Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 1 · Verse 9, 12, 14
Verſ. 9 They turned not when they went, they went every one ſtreight forward.
Verſ. 12. And they went every one ſtreight forward, whither the ſpirit was to go they went, and they turned not when they went.
Verſ. 14. And the living creatures ran, and returned as the appearance of a flaſh of lightning.
They turned not when they went. Which way ſoever they moved, they turned neither face, wings nor bodies, but went ſtreight forward, there was no digreſſion, regreſſion, wandring, no circulation, but their motion was ſtreight, they moved in linea recta, they move, and move not impertinently, but directly. By this motion of Angels, is ſet out Gods government in the world; they are his agents, our Prophet ſeemes to croſſe himſelf in ver. 14. it's ſaid, they ran and returned, and ver. 17. they returned not when they went; here in this 9th, they turned not when they went: this knot muſt be looſed, or elſe our Prophet will ſuffer.
The Solution of this doubt is, that the Angels being in their work appointed of God, went on without turning or looking back til they came to the iſſue and end of it, til they came to the place appointed, and then they returned unto God to give account of their ſervice, and to receive new inſtructions. They went not back after the work was begun, but after it was ended; what ever difficulties interpoſed in the way, none of them could drive back, or divert the Angels, till their work was done, and then they preſently returned.
Obſer. 1. That the works of God in ordering the things of the world are ſtreight: Angels are as Gods hands, and in them is the agency of his work, and they go ſtreight on, and there be no windings, no turnings in their operations; the works of God ſeem crooked to us, but there is nothing crooked in them. A Carpenter that builds a houſe hath ſome pieces of timber long, ſome ſhort, ſome bowing, ſome ſtreight, of all which hee builds a goodly houſe, but ſome rude ignorant fellow underſtands not the reaſon of that diverſity, and when the work is done there is nothing ſeen defective, but all is ſtreight and perfect; ſo in the works of providence and divine diſpenſations in the world, they ſeem crooked, (and therefore ſome have called providence crooked and winding) but no ſuch thing is in them: Pſal. 18.30. His wayes are perfect, Deut. 32.4. His work is perfect; take the work of creation, providence, redemption, they be without obliquity, deformity, or defect, but men are not ſo, and the reaſon is given, for all his wayes are judgement, that is, all his adminiſtrations, all his doings are judicious, right and equall.
2. That Angels perſiſt in and carry on their work; they are conſtant and perſevere,Conſtantia eſt in propoſito, perſeverantia in opere. Charles the 5th his Motto was, Plus ultra. Faelicitatis index ultimus dies, Solon. they turn not back, they give not over, but proceed to the end; they are not ſlothfull, weary, unfaithfull, but active, lively, holding on to the end; This may be uſefull to our thoughts: Angels go on, and lively in their work, ſhall we be lazy? they perſevere, ſhall wee draw back, or turn aſide? Lots wife looked back, and ſhe was turned into a pillar of Salt, Gen. 19.26. ſhe looked to the things behind, which was unwarrantable, and God did ſeverely puniſh her, ſhee had part of Sodomes judgements, which were brimſtone, ſalt, and burning, Deut. 29.23. And ſhe was made a pillar of ſalt to ſeaſon after-ages, with the feare not only of backſliding, but alſo of back-looking. Joſephus ſaith, hee ſaw this pillar in his dayes,Antiq. l. 1. c. 12 which was neer two thouſand yeers after; but Borchardus that liv'd ſome 300. yeeres ſince, ſaith, it was in his dayes. Adrichomius ſaith, it's yet extant; and the Targum hath it, that it will indure to the day of judgement. Whether this materiall pillar be extant or not, is doubtfull; Chriſt hath ſet up a ſpirituall pillar, that will endure to the end, to make us faithfull to the end: Remember Lots wife, Luke 17.32. Look back and die, go on in the wayes and commands of God and live. It was the reproach of the Iſraelites, that they would have gone back to Egypt, and they died for it in the wilderneſſe. Matth. 10. Hee that endures to the end ſhall be ſaved: and Luke 9.62. No man having put his hand to the Plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdome of heaven. A man plowing, if he look back, endangers the Oxen which plow, and muſt needs make crooked furrowes, and mar all: ſo one that hath begun to plow in Gods field, if he look back, he is unfit for heaven. Exod. 17.12. Moſes hands were ſteady till the going down of the Sun, and ſo muſt ours till the Sun ſet, till our lives end: Gal. 4.9. How turne yee againe to weake and beggerly Elements? Gal. 5.7. Yee did run well: It's dangerous when either of theſe come in againſt a people; but the godly have a promiſe, Jer. 32.40. I will put my feare in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from mee.
3. That they keepe cloſe to the work in hand,foreign They fetched no compaſſe. to what is injoyn'd, they divert neither one way nor other, as they give not over, ſo they turne not aſide upon any pretence whatſoever, but haſten to the execution of what is commanded; how un-Angelicall are wee that have ſuch roving ſpirits in all our imployments? tho…gh we look not back, yet we look aſide. God complains, This people draw nigh with their lips, but their heart is farre from mee; they are in my houſe, and in my work, but their hearts are in neither, they look towards me, as if they were my people, but their hearts look another way, as if they were worldlings, hypocrites; like Watermen, they rowe one way, and look another. Ezek. 33.31. With their mouth they ſhew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetouſneſſe; wee are too guiltie of this evill, our hearts are ſeldome at home. What's ſaid of the Harlots feete, Pro. 7.11. They abide not in her houſe; the ſame may be ſaid of our hearts, they abide not in the houſe: When you walke abroad and keepe the path, the Spaniel that is with you ranges over much ground, and ſeldome is in the path; ſo is it with our hearts, we may be in the path of duties, but our hearts ranging over the world, heaven and hell. Jam. 5.17. Elias prayed earneſtly; in the Originall, it's he prayed in prayer, intimating, a man may be at prayer, in prayer, and yet be a prayerleſſe man, not pray, and that becauſe the heart is not in it; So in hearing, you may heare and not heare, &c. What's the reaſon Chriſt knocks at the dore ſo oft, and is not let in? the heart is dead aſleep, or abroad.
4.Ad tranſitum facici ſuae aut tractum faciei ſuae objectum. So Piſcat. That Angels have the ſcope and marke in their eye which they aime at: They went every one ſtreight forward; the Hebrew is, to the way or paſſage of his face, that path was before his face; that is, they went thither where their eyes or faces were fixed; as they looke not back nor aſide, ſo they alwayes looke upon the marke, each goeth forward to that is before him; this keeps them on to the work, and in the work, they have the marke in their eye. Pro. 4.25. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-lids looke ſtreight before thee; looke to the charge appointed, to that is right, to that is ſet before thee of God, and this will quicken thy induſtry. Phil. 3.13, 14. Forgetting thoſe things which are behinde, and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before, I preſſe towards the marke. Paul had not his eye upon what was done bygone, or on what was upon either ſide of him, but upon that was before him, the marke,foreign. heaven, eternall life was the marke in his eye, and he preſſed after them, he was as intent upon them, and as purſuant of them, as he was in the work of perſecuting the Saints, he reached after them as the one thing neceſſary,Aſſequitur nulla qui ſequitur multa; Is Angelicus qui nec multus nec varius eſt. we ſet not the mark before us, in ſtead of heaven, Chriſt, eternall life; we have the world, our pleaſures, and a multitude of things in our eyes, and ſo we are divided, and doe nothing.
5. That Angels minde and purſue every one his own work, not others: They went forward to the worke, object, mark ſet before their faces; he that had his work deſigned him in the Eaſt, minded not his work lay in the Weſt; each acted his own part, and fell not upon any thing concern'd another, although their imployments lay the ſame way; what was before their faces, that they did and nothing elſe: Devills compaſſe the earth, and medle with all men, and with all matters; it's not ſo with the good Angels, they kept their ſtation, and doe keep order, they intermedle not with ought concerns them not. The Apoſtle would have Chriſtians to be Angelicall,foreign. 1 Theſ. 4.11. Study to doe your own buſineſſe, thoſe things concerne our generall and particular calling; if men will with their wit and curioſitie run out of their bounds, they are extravagant and buſi-bodies. Some think becauſe they are Neighbours, they may medle in all contentions; becauſe Subjects, they may interpoſe in all State-affaires; becauſe Chriſtians, deale with others ſinnes; but this is to break the hedge, to break out of our own callings into others, and ſuch though they ſeeme great doers, doe nothing. 2 Theſ. 3.11. There are ſome among you that walke diſorderly, foreign.working not at all, they are buſie-bodies: What buſie and doe nothing? Yes becauſe they doe things impertinent unto them, unfruitfull, unprofitable, out of place. When Peter medl'd too far in Johns matters; What ſhall this man doe? Chriſt takes him up ſharply; What is that to thee? Joh. 21.22. And ſome thinke this made Peter ſo ſharpe againſt that ſinne afterwards, and to looke upon it as bad as theft and murther; 1 Pet. 4.15. Let none of you ſuffer as a murtherer, or as a thiefe, or as an evill doer, or as a buſie-body in other mens matters.
They ran, and returned.
Here is the qualitie of their motion, it was ſwift, they had wings to fly, and feete to run: much hath been ſpoken of the Angels ſwiftneſſe; I ſhall here therefore touch upon their returne when their work is done, they make no ſtay, they linger not at all, but returne with all ſpeed; when God ſends them out or calls them in, their motion is very ſpeedy; it's ſet out here by a flaſh of lightning, that is the ſooneſt into the world and out againe of any ſenſible creature, in a moment it is in your houſes and out againe, in a moment it ſhines from Eaſt to Weſt, and is gone, it's very glorious and marvellous active. Angels are Cherubims of glory, Heb. 9.5. and the moſt active of all Gods works, and when their work is finiſhed they retire immediately; as lightening when it's come to its period, doth reciprocate and fall back into its ſelfe without delay; ſo doe the Angels returne to him ſent them out, to know his farther pleaſure and to doe him more ſervice.
Obſ. 1. That Angels in their ſervices are glorious and terrible: They are like the lightning, which ſhines, dazles, and doth dreadfull things. Judg. 13.20. When Manoah and his wife ſaw the Angel goe up to heaven in a flame of fire, they fell downe on their faces to the ground, and thought they ſhould dye, ver. 22. It was a received opinion among the Jews, that if they ſaw God or an Angel, they ſhould dye upon it. Judg 6.22, 23. Gideon a mightie man of valour, cryes out, Alas, O Lord God, becauſe I have ſeen an Angel of the Lord face to face: and the Lord ſaid, Feare not, thou ſhalt notidye: If they had a viſion being awake, they apprehended death, but they never had experience of any that dyed upon any ſuch occaſion, this roſe rather from the apprehenſion of glory & majeſty in God and Angels, and conſciouſneſs of their own weaknes & guilt, as not able to abide the preſence of thoſe glorious creatures, that came immediatly from the preſence of the glorious God; and we finde that ſome have been much affrighted, and almoſt ſtruck dead, at the preſence of the holy Angels. Mat. 28.2, 3, 4. An Angel comes from heaven, whoſe countenance was like lightning, and his rayment as the Sunne, and for feare of him the Keepers of the Sepulchre did ſhake and became like dead men, there was no ſpirit left in them, the glory of the Angel did exanimate them: they are glorious and terrible in their miniſtrations; and ſo ſhould the Miniſters of the Goſpel,foreign. the Angels of the Church be: Nazianz. ſaith of Baſil, his ſpeech was thunder, and his life lightning. Such were James and John, Boanerges, ſonnes of thunder, Mark. 3.17. They were terrible to ſinners in their preaching, like thunder and lightning.
2. That account is to be rendered to God of all our ſervices: whom God ſets awork, he will reckon with; Angels returne and become reſponſable to God their Lord and Maſter, thoſe mightie and glorious creatures, when their work is finiſhed, doe willingly and chearfully returne, and give in their anſwer; God looks for it, and they delight to doe it; and, account we muſt all give of our work in the world. Rom. 14.12. Every one of us ſhall give account of himſelfe unto God; God will ſay to us, Come, give account of your Stewardſhips, Luk. 16.2. Every one hath a talent, is a Steward, hath ſome truſt committed to him, and he muſt not thinke to run, and never returne; let men act how they will, returne they ſhall, be they never ſo great, be they Princes, Magiſtrates, Commanders, &c. Eccleſ. 12. God ſhall bring every worke unto Judgement, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good or evill; both the work and the workman muſt be queſtioned. Mat. 12.36. Of every idle word that men ſhall ſpeake, they ſhall give an account of in the day of Judgement.
3. That Angels are lively and unweariable in their negotiations, they run and returne as a flaſh of lightning; when they had done great ſervice in the world, they were as lively at the end of it as at the beginning, they return back with as much life and ſpeed as they went forth, and were ready for new imployments, they return'd as to give account of what was done, ſo to receive new commands and worke. This is a good patterne for us all, that in the workes of God thoſe imployments he calls us to, we grow not weary of; one ſinne fits for another, and men are unweariable in that trade; So one dutie ſhould fit for another, and wee ſhould never be tyred in our ſpirits,Ad laetitiam et animi pacem magnum pondus habent rectae actiones. though we be in our bodies. Gal. 6.9. Let us not be weary in well-doing; the wicked are weary of and in well-doing: What profit is it, ſay they, that wee keepe his Commandements, and that we walke humbly before the Lord of Hoſts? Mal. 3.14. When will the new Moone be gone, that we may ſell corne, and the Sabbath, that we may ſet forth Wheat? Amos 8.5. Pſal. 36.3. He hath left off to be wiſe, and to doe good. Mal. 1.13. They ſaid, What a wearineſſe is it! and ſnuffed at it, and brought that was torne, lame, ſicke; but the godly are never weary of Gods work,Deſidia eſt mors ſuperſtes, Vacua eſt vita. though ſometimes they are weary in it, through the ſtrength of the fleſh, weakneſſe of grace, and other diſcouragements, but they having taſted how gracious the Lord is, are not, will not, cannot be weary of his ſervice; his Commandements are not grievous to them.
4. That they ſeek not themſelves, but the honour and glory of their Maſter, they ſtay not when their work is done, upon pleaſure, curioſitie to ſee or know any thing, but immediately returne, and are taken up wholly with the glorifying of God, they are attent, watching his Commands, for they look up; they are intent upon his work, they turne not to either ſide, look not backe, but goe ſtreight forward; they contend for his glory, they runne, returne, and give account, and would have new Commiſſions, be at work againe, and have God to be glorified to their utmoſt abilities. Iſa. 6.3. Holy, holy is the Lord of Hoſt, the whole earth is full of his glory; they ſee God ſo glorious, excellent, and holy in himſelfe, ſo glorious in all his works, that they minde not themſelves, but God, and make it their onelyonly and great deſigne, to glorifie God, Rev. 4.8, 9. And this is our duty and comfort if done. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether you eate or drinke, &c. The glory of the infinite, holy, wiſe, and great God, ſhould be precious to us, we ſhould attend his commands, intend his worke, contend againſt all lets, within or without, and promote his worke and glory to our utmoſt. That worke is not referr'd to Gods glory, but our gaine, credit or profit, is a dead work.Omnibus operibus noſtris coeleſtis intentio adjungi debet. Aquinas. The School-men call for a right intention in every work, as that which animates and inlivens the ſame: and though we cannot actually intend Gods glory alwayes in every thing, yet there ſhould be a vertuall intention of it. A bowle runs, an arrow flies by vertue of that arme firſt ſent them forth, and all our actions ſhould proceed in the ſtrength of a morning or primary intention of Gods glory.
One thing yet remaines touching the motion of Angels, namely, the efficient cauſe of their motion, and it's the Spirit, ſet down in theſe words: