Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 6
VERS. 6.
And every one had four faces, &c.
NOw we come to their ſeverall parts; and firſt of their faces, which are mentioned here in the 8th. and 10th. verſes, every one had foure faces, and the likeneſſe of their faces were:
1. The face of a Man.
2. Of a Lion.
3. Of an Oxe.
4. Of an Eagle.
In ſome Pictures you may ſee ſeverall faces, ſo drawn they are, that which way ſoever you look, a ſeverall face is preſented: ſo here, before was the face of a man, behinde of an Eagle, on the right ſide of a Lion, and on the left ſide of an Oxe: here is not a face but is compared to the face of ſome principall creature, man is the chief of all the reſt; a Lion is the King of wilde Beaſts; the Oxe is the chief of tame ones, and the Eagle of Birds.
The face of a man types out unto us the underſtandings of Angels, and that their adminiſtrations are with knowledge and equity; of this hath already been ſpoken.
This face is put, firſt, to ſhew the excellency of reaſon, which muſt have the introduction into, and managing of all actions, elſe they are neither humane nor Angelicall.
By this face alſo is noted their humanity and love to mankinde; Angels are of a loving nature, and moſt carefull of men: therefore it is ſaid, Heb. 1. laſt, They are miniſtring Spirits ſent out, &c.
The face of a Lion types out the ſtrength of Angels; A Lion is a creature of great ſtrength, Prov. 30.30. The ſtrongeſt amongst beaſts, and turneth not away for any; he never flies or feares. Iſa. 31.4.A…ſt. nunquā fugit aut metu…t. If a multitude of Shepheards be called forth, he will not be afraid of them, nor abaſe himſelf at their noiſe; and Judg. 14.18. What is ſtronger then a Lion, ſaid the Interpreter of Sampſons riddle? and we may ſay among all creatures, what is ſtronger then an Angel? The Scripture calls the Devill the ſtrong one, Mat. 12.29.foreign. and ſo it calls the Angel, Rev. 10.1. I ſaw a mighty Angel; and they are very mighty, an Angel can hinder the blowing of the wind, Rev. 7.1. ſtop the mouths of Lions, Dan. 6.22. break iron chains, open priſon doors and iron gates, Acts 12. an Angel can ſmite with blindneſſe, Gen. 19.11. 2 King. 6.18. Both Sodomites and Syrians were ſo ſmitten; Angels work upon the fancy, Matth. 2.13.19, 20. ſuggeſt many things of great and good uſe to the mind; for if Devils can take the word out of our mindes, ſow tares in the field, Luke 8.12. Matth. 13.24, 25. put devilliſh thoughts into the heart, Joh. 13.2. work powerfully in the heart of the diſobedient, Eph. 2.1. and trouble their ſpirits, 1 Sam. 16.15. I ſee not but good Angels may do as much, being more potent then they. Rev. 12. Michael and his Angels overcame the Dragon and his; and Pſal. 103.20. they excell in ſtrength, they are called exercitus coeleſtis; Luke 2.13. one can do more then a great Army; one ſlew 185000. in a night, 2 King. 19.35. They are Bellatores fortiſſimi, and have appeared like Warriors; David ſaw an Angel with a ſword in his hand ſtretched over Jeruſalem, 1 Chron. 21.16. Eliſha ſaw them with horſes and Chariots of fire, 2 King. 6.17. Angels are Gods Militia. Pſal. 68.17. the Chariots of God are 20000. even thouſands of Angels, they ſtand alwayes before God, and can do what ever God wills and commands.
This conſideration of the ſtrength of Angels, ſhould adde to our comforts and Gods praiſes; if a man be in danger, and have a ſtrong convoy appointed by the King, he is ſecure, much comforted, and thankfull too, that Majeſty hath appointed it: God hath given us the mighty Angels that are ſtronger then Lions to be our guard to convoy us through the Wilderneſſe of this world; let it multiply our comforts and Gods praiſes.
The next face is that of an Ox; and it notes out the obſequiouſneſſe, faithfulneſſe, patience and uſefulneſſe of angels in their miniſtrations; for an Ox accuſtomed to the yoke is very tractable, not ſtubborn, kicking and flinging, as untamed Heifers are, Hoſ. 10.11. Ephraim is as a Heifer that is taught, and loves to tread out the corne: a Heifer taught, and delighting in his work, is willing to it: ſuch are Angels, Pſal. 103.20. They hearken to the voyce of his Word, they look upon God as the great Generall, and if he give out the word, they give out their ſtrength, and go about the work willingly, they are very obſequious to his commands; if he ſayes, Go ſmite Herod for his pride, Balaam for his covetouſneſſe, David for his vain-glory, Senacherib for his blaſphemy, and Sodom for its uncleanneſſe, preſently they go.
Praeſtat fidum maiſterium.2. Faithfulneſſe; an Ox doth faithfull ſervice, Horſes do oft deceive in their ſervice, but an Ox ſeldome in plowing or carrying of burthens: So Angels are faithfull in their miniſtrations, they fail not in the leaſt particular; the Angels would not let John worſhip him; the Angels would not ſuffer Lot to linger in Sodom.
3. Patience; an Ox is a patient creature, what burthen ſoever is laid upon him, or what work ſoever heels imployed in, the Ox is not impatient; So the Angels they are patient in their miniſtration, though they meet with much oppoſition. The Prince of Perſia withſtood Gabriel 21. dayes, Dan. 10.13. In the midſt of oppoſitions and great ſervices, they are without all impatience, though their work never end, Rev. 4.8. yet they never complaine.
4. Uſefulneſſe; Prov. 14.4. much increaſe is by the ſtrength of the Ox, no creature more uſefull to the ſupport of a family then the Ox; for of old, all the plowing was by Oxen. Elijah findes Eliſha plowing with twelve yoke of Oxen, 1 King. 19.19. And Job had five hundred yoke of Oxen, and it's ſaid, they were plowing, Job 1.3.14. no mention of Horſes: and in ſome places of this Kingdome they make greateſt uſe of Oxen: by their ſtrength, Kingdomes and Families are maintained. Therefore Moſes, Deut. 3.17. compares Joſeph to the Bullock or Ox, becauſe he ſuſtained his fathers family and Egypt with corne, Exod. 22.1. If an Ox or Sheep were ſtoln, and ſo killed, or ſold, the thiefe was to reſtore five for the Ox, four for the Sheep; and the reaſon was, becauſe of the ſervice and uſefulneſſe of thoſe creatures; they ſerved for ſacrifice to God, to plow the earth, to feed and cloath the family, in other things they were to reſtore only double. David makes it one part of the happineſſe of a Commonwealth, that the Oxen be ſtrong to labour, Pſal. 144.14. Oxen are needfull and uſefull creatures; and Angels herein reſemble Oxen, they are miniſtring ſpirits, ſent out for the ſervice of Gods family, they live not to themſelves, but to the publike: In the Revelations you may reade what great ſervices the Angels are imployed in; they ſound the trumpets, and powre out the vials of Gods wrath, they preſerve the Saints from the violence of Devils and deviliſh men.
This inſtructs man to be like Angels in theſe qualities; if God command, call for any duty, to be obſequious, yeelding, and to ſay with Samuel, Here I am, Speak Lord, thy ſervant is willing to heare, ready to obey; and when we are in the ſervice, let us be faithfull, do it conſcionably, let us be patient, although we meet with delayes, oppoſitions, reproaches, and loſs; let us be ſerviceable and profitable to others; Angels have no benefit by their miniſtrations, God hath the glory, and man the good.
The laſt face is that of an Eagle, and in it, as in a glaſſe, we may ſee the perſpicaciouſneſſe, ſwiftneſſe, and vivacity of the Angels; for theſe three are Eagles obſervable:
1. They are quick-ſighted, Job 39.29. Her eyes behold afar off, ſpeaking of the Eagle, from the top of the rocks, out of the clouds, they are ſaid to behold fiſhes ſwimming in the Seas, ſo ſtrong is their ſight, that they ſoar aloft, and can a long time behold the Sun with open and ſtedfaſt eyes:In aquila Cicurata Merlin in Jobum c. 39 Scaliger hath ſeen it in a tam'd Eagle. A man of acute parts that can ſee quick and far into matters, we ſay he is Eagle-eyed: the Angels are not wanting in this particular; they are quick-ſighted, 2 Sam. 14.20. and Rev. 4.6. The four beaſts they are mentioned, being the ſame here in Ezekiel are ſaid to be full of eyes before and behind, and in the 8th. verſe full of eyes within; they have much naturall knowledge, much revealed knowledge ſet o…t by their …yes within, and much experimentall knowledge coming in by their obſervation and deep inſight into things, noted by their eyes before and behind; they ſoar aloft, ſtand before God, behold the face of God alwayes, Matth. 18.10.
2. Eagles are ſwift in their flight, 2 Sam. 1.23. Swifter then Eagles, and Job 9.26. The Eagle maketh haſt to the prey. Pindar calls the the Eagle the queen of Birds;Lam. 4.19. for her ſwiftneſſe, no Foul flies more ſwiftly then the Eagle: hence, when things were to be done ſuddenly, the Scripture mentioneth the Eagle, Hoſ. 8.1. He ſhall come as an Eagle againſt the Houſe of the Lord, that is, Nebuchadnezzar ſhall come ſuddenly. Angels are no dull creatures, in a night the deſtroying Angel ſlew all the firſt-born in Egypt; in a night 185000. in the camp of Senacherib: and Dan. 9.21. Gabriel came flying ſwiftly to Daniel, and ſuddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hoſts, Luke 2.13.
3. Eagles are freſh and lively alwayes, age and ſickneſſe works not upon them as upon other Birds;Nec annis debilitatur, nec morbis obnoxia eſt. the Eagle in her age is youthfull; how then doth ſhee die? Pliny tels us, that it's neither age or ſickneſſe that kils the Eagle, but hunger, the upper bill groweth ſo over her under, that ſhe cannot open her mouth to take in ſuſtenance, and ſo dies. Pſal. 103.5. Their youth is renewed like the Eagles;Crebra mutatione pennarum, Hieron. Imberbes ut juvenes. the Eagle is renewed by the oft change of her feathers. The Cherubims before the Mercy-Seat (which repreſented the Angels) were without beards, to ſhew their vigour, vavacity and eternity. Angels never grow old, they are alwayes luſty and lively, their ſervice doth not weare them out; it's mans ſin that withers and conſumes him more then his work. Adam ſhould never have look'd old, never have decayed, but retain'd an immortall vivacity, if he had not ſinned; they are lively in their ſervice, not dull.
Obſerv. 1. That Angels are fit for publike and great ſervice; they have four faces, a Mans, a Lions, an Oxes, an Eagles, which tels us they have all is requiſite to great undertakings; they have wiſdome to conſult, to contrive and manage the affairs of the world prudentially; they have the ſtrength of a Lion to execute; they have the willingneſſe and faithfulneſſe of the Ox to rejoyce the heart of the commander; patience to undergo the difficulties of the work, and uſefulneſſe for the publique; they are quick-ſighted to diſcern and prevent the deſignes of enemies, and ſpeedy to diſpatch much in a little time, and that with cheerfulneſſe; this is meant by their four faces, which notes their perfection and fitneſſe for ſervice in all parts of the world; in regard of which, and the Prophet to whom this viſion was made, they are ſaid to have one face before, another behind, and on each ſide one; and that God doth uſe their ſervice in all creatures rationall and irrationall; they have the ſhapes of men, birds and beaſts.
2 That ſuitable perſons ought to be imployed in publique and great ſervices; God imployes Angels in the government of the world, who are wiſe, truſty, ſtrong, and ſpeedy: and you know what men God calls for, in the State and Church, Exod. 18.21. Provide thou out of all the people able men, ſuch as fear God, men of truth, hating covetouſneſſe, and place ſuch over them to be Rulers of thouſands, hundreds, fifties, tens; he muſt ſearch amongſt all the people for ſuch, far and neer, and if in one Tribe he cannot find them, he muſt in another. The time hath been, that ſeniority, money, favour, friendſhip, hath carryed the great places in this City, but you have ſmarted for it, in ſtead of good Angels you have had il ſpirits, now I hope you will not look who hath moſt money in his hutch, beſt friends to back him, but moſt wiſdome in his head, and zeal in his heart, and God on his ſide; now I truſt you will learn of God, and imploy ſuch as have the faces of men, Lions, Oxen and Eagles, men full of wiſdome, courage, truſt, ſerviceableneſſe to the publike, and of great diſpatch, ſuch ſhould be in the City, in the Army. So for the Church, you know what men God points you to, 1 Tim. 3. and 1 Pet. 5. Gods Biſhops muſt not Lord it over Gods heritage, and exerciſe dominion over it, Gods Officers muſt not be Prelaticall; it's the fleece, and not the flock that ſuch men look after, unleſſe it be to ſcatter, to wound their conſcience and ſuck their blood; ſome of that Sect, in ſtead of preaching to ſave ſouls, have only plotted to ruine Kingdomes.
3. That Angels being noble and glorious creatures, diſdain not to do ſervice to them that are far beneath themſelves. Man at firſt, when in his glory, was under the Angels, but now ſince he ſinn'd, he is fallen lower, as low as hell; man is now a miſerable, mortall creature, he hath a vile body, a defiled conſcience, and a polluted ſoul, yet Angels that are ſtiled Gods, Pſal. 8.5. ſo is the originall, that are Cherubims of glory; Heb. 9.5. that are holy; Mat. 25.31. Elect; 1 Tim. 5.21. that are of the privie Councell of Heaven, and the life-guard of God himſelf, Matth. 18.10. even theſe bleſſed creatures are not aſhamed to ſerve us, though we have the ſent of the earth and hell about us, though we do oft grieve and offend them with our ſinfull carriages, and the great God their Lord and Maſter, yet they deſpiſe us not, but cheerfully miniſter unto us. Would any great Prince attend a mean man full of ſores and vermine? if ſo, it argues wonderfull humility; it's more that Angels do, in waiting upon us: it's monſtrous pride then in men that have parts, place, honour, greatneſſe, grace, what ever it be, not to ſtoop to thoſe that are inferiour: thou haſt not more worth in thee any way then an Angel hath: and Angels condeſcend to ſerve us, therefore let not us minde high things, but condeſcend to men of low eſtate, and not be wiſe in our own conceit, Rom. 12.16.
4. That God affects ſpeed in his ſervice; Angels are ſwift as Eagles, and diſpatch great things in a little time, they know a dull lazie motion is not the motion heaven approves, Zach. 2.4. ſaith one Angel to another, Run, ſpeak to the young man; going is not ſufficient, where running can be had: Feſtina lente, is not a Motto for heaven gates; In the worſt work that ever was in the world, Chriſt calls for ſpeed, What thou doſt do quickly, Joh. 13.27. when Judas was about his treaſon. Speed and life in buſineſſes is commendable, acceptable: Matth. 5.25. Agree with thine adverſary quickly; Zach. 8.21.Darius would have his decree done ſpeedily, Ezra 6.12. and God would have his Decrees and Will fulfilled, done with ſpeed: It's Gods will now, that you ſhould help him againſt the mighty. When the Temple was to be built, the people came ſo faſt, brought in ſo much, that they were bid to ſtay, and that work of theirs was pleaſing to God and man. We have a Babel to pull down as well as a Temple to build, can you be imployed better? Luke 16. you are Stewards, & may quickly be call'd to account, Be ſpeedy in what you do.
In the the 11th verſe you have one thing more touching their faces, and that is, their faces were ſtretched upwards, thus were their faces; it's in your books, as if it had reference only to the former verſe and not to that followes in the eleventh; but Montanus and others that render the Hebrew exactly, reade it thus: But their faces and their wings were ſtretched upwards; it's true, they have the faces of men and beaſts, but they are ſtretched upward, they looked up to him that ſate upon the Throne, which was Chriſt: the Cherubims faces, Exod. 25.20, 21. were towards the Mercy-ſeat, and that was above upon the Ark; ſo that there and here, the Cherubims, theſe Angels looke upward.
Obſer. 1. That all creatures depend upon Chriſt, theſe Angels have the faces of Men, Lions, Oxen, Eagles, and look up to him; if there were nothing in it but this, that Angels in their own nature looking up, it might convince us, that all inferiour creatures do depend upon him, as well as thoſe noble ones; but when they come in with the faces of other creatures looking up, it's cleere evidence, that all depend upon Chriſt: Col. 1.16, 17. By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, viſible and inviſible, whether Thrones or Dominions, Principalities or Powers, all things were created by him, and for him, and by him all things do conſiſt: he holds all in his hand, heaven and earth, men and Angels, they all conſiſt and ſubſiſt in him. Heb. 1.3. He upholds all things by the word of his power.
2. That in all our miniſtrations, we are to have our inſtructions and directions from Chriſt: Angels look up to him, if hee ſpeak they hear, they move and act, if not, they ſtir not. Moſes and Aaron did nothing in the State or Church, without direction from God: Princes muſt look into the Law of God continually, Deut. 1.7. that they may do things warrantably: the Centurions ſouldiers and ſervants did come, go, and do at his appointment, not their own; and Angels run not of their own heads, they will heare a word of command, have a commiſſion from Chriſt, before they go. It's not enough that wee be knowing, full of courage, quick to diſpatch much, a Commiſſion, a Warrant from God we muſt have, elſe all our doing is nothing; nay, let us do the will of God without knowing, wee are warranted by God to do it; it's rather ſin then ſervice, Pro. 3.5, 6. Lean not to thine own underſtanding, let it be never ſo great, acute, cleere, it's not beyond Angels, they look up to God, and ſo muſt thou, In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he ſhall direct thy paths. Chriſt is the great Counſellour, and wee muſt not in one or two, or ſome great exigence of buſineſſe conſult with him, but in all our wayes, what ever we attempt for our ſelves, families, State, Church, we muſt conſult with him ſits upon the Throne, and he will direct our paths; Moſt miſcarry in their wayes, or make little progreſſe, becauſe they conſult not at all, or very little with Chriſt; whereas if men did conſult with Chriſt, and do all upon his warrant, upon a divine ground, they ſhould never miſcarry in their ways, but proceed farther in the paths of godlineſſe in a few weeks, then they did before in may yeeres: when David had conſulted with God, he could ſay, God was at his right hand, ſo that he ſhould not be moved, Pſa. 16.
3. That the pleaſure of Chriſt is worthy our waiting for; Angels look up and attend what he will ſay, and make known unto them; theſe holy, glorious and mighty creatures think not much to wait upon Chriſt, and exerciſe their patience till he pleaſe to reveal his minde. Chriſt is a great King, the only Counſellour, and his counſell of infinite worth, and it's not State, but equity, that all creatures wait upon him, Angels do it, & ſhall we grudge at it? Pſal. 123.1, 2. Ʋnto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwelleſt in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of ſervants looke to the hand of their Maſter, and as the eyes of a maiden to the hands of her Miſtreſſe, ſo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God: He interprets the meaning of looking up, which is waiting upon God, for manifeſtation of himſelf: Pſal. 5.3. David would direct his Prayer to God, and look up, not down to the world, downe to corruption, but up to God, what he would ſpeak: Pſal. 85.8. I will heare what God the Lord will ſpeak: Mic. 7.7. Let the reſolution of the Prophet be thine, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my ſalvation, my God will hear mee.
4. That Chriſt is an object of admiration and adoration: The looking upwards is Signum admirationis & typus reverentiae; the Cherubims looked towards the Mercy-ſeate, admiring and adoring him was figured by it; and wee lift up our faces towards heaven, when we admire and adore God: you have the phraſe in Job 22.26. Thou ſhalt have thy delight in the Almightie, and lift up thy face unto God; That is, admire and adore that God thou delighteſt in. Where is moſt delight, there is moſt admiration and adoration. Chriſt is the delight of Angels, when he was incarnate, they bowed downe to pry into that myſtery; and now he is glorified, they look up to admire him; there is matter of admiration in Chriſt, all in him is not yet drawne out and diſcovered, 2 Theſ. 1.10. Chriſt ſhall come to be admired in all them that beleeve. As it's in a Country when it's diſcovered, ſtill new and new things are met with; ſo in Chriſt, Rev. 22.1, 2. There the viſion of Chriſt is compared to River-water, and that is alwayes new, freſh, and to a tree of life with twelve manner of fruits every monethmonth. The viſion and fruition of God is new, ſavoury and pleaſant unto them every monethmonth, day and houre; and this is to Angels as well as to any other. 2. To adore him, Heb. 1.2. Let all the Angels of God adore him. They doe look up, acknowledge him God, and tender to him that glory the Father hath; even adoration; Chriſt that was deſpiſed, rejected of men, the ſtone diſallowed of the Maſter builders, that we hid our faces from, and eſteemed not, he is the object of Angels adoration.
5. That the ſervice of Jeſus Chriſt is honorable ſervice; Angels doe ſtretch up their faces and waite for it; and it's the glory of the Angels, that they are miniſtring Spirits, ſent out by Chriſt, Heb. 1.14. is a compariſon between the glory of Chriſt and Angels, and their glory is that they are his ſervants; we think the ſervice of great perſons an honour to us; Who is greater then Chriſt? all power in heaven and earth is given unto him, Mat. 28. And he is more honorable then all Princes, he is King of Kings, and muſt be honoured as the Father, Joh. 5.Servire Deo, eſt regnare. Philo. The Apoſtles counted it their great honour to be ſervants of Chriſt; Paul, James, Jude, Peter, begin their Epiſtles with it, they ſet it in the front, as the moſt honourable title; this ſervice is liberty, not bondage,Servitus Chriſtianorum regia eſt l bertas, Auguſt: in Pſal. 99. his Spirit is a Spirit of libertie, his Law is a law of libertie; and Rom. 8.2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Chriſt, hath made me free from the law of ſinne and death; he is not the ſervant of Chriſt, is the ſlave of Satan; this ſervice is ſpirituall, profitable, honourable; David had rather be a doore-keeper in Chriſts houſe, then dwell in the Tents and Courts of wickedneſſe, Pſal. 84. Luther ſaid, He had rather fall with Chriſt, then ſtand with Caeſar. Joh. 12.26. If any man will ſerve me, him will my Father honour; if wee ſerve Chriſt, Angels are our fellow-ſervants, Rev. 22.9.
6. That holy creatures have heavenly minds: Angels look up, and that in their imployments, their eyes are fixed above upon the Lord Chriſt, and it's certain where there is holineſſe, it carries upward; water will riſe as high as the ſpring;foreign, from looking upwards; or foreign, which is the ſame, Os homini ſublime dedit. and ſo doth the water of the Spirit; Pauls converſation was in heaven, Phil. 3.20. Rev. 10.2. An Angel hath ſea and earth under his feet; and Rev. 12.1. The Church hath the Moone under her feete, all ceremoniall worſhip, all mutables in the world; and ſaith, Cant. 7.10. I am my beloveds, and his deſire is towards me. The Church finding Chriſts affection towards her, cannot but look out, and look up. Moſt men look downwards, and are neither like Angels nor men, more like ſwine, wormes, moules. Many are loath to come neere God, leſt he ſhould ſay, Put off thy ſhooes from thy feete, put off thy earthlineſſe; if we would have God look down from heaven, we muſt look up to heaven; David ſaid, When I awake I am ſtill with thee, Pſal. 139.18. He was with God when he lay downe, and with him when he awaked and roſe.
The next thing is their wings, mentioned in the ſixt verſe; every one had foure wings; and verſe 8. under their wings on their foure ſides; and in the 8th, they foure had their faces and their wings; and in the 9th, their wings were joyned one to another: 11th, their wings were ſtretched upward, two of every one was joyned one to another, and two covered their bodies.
Angels are ſet forth to us in Scripture with wings: here with foure; In Iſa. 6. and Rev. 4. with ſix wings each of them: and they are ſaid to be winged for the agilitie of their natures, and ſwift motion in executing their office.Omnis ſpiritus ales eſt. Tertullian ſaith, Every Spirit is winged, they fly in a moment into any part of the world, to execute the commands of God. Gabriel came flying to Daniel, Chap. 9.21. and that ſwiftly. Aſtronomers obſerve, that from the center of the earth (which is 3000. to the ſurface) up to the Sunne is above foure millions of miles, to the Firmament, where the fixed ſtarres are,Clavius in Sphaeram. Leſsius de omnipot: Dei. above fourſcore millions of miles, and from thence to the place of the bleſſed, where Saints and Angels are, more millions then from the earth to the Firmament. So that according to their account, it muſt be above 160. millions from heaven to earth; and this ſpace the Angel came flying in a little time: we thinke a Bullet out of a Musket flies ſwiftly, and it doth, for it hits the bird or mark ere the report is heard, and will fly 180. miles in an houre, according to its motion. The Sunne moves ſwifter 1160000 miles in one houre; the fixed ſtarres about the aequinoctiall Moone 42. millions of miles each houre; and yet the motion of an Angel is ſwifter, being a Spirit, and paſſing through the ayre without oppoſition; no creature in heaven or earth moves faſter then an Angel.
Their wings are foure; but the Seraphims in Iſa. 6. and the foure Beaſts in Rev. 4. are ſet out by ſix wings each of them. A queſtion hereupon ariſes; Why the Viſions being correſpondent, the Angels here are deſcribed onelyonly with foure wings: Anſ. That paire of wings is wanting here did cover the face of Iſaiah his Seraphims, and Johns foure beaſts; for they ſtanding before the throne and face of God, were not able to behold ſuch Majeſtie, brightneſſe, and glory, with open face, although they were moſt pure creatures. We cannot look upon the Sunne in its ſtrength and glory, but we cover our eyes with our hand; ſo they their faces with their wings; now here was ſomething in ſtead of theſe wings, and did the office of thoſe wings, and that was the Firmament: Ver. 22. The likeneſſe of the firmament upon the heads of the living creatures: and ver. 26. Above the firmament was the throne. This firmament interpoſed between the luſtre of divine glory, and their eyes, as the wings did in the Prophets and Apoſtles viſion, and therefore here was no need of that paire of wings; they were not before the throne, but ſub expanſo, and to doe works beneath in the world.
Obſerv. That the glory and Majeſty of God is ſuch as no eye can fully behold; there wings, here the firmament is interpoſed between God and Angels. When God came downe upon Mount Sinai, and manifeſted his majeſtie and glory, what ſaid the people? Speake thou to us, and not the Lord, leſt we die. They could not endure the ſhine of Moſes face, much leſſe the luſtre and majeſtie of the Lords; ſomething muſt interveene, elſe man dyes for it.
Touching the wings of theſe our Angels, three things are laid downe; 1. The conjunction of their wings; 2. The Extention of them; 3. The uſe.
The Conjunction is in the 9th verſe; Their wings were joyned one to another; and ver. 11. Two wings of every one were joyned one to another. The extremitie of their wings when ſtretched out and ready to flie, did touch one another; ſo as they ſeem'd to have but one wing.
Obſerv. 1. That there is mutuall love and much agreement between the Angels: the Connexion of their wings, notes the Connexion of their hearts; and the Hebrew is;foreign As Siſters that love one another intirely, and work together moſt ſweetly, ſo are the Angels, they love and labour together moſt ſweetly;Foemina ad ſororem ſuam. there be no diviſions or diſtractions among them, what buſineſſe ſoever is appointed, they all agree in; wee men can hardly agree in any one buſineſſe;Aliud ſtans, aliud ſed…ns de republica ſentis, Declam: in Ciceron. ſo many men, ſo many minds: Saluſt told Tullie, that his minde was very changeable concerning the Common-wealth; and it's true of moſt of us, what we allow now in matters of the State or Church, wee condemne anon, and ſo are at agreement neither with others, nor with our ſelves; but Angelicall concord parallels, yea exceeds our diſcord; Angels are all love, peace, and unitie.
Alae aequaliter extentae, elevatae, conjunctae.2. That there is a bleſſed harmony in the works of God done by Angels, their wings goe evenly, joyntly, not one before another, above another divided any way, but there is unitie and uniformitie in all their actions and operations. Could wee behold the actions and works of Angels, wee ſhould ſee ſuch glory and beauty, as never was ſeene in the works of men. If we look upon a building that is uniforme, and every part proportionable, wee are much taken with it: A garden that is drawne out exactly, and every thing in it ſet in order: An Army that keepeth ranke and poſture, and proceeds in all things according to rule, how beautifull and comely are they? All the actions of Angels are ſuch, one runneth not before another, one is not divided from another, one diſallowes not what another doth, but their harmony and correſpondency is ſuch, that if a man could ſee the ſame, he would be raviſhed with the works of Angels. Jam. 3.16. Where envying and ſtrife is, there is confuſion; but among Angels there is no envie, no ſtrife, ſo no confuſion.
Mutuas ſibi invicem tradunt operas ad exequenda Dei decreta.3. That wee ſhould joyne our helps for furtherance of the works of God: Angels joyne their wings, and afford help to each other to doe the will of God; Devils and wicked men joyne together againſt God and his wayes; Pſal. 2.2. The Kings of the earth ſet themſelves, and the Rulers take counſell together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Anointed, &c. And good men ſhould joyne together, their heads, their purſes and abilities whatſoever, to further Gods worke. If Angels appeare and put forth their wings to doe the will of their God, let us appeare and put forth our hands to doe the worke of our God.
The ſecond thing about their wings is, they were ſtretched upwards, not let downe, drawne up, reſting upon their bodies, but extended as ready for ſervice as might be, ver. 11.
This notes unto us the readineſſe of Angels to doe the will of Chriſt; their faces look up, attend his commands, and their wings are ſtretched out to fly about them as ſoone as they are made knowne; as a Hawke that is upon the wing, watches till the fowle riſe, and then falls upon her, and flyes after her immediately. Angels are upon the wing before the command goes out, and when it's out, God ſhall not need to uſe motives or arguments to put them on. The manifeſtation of his will, is the ſtrongeſt motive unto them; and it ſhould be ſo with us; We pray that Gods will may be done on earth as it's done in heaven; the meere manifeſtation of Gods will therefore ſhould prevaile with us as with Angels; but let God manifeſt his will, bring forth his ſtrong arguments to move us, yet we have no wings, or if wings, not ſtretched forth, or if ſtretched forth, wee rather flag then fly with them.
The third thing is the covering of the wings, ver. 11.Femora. two covered their bodies, their thighes, feet; that is in Iſa. 6.1. their uncomely parts: which are in Scripture-phraſe call'd the feete. One wing did cover the fore-part of their body, another their hinder parts.
Obſ. 1. In this covering of their bodies, God propounds them a patterne of chaſtitie and modeſtie unto us; Thoſe parts are hid, which might uncovered, argue diſreverence of God, or concupiſcence in them, or be offenſive unto men: God loves chaſte ſpirits, and chaſte behaviours; the Angels are very chaſte, and would not have any undecent thing objected to divine view, whoſe authoritie and majeſtie they adore;Nihil impurum in conſpectum Dei veniat. No impure thing muſt come into the ſight of God, therefore God ordered, Exod. 20.26. That there muſt be no ſteps to his Altar, leſt the nakedneſſe of the Prieſts were diſcovered in their going up, and ſo offence given to God and man; and further he appointed linnen breeches to cover the Prieſts nakedneſſe, Exod. 28.42.
2. It notes out to us that Angelicall nature is a thing hidden, and too high for us, while we are in our houſes of clay, their natures are beyond the reach of mans braine, and that wee are ſo farre from the knowledge of Gods face, nature, and abilitie to behold them, that we cannot know and behold the loweſt parts, the very feet of Angels, they are vail'd up from us: As too tranſcendent for our capacities, we know not the natures of any creatures here below, not of a flower, a fly; we deſcribe things, but doe not, cannot define them; I would ſee the proudeſt of you all define the nature of a ſtraw, as one preached in Cambridge to all the Scholars:Vitreum vas lam…imus, pultem non attingimus. if we know not the nature of theſe viſibles, of bodies, then much leſſe of Angels, and if not of Angels, leaſt of all of God.
3. That men are apt to Idolize choice Inſtruments imployed in Gods ſervice, and therefore the Angels are covered with wings to prevent it. Such is the beauty, wiſdome, ſtrength, uſe and celeritie of Angels in Gods ſervice, that man is apt to deifie them. John falls down to worſhip before the feete of an Angel, Rev. 22.8. And when Paul and Barnabas had heal'd a creeple, the Lycaonians ſaid, The Gods are come downe to us in the likeneſſe of men, and they would have ſacrificed to them, Act. 14. And ſhould the Angels appeare to us in their natures without being covered up, wee ſhould take them to be Gods; but they will not have that honour, they will hide their beauty and excellency, and deſire the glory onelyonly be given to God.
The next thing wee are to come unto, is their feete in the ſeventh verſe.