they four alſo had the face of an eagle.
/{ Here the prophet doth more expreſly ſet forth what was more darkly mentioned in the 6eb werſe, and deſcribeth their Faces both by the proper Reſemblances, and by their Reſpe& of the local Diffe- rences of Eaſt and Weſt, or right and left Hand. But ſince ſuch Dit- ferences are in themſelves of little moment, and undeterminable, un- leſs we were certain what proſpe& theſe living Creatures ſtood in, whether looking to the Prophet, or to Jeruſalem, or toward Babylon, we ſhall fay no more of it; what theſe ſignify is more material. Each Face is compared to what is moſt excellent in its kind ; Man excels in Wiſdom, Lions in Strength, the Oxe in Patience and Conſtancy of Labour, the Eagle in Speed, and high Flight. So in the Miniſtry of Angels, and Government of the World by the Providence of God, what is moſt excellent may be obſerved:
1: Thus were their faces 5: and their wings 227
joined one to another, and two covered y their bodies.
lug
: If you make a full Point at Faces, it ſhould ſcem better joined ay
with the former Verſe, and this Text will be more eaſy : for 'ris ſome- what harſh to ſpeak of Faces ſtretchrt as Wings are: bur if their Faces as well as Wings muſt be ftretcht upward, we mnſt underſtand their Faces looking upward to the great and glorious Governor of the World, who fate upon the Throne above the Firmament, which was over their Heads, wer. 22, 23,25, 26. admiring, and adoring, 2nd waiting his Pleaſure todo it. # Were dividedabove, ſo each Face aP- peared diſtin& above the Shoulders, and there the Wings divided from each other were united to the Body of the living Creature. x Which . ſtretched two upward, joined them to the Wings of that living ow: cure which ſtood by its ſide, to teſtify their Readineſs, Concord, and Chearfulneſs in tl''ir Office. y Iſaiah 6. 2. With twain they covert® their Feet, either in deep Humility, ard for Decency, or becauſe 0: Infgmity of Humane Nature ; for whoſe Relief they appear in We
4 (16)
ſtretched « upward X, + two WINGS of every One were
In
ap.
ef bi
rativel not, w Verſes « return
Vehen
Ia
P. T.
chey do, but muſt not appear what they are becauſe they would be too glorious for our Sight. :
12 And they went every one ſtraight z forward : whi- ther the ſpirit 4 was to go b, they went c : and they & tur-
ned not when they went.
: 4 werſG o Which way ſoever they wene, each living Creature bad gt ut. rt frelghe fowards, and their other Fac-s looking toward other Coaſts of the World; if the fore-right were ro the Sourh, the other Faces looked one to the Eaſt, one to the Weſt, and the other to the North. Thus with ReCtirude, Conſtancy, Wiſdom and univerſal Care, Providence rules and guides Afffairs of the World, and eſpecially of the Church, to the Glory of God. a The Wind mo: ved, ſay ſome: but if there were a Gale of Wind, which blowing gently on theſe living Creatures, ſtirred them in the Sight of the Pro- phet, it was Emblematical ; and repreſented to his View, the Power and Influence of the Spirit of God, which moved and aQed theſe admi- rable Creatures. The Will, Command, and breathing of che Spirir of God, both gave and guided their Motions, to Ends he himſclt de- ſign'd. 6 Going 1s attribured here to the Spirit of God by alluſion and not properly, for who is ever in every Place, cannot properly be ſaid ro go from or toany Place. c The living Creatures readily obſerved the Impre:ſions of the Spiric of God,and obeyed. d Yia.verſe 9g, They Jook'd not back as unwilling, they turned not out of che way as fro- ward, they gave not over till they had compleated their Courle.
13 As for the likeneſs e of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning f coals of fire g, and like che appearance of lamps 4 : 1t went up 7 and down among
EZERKTIE L.
or Chryſolite, or Hyacinth, but cis better rendred a Sea-green Co- lour ; which if it note the inſtability and changeableneſs of tublunary Affairs, and of the outward Concerns of the Church, it may note al- io the inherent Vigour and Beauty of the Church, and the Frame of earthly Things, whenthey are in a calm Courſe, not diſturbed firſt with Sin, and then with puniſhment of Sin. c By this it appears what was the Numberof the Wheels. & ExaQtly of the ſame Make for Dimen- lions, Colour, Frame and Motion, fo that who ſ:2s and knows one, ſees and knows all; hereby nocing the Harmony and Likeneſs which is in God's Works, which are all framed, managed and governed by the ſame Witdom, and conſequently rhe ſame uncertaiary in all things, unde: the Sun. e Tis ſomewhat difficult to unfold this. Ir is proba- ble rhe Wheels were framed fo as to be an Exa& Sphhre or Globe, which is eaſily rolled to any Side or Quarter, ſince it toucheth che Earth, or Bafis on which it ſtands, in a Point, and is exaQtly orbicular : it 15 fitter we note, 1. 'The unſearchablene(s of Divine Methods. 2. The curious Frame of them. 3. The Connexion of one Part with ocher. 4- The ſeeming Interfering and real Harmony, what would ſeem '0 hinder ſhall further God's Work. 5. How eaſily Gd can change Afffairs, and move for or againſt a People.
17 When they f went, they went up upon their four g tides : and they returned 4 not when they went.
f The living Creatures ; indeed rhe Wheels moved according to the Motion of the living Creatures, but it will as well agree with the Truth as it is berter agrees with the Grammar of the Wotds, to ſay this (they) 7. e. the Wheels. g The Wheels being ſuppoſed ſpherical or round every way as a Globe, by an exaCt and curious framing of two Wheels one in the other, the four S<mi-circles which are in rwo whole
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the living creatures, and the fire was bright & and out of Wheels, may be well taken for theſe four Sides on which theſe Wheels
che fire went forth lightning /.