their reverence and ſubjection unto him, ſo Iſa. 49.23.
That which made our Prophet fall down on his face here, was feare and amazement at the apprehenſion of the Majeſty of Chriſt, the great glory that appeared, newneſſe and dreadfulneſſe of things in the Viſion.
Obſerv. 1. See what miſchiefe ſin hath done unto us; it hath diſabled us from partaking of our greateſt good, the ſight of glory is the happineſſe of the creature: when Peter ſaw Chriſts tranſfiguration but dimly, hee ſaid; O Maſter, it's good being here! but ſin hath made us incapable of the ſight of glory; Peter and the reſt fell upon their faces, and could not behold it as otherwiſe they might.Cum magno moerore penſare & conſiderare cum lachrymis debemus in quantam miſcriam & infirmitatem cecidimus, qui & ipſum bonum ferre non poſſumus ad quod videndum creati ſumus.
Gregory in his 8th Hom.. ſaith, it's matter of great mourning, to conſider wee are fallen into ſuch an eſtate, as that wee cannot behold what would make us happy; wee cannot indure that good, that glory, which God created us to behold; yea, ſuch weakneſſe hath ſin brought us to, that wee cannot bear the ſight of the appearance of the likeneſſe of glory. They are weake eyes that cannot indure the Sun-beams; they more weake that cannot indure the light which is more remote from the brightneſſe and glory of the Sun; and ſo here, man cannot indure the glory of the Lord, nor the likeneſſe of it, nor the appearance of the likeneſſe.
2. That the ſight of glory is an humbling thing; when the Prophet ſaw the appearance of the glory of the Lord, hee falls upon his face, then hee is conſcious of his own weakneſſe and worthleſneſſe, then hee trembles, and ſees the great diſproportion between Majeſty and nothingneſſe, Iſa. 40.5. The glory of the Lord ſhall be revealed, and all fleſh ſhall ſee it; and then followes, all fleſh is graſſe; glory will convince us that wee are but graſſe; it's not hearing will do it, at leaſt, not ſo effectually: ſeeing, and ſeeing of glory doth humble mightily, ſeeing of miſerie cauſeth grief, mine eye affecteth mine heart; but ſeeing of glory cauſeth godly ſorrow, Job 42.5, 6. Now mine eyes ſeeth thee, Niſi aliquid de aeternitate in mente videremus, nunquam in facie noſtra poenitendo caderemus, Gre.I abhorre my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes; when hee ſaw the Lord and his glory, then hee abhorred himſelf, his own righteouſneſſe, all his confidences, duties, and what ever the heart and wit of man catcheth hold of, and repented, and ſaid, What am I unto God, the great, the glorious God? he is ſo infinitely glorious and diſtanced from mee, that I am no better then duſt and aſhes, Iſaiah and worthy to be buried under them out of his ſight; and ſo Iſaiah, when he ſaw the glory of the Lord, then was hee ſenſible of his own vileneſſe, and cryes out, Wo is mee, I am undone, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips, though a Prophet, yet a man of unclean lips, for mine eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts; he had heard the Seraphims cry, Holy, holy, holy, the Lord of Hoſts, the whole earth is full of his glory; but this wrought not ſo powerfully as the ſight of his glory; now hee ſaw his ſin, what a great and ſoul ſinner he was, and therefore ſaith he, Wo is me, &c.
3. That thoſe be throughly humbled with the ſenſe of their own vileneſſe, and weakneſs, are fitteſt to hear divine truths, and to receive divine myſteries. Ezekiel falls on his face, and then heares a voyce; ſo was it with Daniel, fleſh and blood is apt to be lifted up, to truſt in ſomething of its own; men look at, and like their own parts, their graces, ſome confidence or other we are apt to catch hold of, but we muſt let all go, below in our own eyes, if we will be fit auditors of Chriſt, we muſt fall down at the feet of his Throne, if wee will heare him ſpeak from his Throne: Jam. 4.6. he giveth grace to the humble; they finde the choyceſt favours at his hands; Moſes, a meek man, yea, the meekeſt of all living, and God ſhewed himſelf the moſt to him, and ſo to him as not to others, Numb. 12.8. He ſpake to him mouth to mouth, Deut. 34.10. There aroſe not a Prophet in Iſrael like to Moſes, whom the Lord knew face to face. Iſa. 66.2.
And I heard a voyce of one that ſpake.
This is the ſecond effect following his ſight of the glory of God; hee firſt falls upon his face, and then hears a voyce, this was the voyce of him that ſate upon the Throne, and was ſo glorious, that the Prophet could not behold him; it was not the voyce of the heavens, Pſal. 19.3. nor of the thunder, Pſal. 29.3. but of Chriſt, and the voyce of Chriſt is taken in the Scripture:
Firſt, for an extraordinary voyce, having extraordinary power with it, Joh. 5.28. thoſe that are in the grave ſhall heare his voyce, that is, the power of his voyce ſhall fetch them out of their graves.
Secondly, for the doctrine of Chriſt, Joh. 10.27. My ſheep heare my voyce, that is, my Doctrine; they do not hear Chriſt immediately ſpeaking, but they heare his Goſpel, his Miniſters opening it unto them.
Thirdly, for the ſpeech of Chriſt, ſpeaking unto others, Act. 9.4. I heard a voyce, ſaying, Saul, Saul, &c. ſuch is the voyce here, Chriſt ſpeaking himſelf unto Ezekiel.
This Viſion and Voyce was;
Firſt, to affect the Prophet, that hee might be humbled, awakened, quickned up, and prepared to the work the Lord Chriſt intended him.
Secondly, to confirm him,
1. In his call to his Miniſtery; hee was to be a Prophet to this people in a ſtrange Land, and therefore hath an extraordinary call to it, Chriſt from heaven appeares.
2. In the truth of his Prophecie; hee ſhould utter nothing but what he had from Chriſt, the author of all truth, hee would put words into his mouth.
3. In the whole race and work of his Miniſtery, that hee might not be diſcouraged; ſeeing that hee had ſeen ſuch a viſion, heard ſuch a voyce.
Thirdly, to confirm the Jewes, Gentiles, all to whom this Prophecy ſhould come, of the Majeſty, reality, and truth of it.
Note 1 God ſets one ſenſe awork after another; his eye was taken up before with the ſight of great and glorious things, now his eares come to be exerciſed and fill'd with as choyce truths, as the eye had objects; and after there is a roll for his taſte and touching, God lets in mercy and goodneſſe to us through every window and door.
Note 2 That grat feare doth aſtoniſh and hinder judgement; hee heard a voyce, but knew not whoſe it was, feare doth diſturb and ſurprize.