Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 3 · Verse 17
VER. 17.
I have made thee a watch-man.
IN this Verſe is the Office of Ezekiel laid down:
Firſt, generally, a watch-man.
Secondly, more peculiarly;
1. Hee muſt learn of Chriſt.
2. Warn the people.
A watch-man.
Tzopheh is from Tzaphah, to watch, to ſee from a high place, to look about on every ſide, to obſerve accurately; as in Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evill and the good, The word for beholding is Tzophoth, the ſame with that in the Verſe, and notes God exact and accurate eyeing of things; and it's metaphorically taken from thoſe that are ſet in watch-towers, whoſe office is to obſerve with the eye, and intention of minde, what danger is in preparation, approach, or execution, and to inform the city, town or army, to which hee is a watch-man, that all may timouſly look to themſelves. If any fire, robbery, treachery, invaſion, or danger whatſoever appeared, the watch-men were wont to give notice by ſignes or voyce, both in the night and day, and that conſtantly; ſuch was the Prophet to be here unto the houſe of Iſrael, hee was to fore-ſee and fore-tell the dangers were threatned, prepared, approaching, in execution; and this he was to do conſtantly, according to that in Iſaiah 21.8. I ſtand continually upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and I am ſet in my ward whole nights; ſo Gen. 31.40.
There were two ſorts of watchmen God ſet in his Church; extraordinary, Prophets, Apoſtles, Euangeliſts; and ordinary, Paſtors and Teachers; theſe continue to this day, and theſe watch for the good of ſouls, Heb. 13.17. and their office is as the Prophets, to learne of Chriſt, and to warn the people: the other are ceaſed.
Obſerv. 1. The goodneſſe and bounty of Chriſt, that converſeth with, and communicates unto the ſons of men his precious truths and counſels; Son of man, ſaith Chriſt, I have made thee, &c. It had been honour to Ezekiel to have had an Angell conferre with him, and impart ſecrets to him; it's a great matter to have a Prince talk kindly to his ſubject, tell him his counſels and purpoſes; what was it then for our Prophet, to have Chriſt, the Lord of Angels, and King of kings to ſpeak lovingly to him, to tell him of heavenly myſteries? And thus hee doth to us in his Word, that yet never ſaw his face, there he opens himſelf ſweetly to us, all things being written for our inſtruction.
2. It's Chriſts Prerogative to appoint watch-men in the Church: I have made thee a watch-man; hee might not make himſelf one; others without Chriſts Commiſſion and directions, might not have made him one; men ſhould not come into the watch-tower, except call'd, Heb. 5.4. if hee do, hee will prove neither good watch-man, nor good work-man. Chriſt himſelf is the great Watch-man of the Church, he is the Head, and appoints who ſhall be in his ſtead; 2 Cor. 5.20. the Apoſtles were in his ſtead; ſo the Prophet here, ſo are all the faithfull Miniſters of the Goſpel, who are call'd mediately by the Church according to his will.
3. The Miniſters of Chriſt muſt be men of knowledge; they are watch-men, and watch-men muſt have eyes in their heads, they muſt not be blind: in 1 Sam. 9.9. they are call'd Seers, if they have no eyes, they cannot be Seers, and if not Seers, not watchmen, and then miſchief may befall the Church ſuddenly, and that without remedy; if the blind lead the blind they may both fall into the ditch; Iſa. 9.16. The leaders of this people cauſe them to erre, and they that are led of them are deſtroyed. Ignorance cauſeth error, and error deſtruction; therefore ſaid the Apoſtle to the Elders of Epheſus, foreign, Si in laicis videtur intolerabilis inſcitia, quanto magis in his qui praeſunt, nec excuſatione eſt digna, nec venia? Leo Ep. Conſt.Take heed to the flock over which the Holy Ghoſt hath made you over-ſeers, Acts 20.28. unto which, and over which you are over-ſeers, Inſpectors, or Watch-men; the Septuag. renders it here in our Prophet, foreign, and Orig. calls a Biſhop or watch-man, oculum Eccleſiae, and Pſal. 109.8. Let another take his office, the word office is from Pakad, which is to viſit; and viſiting cannot be without eyes, without knowledge; if a watch-man want eyes and knowledge, how can hee diſcerne danger, inſtruct the ignorant, plaſter the wounded, reduce the ſtraying, lift up the fallen, feed the hungry, comfort the feeble, reſolve conſcience, and compare things paſt with things preſent and future: a watchman, a Miniſter, ſhould be like Argus, whom the Poets ſay, had an hundred eyes, they ſhould be full of eyes; the beaſts about Chriſts Throne were full of eyes, before and behinde, Rev. 4.6. they ſaw things gone, and things to come; they ſaw every way: Ignorance is blameable in any, but chiefly in a watchman; Papiſts ſay, Ignorance is the mother of Devotion,Diſt. 38. c. Ign. but the Toletan Councell tels them otherwiſe. Ignorance is the mother of all errours, and chiefly to be avoyded in the Miniſters of God, who have taken upon them the office to inſtruct the people of God. The Prieſts lips ſhould keep knowledge, not ignorance, Mal. 2.7. Let Antichriſt have ignorant Prieſts, blind watch-men, Chriſt muſt have knowing, judicious, ſeeing watch-men, They are men of God, thoroughly furniſhed, 2 Tim. 3.17.
4. Miniſters muſt not be ſleepy, drouzie perſons; they are watch-men, and it's not enough to have eyes in their heads, but their eyes muſt be open; not ſufficient to have knowledge, but that muſt be improved; the wakefull Geeſe did better ſervice then the ſleepy watch-men: Matth. 13.25. while men ſlept, the enemy came and ſowed tares. By men Jerome and Auguſtine underſtand the officers of the Church, and by their ſleeping their careleſneſſe and negligence in their place: wicked ones took advantage to ſow tares, errors and hereſie, while they were remiſſe. The ſame word that is for a Seer, is for a Sleeper, Chofim, becauſe, if men ſee not to purpoſe, they are no better then ſleepers, ſuch watchmen Iſaiah ſpeaks of, Chap. 56.10. His watchmen are blind, ſleeping, lying down, loving to ſlumber; when the ſhepheards ſleep, then the Wolves watch,Somnolent a Paſtorum eſt gaudium Luporum, Ephrem tract. de t…more Dei. walk and devoure, Acts 20.29. I know, that after my departure ſhall grievous Wolves enter, not ſparing the flock; therefore watch, ſaith he, v. 31. intimating, that if there be not watching of the Shepheards, there will be fearfull ſpoiling of the ſheep; the ſleepineſſe of the Shepheards is the joy of the Wolves; Luke 12.37. Bleſſed are thoſe, &c.
5. If Watchmen, then they muſt indure hardſhips, all winds and weathers, the cold of the night, and heat of the day; they muſt look for ſucceſſion of good and bad. Iſa. 21.11, 12. Watchman, what of the night? The watchman ſaid, the morning cometh, and alſo the night. It was now night with the watchmen, there were troubles, afflictions, ſadding things; but there was a morning of hope, and after that an evening of ſorrows; changeable conditions which the watchman muſt indure; 2 Tim. 2.3. Paul counſels Timothy to indure hardneſſe as a good ſouldier of Chriſt. Souldiers muſt not only ſtand ſentinell in the night, and day, but go upon deſperate ſervices; ſuch a watchman was Paul, 2 Cor. 11.23. to the 30th. He ſaith, In ſtripes he was above meaſure, in priſons frequent, in deaths oft, five times he had forty ſtripes ſave one, thrice was hee beaten with cords, once ſtoned, thrice he ſuffered ſhipwracke, a night and a day in the deeps, in perils every where, in wearineſſe, painfulneſſe, watchings, faſtings, cold, nakeneſſe, &c. The ſcouts and ſentinels are expoſed to the greateſt hazards, they are taken firſt; you know the Miniſters are the men ſtricken at in theſe dayes, they are likelieſt to meet with the firſt and greateſt dangers; Joſh. 3. when the people were to go through the waters of Jordan, the Levites and Prieſts were firſt to go in, and to ſtand therein till all the people paſſed over; it's the watchmen are to meet with the waters of, affliction, and to ſtand in them.
6. That the Church and people of God, the houſe of Iſrael are ſubject to dangers, enemies, otherwiſe what ſhould a watchman need? cities, armies do not ſend out ſcouts and watchmen, if there were no enemies; where there is watching and warding, you may be ſure of it there is danger. The Church is like a ſhip, toſſed at ſea among rocks, ſands, with winds and waves, and needs the moſt skilfull Pilot to direct and ſteer it; it's like a Lamb among Lions, and needs the moſt watchfull Shepherd; they were in much danger in Babylon amidſt ſcoffing enemies, and the Church is not ſafe in Sion, her children are the Wheat, and the world threſheth them; they are the Vine, the Cluſters, and the wicked rend, preſſe, tear them; what is the colour of the Church but black? Schiſmes have ſo divided her, Errors ſo ſhaken her, Hereſies ſo toſſed her, and Perſecutions ſo battered her, that ſhee is black and blew, and hardly a ſound part left in her. The Church is beſieged with devils and wicked men, open enemies, ſecret hypocrites, indangered daily; out of its own boſome and bowels do thoſe ariſe that threaten the ruine of it daily, Act. 20.30. the Church hath bred Eutychians, Neſtorians, Pelagians, Antitrinitarians, and a generation of Vipers in our dayes, that under pretence of the Church, would eat up the true Church; and certainly it had been done, if wee had not had a better watchman then Ezekiel; Iſa. 27.3. I the Lord do keep it, leſt any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.
7. The watchmen are not for themſelves, but for the flock, for the whole; I have made thee a watchman to the houſe of Iſrael, not ſome particular perſon, not ſome part, not to half, but to the houſe of Iſrael; when one is become a watchman, hee hath a great truſt committed to him, and muſt look to that, the welfare of the whole depends on him: as a man, as a Chriſtian he may foreſee danger, and hide himſelf, but as a watchman hee may not foreſee it, run away and leave the flock to ſpoil, hee muſt diſcover it, diſcharge the truſt repoſed in him, and ſee to the ſafety of the whole, with the hazard of himſelf; if he do not ſo, he will ſhew himſelf a treacherous watchman, a falſe, fearfull, ſelf-ſeeking Prophet; the good of Sion, and not of ſelf ſhould be aimed at in every Prophet, in every Miniſter; but wee may take up the Apoſtles complaint in Phil. 2.21. all ſeeking their own, and not the things be Jeſus Chriſts, not his Goſpel, his Church, his government; Paul had the care of all the Churches upon him, 2 Cor. 11.28. And for Corinth, hee ſought not theirs, but them, Chap. 12.14. their ſafety, their peace, comfort, growth in knowledge, in faith, in all ſpirituall excellencies; and why? he looked upon them as his children, his bowels, his heirs, and therefore would communicate all hee could to them, and do what was in his power for them. Hence he ſaith in the 15th verſe, foreign.I will very gladly ſpend, and be ſpent for you; the former word foreign, notes to be at coſt with them, to take ſome pains; he would pray for them, preach to them, write to them, do much; but the other word notes the ſpending of all; ſo that hee would keep back nothing at all, his ſtate, his ſtrength ſhould go,Super impendar. ſo that hee would empty himſelf wholly; and when that was done, then his ſpirit, his blood, his life ſhould go; Beſides that falſe Apoſtles or teachers will do, I will do more; if they will give you of their eſtates, you ſhall have all mine; if they will take pains, I will take more; if they will venture their liberties to do you good, I will venture my life and all for you; let them go far, I will go beyond them, gladly will I be ſpent for you; it's for your ſouls, not for your eſtates; and though he ſhould get nothing by it, hee would do it, though they ſhould love him the leſſe; here's a great Apoſtle, of a greater ſpirit, and of the greateſt charity, hee was carefull of all thoſe he was a watchman unto, faithfull in ſeeking their good; and ſhould be a precedent unto us.
Now, I come to the two particular, duties of the watchman, laid down in the Verſe:
Therefore heare the word at my mouth, there is the firſt;
And give them warning from me, there is the ſecond.
Obſerv. 1. That none have ſuch a ſufficiency of light, knowledge, grace, but they muſt depend upon Chriſt for more; Ezekiel had ſeen and heard muc…, the Spirit entred into him, he had eaten the roul, yet hee muſt attend upon Chriſt, and heare the word at his mouth; no Prophet, no Apoſtle, no Miniſter hath a perfection of knowledge, or knoweth the whole mind of Chriſt; Paul ſtudied to know Chriſt more and more; and ſo did other Apoſtles, if they had not received daily, they could not have given daily.
2. The Miniſters muſt learn as well as teach, heare before they ſpeak; and it's Chriſt they muſt heare, of him they muſt learn; Thou ſhalt heare the word at my mouth: they muſt have a word, but it muſt be a word of Chriſt; hee ſpake immediately to Ezekiel, hee ſpeaks in his Word to us: Matth. 17.4. Heare him, ſaith the Father; and why? hee is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, what he ſaith is truth, he had it from my boſome, out of my counſels, and it's pleaſing unto me; therefore heare him: and Mat. 23.8. One is your Maſter, even Chriſt; foreign, Doctor, o… … vic.he is the only teacher, according to the mind of God; hee is the leader in the way, in the right and good way. Then Prophets & Miniſters muſt learn, and be learned, but their learning is not to be fetch'd from Ariſtotle, Juſtinian, Machiavil, from Traditions, Fathers, or Councels, but from Chriſt. Miniſters are watchmen, and therefore they muſt heare the Word at Chriſts mouth; they muſt inform the Church and people of God in nothing he ſpeake not, and warrants not; you have an excellent place in Habbak. 2.1. I will ſtand upon my watch, and ſet mee upon the Tower, and will watch to ſee what he will ſay unto me. The Prophets eye and eare were towards God, hee cared not what the people and falſe Prophets ſaid, deſired, determined, expected, but he only looked at God, he would ſee what he did heare, what hee ſaid, which way hee mov'd, and take all his light from him, and then he knew he ſhould not erre, hee ſhould not wrong any; and it followes, The Lord anſwered me and ſaid, Qui patrum p…c…a, c…ncil…orum decreta, & viſiones hominum pro verbo Dei Eccleſiae obtrudunt.the Prophet durſt not give out any thing to the Church, til the Lord firſt gave out to him; and when ought was revealed to him, he durſt not keep it back. If prophets might not bring what they had not from the mouth of God, how ſhall we dare to do it? they ſin greatly, who obtrude upon the Church the wills and decrees of men, as authenticall.
3. That it's the office of Prophets and Miniſters to premoniſh their people, to foreſee danger, and foretell them. The word Zahar, foreignproperly ſignifies to ſhine, inlighten, to make cleere as the Son, and metaphorically, to admoniſh, becauſe he is admoniſhed,Qui admonetur, illuſtratur & de rebus futuris edocetur. is inlightned. Miniſters muſt deal plainly and cleerly with ſinners, convince them of their ſins, and the puniſhments are threatned againſt them: Miniſters muſt not daub and ſow pillows under mens elbows; but as it's in Iſaiah 58.1. They muſt cry aloud, and not ſpare, they muſt lift up their voyce like trumpets, and ſhew the people their tranſgreſſions, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins. The word ſhew them, notes a ſetting of them before their faces; ſo that they muſt ſee, and take notice of them, and the danger they ſubject unto; the Miniſters muſt not ſpare any, not great ones, not the greateſt, the houſe of Jacob muſt be told of them; and Ezekiel is a watchman to the houſe of Iſrael, to the Kings, Princes, Nobles, great, ſmall, to all; therefore all muſt be warn'd. Chryſoſtome told Eudoxia the Empreſſe of her ſins, and ſpared not for her greatneſſe; ſhee had ſet up a ſilver Statue, about which the people exerciſed vain and needleſſe ſports, which tended to the diſgrace of the Church, and for this he dealt roundly with her; it's the Prophets fault, that Princes and great ones are ſo bad, they ſeldome heare of their own ſins, or Gods truths.
4. The Prophets and Miniſters of Chriſt are to do their office in the name of Chriſt; Thou ſhalt give them warning from mee, not from thy ſelf, not in thine own name. Chriſt, when hee was upon the great work of redeeming man, and revealing the Goſpel, ſaid, he came in his Fathers name, Joh. 5.43. And did his work in his Fathers name, Joh. 10.25. God ſent the Son, and he did all in his name; Chriſt ſends Prophets, Apoſtles, Miniſters, and they muſt preach and work in his name, becauſe what they ask in his name, they receive, it's done for them; and what they do in his name abides, is bleſſed, Joh. 15.16. This ſhould prevail with people to receive the Meſſengers of Chriſt as his Meſſengers, as thoſe come in his name, what ever their meſſage be, conviction of ſin, denouncing of judgement; ſaith Paul, 2 Cor. 5.20. Wee pray you in Chriſts ſtead; and here Ezekiel muſt warn them from Chriſt, be it matter of comfort, or terror, all muſt be done in Chriſts name and ſtead, and they entertained as thoſe that are ſent of Chriſt, and come from him: it's good for us ſo to do; for in receiving them, we receive Chriſt, and that's not all; wee receive the Father alſo that ſent Chriſt, Matth. 10.42. A Miniſter is good company when hee brings God and Chriſt with him, and there is nothing loſt by receiving any Meſſenger of Chriſt the right way: verſ. 41. Hee that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, ſhall receive a Prophets reward; you muſt not receive a man becauſe hee is learned, witty, of note,Non quia dives, potens, amicus. akin unto you, becauſe he is ingaged to you, or you to him, becauſe you have ſome deſign upon him, but you muſt receive him in the name of a Prophet, becauſe he belongs to Chriſt, is ſent out by him, and comes in his name; and then you ſhall have a Prophets reward, you ſhall profit by his Doctrine, hee ſhall bleſſe you in the name of Chriſt,1 King. 17. 2 King. 4. his prayer ſhall be availeable for you; the widow of Sarepta loſt nothing entertaining Elijah, nor the Shunamite by receiving Eliſha; their preſence and prayers did much advantage them. But you may take the words thus: a Prophets reward, that is, the Prophets have a great, hard and glorious work in hand; and the ſhall have an eminent reward in heaven: and ſeing you receive them as Prophets in my name, notwithſtanding all the reproach, diſcouragements they meet with, and danger their Doctrine brings; ſeeing you incourage them, and help on their work, you ſhall have ſuch reward as they have, be received into the ſame Manſion I receive them.