Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 3 · Verse 12-15
VER. 12.
Then the Spirit took mee up, and I heard behind me a voyce of a great ruſhing, ſaying, Bleſſed is the glory of the Lord from his place.
13. I heard alſo the noyſe of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noyſe of the wheels over againſt them, and a noyſe of a great ruſhing.
14. So the Spirit lifted mee up, and tooke mee away, and I went in bitterneſſe, in the heat of my ſpirit, but the hand of the Lord was ſtrong upon mee.
15. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abid, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I ſate where they ſate, and remained there aſtoniſhed ſeven dayes.
THeſe words are the ſecond part of the Chapter, and contain in them a Declaration of what befell the Prophet, being ſo call'd, and the particulars are theſe:
1. The work of the Spirit in taking and lifting him up, ver. 12th.
2. The voyce he heard, verſ. 12. and what it was, Bleſſed, &c.
3. The noyſe of wings and wheels, verſ. 13.
4. The ablation of the Prophet, verſ. 14.
In the 12th was a ſublation, in this an ablation.
5. The journey he went, in the 14. and 15. verſe. And
6. His condition, hee was in bitterneſſe of ſpirit, hee ſate and mourned ſeven dayes, verſ. 14, 15.
The Spirit took me up.
By Spirit here we underſtand, not the wind, as if ſome great wind ſhould take up the Prophet, nor an Angel, as if hee had been lift up by Angelicall vertue, nor his own ſpirit, as Jerome would have it, but that Spirit which was in the living creatures and wheels, Chap. 1.12, 20. and led them; that Spirit entred into Ezekiel, and ſet him upon his feet, Chap. 2.2. That Spirit which led Chriſt into the Wilderneſſe, Matth. 4.1. even the eternall Spirit of God.
This taking up of Ezekiel by the Spirit of God was:
1. To perfect and ratifie his Call to the Propheticall Office; the Lord Chriſt had ſpoken much unto him about it, and now the Spirit lifts him up, and ſeals the ſame unto his ſoul, ſtrengthening him in the full aſſurance thereof; when hee had heard Chriſts voyce, and found his Spirit working ſo extraordinarily, as to lift him up; this could not but mightily prevail with, and ſatisfie the ſoule of the Prophet.
2. That hee might have a more cleer and full view of the glory of him that ſate upon the Throne: when wee would have one ſee things diſtinctly and fully, wee ſet or lift him up on high. The Devill carryed Chriſt unto an exceeding high mountain, and ſhewed him the glory of the kingdomes of the world, Matth. 4.8.
3. To put honour upon him, in letting him ſee, that he was to be an organ of the Spirit for the future, he was to be imploy'd in great ſervice by the Spirit, and that was a great honour. Hee was to be the mouth of the Spirit unto that people; to be wholly at the diſpoſe of the Spirit.
4. To avocate his thoughts from things below, and to ſettle them upon contemplation of things divine; a Prophet is not to look downward, his heart ſhould be lifted up to heaven, and heavenly things.
And I heard behind me the voyce of a great ruſhing.
It was not the voyce of thunder, or of an earth-quake, but of the living creatures; and the voyce ſome make to be the words: Bleſſed is the glory of the Lord from his place; which words are in the originall, the bleſſed glory of the Lord from his place; that is, the glory of God is now going out of his place, and it troubles the Angels, that they lament, and make a great noyſe, to behold ſo dreadfull a judgement to befall Jeruſalem and the Jewes; and ſo the voyce to be differing from theſe words. If it be granted, that theſe words were the voyce uttered, yet may they be taken in that ſenſe, as is expreſſed, to ſhew their ſorrow for the ruine of the Church, The bleſſed glory of the Lord is departing from its place, God is leaving his habitation and people, and all is haſtening to ſpoyl and deſolation, this affected the very Angels: when ſome great man, that hath been a great Patron and friend to a place, is going away; what lamentation is made? what a noyſe and ſtir is there at it? as in theſe dayes, when ſome Miniſters, Magiſtrates, and other eminent Chriſtians, are forced from their place by the enemies, what complaint doth it cauſe? what a noyſe doth it make? and ſo when God leaves a people, that were beloved and deare unto him, it fetches ſighs and complaints, not only from men, but even from angels alſo; the ſoul finds it a ſad thing when God departs from it, and oft mourns bitterly. Some take the words for a Doxologie, and make the ſenſe this; Bleſſed be the glory of God, which is ſeen in puniſhing the wicked, and delivering the Church. God ſhewes himſelf juſt and righteous, that he will no longer ſtay among a ſinful people, but be gone from them, and render to them according to their wayes. The Quere will be, in what ſenſe we may take the words? both ſenſes may without prejudice be admitted, while the Angels looked upon the great loſſe the Jews ſhould have by Gods departure, the great evils would follow therupon; they ſympathized, and were ſo affected with it, that they brake out into theſe expreſſions, The bleſſed glory of God is going out of its place, and ſo it was vox lamentationis; but when they look'd at Gods Juſtice and holineſſe, they ſaid, Bleſſed is, or, be the glory of the Lord. Though men be ruin'd, Cities and Nations deſtroyed, and God driven from his habitation, yet let his Name be glorious, and ſo it's vox laudis, and brought in to anſwer the Objections and Cavils the people might make; they might ſay: What? will God leave us? expoſe us to the people of forain enemies? ſhall we and ours be cut off? will he thus deal with his people? is it come to this? What equity is in it? The Angels, to prevent ſuch murmurings, and vile ſpeech, ſaid, Bleſſed, &c. even when hee is in a way of judgement, hee is to be honoured and made glorious.
Bleſſed is the glory of the Lord from his place.
Wee muſt make ſome ſearch into theſe words, and inquire after the perſon, the place and the glory. The perſon here is taken to be Chriſt, who appeared unto the Prophet in the Viſion. The place, the Throne where Chriſt ſate; and the glory, that's mentioned in the end of the firſt Chapter. And Chriſt now being about to go off his Throne, and put an end to the Viſion, the Angels cryed, Bleſſed be the glory of the Lord from his place. This is not all wee muſt expect from the words, they type out unto us, the departure of the Lord from the Temple; that God would be gone, and take away that which was the chief glory of it.
From his place.
God is illocall, and the Rabbins uſe that word, to ſignifie Gods illocality; which notes place; Makom is a ſpace, or place, becauſe all things ſubſiſt in them; Hammakom, per Antiphrafin, is illocalis, infinitus, one that ſubſiſts, or is comprehended in no place, and ſo is an attribute of God. How then is God here ſaid to have place Nimekomo, From his place? God properly hath no place, it's ſenſu metaphorico, that place is given to him; where hee in any ſpeciall manner doth manifeſt his glory, power, grace and goodneſſe, that is ſaid to be his place.
And three places God is ſaid to have in the Scripture:
1. The heavens; Iſa. 66.1. Heaven is my throne, and 1 King. 8.30. heare in heaven thy dwelling place.
2. The humble heart, Iſa. 57.15. that is Gods dwelling place. And
3. The Temple in Sion, Pſal. 132.13, 14. Sion was his habitation, there was his reſt and abode, that is, in the Temple, being in Sion, in the Temple and Sanctuary, were his voyce, his Way, Pſal. 18.6. Pſal. 77.13. That was the place where his honour dwelt, Pſal. 26.8. The habitation of his glory. The words are in the originall, the place of the habitation or Tabernacle of his glory, alluding to that in Exod. 40.24, 25. where it's ſaid, The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. So the glory of the Lord filled the Temple; there was the preſence of God; there was manifeſtations of his glory; there hee heard Prayers, and there he gave out many gracious anſwers; there he accepted of their ſacrifices, and communicated himſelf unto them; there was the Ark and ſign of Gods preſence, and the Cherubims, from between which God gave out the anſwers. In theſe things lay the glory of the Temple, but now God would be gone, and all the glory of the Temple ſhould depart; God moved not from place to place, being infinite, illocall, immovable; but he is ſaid to depart, when he ceaſes to do as formerly hee did, in the ſoul, when you find not God acting and manifeſting himſelf, you ſay hee is gone. Here now God would anſwer them no more, not accept their ſacrifice, nor heare their prayers, &c. hee would not do as formerly he had done; he would not protect them any longer, but look upon them as being unworthy of his preſence, glory, protection and hope, and in his wrath leave them to ruine and ſpoyl of their adverſaries, and this was Gods departing according to that in Hoſ. 5.15. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence. That phraſe, bleſſed glory of the Lord, you may for the better underſtanding, conceive thus; Bleſſed be the glorious Lord, or, the glory, the Lord; or, if you will take it as it's read, the meaning is, that the glory of the Lord is to be celebrated.
Obſerv. 1. That thoſe that are call'd to imployment in the Church of Chriſt, have need not only of Chriſts word, but Chriſts Spirit alſo; Chriſt had ſpoken largely unto Ezekiel, and here the Spirit lifts him up, and doth in eſpeciall manner animate and arm him to the work; when the Apoſtles had been long with Chriſt, heard his Sermons, ſeen his Miracles, life, joyned with him in prayer, all this would not do it, though Chriſt had forty dayes ſpoken to them in pa ticular of the things of the Kingdome, Acts 1.3. till they had the Spirit, and were fill'd with that; therefore Chriſt bid them wait for it, he knew they had need of it ver. 4. and that it would do more in them, then all he had ſaid unto them, the Spirit would be Doctor intus, and acquaint them with all truth. The Spirit would purge out their feares and diſtempers, it would warm, heat, ſeal, ratifie and make them reſolute in the work.
2. That the Angels do ſympathiſe with the Church and people of God in their miſeries. This voyce was, as I ſhewed in the opening, the voyce of the living creatures, and they made a noiſe, lamenting the ſtate of Jeruſalem, God being upon the leaving of it, and expoſing it to great miſery; Ah, ſaid they, the bleſſed and glorious Lord is going from his place, and all miſeries are now ſtepping in upon his people, this affected them; wee know that the Angels reioyce at the converſion of ſinners, and by the Law of contraries we infer they are ſadded at the deſtruction of ſinners, of States and Churches; they have been imployed to comfort in trouble; and where there is no ſympathy, there is little ſolace. Do you not think, that the Angel ſeeing Chriſt his Lord and Maſter in his agony, that hee did ſympathiſe firſt with him, and then ſtrengthen him? Angels being without ſin, are as full of pity as the Devils are of cruelty: God, Chriſt and the Spirit, are full of pity, and it cannot be, that Angels which are ſo neer them, ſhould be voyd of it, no, they have a holy ſympathy with us; in Gods departure from a place is ſad newes, even to Angels.
3. The happineſſe of a people, is to have the Lord and his glory amongſt them, and their greateſt miſery is to have God depart from them; moſt think the happineſſe of a people to lie in liberty, honour, plenty of all things; David once ſubſcribed to it, Pſal. 144.15. Happy are the people are in ſuch a caſe, but he quickly croſſeth out that ſubſcription, and ſaid, yea, happy is that people whoſe God is their Lord; there's the happineſſe to have God amongſt them, hee is the glory of a people, Zach. 2.5. hee was the glory in the midſt of Jeruſalem, there God dwelt, as his worſhip, Laws, oracles, miracles, teſtified, and ſo hee made Jeruſalem glorious among all nations. Where true Religion is, pure Worſhip and Ordinances, and God working for the good of a people, defending them, that is the glory and excellency of a kingdome, 2 Chron. 13.25. ſaith Abijah, God is with us for our Captain, this was more then all the ſtrength of Judah beſide, when Jeroboam came againſt him with 800000 choſen men, With you are the golden calves; verſ. 8. you have a great number, but God is not with you to be your glory and defence, you have the calves, which is your ſhame and nakedneſſe, but God is with us, who is our glory and defence. And when Jeruſalem fell to Idolatry, God tels them, that they had changed their glory for that did not profit, Jer. 2.11. they had driven away their glory; and here was the beginning of their woe. That's the miſery of a kingdome, to have God depart from it, then publike enterpriſes proſper not, 2 Chron. 22.24. then counſell failes, 1 Sam. 28.15. protection is gone, Iſa. 5.5. then peace, loving kindneſſe and mercies go, Jer. 16.5. This is as taking the Sun out of the firmament, the eyes out of the head, or ſoul out of the body; now a kingdome and people lie expoſed to all evils and miſchiefs, Hoſ. 9.12. Wo to them when I depart from them, all miſchiefes preſently ſtep, croud in upon a people left of God; famine, wars, captivity, a perverſe ſpirit, and treacherouſneſſe one to another, came upon this people, when God left his place. And ſo after Chriſts dayes, when God left them, and that voyce was heard in the Temple, Migremus hinc, Joſeph. de hel. Jud. l. 7. c. 2. L…b. 11.which Tacitus in his Annals alſo mentions, Audit… major hum ma vox ex…edere Deos, ſimul ingens motus excedentium, after this, dreadfull miſery befell them, war, famine, diſperſion was their portion, they are without God, Chriſt and mercy to this day, an undone, and moſt unhappy people. Wee had almoſt driven away God by our ſins, ſpecially by our Idolatry, ſuperſtitions, but God and his glory are not quite gone, Jer. 14.9. Yet thou O Lord art in the midſt of us, and we are called by thy Name, leave us not.
4. God is glory, or glorious; there is nothing in God inglorious; as in the Son is only light, ſo God is light, and in him is no darkneſſe, hee is all light, all glory; his Attributes are glory, his Eſſence is glory, his Life is glory, God is only glory; Bleſſed be the glory, the Lord.
5. Under the Law, God confined himſelf to a particular place, to the Temple; there he dwelt, appeared, received ſacrifices, gave anſwers, &c. So that the Temple was not only locus, but medium divini cultus, the Jewes were bound to ſet their faces towards it, when they prayed, 1 King. 8.48. Dan. 6.10. it being alſo a type of the body of Chriſt, Joh. 2.19. that ſanctified their Aſſemblies and ſacrifices, Matth. 23.19. But it's otherwiſe now under the Goſpel; neither Jeruſalem nor Samaria is the place where God is fixed, Joh. 4.21. but Gods habitation is in all places where hee hath Saints, Matth. 18.20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, foreign.I am there in the midſt of them. 2 Cor 6.16. Yee are the Temple of the living God; and what ſaith God? I will dwell in them, and walk about in them, that is, in the Church of Corinth; and ſo in all Congregations. Now the Congregations are Gods habitation, he walks amongſt the golden Candleſticks, there is the glorious God ſeen, the glorious God heard. But the place now where the meetings are, be neither means nor parts of worſhip, no types of Chriſt, nor do they ſanctifie the people or ſervice done in them, rather do the people and Ordinances while they are there ſanctifie them; and yet when the Ordinances are ended, and people gone, no holineſſe abides in them, but they are as other places.
6. The Lord is worthy of praiſe, when he is in a way of judgement: Bleſſed be the glory of the Lord from his place; now he was departing from Jeruſalem, all woes and miſeries taking hold of them, yet was he a God deſerving praiſes; Gods judgements are deep, we oft know not the reaſons of them, ſee not the equity of Gods proceedings in them, yet wee ſhould be ſo far from murmuring, that we ſhould count him worthy of honour and praiſe, when he deſerts Churches and kingdomes, Exod. 15.11. God is fearefull in praiſes.
7. It's the work and office of Angels to praiſe God; the living creatures here ſaid, Bleſſed be the glory of the Lord from his place; and Rev. 5.10, 11. There were many Angels about the Throne; and what did they? they ſang, Worthy is the Lamb that was ſlain, to receive power, and riches, and wiſdome, and ſtrength, and honour, and glory, and bleſſing; So the Seraphims in Iſa. 6.3. their ſong was, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hoſts, the whole earth is full of his glory. Angels are muſicall creatures, and make the beſt melody; Arias thinks it was an Angel dictated the Song of Deborah unto her;A. Lapid on Judg. 5.23. Luke 2.13, 14. there was a heavenly Chorus, and ſang a heavenly ſong, Glory to God in the higheſt, on the earth peace, and good-will towards men; this was a ſhort, but a ſweet ſong; when great things have been done by God, the Angels have been brought in praiſing God: as when God created the world; Job 48.4.7. Where waſt thou, ſaith God to Job, when I laid the foundations of the earth? When the morning ſtars ſang together, and all the ſons of God ſhouted for joy? that is, the Angels, as Interpreters obſerve, who at the ſight of that great and glorious work were much affected, and ſang the praiſes of God; ſo at the birth of Chriſt, and here at the departure of God out of the Temple, the great God, doing great works, muſt have great praiſes, even the praiſes of Angels; praiſe is an Angelicall work, and the office of Angels,foreign, Theod. and the Spirit calls for it at their hands, Pſal. 148.2. Praiſe him all his Angels, and they do it, when he is in his judgements. The Jewes thought God dealt hardly in puniſhing them; but Angels ſaw cauſe to praiſe God for his departure from them, and vindicating his glory in the puniſhment of hypocrites.
8. God doth his works without motion or mutation; Here it's ſaid, from his place; there is a ſhew of motion and change, but no ſuch thing befalls God, his works make motions and changes in the creature, not in himſelf, he is infinite, fils heaven and earth, and never removes from one place to another, he is immutable and not ſubject to changes.
For the 13th Verſe; of the wings, wheels, and noyſe of them I have ſpoken in the firſt Chapter largely; yet a little I ſhall ſpeak of the Verſe, it's ſaid, that the living creatures touched one another; The Hebrew is from Naſhaſh, to kiſſe, and each other, in the Hebrew, is a woman to her ſiſter.
Obſerv. 1. God makes uſe of Angels and ſecond cauſes in the government of the world, and execution of his judgements, all creatures have being from, and dependance on God, and he may imploy them to what ſervice he will.
2. Gods judgements do oft come ſuddenly and ſwiftly; wings make a noyſe, and wheels do rattle in a moment, and judgements come in an inſtant, Hoſ. 10.13. in a morning ſhall the King of Iſrael be cut off utterly; Belſhazzar in a night, Dan. 5.30. Nebuchadnezzar in an hour driven from his palace and pride. Dan. 4.33.
3. There is much harmony and love between the Angels; their wings touch, kiſſe, they go lovingly together in the execution of their offices; they have like affections, as a woman to her ſiſter; they ſang ſweetly together at the birth of Chriſt, there is no contention, envie or diviſion among them, but much love, they are neer God, and the neerer any are to God, the more love is in them: if wee could agree better, and love more, wee ſhould be Angelicall.
In the 14th Verſe is laid down, what the Spirit did with the Prophet, after it had lift him up: It took him away; after the Sublation, there was an Ablation. The Prophet was carried by the power of the Spirit to Tel-abib; this was not a viſionall thing, but reall; for being lifted up, hee was taken away from the place where hee ſaw the Viſion, hee was not ſet down, and ſo left to go to Tel-abib, but hee was carried in the arms of the Spirit, as Philip was caught up by the Spirit, and carried to Azotus, Acts 8.39, 40. The Spirit was the fiery Chariot that carried Philip and our Prophet through the ayre to their ſeverall places.
And I went in bitterneſſe, in the heat of my ſpirit.
The Hebrew is, I went bitter in the hot anger of my ſpirit; Here the infirmity of our Prophet appeares much, in that after hee had ſeen and heard ſuch great and glorious things, had found ſuch favour in the eyes of Chriſt, as to have his Spirit enter into him, comfort him, confirm him, and to beſtow propheticall gifts upon him, yet now hee ſhould be unwilling to obey Chriſts call, be in bitterneſſe and oppoſition to his Will; this is grandis infirmitas, If I go and preach of the glory departing from the Temple, I ſhall ſtir up the people againſt me, they will ſtone me, if not, I ſhall offend God. The Prophet now thought upon Gods anger againſt his people; his departure out of the Temple, the ruine of the City, the ſtubbornneſſe and impudency of the houſe of Iſrael; now the weightineſſe of the work injoyn'd him by Chriſt ſeiſed upon him; and now, like Jonas, hee thought to decline the ſervice, his ſpirit was bitter, he in a great heat, that he was ſo preſſed to a work ſo little affected, and over-powerd by the Spirit of God, that will he, nill he, on he muſt, for the next words are:
But the hand of the Lord was ſtrong upon me.
Which words do declare, that had not Gods hand overpowered him, hee would not have ſet upon that hard work of the Propheticall office; feares, difficulties, dangers, carnall reaſon, unbeliefe, ſelf-love; one, or all of theſe, would have turned him back, if the hand of God had not ſtrongly prevailed with him.
By hand of the Lord, ſome underſtand the Spirit of Propheſie, as if that did mightily urge him; ſo the Chaldee Expoſition is; others underſtand by it divinum auxilium, or, virtus ſpiritus; which is as a hand to help; we may ſafely underſtand the Spirit by it, which put forth its mighty power upon, and in the Prophet. Why the Spirit is reſembled to a hand, I ſhewed in the firſt Chapter, v. 3. A hand is ſymbolum energiae, index rei, & inſtrumentum aperationis, there is ſtrength in the hand; it ſhewes what is to be done, and effects it; ſo here, the Spirit took hold of the Prophet, which notes his power, ſhewed him his duty, and cauſed him to do it.
Was ſtrong: The Hebrew root ſignifies, fortiter apprehendere, foreigntenere, as one that holds looſe joints and nerves of the body, to ſtrengthen and confirm them, that ſo the man may be more compact and able to do any thing: it notes laying hold with ſtrength, as men in danger of drowning; and the Septuagint frequently renders it by a word notes ſo much; as Ezek. 7.13.22.14.foreign, & foreign. which is to hold by ſtrength; and this ſenſe ſuits with the hand of the Lord that took hold of the Prophet, whoſe ſpirit was remiſſe, infirm, like a member out of joynt, and ſtrengthened it, and inabled it to do what was intended and appointed; the Spirit held the Prophet by its mighty power, that he could not wreſt from it by any means, but like a man conquered, muſt yeeld, and do what was required.
Obſerv. 1. The Prophets were put on too, and carried on in their works of Propheſie, and giving the Scriptures by extraordinary acts of the Spirit, that enters into Ezekiel, takes him up, takes him away with mighty power, comes upon him, and conſtrains him to propheſie; here was inſpiration and impulſion of the Spirit, 2 Pet. 1.20,foreign. 21. Prophecie came not by the will of man, but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt; it was not their own ſpirit moved, that is, private, but it was the Spirit of God, which is divine and publique, and carried them on with might; ſo that the Scriptures are not inventum humanum, but Oracula Dei, they are not of man, but of God; therefore Philo ſaith, Propheta eſt interpres Dei dictantis Oracula, the Spirit dictates all, and man only utters, or writes what is dictated; and as the Scriptures are not of man, but of the Spirit; ſo their interpretation is not of man, but of the Spirit likewiſe. Let Councels, Fathers, Churches, give their ſenſe of Scripture, it's private, if it be not the ſenſe and interpretation of the Spirit: Let a private man give the true ſenſe of the Scripture, it's not private, becauſe it's divine; the ſenſe of the Holy Ghoſt, and private in this place of Peter, is not oppoſed to publique, but to divine; and the words are to be read, no Scripture is of a mans own interpretation; that is, private, contrary to divine.
2. The Holy Ghoſt is God, and a perſon diſtinct from the Son; the Spirit was in the living creatures, in the wheeles, and in Ezekiel, how could this be, if the Spirit were not God? none but God can be at the ſame time in many places; it's his peculiar prerogative and nature to be every where. The beams of the Sun are in ſeverall places, but not the eſſence or body of the Sun, that is in one place only, but the Holy Ghoſt was in its eſſence, in the Angels, in the wheels, in Ezekiel, it was in Jeremiah, who lived then at Jeruſalem; it was in all the Saints there, in Daniel, and the reſt of the Saints in Babylon; ſo that the Spirit is co-eſſentiall with the Father and the Son, and it's a perſon; otherwiſe how could it have taken up the Prophet, and carried him? and it's diſtinct from the Son, who is deſcribed to be upon the Throne, and to give commands unto the Prophet; and the Spirit here is brought in diſtinct from him, moſt cleere in that place in Matth. 3.16, 17. where the Spirit is diſtinguiſhed from the Son, baptized, and from the Father, acknowledging Chriſt his Son, in whom hee was well pleaſed.
3. Great Saints have great infirmities: Ezekiel goes in bitterneſſe, in the heat of his ſpirit, hee was in a froward humour, in a great diſtemper, the Vulgar hath it, in indignatione ſpiritus, there was indignation in his ſpirit to the worke; ſome have thought this affection of the Prophet, Non prorſus vitioſum, not altogether ſinfull, yet ſome ſinfulneſſe, and vitioſity to be in it, cannot be denyed: it's granted by Calvin, that it did diſtare a gratia ſpiritus, and for him after ſo cleer and ſtrong a Call, to refuſe, to be in a chafe, to withſtand, was affectus penitus vitioſus, if not vilis, he had rather have been out of ſervice then in it, lien hid among the people, then have been an Ambaſſadour of Chriſt unto them; he had rather they ſhould have periſhed without Viſion, then that himſelf ſhould be a ſeer amongſt them; here was the weakneſſe of this good man. I could tell you of Abrahams; Jacobs, Moſes, Davids, Pauls, and Johns failings: there was never ſince ſin entred, any Saint, ſine omni macula, in many things we ſin all, Jam. 3.2. And yet the Apoſtles were fill'd with the Spirit, there was a fulneſſe of grace in them, and in the Prophets, yet neither the one nor the other were omni prorſus exuti carne, notwithſtanding all their graces and excellencies, they did ſtill terreſtre aliquid ſpirare; and now where ever the Spirit comes, it neither extinguiſheth nature nor corruption wholly in this life; the beſt wine hath its dregs and its lees, and the beſt of Saints hath his ſpots and weakneſſes, there is no perfection in any.
4. Holy men, ſet down their own infirmities, which is an argument of the truth of the Word and the divine nature of it, men that are meere men ſeek their own glory, and will not ſhame themſelves in their Writings, but the Pen-men of Scripture having received another Spirit, are content to ſhame themſelves, ſo God may have glory, his truth credit, his people caution and comfort, all theſe are in the ſetting down of their own ſins, when holy men confeſſe their weakneſſes, ſet them down, as Moſes, Exod. 4. as David Pſal. 51. as Jonas, Chap. 1.4. as Paul, 1 Tim. 1. as John, Rev. 22.8. God is glorified by their ſhame; it's evidenced what God did for, and by theſe men, notwithſtanding their ſins, men are perſwaded of the truth of the Word, ſeeing they ſpared not themſelves, and would not bury their own thoughts in ſilence; others that ſee the ſlips of ſuch men of God, are admoniſhed thereby to look to their ſtandings and to be watchfull, and theſe are beaten down with the ſenſe of their failings, ſee it's the common ſickneſſe of the Saints, and not their caſe alone, which is ſome eaſe unto them.
5. That ſome truths of God, ſweet in the reception, oft prove bitter in the operation: the roul that Ezekiel did eat, ver. 3. was ſweet as honey at firſt unto him; but now hee was to go and put it in practice, he found it bitter, and ſought to decline that ſervice, it was like pils ſugared over, ſweet in the mouth, but being diſſolved in his bowels, viſcera torquebat & torminibus lacerabat praecordia. He was upon the wrack, and ſick of the buſineſſe, and perplexed that he had eaten ſuch a roul. The ſtony ground heard the Word with joy, it was ſweet to the taſte, but after it was bitter, when perſecution and temptation came; thoſe hearers were offended and fell away, Matth. 13.20, 21. the word of joy proved a word of bitterneſſe unto them, and it's ſo to moſt men at one time or other, they find it a ſad and difficult thing to act thoſe truths are ſweet to the underſtanding, Rev. 10.9, 10. John eat the little book, it was ſweet in his mouth, bitter in his belly; that is, in the operation of it; John ſaw that thoſe truths writ in it would beget hatreds, perſecutions, impriſonments, baniſhments, martyrdome, &c. When wee come to find the operations of truths, that they will coſt us deare, deare friends, deare liberties, deare luſts, deare lims, deare lives; we find a bitterneſſe in truths, though formerly they have been like Ezekiels roul, and Johns little book to our mouths.
6. Mans wiſdome and ſpirit is oppoſite to the wiſdome and Spirit of the Lord Chriſt. Chriſt calls, ſends Ezekiel in his infinit wiſdome, hee thinks it beſt for him to go to theſe captive Jewes; this rebellious houſe. The Spirit enters into Ezekiel, aſſures him of his Call, aſſumes him, aſſiſts him, and yet hee is averſe, in bitterneſſe, in the heat of his ſpirit; hee ſhewes the antipathy between his wiſdome and Chriſts, his ſpirit, and the Spirit of Chriſt they cloſed not. There are principles of oppoſition in godly men to the wayes of Chriſt and his Spirit; ſo far as they are unregenerate, ſo far they are oppoſite, Rom. 8.7. The carnall mind is enmity againſt God; it's in the originall, the wiſdome of the fleſh is enmity againſt God, there is fleſh in the beſt men, that fleſh hath wiſdom, it hath a ſpirit, (the fleſh is the old man, a whole man, and muſt have a ſpirit in it to act it, ſuch a one as it is) and both the wiſdome and ſpirit of the fleſh are enmity to God, unſubject to his Law and Will; and enmity to man, they work death, and end in death; Jonas had ſuch wiſdome, and ſuch a ſpirit in him, when he ran from God; but it had coſt him his life, if God had not been more gracious then he dutifull: Paul complains, hee found a law in his members, warring againſt the law of his mind, Rom. 7.23. Gal. 5.17. The fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit; the work of the fleſh is luſting and warring againſt the ſpirit: it is with a godly man, as it was with Rebecca, ſhe had great ſtruglings in her womb, and what was the cauſe of it? there were two nations in her womb, one contrary to the other;Gen. 25.22, 23. and there is heaven and earth in a godly mans heart, which are contrary, and make great ſtruglings: The ſame ſoul commands obedience, oppoſeth obedience; the ſame will that delights in the Law of God, hath a croſſe motion to the law of ſin; the heart that truſteth God, doubts of his favour; while we are believing, unbeliefe is oppoſing, Mark. 9.24. I believe, Lord help my unbeliefe.
7. Saints may do the Will of God unwillingly, if not againſt their will; Ezekiel was in bitterneſſe in the heat of his ſpirit, unwilling to be a Prophet to this people, yet he went, I went: Jonas he goes to Ninive, but his heart is not full on the work, there was not a throughneſſe in it, he ſaw there was a neceſſity of it, God had power to puniſh diſobedience, and could quickly cruſh him, and therefore now in a prudentiall way, hee would go and propheſie to Ninive; there was in him an unwilling willingneſſe, his ſpirit was not totally willing, as you may gather from Chapt. 4.1, 2, 3. He was againſt the ſparing of Ninive; it ſtuck upon his ſpirit, that he ſhould lie under the imputation of a falſe Prophet; hee wiſhes death upon it, which ſhewes that his ſpirit was not wholly in the ſervice; wee do the worke and will of God oft times with great unwillingneſſe, as women part with their joyntures, or children; as Merchants throw their goods overboard in a ſtorm; as many now aſſeſſed part with their goods to the publique ſervice, neceſſity is too ſtrong for them, and prudence puts them on, and there's a willing unwillingneſſe; ſo it is with the godly, they pray and heare unwillingly, they give unwillingly, &c. This is from the imbecillity of grace, the power of corruption, miſapprehenſion of God and his wayes, violence of temptations, intanglements with the world, preſſures of guilt, and unſucceſſefulneſſe of ſervice; let us be ſenſible of our unwillingneſſes in Gods wayes, be humbled for them, and ſtrive to do all animo prompto, Deut. 28.47, 48. Becauſe thou ſerveſt not the Lord thy God with joyfulneſſe and gladneſſe of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore ſhalt thou ſerve thine enemies: it's good for us to have our wills and whole hearts in the works of God.
8. The infirmities of Gods people do not interrupt his love and grace; Ezekiel went in bitterneſſe, in heat of ſpirit, but the hand of the Lord was ſtrong upon mee. This great diſtemper in the Prophet did not diſtemper God; it did not cauſe him to retract or divert his love, but hee takes hold of him by his hand, and upholds him, as a parent would do to a childe, falling, or down, the weakneſſe or ſickneſſe of a childe doth not eſtrange the heart of the parent, it rather inlarges and drawes out the bowels more fully; and ſo it is with God, Pſal. 103.13, 14. As a father pitieth his children, ſo the Lord pitieth them that feare him; and why ſo? Hee knowes our frames, hee remembers wee are but duſt; the Lord knowes what weak and frail things we are. The word for frame, notes a formed veſſell of earth, and the Chaldee expounds it, of our evill concupiſcence, which carrieth us into errour; God knowes that wee are earthen veſſels, full of luſts and infirmities, which lead us from him, which diſable us to ſerve him. Now here is the love, bowels, goodneſſe of a God, becauſe we are ſo, therefore he pitieth us: ſo Pſal. 78.37, 38. Their hearts were not right nor ſtedfaſt with God, but God was right and ſtedfaſt with them, hee being full of compaſſion, forgave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not; Infirmities may bring croſſes, but cannot cut off from mercies; this ſhould ſtrengthen our faith, comfort our hearts, and incourage us with a holy boldneſſe to go to the Throne of Grace, Hebr. 4.15, 16. Chriſt, ſaith the Apoſtle, is a mercifull high Prieſt, touched with the feelings of our infirmities; and what infers hee upon it? Let us go boldly to the Throne of grace, that wee may obtain mercy, and finde grace in time of need.
9. The Spirit of Chriſt is the healer and helper of our infirmities: Ezekiel was diſtempered and ſick of the buſines, and the hand, the Spirit of the Lord was ſtrong upon him, that helped, that healed him: Pſal. 107.20. He ſent out his word and healed them; the Spirit in that word did the cure; and here he ſent his Spirit to ſeiſe upon Ezekiel, to work out the ill humour, to ſettle his thoughts, and ſweeten his ſpirit that was ſo imbittered; the Spirit is compared to oil, Pſal. 45.7. 1 John 2.27. and that is of a mollifying, cleanſing, healing and quickning nature; when Chriſt was anointed, then he healed the broken hearted, Luke 4.18. hee dropped that oile into their hearts, and that did ſoften, purge, heale and quicken them. Gifts of healing are attributed to the Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.9. and helping our infirmities in prayer is the work of it; Rom. 8.26. the Spirit brings the ſtrength, wee are infirm, and can do nothing,foreign. but the Spirit, together with us, and for us, takes up the work that wee faint not; it anſwers to the word here, was ſtrong, took hold on mee, bound up my ſpirit together, and ſtrengthened mee, not ſuffering my ſpirit to run out.
Laſtly, the Spirit works invincibly: Ezekiel may ſtrugle, but the Spirit will overcome, that was ſtrong upon him; men would not come in to Chriſt, and do his work, unleſſe a Spirit mightier then their own come upon them. Gods Spirit is a Spirit of power, Luke 1.35. The Holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the power of the Higheſt ſhall overſhadow thee; the Holy Ghoſt is the power of the Higheſt, and when Paul preached, it was in demonſtration of Spirit and power; 1 Cor. 2.4. and his Miniſtery was able to beat down ſtrong holds, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. to caſt down all high things, and to captivate thoughts and ſpirits to the obedience of Chriſt; the Spirit works inviſibly, it's a hand under a wing, and it works invincibly; it's a ſtrong hand, there is none can ſtand before the ſtrength of it, Antichriſt ſhall be conſumed by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Theſ. 2.8. This Spirit is fire to conſume enemies, it's a hand powerfull to fetch in the friends under election: the Jews are now ſtiffe enemies of Chriſt, but when the Spirit of grace is poured out upon them when this hand takes hold of them, then they will mourne, come in, ſubmit to Chriſt; no violence doth the Spirit offer to the wills of men,Oportet non tantum moveri, ſed novum fieri, Proſp. notwithſtanding it works invincibly, it files off the enmity and averſneſſe of our wills to God, and inclines them to yeeld, omnipotenti ſuavitate, & ſuavi omnipotentia.