Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4

CHAP. II.

HOw hath the Lord covered the Daughter of Zion with a Cloud? What is meant by covering her with a Cloud, is easy to understand, viz. to make her obscure and base that was the most noble of other Cities; and to the same effect is it said further; And cast down her beauty to the ground: and then he calls her beauty, his foot stool, which was the Temple, Psal. 5. 132. 7.

He hath polluted the Kingdom, and the Princes thereof. That is, by making them to be of no more estem than filthy and vile things, which are despised by all men as naught worth.

The Lord hath violently taken away his Tabernacle, as a garden. That is, the Temple built so strongly and gloriously as a Cottage in a Garden, which is little and sleighty for a short time only let up for him that tendeth a Garden or Vineyard to go into and rest himself, and thence to see it, that neither beasts nor thieves come to annoy it, till the time of the fruit-gathering be past; See Isa. 1. 9. He hath destroyed his places of the Assembly, he hath caused the solemn Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten. In the Hebrew the same word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mogned is used for Assemblie and Feasts, and it signifieth both, and a set time also. Calvin renders it in the first place Testimony; he hath destroyed his Testimony. That is, the sign of it, the Ark, but because the Tabernacle, wherein the Ark was also contained, was spoken of before; the Assemblies made before it at Festival times must needs be meant. And so it is best read, He hath destroyed the Assembling of his people to his worship and service, that there can be no more meeting now about this in Zion. And for want of such Assemblings continued, he hath made the Feast and Sabbaths to be forgotten, they being not now kept, as times forgotten ever to have been ordained.

Her Law is no more, her Prophets find no vision anymore. This of allother things made their misery most extreme, it being meant that in their sufferings they had no Prophets to teach and comfort them from God, as they had in former times, for the Law is often put for the Word and wholesome Doctrine taught out of it, and Prophets and Priests were the teachers thereof, which now failed; Priests, as was touched before, verse 6. and Prophets here.

Thy Prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee. Here again he returns to the cause of their misery, the false Prophets that rose up amongst them, and promised them that which the Lord never spake, whereby they were encouraged in their sins, as Hananiah, Jeremiah 28. and others. For this, although they were for a time pleased with it, was to their destruction, a warning to all men, to take heed, that they be not carried away by such; and who be such we may gather [Note.] by the contrary, verse 9. where true Prophets are set forth, as standing and failing with the Law, or Word of God, implying, that they are such as teach nothing but the very Word of God; so that they which teach otherwise, Prophesy vain and foolish things, the very bane of true piety; and overthrow of that people that giveth heed unto them. And therefore such as in these miserable times teach divers things, for Government, Doctrine, public Worship, or neglect the supreme Ordinance of men in any case, are such kind of Prophets, and to be taken heed of.

He hath fulfilled his Word that he commanded in the days of old. That is, to be published even in Moses his time in respect of the particulars before going, as Deut. 28.

Their heart cried to the Lord. This expression is made to show, that their miseries went to their very hearts to make them to sigh and groan, which is the crying of the heart. This is sometime a prevalent crying indeed, when as Moses or Hannah we cry to the Lord; but no such crying in faith and out of sorrow for sin is here meant; but the crying of the heart for anguish, and that to the Lord; as nature puts on everyone in such cases to do; although the wicked Job 21. 14. at other times they say, What profit shall we have if we call upon him? Wherefore he turns to the Walls of Jerusalem which were broken down, bidding them to weep and cry also without ceasing; hereby intimating both the sad condition of the City, and that the hardest hearts, though like a stone Wall, could not but weep now abundantly for it; for the very walls themselves mourned in their kind, representing continually to all beholders a most sad spectacle, as he that hath his cheeks all beslubbered with tears.

Shall women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? Here the Prophet layeth open the miseries of Jerusalem to the Lord; as he that would move one to pity makes the most lamentable complaint that he can, and showeth all things that be of force to move in this kind. And in saying thus, he showeth an extremity of famine, whereby they suffered; as in the next words, their sufferings by the sword.

CHAP. III.

I Am the man that have seen affliction. In this Chapter Jeremiah changeth the person hitherto set forth lamenting, viz. Of the City Jerusalem, Zion and Israel, and speaks in his own person, as bearing a great part in the sufferings of his brethren the Jews, because he lived at the time of Jerusalem's destruction, and both before and after suffered much; what he suffered before hath been already shown in the Book of his Prophesy, and likewise after by being carried into Egypt, and contemned by the proud men that ruled over them that remained in the land, after the captivity of the rest. But although he speaks in his own person, he did not herein respect himself only, but everyone of the Jews, seeking to draw each of them in like manner to humble himself before the Lord, and confess their sins, and to pray, and so to be confident of grace and favor again to be restored in God's due time.

The parts of this Chapter are four; First, a complaint of the greatness of his sufferings in common together with Jerusalem, verse 1, 2, &c. to verse 22. Secondly, a consolation in respect of God's great mercy; so that although he judgeth them grievously, yet he will not suffer them utterly to perish, verse 22, 23, &c. to verse 37. Thirdly, an Instruction, showing that the enemy could not have done thus to them without the Lord; and therefore he exhorteth them to seek to him by humbling their souls in Confession, teaching them what to say, verse 37, 38. &c. to verse 55. Fourthly, a Prayer, wherein he seeketh to stir up the Lord against the enemy from this, that their hatred and cruelty against his people was not unknown to him, verse 55, 56, &c. to the end of the Chapter.

For the first, he doth by many Allegories aggravate his own and the misery of God's people.

1. By a Rod, wherewith he was beaten; for as Ashur, Isaiah 10. 5. so Babylon was the Rod of his wrath.

2. By darkness, whereby misery is commonly set forth.

3. By the breaking of his bones; that is, his strength, and the withering of his skin and flesh, as by a sharp and tedious sickness, which makes one to look old before that he hath lived many years.

4. By building Fortifications against him, as an enemy, and those bitter and grievous, straightning him so, that he could not come forth for necessaries, but was enforced to labor extremely through want; amplifying the second and fourth further, verse 6, 7. and the fourth again verse 9. by the strongest fencing of him in with hewn stones; to which he addeth another Allagorie of making his ways crooked; For this increaseth greatly a man's labor, when he travelleth, it being easy to go in a straight way without windings and turnings: And being in this case, whereby one is made to cry out to God for help when he doth so, and yet is not heard, his misery is yet far more aggravated. And this is threatened to such as will not hear God when he calleth to them, that they shall cry, [Note.] but not be heard, Prov. 1. 24. 28.

5. By the similitude of a Bear and Lion, which are most terrible to men in their travel.

6. Of a Mark, at which men shoot their piercing Arrows; to which effect Job speaking of his sufferings, saith, He was as a But.

7. Of one derided, and upon whom disgracing Songs are sung from day today.

8. Of abundance of bitter Wormwood, which he was made to drink to drunkenness.

9. Of Gravell, which he was made to eat to the breaking of his teeth; and of Ashes, wherewith he was covered after the manner of mourners.

Lastly, because of all these grievous sufferings, he saith, That he had hope; that is, in respect of God's mercies, which will not suffer him to punish his people in this world without end; but when he hath by his judgments humbled them, his mercy will again move him to show them some favor, Wherefore verse 22. he comforteth himself and others by his mercies and compassions; which is the second part wherein the mercy of God is extolled.

1. In respect of preservation from utter destruction by sin deserved. [Part 2]

2. In respect of the renewing of them from morning to morning, there being no day which doth not produce a new mercy, because he is provoked every day, and yet preserves our lives.

3. In respect of his promise made to them that hope in him; in keeping which, he will be most faithful, so that believers may look upon him for their portion, yet waiting for his favor through hope and patience.

4. In respect of the good coming through his mercy by sufferings, which are but his yoke for the taming of youth, that is otherwise wild and unruly, to his own everlasting ruin. For before affliction he runneth with the wicked, as Psalm 50. to Theft and Adultery; but now he sitteth alone, being full of sorrow, his very face being bowed down to the dust of the earth; and he being made patient under all his sufferings in whatsoever kind.

5. In respect of his putting an end to our sufferings.

6. In respect of his unwillingness to punish, through the pity that he beareth to his people; so that they may be sure that he will do them no wrong; but as a favorable Judge deal with them as their cause doth necessarily require, that it may be better for them in the end, and others being terrified from sin by their sufferings,

For the third Part, the Instruction: That the enemy could do nothing without God. This he doth first assert by an Interrogation: Who is it that saith, and [Part 3] it comes to pass when the Lord hath not commanded it? out of his mouth cometh not good and evil? For it is to be read as an Interrogation, and not as the New Tran. an affirmative; he promiseth good after affliction, and he threateneth judgments before, and bringeth them; so Isaiah 45. 7. Amos 3. 6. Thus no man can deny, but that from him cometh both good and evil; the evil of punishment, and the good of blessing and showing favor again. 2. Showeth, what made the enemy so potent over them, their sins. 3. What course was to be taken in this case to be delivered, viz. to search and try our ways, and to turn, and pray, hearts and hands being lifted up unto God, and confession made, as verse 42, 43, 44, &c. 4. To move others the more, he showeth his great grief for them, Mine eyes run down with rivers of water, &c. 5. Further to express the straights of the Jews he saith in their person, That the Hunters hunted him as a Bird, and that he was cast into a Dungeon, or Pit, and a stone put upon it, little differing from a dead man: by which similitudes, saith Calvin, he meaneth not that that his putting in the Dungeon before spoken of in his Prophecy, but that the whole Nation of the Jews, in whose person he speaks, was now in a like condition, that is, most miserable and lamentable, as near the state of the dead as might be, and in man's reason never likely to recover again.

For the fourth, viz. his prayer, he prosecutes the Allegory before begun, [Part 4] verse. 55. I called upon the Lord out of the low dungeon. And in this his prayer, 1. He propounds motives from the Lord's hearing of him, and drawing near and pleading his cause. All which are by some applied to Jeremiah in particular, whom God heard when he was put into the dungeon, and drew near, when by his providence Ebedmelech came to pull him out, and pleaded his cause against Hananiah that had so boldly affronted him, and was therefore judged to death the same year. Some others understand it as spoken in the person of the people, whom he meaneth, the Lord heard, pleaded their cause and drew near, when he delivered them out of Egypt, and afterwards from other enemies in time of Judges. I mislike neither: for they disagree not to him that speaks all the way throughout this Chapter so in his own person, that withal he represents the person of Israel. And the like is to be held touching that which he said before of his being put into a dungeon. And hereby we learn to [Note.] ground our confidence in God in time of misery upon former experiments of deliverance. 2. He moves the Lord from the wrongs done him by his enemies both in deed, their vengeance, in thought, their imaginations, and in word, their reproach and derision, which is to be understood of the Heathen Chaldees against Jerusalem when they destroyed her and exercised all cruelty against her. 3. He prayeth for revenge to be taken upon them, and the pursuing of them therewith till they be destroyed from under heaven.

CHAP. IV.

IN this Chapter the grievous change that was in Jerusalem is first complained of from verse. 1. to verse. 13. 2. The cause, the sins of the Priests and Prophets verse. 13. and of the people, 14, 15, 16. 3. He complaineth of their vain-confidence to have help in these their sins, and contrariwise of the readiness of their enemies to pursue them with violence, verse. 17, 18, 19. 4. Of their old grievous loss when Josiah was slain verse. 20. 5. He threatens Edom, the most malicious of the Jews enemy with the cup of drunkenness, v. 21.

For the first, How is the gold become dim! Whereby he meaneth the people of God, being before precious as gold, when they lived under his blessing, as is plain from verse. 2. And how were they thus changed from shining gold? In that they were cruel even to their own children, as the very Sea-monsters were not, although they were through the necessity of famine enforced hereunto. 2. They that were most richly clothed lay upon the dunghill, being made base and vile. For which continued judgment he aggravateth their misery by that of Sodom. 3. The Nazarites were changed from white to black, of their order see Numb. 6. They were a kind of men that voluntarily devoted themselves to God in a singular way of abstinence beyond all other men, yet because the Lord, would not have any sort of men live under a pretext of piety without rules of his own setting down, he prescribed unto them how they should in this singular way order themselves that they might be singularly accepted of before God. And living so they are here said for their excellency to be whiter then snow, or milk, and more ruddy then saphyrs, by this whiteness shining being set forth, and by the red, preciousness, because the saphyr was a precious stone of great value. And to show how Nazarites were prized, the Lord saith by Amos 2. 11. that he raised them up Prophets and Nazarites. But now they were black, and the skin withered through famine, this holy kind of men not being spared from this common calamity, to show the universality of the judgment. Calvin conceives that their whiteness was by abstinence from wine, because such look pale, but wine-drinkers red: but I marvel that he considered not, they are said to be red as well as white, and therefore the color of their faces could not be meant, but their excellency as hath been said, yet they were not now privileged beyond others, but were rather in this time of judgment in a worse case in [Note.] respect of the outward man then others: Yea as is added verse. 9. in worse then they that were slain by the sword, for they being once stricken were soon dead, but long and tedious is the pain of those that die by famine: Of blackness through famine, see Chap. 5. 10. Wherefore let no man make this his mark at which he aimeth in being extraordinarily devoted to piety, to be exempt from sufferings, when sufferings be universal, but frame himself patiently to bear them, as coming from God their loving father, that will turn all things to good to them. Hitherto the third. 4. The judgments of God were so great that they exceeded all credit amongst neighbor nations.

For the second, By the sins of the Prophets and Priests that spake peace unto [Part 2] them, and reproved them not sharply for their sins, as they should have done, they were polluted with blood, that is, with foul sins, as Isa. 1. 14. and wandered in darkness. But how is it that they are said to have slain the just? Jerome saith, By drawing them into error, which is to the destruction of the soul. But, as Calvin well noteth, this cannot stand, because just men are not so destroyed, but the wicked only that take heed to their false teaching. Therefore the true Prophets of God are meant by the just, for whom they had prisons, dungeons and stocks to put them into, as hath been before noted, and sometimes stoning or otherwise tumults which they stirred up amongst the people, whereby their blood was shed. But what is meant by this, They cried unto them, Depart, depart, it is unclean, &c? Hereby their uncleanness by sin touched upon verse. 14. is further set forth. For it was ordained Levite. 13. that the unclean by the Leprosy should go about, crying, I am unclean, unclean, whereupon it is most probable, that when any going out met with a leprous person, they cried thus. Wherefore to show how full of unclean persons Jerusalem was, so that a man could not go out of doors but he should meet many such, they are brought in here so soon as they were gone out, crying, Depart, unclean, unclean, touch not. And because unclean persons must be put out of the City, it is added, They fled away, and the Heathen amongst whom they went, said, They shall sojourn no more there] so that their going into Captivity, and tarrying long there, was but a just punishment for them, who by reason of their uncleanness were fit no longer to dwell in Jerusalem.

He will no more regard them. This is still the speech of the Heathen, who thought that the Jews should never be brought back again. For the next words, They respected not the Priests nor Elders. Some think them to be spoken of the Jews by the same Heathen, or by Jeremiah; as if it had been said, They are now requited with the like to that which they have done, their old men and Priests, and all of them are so used, as they have done amongst themselves: Some, of the Chaldees, by whom the judgment of the Jews was the more aggravated by this, that they basely used even their most honorable men. But the first is to be preferred, because the Priests and Elders that were good, were not regarded, but had their blood cruelly shed, as was said before verse. 13. under the word just. They were so madly set upon sin, that whosoever crossed them herein, Priest or Elder, he was not regarded, but vily entreated.

For the third part, the Nation which they looked for to help them, was Egypt, but their eyes failed in looking before they came, and on the contrary side [Part 3] their enemies were as swift as Eagles to make a prey of them.

For the fourth it was Josiah in the midst of his age slain by Pharaoh Necho, [Part 4] and so their very breath, as it were taken away, they being thenceforth no better then as a dead body, forsomuch as all the Kings after him were most wicked.

For the fifth part, Edom, as hath been often already noted, bare greatest envy [Part 5] against Israel, and therefore most rejoiced in his adversity, and therefore it was necessary to threaten him oftenest.

CHAP. V.

HEre the Prophet in the name of the people, and to teach them how to plead with the Lord for mercy, further layeth open their miseries in many things like unto a Lazar full of sores and sickness to passengers upon the way, or at the rich man's gate, praying the Lord to remember them, and to take pity upon them. 2. He showeth how they were all affected with extreme grief, therefore praying for conversion and sanation, v. 17, 18. &c.

For the first in laying open their miseries, he beginneth with that of strangers, having their fruitful Land in possession, they being turned out.

2. He showeth that their men were slain and consumed, whereby children became fatherless and wives widows.

3. They had not the things of this life, which heaven and earth yield without labor, free and without price, but were constrained to give money for them, yea even for water and wood, touching the former of which it is commonly said, that none is so poor but he may have water, if he liveth in a country habitable, and not in a dry desert: touching wood, the like is to be held, if he liveth in a place where there be commons, from which it is free for everyone to cut down and fetch what wood he pleaseth, the tree itself being preserved to grow again. But otherwise not, unless growing upon the ground, wherein he hath a propriety, and that was the case of the Jews before that they were dispossessed, each one had house and ground of his own, and if by poverty he were enforced to sell, it returned to him again in the year of Jubilee. To take wood out of another man's propriety is theft, as well as to take corn or [Note.] fruit, and therefore the custom of such poor people as do so, is wicked and sinful, and (as any other theft) will prove a far greater loss, even of the Kingdom of heaven. And therefore in this want, as in want of other necessaries, such as are not able to buy must beg and not steal it, or take only that which they have commonly leave to do, which the owner leaveth.

4. They were persecuted without ceasing.

5. They gave the hand to the Egyptians and Assyrians for bread] That is, saith Calvin, were brought to such penury that they begged it in Egypt and Assyria, where they were scattered, and were in want of all things. But because the giving of the hand doth not so aptly set forth begging, but covenanting, and it is not probable that their enemies would give unto them begging, but rather make them work for it or starve; I rather conceive that it is thus said, further to explain what was said before verse. 4. of buying in case of wanting money so to do, they gave their hand to pay them for bread, which they needed for their sustenance with their labor, the Cald. they gave the hand in token of yielding to be their servants for necessaries. But Vatablus, Rabanus, Th. Aquinas, Lyra are for the first with Calvin.

6. They bare the iniquities of their fathers, now that they were dead and gone, who had sinned and provoked God to send this great judgment. But how could the Prophet say thus without blaspheming, as the wicked do Ezek. 18? Sol. He doth not mean that they only sinned and their children were innocent, for he often confesseth the contrary Chap. 3. 39, &c. but in saying thus, he aggravateth their sins, as Isaiah doth Chap. 1. 5. Ahseed of evil doers] As if he had said, Thou wert long ago provoked thus to judge us, even in the time of our fathers that went on in a course of sinning generation after generation, and they were punished accordingly by death and destruction, and now we not taking warning by their sufferings to amend our sinful lives, bear the punishment of their sins also, being by this circumstance made greater, and therefore we are most worthy thus to suffer, neither is anymore done to us then thou hast threatened in the second Commandment, To visit the sins of the fathers upon the children, &c. And Jer. 32. 18. and of confessing fathers sins, as [Note.] the cause of confusion, see Jer. 3. and Dan. 9. for the fuller our confession of sins is, the more acceptable are we to God, as the Prodigal, and he is the more [Note.] moved to forgive us, 1 Joh. 1. 8.

7. Servants have ruled over us] This was the greatest debasement that could be, not only to be subject to the Chaldees that were men of quality, but even to their servants, under whom they made the Jews to serve, being thus become servants of servants, which was the curse of Canaan, Gen. 9.

8. They gat their bread with the peril of their lives, because of the sword of the wilderness, Hebr. Our bread was brought in in our soul, in the drought of the wilderness, for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth both drought and sword, but why it should be here rendered Sword, Calvin wondereth, and indeed it is better to render it Drought, which is an inseparable accident of the wilderness; and the meaning is, that they gat bread to sustain them most hardly, being necessitated to travel so far for it, as men in a barren wilderness, that they even fainced in going about to seek it, their very lives being thus endangered by travelling in hunger and thirst long to get a little food. And by those that did so most probably were meant such of the Jews, as fleeing from the enemy, wandered about in the deserts of Arabia, and of other Countries.

For the ninth, Blackness by famine, see before Chap. 4. 8.

10. Their virgins were ravished, and their Princes and Elders, that is, Magistrates dishonored and vily used; and of Princes he saith, That they were hanged by their hand, for so it is Heb. which is mentioned further to express their misery; very Princes, that formerly passed sentence of death against others, being now hanged like dogs and cursed caitiffs upon trees everywhere. Calvin contends that they were hanged by their own hands, seeing their case to be so desperate; but because the words better bear the other sense, and we read not of any that hanged themselves in those straights; and this was the only case of Ahithophel of old; I rather go with the common stream of Interpreters, the Chaldees hanged such of them as they thought good, putting no difference betwixt Princes and base felons, and haply suffering them to hang for more indignity for a spectacle to all men.

11. Their young men were made to grind, and children to carry wood in great burdens, that is, to do base and laborious works even past their power.

12. Their Crown was gone, that is, the people of the Jews ceasing to be a Kingdom, and being made tributary, as verse. 1.

Touching the second part: For this our heart is faint and our eyes dim. Misery is as a sickness wasting the spirits, and dimming the sight; and amongst all their miseries he showeth, that this wrought most upon them, that the mountain of Zion where the Temple stood was desolate, and Foxes walked upon it; and this ought indeed to affect us most with grief, when Religion and Piety is put down and made to cease, as touching the public exercise thereof, for this is a famine of souls, and more dangerous then that of bread and water. And he addeth, The Foxes walked upon it, further to express this desolation, because they live as other wild beasts in desolate places remote from the frequency of men.

Having spoken of the Temples destruction, and Zion by this means lying waste, now he pleadeth with the Lord from the consideration of his eternity, and the everlasting continuance of his Throne, which words seem to be borrowed from Ps. 102. that he would not suffer this his footstool long to lie desolate, but provide for the re-edifying of it again.

Why wilt thou forever forget us, Wilt thou leave us for a long time? O turn us unto thee, and so we shall be turned? That is, turn our hearts to thee against whom we have grievously sinned, and so brought all this misery upon ourselves, that we may penitently confess our sins, and by thy chastisements be purged herefrom, and consequently the punishment laid upon us therefore be taken of, we being restored to a comfortable condition, as in the days of David and other godly Kings. Thus most Expositors: But Hugo Cardin. and Calvin are only for a turning in outward respects. But why that of an inward should be excluded, I see no reason, although to understand it of this without the other doth not so well agree. Nay, exclude this Exposition of inward turning, and take away a most pregnant proof in all the Old Testament of our inability to turn of ourselves, which is needful to be held, because of many other places whereby there may seem to be power of turning in man. For although man must cooperate with the grace of God in the act of his conversion, yet it is to be understood that grace first begins it, and then the will of man being won, subsequent grace confirms it more and more. And in many places where a promise of external favor is made, this is mentioned as the ground thereof, I will put my law into their inward parts, &c. as Jer. 31. 33, 34. And it is more proper to understand these words [Turn us unto thee] of turning by repentance, because if turning them from misery had been meant, he would rather have said [Turn thou to us.] And being understood of turning by repentance, it is an instruction [Note.] to us to go to God, if we desire to have this blessed work wrought in us, whereunto we are unable of ourselves. Being taken of turning by an happy change of our condition; the next words [We shall be turned] are as if he had said, We shall be delivered out of all these miseries, and this thou art able to do instantly, and needest not to take for it so long a time, because the Lord had set seventy years. Renew our days as of old, or as they were anciently, making them prosperous, and by a mighty hand bringing us out of the power of our enemies, as once out of Egypt. But because turning goeth before this, that must be first in our votes to God, and then this shall follow in God's good time, till which we must wait.

But thou hast utterly rejected us, and art very wroth with us. The Septuagint, Because thou hast; as if he had said, Renew our days as of old, for thou hast already proceeded as far against us in wrath, as thou hast threatened to transgressors, by casting us out of thine inheritance, and laying all sorts of judgments upon us. And the Hebrew will bear this, it being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly rendered, for it, according to which if we go, here must be an Aposiopesis, some part of that which he had to say, being suspended, as thus, If thou utterly reject us, &c. and not turn us, what shall become of the solemn Covenant, whereby thou hast engaged thyself to Abraham and his seed, and thy promise of turning this our Captivity at the end of seventy years? But because I know and believe that thou wilt be true of thy promise, I have been bold thus to plead with thee.

CHAP. I.

THE thirtieth year, the fourth month, the fifth day as I was by the river Chebar, &c. Ezekiel is said to be son of Buzi and a Priest, to purchase him the greater authority, as being none of the vulgar sort, but a Priest; Ezekiel signifieth the strength of God; Buzi, contempt; whereupon Origen gathereth that he was a figure of Christ, who was the mighty power of God, but contemned by the Jews; Gregory his coming of the Jews, that were contemptible for their wickedness and unbelief. The time of his prophesying, and the place where is exactly set down, that we might know that he prophesied in the land of the Chaldees in some part of the time wherein Jeremiah prophesied in the land of Judah; that is, five and thirty years after that he began; for ann. 13. of Josiah, Jeremiah began, and in his time continued 18 years, for he reigned 31; then Jehoahaz 3 months, Jehoiakim 11 years, Jehoiachin 3 and 5 years, wherein that King had lived in Babylon after; which all together make about 35; and Jeremiah after that, which was the fifth year of Zedekiah, went on still in prophesying, to the end of Zedekiah his reign, being 6 years more: In this time then they prophesied both together, Ezekiel being by the Lord stirred up to confirm that which Jeremiah said, the rather because that there were false Prophets then, not only at Jerusalem, Hananiah in the fourth year of Zedekiah, that sought to bring Jeremiah out of credit by foretelling of the Jews return from Babylon within two years; whereas Jeremiah had fore told their continuance there seventy years; but also Ahab and Zedekiah in Babylon; in regard of whom the Lord thought it necessary to inspire Ezekiel also to speak the same things, that Jeremiah might with the more comfort go on, and not be borne down by the impudent lies of the false Prophets, bearing the people in hand by reason of the speedy return, whereof they spake, that Jehoiachin and the people, that yielded themselves to the King of Babylon, as Jeremiah advised, had done foolishly and cowardly herein, and therefore they should do more wisely that still remained, and by no persuasions be drawn to yield to the King of Babylon at his coming again, but manfully hold out against him. For this cause Ezekiel speaketh the same with Jeremiah, in his 24 former chapters, threatening the Jews with destruction, and inveighing against their sins, as Jeremiah in his former 27 chapters; and then he prophesieth against divers other nations, from ch. 25. to ch. 35. as Jeremiah doth from 47 to 51. Lastly, ch. 35, 36, &c. to the end he prophesieth of the Jews return out of captivity, and of the my sticall things of Christ's Kingdom: Only there is one thing wherein he seemeth to contradict Jeremy, in saying, that Zedekiah should not see Babylon, ch. 12. 11. but Jer. 21. 7. it is said, that he should go into Babylon: But this is easily reconciled, for his eyes were first put out, and then he was carried to Babylon, 2 King. 25. But for the manner of proceeding, Ezekiel is far more mystical then he, especially ch. 1. & ch. 44, 45. as teaching by signs most hard to be understood; yea, so hard, say the Hebrews, that they forbid all men the reading and studying hereupon, till thirty years of age, which was the age of a Priests beginning to minister at the Temple; yea, they say it is unlawful for any man to undertake to write hereupon, fully to explain these visions, saying, that he may only touch a little upon them, and so leave them: For they say, that the Bible containeth two sorts of knowledge, Berescith, with which word Genesis is begun, setting forth the knowledge common to all; and Marchabah touching God in his chariot, spoaken of, Ezek. 1. and this belongeth only to wise men. To let these things pass; Ezekiel having begun his prophesy in time of Jeremy, as I have shown, went on after Zedekiah his time to the 27 year of Jehoiachins captivity; that is, 16 years, which being put to the 6 before spoken of, make 22.

Hitherto of the time of Ezekiel 's prophesying; now for the place; by the river Chebar in the land of the Chaldees; whereby (saith Calvin) Euphrates i • commonly understood, but he conceives it rather to be some other river, to us unknown, haply branching from that great River; but the Hebrews generally hold Euphrates to be meant, only it is here set forth by the word Chebar, because it signifieth much, manifold, or copious, and it may be thus called, for the abounding of waters therein: Here was Ezekiel amongst others of the captivity placed, as being with them carried away when Jehoiachin their King was carried, at the fifth year of whose captivity he beginneth to reckon. To this their situation in Babylon it is alluded, Ps. 137. When we sat in Babylon, the rivers being about us. But because I have yet said nothing upon ann. 30. wherein the Prophet saith, that he had these visions, but not with any relation whereby we may understand, what thirtyeth year he meaneth, it will be necessary to clear this, before we proceed further in the Text.

Some say, that the 30 year of the Jubilee, is meant, some the 30, from finding the book of the law, when they brought it to the King Josiah, ann. 18. of his reign; whereupon he was so greatly stricken, and applied himself the more zealously to seek the Lord. Some to the 30 of the Prophets age; and some to the 30 year since the beginning of the Babylonian Monarchy: And lastly, some to the 30 year of the reign of Astyages, the grand-father of Cyrus. From the age of the Prophet, there is no reason to count, for no reckoning used ever thus to be made by the age of a private man: neither can any reason be given, why the reckoning should go from the time of finding the Book of the Law; but for the Jubilee reckoning there is good reason, because the Jews reckoned commonly hereby, as being a time of great joy for men's returning again to their inheritances, and for servants being released, and because Ezekiel now lived in Chaldea, he may well be thought to have reckoned as they did there by their Kings reigns, or the years of that Monarchy. For Nebopelassar was the first Monarch, the father of Nebuchadnezzar, and he reigned 14 years, after whom Nebuchadnezzar began his reign the fourth year of Jehoiakim, so that his reign being ended, which was 11 years, Nebuchadnezzar had reigned 7, which being added to 19, make 26; then followed Jehoiachin, who in his first year went into captivity, and now had been in captivity to the fifth year, and if 4 of these be added to the former sum, we have the number of 30, the fifth year here spoken of, which if it be added, would make 31, being haply but now beginning, is not reckoned: Neither is it necessary to yield, that Nebopelassar 's nineteenth year was complete, when he died, but there might want as much of it, as was run out of this fifth year. And for counting from the beginning of this Monarchy it is said, that by authority public it was appointed, that the reckoning in all public instruments should go by Eracs, as the first, second and third Era, as the Greeks counted by Olympiads.

A whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber out of the midst of the fire: Hereby was figuratively shown, that a terrible storm should come out of the north; that is, from Babylon against Judea; that is, the Chaldees forces, which should overturn and burn up and destroy all things: The same was before set forth by Jerem. 1. 11, 13. by a rod and an almond tree, and a seething pot out of the north. For whirlwinds and black clouds are fit emblems of sorrow and destruction, then fire is added round about the cloud, setting forth this destruction to come by fire, as indeed it did, for the City being broken into by the Chaldees, both the City and Temple were burnt down to the ground. But what is the amber color appearing out of the fire? Hebr. as an eye of amber, which is said to have been compounded of gold and silver, so as that it shone most brightly, but Pagnin saith, that it was more precious then silver or gold, Hebr. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which R. David saith, is the name of an Angel, who was sent to teach Ezekiel, for the holy servants of God of greatest note had their Angels appearing to them, and instructing them in a visible shape, as Abraham, Hagar, Jacob, Gideon, Elijah, Daniel, Tobiah, and many more. And by name, saith Agrippa, Adam had his Angel Raziel; Shem, Japhiel; Abraham, Sadkiel; Jacob, Peliel; Joseph, Joshua; Daniel, Gabriel; Moses, Metratton; Elias, Ma • hiel; Tobias jun. Raphael; David, Corniel; Manoeh, Phadael; Esdras, Uriel; Solomon, Michael. But the Scripture speaks only of two, Michael and Gabriel, and Tobits history Raphael, so that the other names are mere inventions of men studied in Art Magic; except Casmael here, if it be the name of an Angel, but it is rather to be thought to be a word expressing the brightness before spoken of about the cloud, and setting forth the glory of God, at whose will, and by whose direction this terrible tempest was raised; and this is the more probable, because when the Lord shown his glory to the Children of Israel, it was in the color of a Sapphire stone: neither do other Expositors differ much herefrom. But Lyra wondereth, that Jerome rendereth Casmal Amber, being drawn by the Rabbin to hold, that it was an Angel. But both the Sept. Aquila, and Theodotion, most skillful in the Hebrew, do all render it Amber.

And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures, and they had the likeness of a man. By these four animalls, Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Angels of God, or Cherubims are set forth, who were of old made by Solomon at God's direction, like unto young men having wings, and placed in the Holy of Holies over the Mercy-seat, but now four appear to Ezekiel, Isaiah 6. he seeth Seraphims about God's throne, but not telling how many, yet it may be conceived, that they were but two, for one cried to another, Holy, Holy, Holy, &c. But why do four appear now? To this Calvin saith well, (who holdeth the Cherubims and Seraphims to be the same) that the Jews being degenerated to idolatry, and so from the way of worship prescribed in the sanctuary, the Lord would not now set forth his ruling by his providence, by two Cherubims only, as then, but by four, whereby they might know, that his providence was not cooped up within the limits of Canaan, but extended it self to all the four parts of the world, in which he had his Angels both to govern as presidents over all countries, as is expressed touching some Dan. 10. 20. of Persia and Grecia, and to bring them against, and to arm them with power, for the destruction of any that rebelled against him, and these four came out of the midst of the fire, and Amber representing the Lord, who is a consuming fire, to show that no power should be able to stand against him, as the fire consumes all things.

And everyone had four faces, and four wings, and their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their feet like a Calves foot, Hebr. a straight foot, in the singular number; that is, each one of them straight, not long, as the foot of a man, but as the next words show, as the foot of a Calf; being thus formed, as some suppose, that they might be ready to ruin as God would have them, this way or that way, but against this maketh, that it is further said, that they turned not when they went, v 12. and that the went straight forward, v. 9. for which their feet are said to be straight feet; Aquila and the Cald. for the feet of a Calf, have round feet, as the word also signifieth; the Sept. winged or feathered feet, further to set forth their swiftness; but the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as it is pointed, doth most properly signify a Calf, and being taken so, the meaning may be good, viz. it being understood of a Calf or Bullock stalled, which being let out, skippeth and leapeth about for joy, for which the faithful are thus compared, Mal 4. 2. Ye shall come forth and leap as Calves out of the stall. and well may we by Calves feet understand agility, because it is said, thou makest my feet like Hinds feet; and again, maketh the Hinds to calve, which showeth, that by a Calves foot an Hinds may be understood: This kind of foot then is ascribed to these Angels for their only expedite, but cheerfully and rejoicingly going out to execute God's will. That these animalls were Cherubims, appeareth, ch. 10. 1. compared with ch. 1. 22. for here a throne appeareth, and one sitting upon it as a Sapphire stone, that is, most precious and glorious over their heads, as ch. 1. 22. the firmament like crystall over the heads of the animalls.

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides, with their hands men do all things whereunto strength and activity belongeth, with their hands they war and fight, according to that of David, thou teachest my hands to war, and my fingers to fight; therefore these Cherubims are set forth, as having hands to fight and to overcome withal, as well as wings to flee, that they may go forth with the more expedition to do God's will. And their hands are under their wings, because they appear not, but they smite invisibly herewith. How many hands they had under their wings, it is not said, but forsomuch as they had hands under them not one, two, or three of them, but under them all, they had at the least as many hands, as wings; each one two pair of wings, and two pair of hands, and because hands of men are joined to their bodies by arms, that they may be the further stretchd out to act and to do, it is to be thought, that to their hands had they arms also, & this makes for the setting forth of their strength, as far greater then any man's, for it is not only greater then his, as two pair of hands have more strength then one, but a thousand times more, as appeared, when one Angel in one night destroyed 185000 of the Assyrians host, 2 King. 19.

Their wings were joined together; that is, two on one side, and two on the other, as is more particularly shown, v. 23. with one pair of which stretched upward they flew, and with the other put down they covered their bodies, v. 11. whereas the Seraphims, Isaiah 6. had each of them 6 wings, two to cover their their feet, two to cover their faces, and two to fly withal. This was done to show, that the Lord in representing his Angels to men, doth not show them alike in all things, but diversely, according to the things set forth by them, as Isaiah 6. was one thing, and here another: and Revel. 4. 6. where such a wonderful appearance also was, another; they turned not when they went; whereas v. 14. they returned when they went, may seem to be contradictory to this; the meaning is, they went right on, and returned not, till they had done the things for which God sent them out, and then they returned to stand before God again at his will to be sent about other employments. This showeth the [Note.] ir revocabilitie of God's decrees, when they are once gone out, before they are not known to men, but such and such destroying judgments be threatened, and by penitent turning from sin they may be prevented, but if the Angel be once upon the wing, there is no escaping for any wicked nation or person.

They four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side, &c. Having said befpre, that each one had four wings, and four faces, now he cometh to show, what manner of faces these were; one was a man's face, 2 a lions, 3 an oxes, 4 an eagles, about which there are divers opinions, the ancientest being, that the four Evangelists were hereby set forth; Matthew by a Lion, Mark by a Man, Luke by an Ox, and John by an Eagle; of which see upon Revel. 4. 6. Some think the four Monarchs of the world to be hereby set forth, the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman. But against this Burgensis strongly reasoneth, because not men, but Cherubims are plainly shown to be meant by these animalls, ch. 10. as was said before; and therefore not Heathen men and Idolaters, such as they were. For the four Evangelists, the vision cannot be applied to them neither, because it is not said, that each one of these beasts had one face, and another another, but one had four, and another four, and so had everyone. Moreover, the Monarchs began a long time one after another, these appeared not so as in Daniel and Zechariah, where the Monarchs being set forth, divers beasts are shown one after another. This therefore pertained to the time now at hand, whereby the Lord would show his power to be irresistible when he should come against the wicked Jews. Calvin thinks, that by the four faces or heads upon every animal, as he calleth these faces, are meant all living things in this world, which are moderated and governed by God's providence, as carried on in their ways, by a secret instinct from his Angels. 1. Man, who is the chief. 2. The Lion, which is the King of all beasts, under whose face therefore they be all comprehended. 3. The Ox, which is put for all tame beasts, as being the chief of them, and most helpful to man. 4. The Eagle, the chief of Fowls, under his face all winged things being set forth. To me it seemeth rather, that by the face of a Man, understanding and reason is set forth; by that of a Lyon, undaunted courage and spirit; by that of an Ox, strength to labor; and by that of an Eagle, a quick fight to pierce to places far remote; and then hereby is set forth the qualification of God's Angels, to the service about which he employeth them. They have everyone understanding, readily to know all things that they are employed about, and courage to go against the most potent enemies of God, and power to help his servants, as their necessity require, being for this vere jumenta, as Oxen are, who have their name a juvando, from helping; Lastly, everyone of them have a most piercing sight, seeing dangers in coming to any whose Guardians they are afar off to prevent them.

For the likeness of the living Creatures, it was, as of coals, of fire, and of burning lamps. The Cherubims appeared thus, for the greater terror and admiration; as when God appeared to Moses as a flame of fire in a bush. If the resemblances before spoken of, had been merely as faces of a Man, Lyon, Ox and Eagle, the spectatour would not have been so much affected herewith: but fiery coals seeming the matter of which the Animals were composed, that had the faces aforesaid, who could but be terrified at it, and at the lamps like flashes of lightening, making all to seem to be of a fire?

Behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures with his four faces. From Animalls the Prophet proceedeth to Wheels, which also he saw, and most probably they portended the same things that the Animalls did, their number, faces, and motions being the same, as it is not unusual with the Lord, by divers things shown in vision, to represent one thing, especially Jerem. 1 by an Almond rod, and a seething pot towards the North.

But what meaneth he by saying, One wheel, and by and by v. 16. he speaketh of wheels, as of more, yea, and expressly of four, chap. 10. 9. of four wheels, one wheel by one Cherubim, and another by another? Sol. It is meant as there, one wheel by one living creature, and another by another, &c. there being by the four Animalls, four Wheels, near to each of which Wheels one stood, as it were to guard it, with his four faces, Hebr. with the quadrature of his faces, each wheel having four faces carved upon it, of a Man, Lyon, Ox, and Eagle, as the Animall had, showing, that this vision tended to the same with the other; the appearance of the wheels was like unto the color of a beryl; Vulg. of the sea, Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by some rendered the sea, by some a Chrysolite, by others a Hyacinth, or Crystall, but there is a precious stone also called a Beryl, Exod. 28. of an excellent color; the Reader may understand whether of these he pleaseth; most probably it was a Blue or Azure color, like the sky, as being most fit to represent the heavenly spheres, which are as wheels turning about the world; and then the wheels within these wheels, must set forth the turning of things about in this world, by the influence of the heavens. And because the motions and turnings of all these wheels are still conform to the Animals, or Cherubims, hereby was shown the same over again, that was shown in them, viz. destruction to come to Jerusalem by the Chaldean Armies, Chariots with Wheels, being most fit to represent Armies marching forth, the chief strength whereof lieth in Chariots and Horses, and these are irresistible indeed, when the Angels of God go along with them, and the heavens are the first movers.

As for their rings, they were so high, that they were dreadful, and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. Vulg. The wheels also had stature and height, and an horrible aspect, and their whole body was full of eyes round about them, Heb. their heights, and the height in them, and terror in them; the meaning is, that these wheels were so high, that it was terrible to behold, there being never wheels of that height seen before, and no doubt, but they had strength accordingly; and moreover, which was never seen in any wheels, they were full of eyes, as the living creatures spoken of, Revel. 4. to set forth providence, looking not only forward, but backward also, and round about: whereby is intimated, [Note.] that things done in the world are not done by blind fortune, but by an all-seeing God, from whose sight none can be hid.

And when the living creatures went the wheels went by them, v. 20. the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. This further confirmeth, that the Vision of the Animalls, and of the wheels, tended to the representing of the same things, for both moved alike, and both were carried by the same Spirit of God, acting by them and in them.

And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature, was like the terrible crystall. Here, before he cometh to the throne of the most High, (under whom the Animals and Wheels all were, and at his command ready to go out whither he would have them to the execution of his will,) he beginneth in making way to speak of him with the likeness of the firmament, next above the heads of the Animalls, as it was next shown unto him, and then above this a throne appeareth, v. 26. and one fitting upon it like unto a Man, so that the appearance of a firmament was under his feet, as Exod. 24. 10. showing him to be the same that is there spoken of; there the firmament is said to be a clear firmament, here, like terrible crystall, to intimate the terribleness of the Lord, so that the nearer approaches are made unto God, the more terror there is; and therefore when God hath appeared to men at any time, they have been taken with exceeding great fear, as the Children of Israel, when he appeared upon Mount Sinai.

Everyone had their wings straight, two that covered on this side, and two on that their bodies, v. 11. two were stretched upward, and two covered their bodies: Here is no contradiction, but a more clear declaration of that which was there said, the two wings stretched upwards, covered their saces, as the Seraphims, Isaiah 6. are said, with two to cover their faces, and with two their feet; so these with two covered the upper part of their bodies, comprehending the face, and with two the nether part to their feet, not always, but when they stood before the throne, at other times flying with them.

And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, as of a great host, when they stood they let down their wings. The noise made by these four Animals when they went is by divers comparisons set forth, to show, that although they were but 4, yet they were equivalent in power to a mighty host, which no force can withstand, and that they were armed with the power of the Almighty, who is the Lord of hosts, making a noise like his voice, that is, the thunder, of which see Ps. 29. and that they went like a flood of water, bearing down, and overflowing all things. And to show how and when they covered their bodies with their wings, it is added for further explanation of v. 23. that when they stood, they let down their wings, therefore when they went they stretched out two of them, as v. 11. and this was not done to cover their faces, as I shown before, that Calvin conjectureth.

And there was a voice from above the firmament when they had let down their wings; that is, coming from the Lord, who sat above in his throne, whence he spake, and at his word they always stand still or go forward, as the Horses that draw a Chariot at the voice of the Waggoner that guideth it. v. 26. There was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a Sapphire stone, so Exod. 24. 10. There was under his feet as it were a paved work of Sapphire stone. Here, because he that sat upon the throne is said to be in the likeness of a Man, all agree that this was a representation of God the Son, portending his incarnation; and likewise whensoever God is said to appear like unto a Man. But hereupon, as Calvin showeth, Servetus gathered, that Christ had a body then compounded of three elements, Fire, Water, and Air, made out of the essence of God, and when he took flesh of the Virgin Mary the fourth element Earth was added. But this was most false, and hath no ground here, because here was only an appearance, not the body of Man, which Christ truly had; only by this appearance it was shown what the Son of God should be made, viz. a Man of a Womam, of whom he should take flesh indeed, when the fullness of time was come. But this blasphemous heretic affirmed him always to have been a body and substance by himself, distinct from God the Father, who was never seen, nor can be by fleshly eyes, because he is a pure spirit.

And I saw, as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from his loins upward, and his loins downward; of the color of Amber see before v. 4. which showeth, that the vision there set forth and here is all one, only there no similitude appeareth, here is a similitude of a man, but of the same color all over his body, most glorious and shining, showing the glory of God the Son to be the same with that of the Father, able to dazzle men's eyes much more then the sun beams, which none can behold steadfastly. And here is further added the appearance of a rainbow, having divers glorious colors, about him, which was once set for a sign of the covenant, which God made with Noah, that he would never again destroy the world with waters, and may be thought here the rather to be shown, to intimate, that God the Son now appearing, should in time to come be a means of a far better covenant betwixt God and Man of grace and peace for evermore.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord: That we might not doubt, but know assuredly, who was before represented sitting upon a throne above the firmament, viz. God the Son, as hath been said; who together with the Father is Jehovah, one and the same essence, this is spoken. Here then is a representation of God sitting in great majesty on high, portending his incarnation to come, and he is set forth with a Chariot going upon four wheels, the tops whereof reached to the firmament under him, typifying his Ministers going out into the four parts of the world, or being in the four parts preaching and publishing his Gospel, together with the Books of the Old and New Testament, out of which they preach, and therefore here are Wheels seen within Wheels, the New Testament within the Old, because nothing else is herein set forth but what was before in the Old spoken of and typified; and to the wheels of a chariot they are compared, above which the Lord sitteth, because they are guided by him, and they are said to have the Spirit in them & eyes, because it is both by the holy Ghost that they are enabled to this blessed work, and he accompanyeth their teaching, making it effectual, and enlighteneth them, making them clearly to discern all things, as it is said, the spiritual man discerneth all things, and they are eyes or lights to others round about them; or by all these eyes intimated to be vigilant Bishops, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Overseers of the Lord's flocks all about. Touching the Lord appearing like Amber, both from his loins upward, and from his loins downward; the part upward may well be understood of his Divinity, and the part downward of his Humanity, by virtue of the union thereof with his Divinity, partaking of the same most resplendent glory; and therefore it is further said to be as fire and brightness round about; fire, because his day is as a refiners fire, destructive to dross, and purificative to the sons of Levi; that is, the Elect; and brightness for the bright shining of his Gospel, it being now day light, as when the sun shineth, being before as the dark night; for which he is also called the Sun of righteousness. And as the sun by the reflection of the beam • thereof from a watery cloud, of which it was spoken before, v. 4. causeth the rainbow of divers glorious colors, so this sun shining upon his Church by his grace, putteth extraordinary beauty upon them, being therefore sometime set forth by a Queen all glorious, as in garments of gold wrought with needlework of divers colors, and sometime by a Temple built of precious stones, carbuncles, saphires and agates. Now for the living creatures, which were four, I mislike not their exposition, who think the four Evangelists to be hereby set forth; but whereas they expound it only of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I conceive rather both them and the whole New Testament, all Books and Epistles therein contained, to be by these four figured out also. And whereas they understand their four faces of them, ascribing the face of a Man to one, of a Lyon to another, of an Ox to a third, and of an Eagle to a fourth, I rather think these faces to agree to all these writings in common, each one setting him forth, that was as a Man, by his taking flesh of the Virgin Mary; as a Lyon, by his coming of the tribe of Judah, whose emblem was a Lyon; as an Ox, for his being offered up in sacrifice; and as an Eagle, for his quick-sightednesse, being able to see into the thoughts of men's hearts. For it is not said, that these Animals had one of them the face of a Man, the other of a Lyon, &c. but each of them had these 4 faces, so that there must be in either of them a representation of all these four; and so there is, wheresoever Jesus, who is as all these, is described. And because holy men, that wrote the New Testament, the foremost of whom were the four Evangelists, upon that which was written, by whom all the rest go, they are said to have bodies like unto a Man. And wings they have, and that four, for their speedy flying, as it were abroad into all the parts; and their wings are let down when they stand still, to cover their bodies, as being unworthy to stand in the presence of the holy God, with their bodies polluted by sin, in whose sight, the very Angels are not clean, as Elijah covered therefore his face, when the Lord passed by with his glory. And these Animals are also called Cherubims, ch. 10. because as Angels they bring tidings of joy and salvation by Christ, Angels being nothing else, according to the signification of the word, but Messengers, and Cherubims, likenesses, which Angels assume to them, when they appear at any time to men. For their standing each Animall by a wheel, and moving tother, & their spirit being in the wheels; this serveth to show, that the faithful Ministers of Christ preach nothing but what is set forth in his written Word, being led by the same Spirit, causing a most sweet harmony and consent betwixt them, standing, going, and being lifted up together. Lastly, their bodies are said to be like unto burning coals, and lamps go up and down amongst them, as lightning, to show their fiery zeal and fervency in the execution of their preaching office; for which James and John were called Boanerges, sons of thunder, because they terrified the wicked, as by thunder and lightning, to repentance, and because the Angel of the Church of Laodicea, was neither hot nor cold, he is threatened with being spewed out, as one that God's stomach could not endure. There are also other things remarkable about these living creatures, that they had feet as a calf, hands under their wings, and went straight forward, and turned not when they went, and yet finally returned as lightning. Such feet serving to set forth their strength to labor, if by the feet of a calf we understand of Oxen, as the Golden calf made by Aaron was doubtless the image of an Ox, which the Egyptians worshipped, called Apis, or by such feet understand their cheerful going out, as calves out of the stall, as was before noted. Their going straight forward without turning, shown the Evangelists and holy Apostles, constant going on in publishing the Gospel, and only the truth thereof without turning aside to any errors; and herein being of such undaunted courage, as not to be stayed from so doing by any opposition of persecutors. For the hands of a man under their wings, this shown the might wherewith they were instructed in their spiritual warfare to beat down strong holds of sin. As for the whirlwind, and cloud, and fire first appearing, v. 4. which came out of the North, I take it to have been shown, as portending the Jews destruction by the Chaldees, as I have already said; and that first and literally by the other apparitions the same is further set forth; and haply, as Calvin it, how all things in all parts of the world are moderated by the divine providence, not only men, but beasts, savage and tame, and fowls; and by these wheels the divers turnings about of States and Common-wealths, and of particular persons, being sometimes up, and sometimes down; and that all this is not done by blind fortune, but by the providence of an all-seeing God the wheels whereby things are thus turned about in this world, being within the great wheels of the heavenly spheres, and accordingly carried, as in heaven it is decreed, there being an invisible Spirit in them, that doth all this, the reins whereby the Chariot having these wheels is guided, being in the hands of him that sitteth upon the throne, and is always moving at his voice.

Thus I have by the assistance of God gone through these dark passages. But Gregory will not only have these things mystical, and shown to set forth the matters of Christ's Kingdom, but also the year being the 30, and the opening of the heavens, and Ezekiel 's being by the river Chebar. For hereby (he saith) was shown, that Christ should begin to preach at 30 years of age, and his baptism in the river Jordan, and the heavens opening then, and the Holy Ghosts coming down upon him. And whereas Ezekiel beginneth with a conjunction Copulative 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 having said nothing before, he noteth, that this is done, as joining that which he wrote to his inward revelations, because he had them first, and then wrote as followeth. And whereas he altereth the person, saying, in the first person [I saw] and then in the third, the word come to Ezek. and the hand of God was upon him; he saith, that this is done to show, that as he spake, so the Spirit of God spake by him. Then proceeding to the whirlwind and the cloud, and involving fire and brightness round about it; he saith, that because the North wind is very cold and piercing; hereby was set forth the judgments of God to come upon the Jews for their infidelity and malice against Christ, overturning their City, as a whirlwind; and because a cloud is dark, hereby the darkness of ignorance that they were in at Christ's coming amongst them, and by the fire involved their malice, making them fiery hot against him; and the brightness round about, the bright light of the Gospel shining to the nations all about, when they rejected it. And for the similitude of amber in the midst of the fire; he saith, this served to represent Christ, because amber is made of gold and silver, and by gold added to silver and mixed with it, both the color is made more orient, and it is in value increased, and the gold by the mixture made more pale, which otherwise would dazzle ones eyes to behold it: So the Deity as most precious gold being all tempered with the humanity, might be by men beheld and seen, which otherwise could not. He also by this vision understands the coming of our Lord to judgment at the last day, for that shall be a day of blackness and darkness, as by dark cloud, and the fire shall then be involved with the cloud, and it shall come suddenly as a whirlwind, and then out of the fire the amber-like most glorious body of Christ shall appear. For the four faces of each living creature; that is, of the four Evangelists, as he takes it for granted that they are meant, and consequently all preachers of the Gospel; he saith, by the face a man is known; and therefore hereby is shown, that they were known and acknowledged by God, each one had four faces, because what one saith of Christ's humanity, all the rest say the same; and likewise of his divinity, and they had wings to show that they flew on high by d • vine contemplation; but because this is nothing without ordering their going accordingly, it is added, their feet were straight, they went according to the straight rule of God's holy law, and turned not from it to the right hand or to the left; and they are said to have had feet like a calves foot, to intimate, that both they and other faithful preachers of the Gospel are meant, who are compared to oxen, where it is said, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox, that treadeth out the corn; and such a foot is divided, to show, that they discreetly divide the word of truth, expounding some places only literally and commending the good examples of the godly, therein set forth to our imitation; and likewise other precepts commending virtue unto us: but other places they expound mystically; as where things not imitable are said to have been done by any of them, and where things are darkly set forth, one thing being spoken and another meant. For as it were indiscretion to expound all things literally, so to make all mystical is no less then extreme folly; and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass; brass is sounding, and therefore hereby is set forth the sound made by them; of which it is said, their sound went out into all the earth; and it is said to be sparkling, to show their earnest desire, that the word may kindle in the hearts of the hearers; and that although but a little of that which they teach cometh into their hearts, yet hereby a fire is kindled, and in time breaks out into a flame. For the hands of a man under their wings; hereby was shown, that as they were given to contemplation implied in their wings, so they acted accordingly, which was also set forth in Mary and Martha; but Mary setting forth contemplation did best, yet that which Martha did is necessary also; these two Contemplation and Practice must be in everyone; but first Contemplation, by having the mind lifted up to things above, then Practice, by living and doing accordingly. These hands of a man also may be understood of the hands of the man Jesus Christ, whereby these wings were lifted up, or else they could not have flown therewith, so through him only enabling us we can do all things, even ascend in our hearts to things heavenly, but of ourselves not. For the stretching out of the two wings upward, hereby was set [Note.] forth their aiming at the glory of God in all that they do. For if the praise of men be aimed at in our divine actions, or we therefore give ourselves to contemplation and study, that we may be learned, this is nothing acceptable, but when this is extended to God on high, it is acceptable indeed. But what meaneth their covering of their bodies with two of their wings, the other two being stretched out? verily, that as by two virtues, Hope and Love, we extend ourselves towards heaven and are comforted, so by two, Fear and Repentance in regard of our sins, the body hereof is covered from God's sight, according to that, Blessed is the man whose sins are covered.

They went straight forward when they went, Hebr. before their faces; whereby is not only meant, that they looked not back to the things behind them, as the Apostle saith, Phil. 3. 8. and our Lord, he that puts his hand to the plough and looketh back is not fit for the kingdom of God; that is, who hath forsaken worldly vanities but turneth to them again, as Demas to the embracing of this present world: but also that they looked upon themselves, as other men, diligently considering from day today their own imperfections, to be humbled, and to judge themselves therefore, as it is the part of everyone of us to do, and we shall not be so ready to censure others, to the incurring of the danger of God's judgment. They went whither the Spirit went: Some there are that seem to themselves to be carried by the Spirit when they are not, but by the flesh; as namely, when men in authority are violent against sinners, their [Note.] enemies, as glad of the occasion, and therefore proceed against them in all extremity: Again, others out of remissness, that they may have the love of all, being counted kind and gracious, connive at great faults and forbear to punish them, or punish them not according to their deserts▪ as Eli did by his sons; and either of these think that herein he is moved by the Spirit, but indeed it is by the flesh, which is carefully to be noted, that we may not deceive ourselves.

And they were like unto burning coals of fire, and like lamps: the first of which shown, how that the godly heat by their conversing with such, as amongst whom they live, and keep company as hot burning coals; the second, their enlightening and moving others to goodness who are afar off, when they hear of their virtues, Humility, Patience, Godliness and Miracles; and from the fire lightening going out; that is, from the Spirit, which is as fire, because if coals or lamps have not fire put to them, they will neither burn nor flame: it is then by the Spirit that any be such, that the praise may be given to God who thus enableth. A necessary consideration for Christ's Ministers, that [Note.] they may approve themselves to be right by their burning zeal, seeking to heat the cold affections of others; and by shining as lamps in doctrine and life to enlighten more in the way of life, and to draw them to walk in it. And for all people to approve their conversing with such, and their light extending to them to these blessed ends.

And the animals ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightening; that is, after the work done of heating and enlightening the near at hand, and the far off, they with speed returned to give God praise, and to obtain more light and strength to go on in their race. St. Peter and John having healed the Cripple, when the people came about them, admiring them for the miracle done, he bad the people to look upon them, and remitted them to Jesus, the worker thereof, and the Prophet acknowledgeth, saying to the Lord, thou hast wrought all our works in us; and they return like a flash of lightening in regard of the miracles wrought by them, daunting their persecutors, that they dare not proceed in extremity against them, as it happened after the aforesaid miracle.

One wheel by the living creatures with his four faces. Here it may seem strange, that there being four wheels, one alone should first appear, but it is easily answered, this wheel sets forth the Old Testament, which was first alone, and then the New Testament contained in the four Evangelists, and the other parts thereof shown itself also. Only against this it may be objected, the order of the appearing agreeth not, for the Old Testament was before and not after the New Testament: If then it had been here meant so, this wheel have appeared first and then the four Animalls. But it is to be understood, that although the Old Testament was first in time, yet the New Testament was first in dignity, so Gregory; but it was indeed first in time, because spoken of to Eve and to Abraham, many hundreds of years before the covenant in giving the law made, as St. Paul argueth, Gal. 3. 17. Now for the four faces of the wheels they represented the Old and New Testament, the Old divided into two and the new into two, the Law and the Prophets, the Evangelists and Acts and writings of the Apostles. And they are all set forth by wheels, because ever turning about, and going into all parts, for the Scriptures as the Sun cease not turning about till they have enlightened all the world, the Gospel being preached to all nations. And the wheel is said to stand upon the earth, and yet v. 18. to be terribly high, as showing, that some part of these wheels is so low, as that it may be reached by the simplest man upon the earth; but some again so high, as not to be attained to, unless by men most learned, and soaring aloft by heavenly contemplation, as here he instanceth in the History of Jacob's getting the blessing from Esau, all particulars wherein he excellently unfoldeth, showing the meaning thereof. For the wheels within the wheels, this shown the New Testament mystically contained in the Old. For these wheels going and not returning, it is to be understood, now that under the Gospel all the mysteries of the Old Testament are opened, there shall be no more turning from the way of worship, into the which we are hereby set to the worlds end, as there was before, the carnal service then set up ceasing. But what meaneth the height or stature, heights and terrible aspect here spoken of? Sol. By stature understand rectitude, by altitudes heavenly bliss, and by the terrible aspect hell threatened to sinners, as heaven above is promised to them that repent and believe. Whereas before by one wheel standing upon the earth the Old Testament was shown to be set forth with that part which is easy to any capacity; let the Reader consider, whether the earthly promises therein made be not rather set forth, whereby only the people were expressly stirred up to obedience and against sin: and their heights werefull of eyes not earum, as he would have said, if he had meant the wheels still, but eorum, showing, that now he returns again to speak of the Animals; that is, holy Preachers. They are said to be full of eyes, to intimate their circumspection; that they may be no way entangled unawares with evil, either by a good intention, thinking to be born out in any unwarrantable action, or taking praise to themselves for any excellency in them, or being deceived by heretics and their sophistry, for they try the spirits. And they move as the Spirit moves them, wheels and living creatures all alike; for the firmament above their heads, and the throne, &c. so much hath been said before, that I find nothing of worth more by Gregory added thereunto. Only taking the Animalls to be representatives of holy men only; he understands by the firmament like crystall holy angels which fell not, but were after the fall of some consolidated like crystall never to fall, but being now as water congealed into crystall.

This was the likeness of the appearance of the glory of God, and when I saw it, I fell upon my face. He saith, the likeness, because the essential glory of God is not to be seen by mortal man; as it is said, no man shall see God and live; when God came down to Mount Sinai to give the law, it is said, ye saw no similitude, therefore take heed unto yourselves, &c. whereby is intimated, that howsoever the Lord was pleased here and Dan. 9. by some similitude to show his glory to man, yet his will is, that none should presume by any image to represent him, but without any similitude to worship him upon pain of incurring the danger of Idolatry, as well as the setters up of other images to imaginary gods; for it is plainly affirmed to be a corruption in divine worship. For Ezekiel's falling upon his face at the sight hereof; other holy men of God upon like occasion, did likewise, their bodily strength failing them, as Daniel and John, such terror doth the very glimpse of the divine majesty strike into the hearts of men, because none are altogether without sin, and God is so severe a Judge against sin. For when Adam had sinned he feared when he heard but the sound of God's coming into the garden of Eden, and likewise any one of his posterity at any representation of God's majesty approaching, is taken with great fear; yea, it is said of Moses himself; when the Lord appeared upon Mount Sinai, that he trembled and feared, then he heard a voice of one that spake; all which words are by the Vulg. Lat. severed from this, and prefixed before ch. 2. which now followeth.

CHAP. II.

AND he said unto me, stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee, and the Spirit entered into me and set me upon my feet: This was done to show, that whoso would hear the Lord speaking must stand upon his feet by being intent in his affections to that which he speaketh. But this he cannot do till the Spirit entering into him sets him up, but the Spirit entering he doth stand up; which maketh against all those that intend not the word of the Lord when he speaketh, but are remiss in their affections towards it; and let none say, I [Note.] shall then be set upon my feet when the Spirit enters into me, taking no further care hereabout, but ask the Spirit by earnest praying of our heavenly Father, for he will (saith the Lord) give his Spirit to them that ask him.

Son of man I send thee to the children of Israel, but I know, that they are a rebellious house. Here the Prophet first by word of mouth hath the task of prophesying to the children of Israel laid upon men, but with little encouragement, to show that the servants of God must not forbear the execution of their office, [Note.] because the people amongst whom they teach are refractary and rebellious, and harden their hearts against their teaching. For God hath not only one end in sending Prophets to a people, viz. to convert them, but if they harden [Note.] their hearts he hath another, viz. that they may know that there hath been a Prophet amongst them, and therefore when destruction cometh, that there was no defect on God's part, through which it is brought, but altogether in themselves, in that they hardened their hearts and were not moved by his threatenings and admonitions, who never smiteth before that he giveth warning. Calvin notes from that which went before, that God never casts his down but he lifteth them up again, but reprobates are terrified and so left [Note.] to the judgments to come. And again, that the Word of God goeth not alone, but his Spirit together, to make them stand up that are fallen; so that it is not through any weakness in the Word, that so many lie still in their sins: but because they ungraciously reject the Spirit, offering to enter in at the door of their heart. And for this they shall know that there hath been a Prophet amongst them; he saith, this was added for consolation to the Prophet, although his teaching be slighted for the present, yet it should one day appear to their confusion and his praise, and when those things that he foretold should come to pass, it should from themselves be extorted that God sent him, and by the greatness of the judgments coming upon them, they should know by experience what it was to harden their hearts against his premonitions. And thus it shall be to all impenitent hearers of the Word, upon whom it worketh not, but they go on in rebellion still, they shall know one day to their cost what it was to have a Prophet amongst them, but either to sleight or malign him for his labor.

Though briars and thorns be with thee, and thou dwellest amongst Scorpions, be not afraid of their words: Vulg. for briars and thorns hath increduli & subversores sunt tecum; but the first word signifieth Rebels, and the next Subverters, or Thorns in Hebrew; and the wicked amongst whom the Word is preached, are hereby shown not only to be Rebels, but also like Thorns, pricking and galling the Preacher by their sharp words and malicious practices against him; and they are also like Scorpions, stinging, and so poisoning him, that is, procuring his death, as John the Baptist also called the Pharisees generation of vipers, which are another sort of most poisonous serpents. But our Lord to comfort his Ministers against such auditors, saith, Ye shall tread upon Scorpions, and take up Serpents and they shall not hurt you. And this is spoken as Gregory noteth, to show, that the Saints of God living amongst evil company cannot be corrupted by them, as Lot amongst the Sodomites; neither doth the most holy [Note.] place keep others from sinning, as Paradise did not Adam, but Alel living with Cain a Scorpion persists in God's favor.

But be not thou rebellious; that is, to conceal that which I bid thee speak, open thy mouth and eat, which is thus spoken, to intimate, that the Preacher by opening his mouth to teach others, feeds himself, and is spiritually nourished thereby as with sweet and pleasant meat; as is shown, ch. 3. 3. That which he was bidden to eat was a roll written within and without, Lamentations, Mourning, and Woe: Vulg. Lament. a verse or song, Carmen and Woe; expounded by some of the sorrows to be suffered here by the wicked, the joys of the godly in heaven, and the torments of hell to come to the wicked forever. But the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying either clamour or roaring; so that herein was nothing joyful: It is said to be the roll of a book, because they wrote then in parchment, and one parchment was a book rolled together, as it was apt of it self to do. Yet the roll here, as Gregory noteth, intimated the obscurity of his Prophesy, requiring much study to understand it; and further, the writing within and without, intimates some things obscure, and some things plain; it being full of Lament. &c. to show abundance of miseries coming, concerning which he was to prophesy; or within, was to the Jews within covenant, and without, to other nations, for he prophesieth against them also, as chap. 25, &c. to chap. 40. And Ezekiel hath this roll opened to him, and then he eateth it; to show, that the Preacher must open and take out of the Word of God what he preacheth, and teach nothing else but what is herein written; and this he must eat by meditation, and it filleth his belly, when he groweth hereby full of light and holiness, and he keeps it in his memory to declare it to the congregation, it being nothing grievous or harsh, but sweet and pleasant to him so to do, as ch. 3. 3. So John also had a book given to him to eat; and our Lord said it was meat to him to do the will of his Father, when he was about to preach to the Samaritans. How alike the Lord proceeded with Ezekiel and John in Revel. see ch. 4. & 10, &c. there, for he also saw a throne, and four Animalls full of eyes, and a rainbow about the throne.

CHAP. III.

AS an Adamant, harder then a flint have I made thy forehead: With many words doth the Lord arm Ezekiel, that he might courageously execute his Prophetical office against all discouragements by the Jews, to whom he was sent. He had told him of the hard heartedness and impudent shamelesnesse of his people, now against this he promiseth to work so in him, that they shall not all of them be able to make him blush or be ashamed with what derisions or calumnies soever they should lade him. As an Adamant is most hard and durable, so he hereby showeth the constancy wherewith he would indue Ezekiel to go on in his Prophetical office. Hereupon Gregory saith well, verecundia in malo laudabilis, in bono e contra, to be ashamed of evil is a point of wisdom, but to be ashamed of good a point of folly; there is confusion bringing glory, and there is confusion bringing sin. From this therefore the Lord keeps his, but giveth grace unto them for that, for which cause the Apostle saith, what fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed?

And the Spirit took me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place: As the Lord had by words, and the sign of the roll of a book given to Ezekiel to eat confirmed and comforted him, so now he actually strengtheneth him to his office by taking him up by his Spirit above all earthly things, that he might not be troubled, or have his mind distracted by these, but he might be wholly intent to the heavenly business, wherein the Lord was about to employ him. So likewise his spirit takes up other Prophets & Ministers of his, insomuch as that they pass not for worldly losses, dangers or indignities, offered to them, as rejoicing to do the [Note.] work to which they are appointed unto the end. As Paul said, when he heard, that he should be bound at Jerus. none of all these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course with joy. For the voice heard of a great rushing, blessing the glory of the Lord, this shown that it was superhumane, & heavenly, and therefore, that it should certainly be, as was said, God's glory should be blessed and magnified from his place, although the ten Tribes being carried in captivity, and Judah ere long should come into the power of their enemies also, all things might now seem desperate. Yet hereby was declared, that God, who dwelt in the Temple at Jerusalem, would show himself again to be the Lord, and most glorious for the mighty acts that he would again do for his people: For which cause also the noise of the wings of the Animals and of the Wheels was heard, as demonstrated a power to come that should be irresistible, viz. of the hosts of the Lord in way of rescue of his from the hands of all their enemies: To this effect almost Calvin, but Gregory from this, that he heard a voice behind him, saith, that hereby was shown what followeth after prophesying in the penitent, they having lien [Note.] still before in the dregs of their sins, now make a great noise by mourning for them. This though it be true, doth not so well agree to this place, because for further expression, and to show who made this noise, it is said, that it came from the Animals and Wheels, setting forth not sinners, but Cherubims, and Evangelists, which were holy, and the speech uttered being a blessing of the glory of God evinceth also the same, it being rather consonant to that, Isaiah 6. where the Seraphims cry continually, Holy, holy, holy to God, and the earth is full of his glory. I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit: Before it is said, that he eat the roll and it was sweet as honey; How then saith he now that he was in bitterness? Sol. He had not put off all human affections, although he were so transported as hath been said, and in regard of these he was in bitterness, although in respect of the Spirit into him entering and finding him with the visions of God, he had sweetness, as David saith, Thy word is sweeter to me then honey and the honey comb: yet he was not without bitterness when he went heavy and mourning all the day long, and when he drank gall and wormwood; but he saith, The hand of the Lord was strong upon me, although through the weakness of the flesh the task imposed upon me was so bitter to me, that I would have avoided it, yet the Spirit, set forth by the hand of the Lord put me on so strongly, that I buckled unto it, and went as v. 15. Thus Calvin, but Gregory, The more of the Spirit we have, the more bitterness of sorrow for our own sins and imperfections follows in us, in that we are not able to do as the Spirit moves us, but then Christ, who [Note.] is the hand of God, is strong in us, and by him we are drawn, as it is said, no man can come to me except the Father draw him; which is true, but the former agreeth best to this place.

Then I came to them of the captivity at Tellabib, that dwelt by the river Chebar, that is, having been hitherto withdrawn, that I might alone see these visions; now I returned, and came again amongst my fellow captives, and here the place is named in which they dwelt. Telabib, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying an heap, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an ear of corn, it being haply so called for the fertility of the place, as commonly places near rivers are very fruitful: And there, he saith, he remained amongst the other captives astonished 7 days, that is, silently meditating upon the visions, which I had, as being stricken hereby, and might advisedly be done on God's part, as preparing the people, with a more attentive mind to hearken to that, which he should after say; whereas if he had presently spoken, it may be they would not have so much regarded it, but now seeing him so long thus troubled and saying nothing, they could not but be ready to hearken to him, when he should begin to speak. The Vulg. hath it, a heap of new fruits; but it is thus said, either because fruits were soon ripe there, or the corn being now ripe it was gathered together and laid upon heaps.

Son of man I have made thee a Watch-man to the house of Israel: Here it further appeareth, why Ezekiel was mute all these 7 days, he had not yet his commission, he was indeed chosen and appointed to this Prophetical office, but not till after these 7 days authorized to speak to the people. And now, what manner of man is he made? verily a Watch-man, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Bishop, as such be called in the New Testament. But how must he acquit himself according to this his office? by taking his words from God's mouth, and so speaking to the people, and not bringing forth any of his own, as Paul did, 1 Thess. 2. 13. Act. 20. but the Pharisees did not, nor the Papists at this day; and therefore although they have the title of Bishops, they are indeed [Note.] nothing less by reason of their ignorance, which keepeth them from seeing, and of the traditions of men and legends, which they teach, and not the words coming from God's mouth only. Neither can ignorant Preachers amongst us, or such as preach themselves, venting their spleen against particulars, or going in high strains of human eloquence, Philosophical discourses, or Rapsodies of many quotations out of human writings, better acquit themselves for such Watch-men, nor although they speak God's words, if they take no further care, that their teaching may be effectual, praying to this end, as Paul, Eph. 1. and observing their exorbitances to admonish and if it may be to reduce them that are wandering into the right way.

Also when a righteous man turneth from his righteousness, and I lay stumbling blocks before him, &c. Here another part of the Ministers office is set forth, viz. as to admonish the wicked, so to seek the turning of the righteous, in case that they have fallen into sin or error. But how is it that such a case is put, seeing the righteous have the seed of God in them, and cannot sin? Sol. This is either spoken of such as never had any other, but seeming righteousness, of which sort of men the Lord saith, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, or of the truly righteous, who are subject to fall into sin, though not to fall away so as to delight in any evil way which they formerly hated, trading now in it. For all are to be admonished of their sins, being otherwise in the way of death, and the minister of God seeing one or another of these righteous persons gone from his righteousness to sin, he cannot distinguish betwixt them, and therefore must warn both; yea, by this means it pleaseth God to turn his elect servants again, that they may come to the life whereunto he hath predestinated them. But what is God's laying of stumbling blocks in their way? Calvin saith, it is affliction and judgments, whereby they are judged in this world, unto which he would have his watchman to add his admonitions, as being then most likely to take effect. But Lyra expounds God's laying of a stumbling block before him, of his punishing sin with sin in him; that is, after his falling from righteousness to sin, leaving him to his own lusts, the rein being laid loose, as it were, that he might run on into sin more and more, being hardened herein rather by mercies and worldly blessings, or coming out of miseries notwithstanding, as Pharaoh did, whereby his heart was hardened. And this is most probable, the executing of judgments upon the righteous, turning to sin, being rather an hedging up of his way with briars, as another Prophet speaketh, to stop him from going on in the way of sin. Here the Lord calleth Ezekiel to another place, viz. into the Plain, yet not telling him to what end he should go thither, and he obeyeth, we being by his example taught to obey the [Note.] will of God, although we see no reason of so doing; thus also did Abraham, in going out of his own country to another, but not knowing whither. And when he was gone into the Plain, the glory of God was again represented unto him, as it had been before at the river Chebar, so that he lost not his labor, but had his comfort renewed in seeing the visions of God again, to which comfort there is nothing comparable to an holy mind. But being there, the Lord seemed to contradict that which he had formerly said, in bidding him give warning to the wicked, but now, to shut up himself, and telling him that his tongue should cleave to the roof of his mouth, and that they should put him in bands. But he doth not hereby show anything else but a cessation from speaking, as he was before commanded for a time, in regard of their great unworthiness to whom he was sent, the Lord giving him to understand, that he would again in his due time open his mouth, as v. 27. Lyra by his putting in bands understandeth, that the meaning of the Lord was, that he should cause his servants to bind him in his own house, where he should be shut up, in token, that he should not for a time go out anymore amongst them. And he must go out into the Plain to see the same glorious vision again for his further confirmation, after the charge of a Watch-man given him, for which cause the Spirit is also said again to enter into him, and set him upon his feet, when through fear he had fallen down, as he had done before: And yet all this notwithstanding, he must shut up himself and be silent, till the Lord would be pleased to open his mouth again; to show, that through the perverseness of the people the course of Prophesying is sometime stopped; and then vision failing, what can be expected but that the people should perish without remedy, that as we desire not to be deprived [Note.] of the light, we may not harden our hearts in sin, but show ourselves tractable and obedient. Gregory by the Lord's calling Ezekiel into the Plain, saith, that my stically is set forth the coming of his Word to the Gentiles, the Jews being left, and his being shut up, and tongue-tied and bound, their being without any true Prophet, til the time cometh when the Lord will be pleased to open the mouth of some at the end of the world to speak effectually to them for their conversion to the faith.

CHAP. IV.

HERE the Lord biddeth Ezekiel by signs to foretell the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, he must upon a Tile pourtray, a City, and an Army besieging it, &c. The Tile to be taken saith Lyra, must be one unburnt, and so fit to pourtray anything upon, and this must be done to make that which was to come upon the Jews for their sins the more plain, as was then the manner of God's teaching. But all this, saith Calvin, might seem to be childish and ridiculous, only being done at the Word of the Lord it was a matter of great moment, for hereby was shown, that Jerusalem should most certainly be thus dealt withal by the Chaldees. And this is that which maketh the sacraments instituted by God to be reverend, because they are done at his Word, although there appeareth nothing in them but contemptible, in respect of the ends for which they were ordained, there being nothing [Note.] in the one but Water, and in the other Bread and Wine. But God's Word coming, they are most excellent and heavenly means of sanctification and salvation, although no such thing appeareth outwardly to the eye of the beholder, he that commanded Baptism, hereby cleansing the soul invisibly from the filthiness of sin; and in our receiving that Bread and Wine strengthening and refreshing our souls to eternal life. But the outward ceremonies in the Church of Rome having no word, but being merely men's inventions are ridiculous indeed, yea vain and impious, and therefore to be cast out.

Lye upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it, 390 days, days being to set forth years. v. 6. Then lie on thy right side 40 days, &c. That which was before done serving to represent Jerusalem's destruction, now he is bidden by lying upon his left, and then on his right side to make a demonstration of the time unto the said destruction. Touching which time Calvin conjectureth, that for Israel, that is, the Kingdom of the 10 tribes, the years set forth by the 390 days began with Jeroboam, and ended when in the time of Hosea the Assyrians carried Israel away into captivity; for those years were just 390, and touching the 40 years of Judah's standing after this, till the destruction of Jerusalem; he reckoneth 22 from Josiah, and the other 18 either in the time of Manosseh his reign, wherein sin most abounded, or so many years of Josiah his reign before the Book of the Law was found. But who so shall compute the time from Jeroboams beginning to reign, to the 9 year of Hosea, shall find that he was much mistaken, for there was not above 272 years; and it were strange by the 40 years of Judah to understand some in another Kings reign, that is, Manasseh's, one going between, or in the reign of Josiah, taking them for the former 18, and then over-leaping the latter 13, to make them up out of the years of Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah; wherefore we must necessarily seek some other interpretation; and here not to trouble the Reader with many, I find one amongst them all, that most arrides me; which is, that by the 390 days, and 40 days are meant, so many days of the siege of Jerusalem before pourtrayd upon a tile, for he is both bidden to set his face towards the siege of Jerusalem, v. 7. And to make bare his arm in token of action, wherein the Lord would soon be against her, because men in preparing to work put off their upper garment, hanging otherwise about their arms, and troubling them. And to eat base bread 390 days, and that by weight, to show, that they should in the time of the siege or many days live in great scarcity and want through the famine, that should be; and the event was answerable, for Nebuchadnezzar began his siege against Jerusalem, ann. 9. of Zedekiah, the 10 month, the 10 day, and ann. 11. the 4 month, the 9 day took it; so that all the days of the siege, counting 30 days to a month, were 390 days of famine, although the famine began not after the siege, till the fifth month after the siege laid▪ then for the forty days more of his lying on his right side, in which time nothing is said of his diet; this time disagreeth not much from the time of Nebuzaradans coming to burn the house of the Lord, and other principal houses in Jerusalem, which was the 5 month, the 7 day, that is, 28 days after, so that by the time of finishing those burnings, 12 days more might well pass; and thus we come to the number of 40; all which both 390 and 40 days, Judah may well be said to have born her iniquities; and because many of Israel were mixed amongst them, Israel also, and Ezekiel being set for a pertentum or sign of that which was to come unto them, is said to bear their iniquities in token hereof so many days, and it is added [a day for a year] to show, that in these their grievons suffering so many days, they were not too rigorously dealt withal; considering, that for so many years living in idolatry and other gross sins, they suffered and were in straights but so many days, a day for a year; and then Ezekiel's bearing of their iniquities so long, was his bearing only of the punishment thereof. For the counting of those years, if we begin at Jeroboam, and reckon to the captivity of Israel, of his reign 20, of the reign of Asa King of Judah 41, Jehoshaphat 35, Jehoram 8, Ahaziah 1, Athaliah 6, Joash 40, Amaziab 29, Uzziah 52, Jotham 16, Ahaz 16, Hezekiah 6, at the time that Israel was subdued by the Assyrians, after this he reigned 23, Manasseh 55, Josiah 31, Jehoiakim 11, Zedekiah 11: So that to the Captivity of Israel were 270 years, from thence to the destruction of Jerusalem 131, all together 401: But according to this account, the sinnings of Israel and Judah are put together, which are here distinguished; and together also they are not only 401, but 430 years. Lyra therefore counteth the years of Israel in two parts, 1. from Abimelech the son of Gideon, in whose days Israel went a whoring after his Ephod, and sinned by idolatry, till Samuel's time, who made them put away their idols, which time was about 120 years; secondly, from Jeroboam to Hosea, as was said before, 270, together 390. Then for Judah's 40 years he assigneth the 16 first years of Manasseh his reign, of Amons 2, and of Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah 22; and this is the best that I have met withal, or can excogitate; if the years were more from Abimelech to Samuel, it is to be understood, that it is not said, that they went a whoring, even the whole house of Israel after the Ephod made by Gideon, but that they did so; but haply, although they in Ophrah where it was, did so at the first, after he was dead, yet there was no general defection, till many years after. And for Judah's sinning, there was no reason to reckon anymore time hereof, then was notorious, since Hezekiah kept the people in better order all his days, and Josiah in his and Manasseh, after his deliverance from imprisonment and restitution to his Kingdom again. For the Prophets lying thus long on his left side, and then on his right, it is not to be conceived, that he lay continually all this time indeed, but in imagination, or at certain times, till so many days were expired. Jerome reckoneth the 390 years of Israel's sufferings from the captivity of the ten tribes, an. 9. of Hosea, to the destruction of Jerusalem, or rather from Pha • e the son of Remaliah, in whose time the Captivity of two tribes and an half began, 164 years, from whence to Cyrus were 70, from thence to Ahasuerus, who delivered the Jews from Haman's Conspiracy 155, all together 389. and the 40 years of Judah from the destruction of the temple to Cyrus; whereas those years, as he had said before, were 70; and therefore this falleth, and both this and the other, because the days of their sufferings, and not the years are here set forth, but the years of their sinning, as hath been said, which brought their sufferings. Some Hebrews putting all these years together, so making up 430. say, that hereby was shown the deliverance of the Jews, after that they had suffered so long a time from the destruction of their City by the Romans, and some of them by 390 the deliverance of the ten tribes this time being ended, and of Judah in 40 years, but all these are vain speculations. For the Prophets lying on his right side for Judah, on his left for Israel, the worthiness of Judah above, Israel is set forth in that Judah persisted longer, by far in the service of the true God then Israel.

After his l • ving so many days, now his diet for the 390 days is prescribed, viz. bread of wheat and barley, beans, &c. whereof men do not use to make bread, but being driven to it through necessity by famine; therefore hereby a famine to come to Jerusalem so long a time is foreshowed, of which enough hath been said before, and to make it more plain it is applied so, v. 13, 16, 17. both to Israel and Judah. Of Israel, it being said, that they shall eat their bread defiled amongst the Gentiles; and of Judah, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: And to show their eating of defiled bread, he was bidden to bake his bread in man's dung; and then upon complaint, in the dung of beasts; but either way it was made unclean by Legal uncleanness, and stinking, even such as the Jews were never used to, who were required to eat only things clean and sweet, but for the dung of man or beast not to touch it. And therefore Ezekiel, who walked according to God's laws, abhorred from eating anything defiled or unclean, as Peter also said of himself; so cautelous are the servants of God of not offending his laws in anything, and therefore [Note.] much more by any spiritual uncleanness.

CHAP. V.

AFTER the siege of Jerusalem, shown ch. 4. and the famine, here the destruction which then should be made, and by what means is further shown, and by a figure also. He must cause his hair to be shaven, and dividing it into 3 parts burn one, smite with a knife about the other, and cast the third forth to be blown about by the wind, the signification whereof is shown v. 12. viz. that a third part of them should die by the famine before spoken of, a third part by the sword, and a third by being scattered into all parts, or quarters of the world, as it came to pass in the Babyl. Captivity.

And thou shalt take a few of them, and bind them in thy skirt and then cast them into the fire: This, saith Lyra, is spoken of Zedekiah and Ahab, two adulterous false Prophets, whom Nebuchadnezzar is said therefore to have burnt in the fire. But Calvin better, hereby is shown, that when this great destruction should come to the Jews, some few of them should yet be preserved, as some hairs kept close in the skirt of a man's garment, when all else are put into the fire; so it is said often, that of the Jews a remnant should be saved, yet of this remnant some again are cast in also; to show that in time of common danger, wherein most perish, but some yet escape, even they shall not all escape, but of these few, some shall suffer afterwards; as indeed it fell out to Gedaliah and some others left in the land, when others were destroyed or carried away by means of Ishmael and his adherents slaying them, as Jeremiah showeth, for thereof shall a fire come forth to all the house of Israel; that is, so none of all the wicked shall escape of all the children of Israel; but shall perish first or last; which should make them that have been in danger, but are yet escaped, to fear and repent, seeing they are [Note.] still liable to the like destruction, not one mothers son of all the wicked shall finally escape.

Because ye have multiplied more then the nations round about you; But before this it is to be noted, that he saith, This is Jerusalem, I have set her • n the midst of the nations: whereby he both expressly showeth what people he meant by the hairs before spoken of, and layeth a foundation of aggravating her sin by speaking of her site and excellency, her site being in the midst of the earth, as Jerome and others observe, so that she could not be hid, nor her evil doings, but all nations round about saw them, whereby their God who dwelt there had the greater dishonor, his name being by this means blasphemed amongst the Gentiles, as is said Rom. 2. 17. And Jerusalem is also said to be in the midst of the nations, to denote the excellency thereof above them all for God's special favors to that City above all others, setting it up as a light; and therefore expecting for his law and service being amongst them, that they should by virtuous living have given light all about, to which effect almost Calvin. But loe contrariwise, as here v. 7. followeth, they multiplied more then other nations; that is, their sins, the word signifieth to multiply, although some (saith Calvin) expound it by tumultuating; but the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath no such signification: The Vulgar renders it superastis, ye have exceeded all nations round about, expounded likewise by Jerome of sin. Some taking it Passively; will have the Jews multiplying in children, and in wealth, hereby meant, but not to the purpose. Next, he chargeth them that they had not walked in the judgments of the Heathen, which may seem, forsomuch as the Prophets are often in reproving them for walking according to their statutes. But the meaning here is, that they were not so constant to their God, although the only true God of heaven and earth, as the Heathens to theirs; in which respect Jeremiah plainly reproveth them saying, Will any nation change their God's? but ye have changed me.

I, even I am against thee; that is, not men who shall come of themselves seeking to destroy thee, for so thou mightest hope notwithstanding to escape, but I will come with them against thee, and they shall be but my instruments to do execution upon thee. For that he meant not hereby, that he would immediately by his judgments from heaven destroy them, appeareth, because he did it by the Chaldees, so that they are much mistaken that expound it of his immediate judging of them, as some (saith Calvin) do. And these his judgments he saith shall be so great, that the like hath not been formerly done, nor shall be done hereafter; and then coming to show more particularly the judgments, he saith, Fathers shall eat their Sons, and the Sons shall eat their Fathers: How this was everfulfilled according to the letter, some doubt; and because it appeareth not when, they expound it mystically, as meant of that which our Lord saith, The Father shall be against the Son, and the Son against the Father; that is, the Master against the Scholar, &c. But touching Mothers eating their Children in the straightness of the siege by the Chaldees, it is spoken, Lament. 4. 10. & 2. 20. And again, when Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans: And before this, 2 King. 6. 28. in Samaria, when that City was besieged, and in other Histories; in Sancerra in France, ann. 1572. two women in the straightness of the siege did the like. And in the days of Honorius the Emperor, men did buy and sell, and eat the flesh of men in Rome, and it was commonly cried, Pone pretium humanae carnis. And Deut. 28. 53, 54, 55, &c. it is threatened, that both Fathers and Mothers should do so; and therefore it is not to be doubted but that it was done accordingly, and so they suffered the extremity of punishment as is here threatened. Wherefore we shall not here need to flee to Allegories, as Jerome doth, or otherwise expound it with Vatablus of the Fathers taking away the meat from their Children's mouths, and Children's taking it from their Fathers, they being by this means famished and dying: for although this were not a direct eating of one another, yet it was in effect an eating and devouring of one another; in which sense our Lord charged the Pharisees that they devoured Widows houses, and for a color made long prayers; and the Apostle some, that, they did bite and devour one another; yet if it be thus only taken, the sense will not be that which here it is, the very eating of the flesh of one another, most stupendiously and unnaturally. But although Jerome erred here in pending the sense to an Allegory, yet there was no such cause for this to tax him as proud and wicked as Calvin doth, and to be taken heed of as dangerous, but only to try all things delivered by him, and to hold fast that which is good; without which Caveat Calvin himself is not to be read, in his Determinations about the sense of Scripture, as may appear in many places, wherein I have laid open his mis-interpretations also, which it may be feared came also from the same fountain, for which he blameth Jerome, arrogancy of spirit transporting him by reason of his great acumen, and high esteem in which he was had of all men; in saying which, yet let me crave thy charitable censure of me (O judicious Reader) that come so far short of him in learning and judgment; but truth is truth touching men of greatest abilities, and we are not for Modesties sake to forbear to utter it when need requireth. But to return to the text in hand, it being clear, that it is to be understood according to the Letter: It may yet be demanded, How so understood it can be true, that the like was never done before, nor should be after? I answer, the meaning is not without all limitation of place or time; for it is said only, I will do in thee that which I have not done, neither will I do the like anymore; the meaning being, that in Jerusalem the like was never before done, nor after in Jerusalem which then stood, for it was burnt and broken down by the Chaldees at the end of that siege. Therefore although the like judgment had come before upon Samaria, and afterwards in the time of the Romans, upon Jerusalem rebuilt, yet it makes nothing against this Prophesy. The Jews then living, by this strange judgment amongst them, being thus made a sign and a wonder to the nations about, that should see it. And this judgment was more then ever befell any other Heathen people that ever we read of before or since; in which regard it is also thus spoken, and a reason why it should be so is premised, v. 7. because they had multiplied their sins more. Which yet is not so to be understood, as if the Heathens committed not the same abominations that they did, for they also were gross Idolaters, and otherwise notoriously wicked: But the excess of the Jews was in this, that they having an holy God revolted from him, and so the Heathen did not by their impure gods, and did these abominations in the light of the Word amongst them, these in the darkness of ignorance and blindness. For hereby the sins of any people are aggravated above the sins of [Note.] others, if they have means of teaching and instruction in the right way, but others are without, as Sodom and Gomorrah; and likewise particular persons are counted greater sinners, that have most knowledge, then the simple and ignorant.

Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest in them. Here by resting, some (saith Calvin) understand an end of God's • udgments against the Jews, but erroneously, as appeareth by the next words, And they shall know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal, when I have acc • mplished my fury upon them; for these show plainly, that by his furies resting in them, the continuance of his judgments is meant, and that they should not be sharp only for a little while, as they might hope in regard of God's great mercy. But he saith, that he will continue his judgments upon them so long, that they shall know to their cost that which they would not know nor acknowledge before, that what was spoken by the Prophets in threatening them came from God, whereas they would not believe but that they spake so of their own heads; yea, and that God spake so by them out of his zeal or anger against their abominable sins, and therefore that he was not a God composed all of mercy, as the wicked imagine, but hot and zealous to be avenged upon them, or any else that do such things: Whence note, that God is [Note.] zeal and fire to the wicked, as well as grace and mercy to the penitent. 2. That they shall be made to know this by experience, that will not otherwise believe it at the hearing of his Word. 3. That a little suffering will not work them to this through their hard-heartedness, but judgments of long continuance. 4. They lay a foundation of such grievous and long lasting judgments to themselves, who will not believe the Word preached against their sins, and the bitter threatenings of his Ministers to come from God, but from themselves, and therefore sleight and contemn them. But what is it that he saith further here, I will be comforted, when he had said that he would make his anger to rest in them? is vengeance taking upon the wicked, a comfort to God, who professeth to be unwilling with their death? Sol. There is a like passage, Isaiah 1. 24. Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries, • t is spoken according to the manner of men, to whom other men being grievous enemies, but by them subdued, they now rejoice and are comforted, whereas before they were sad and passionate through anger. Not that it is so with God, to whom no passions are incident, but to affect us men the more, who cannot conceive otherwise of the Lord's wrath against sin, but when he thus condescendeth in speaking of himself to our weakness.

And thou shalt be a reproach, astonishment and instruction to all nations round about. This is spoken according to Deut. 28. 37. only the word Instruction is here inserted more; whereby he meaneth, that their sufferings should stir up even the nations round about to fear God, who brought such judgments upon them, although they themselves were so stupid, that they would not profit thereby, being such yet as knew the laws of God, when the nations [Note.] about were ignorant. And this use we should all make of the judgments that befall others, to be stirred up thereby to repentance, that so their coming upon us may be prevented.

And I will increase the famine upon you; Hebr. I will add the famine: whereas before he had said, I will send the evil arrows of famine; whereby we may understand either droughts, or superabundance of rain, or mildew, &c. which commonly are the means whereby famins are brought upon a land. Now he further showeth, that in ease none of these evils befall them, but they had plenty, yet the Lord had other ways to bring a famine, viz. by enemies shutting them up till all their provision was consumed, and they starved with hunger.

So, I will send upon thee famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee. By Evil beasts Lyra understandeth venomous Serpents; Theodoret, the Chaldees, like such beasts as devour and lay waste places where they come; others Lions and Bears destroying the Jews, which fled from the Chaldees, and lurked in desert places: Let the Reader take it which way he pleaseth, but I prefer that of Theodoret, because cruel enemies are often set forth under the simile of beasts.

CHAP. VI.

THUS saith the Lord to the mountains and hills, to the rivers and valleys, &c. Calvin, because Israel is here named, will have this Prophesy understood to be against the 10 tribes long before carried away by the Assyrians: and whereas this seemeth not to agree; forsomuch as a Prophesy is not of things past, but to come, he saith, that it may be taken as Doctrinal, or understood, as being against those of the ten tribes, that still remained in the land, and went on in the same sins. But all these are mere imaginations, for Judah is by this Prophet before commonly called Israel; as chap. 2. & 3. by a general name of all the tribes, because many of other tribes were mingled with Judah. And it is plainly said, that he was bidden to prophesy against the mountains of Israel, so that it must needs be understood of things to come: And lastly, it is said, that all Israel was carried away captive by Shalmaneser, and not that any were left, as afterwards it is said of Judah, that the poor of the land were left to till the ground. Leaving this therefore, Lyra saith, that Ezekiel having ch.