Exposition of the Whole Bible

to be Aot only worthippers of the true God, but | ole of a calf’s foot; round, and the hoof divided, to be men redeemed by the blood of Chrift; and are diftinguifhed from angels, and alfo from the four and twenty elders, the reprefentatives of the gofpel-churches; and fo can defign no other than the minifters of the word, with whom all the charaéters of them agree, as in that vifion, fo in this, fee Rev. iv. 8, 9. and v. 8, 9, 10, 11. Creatures ‘they are; not gods, but men; they are indeed in God’s ftead, and reprefent him, being embaffadors of his; but they are frail, mortal, finful men, of like paffions with others; and therefore great allowances muft be made for their infirmities and weaknefles: yea, as minifters they are the creatures of God; he, and not men, has made them able minifters of the New Teftament: and they are Jiving creatures; they have {piritual life in themfelves, and are the means of quickening others; and have need to be, and fhould be, lively and fervent in their miniftrations. Their number four, refpects the four parts of the world, to which their commiffion to preach the gofpel reaches; and whither they are fent, whenfoever it is the will and pleafure of God they fhould go, and he has work for them to do. And this was their appearance, they had the likenefs of a man, their general likenefs was the human form, except in fome particulars after-mentioned, becaufe they reprefented men; men humane, tender, kind, and pitiful; knowing and underftanding, and acting like men.

y. 6. And or but every one had four faces, &c.] Which are defcribed, ¥. 10. fee the note there. “The Fargum multiplies the faces in a ftrange monftrous manner, paraphrafing the words thus, ‘* each “* had four faces, and there were four faces to “* every one of them, and every creature had fixteen << faces; the number of the faces of the four crea- “* tures was fixty and four.” And every one had four wings; the feraphim in If, vi. 2. and the four beafts or living creatures in Rev. iv. 8.’ had fix wings; and fo it feems that thefe had alfo, ‘from y¥. 11, 23. as will be feen there; nor is this any contradiction to the account here given, fince it is not faid, they had o#/y four wings. The Zargum gives the fame monftrous account of their wings, as of their faces, faying, ‘* each had four wings, ** and there were four wings for every one of ** them, fixteen wings to every face, and fixtyfour to every creature; and the number of the wings of the four living creatures were two hundred and fifty-fix.”’ “archi is of the fame opinion, and confirms it in his note on the text, which is this, ‘* four faces to one; that is, to the ‘© face of a man only were four faces, and fo to the lion, to the eagle, and to the ox, lo fixteen to a living creature, and fo to every living creature; and four wings to every one of the faces, lo fixty and four wings to a living creature; and which, according to the Targum of Fonathan, amounts to two hundred: and fifty-fix wings;” what thefe wings fignified, fee the note on y¥. IT.

- ¥. 7. And their feet were ftraight feet, &c.] And they went ftraight forward, as in ¥. 12. they made ftraight paths for their feet, and walked uprightly, according to the truth of the gofpel; did not go into crooked paths, or turn to the right-hand, or the left; and having put their hand to the plough of the gofpel, neither looked back, nor turned back. And or for the fole of their feet were like the and fit for treading out the corn, in which oxen were employed; denoting the firmnefs and conftancy of minifters in their work, treading out the corn of the word for the nourifhment of fouls, to whom they minifter. The Septuagint render it, their feet were winged, or flying, as the Arabic verfion; in like manner as Mercury, the heathen god, is painted: this may denote the readinefs and {wiftnefs of gofpel-minifters to do their mafter’s work; their feet being fhod with the preparation of the gofpel, and fo very beautiful, Eps. vi. 15. Tf. lii. 7. The Largum is, * the fole of their feet, “as the fole of feet that are round’, and they «¢ moved the world where they went.” And they Jparkled like the colour of burmifbed brafs; that is, their feet; being burning and fhining lights in their converfation, as well as in their doétrine; fee Rev. i.,15. ¥. 8. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four fides, 8ec.| Hands of a man denote action, according to knowledge; minifters of the gofpel are men of practice and bufinefs, as well as have the theory and knowledge of things; and they act like men in a rational way, according to the will of God revealed in the word: and, thefe being on their four fides, fhew that they have much work to do all around, on every fide; in miniftring the word; adminiftring ordinances; vifiting their people; giving counfel, caution, comfort, exhortation, inftruction, &c. and that they have many hands to do it with, much grace and {trength from above; and they have need of all the hands they have; and what they have they conftantly employ, and are ftedfaft and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Briareus, a man of bufinefs, is reprefented by the poets as having an hundred hands. ‘Thefe being under their wings, thew, that, befides their public miniftrations, they do much work fecretly and privately, in their clofets and ftudies, where no eye fees them, but the eye of God, as well as in private houfes, by their vifits and converfation; and is alfo expreffive of their modefty and humility, not doing what they do to be feen of men, nor boafting of their works; but afcribing all to the grace of God, and ftrength of Chrift, by. which they perform them, and which give them fuccefs. The Fews, in the Talmud ™, interpret this of the hand of God himfelf, which is ftretched out under the wings of the living creatures, to receive peni-. tent perfons; becaufe it is written 9° bis band, but read 9° hands. And they four had their faces and their wings, that is, on their four fides; a face and a wing before, and a face and a wing behind, and a face and a wing on each fide; and under each wing a man’s hand and arm. The

Targum of the whole is, ‘* and hands, as the hands _ of a man, were made for them under their wings on their four fides; to take in them coals of fire from between the cherubim under the firmament, which was over their feats, to put them into the hands of the /eraphim, to fcatter upo the place of the ungodly, to deftroy the wicked that tranfgrefs his word; and their faces and their wings were equal to them four;” fee ch. £. 27 ORon8. ees ¥. g. Their wings were joined one to another, &c.] A woman to her fifter”, in the Hebrew; deno the concord, harmony, and agreement of gofpel- minifters, and their affection to one another; they preach the fame gofpel; adminifter the fame ordinances; do the fame work of the Lord; have the fame zeal for the glory of God; the fame love for Chrift, and affection for the fouls of men; are of the fame mind and judgment, and help each other in the fervice of the Lord; and efpecially fo it will be in the latter day-glory, when the watchmen fhall fee eye to eye, J/. lii. 8. They turned not when they went, they went every one ftraight forward; they go not into the path of error and immorality; they don’t become apoftates from the truth; they are not of them that draw bat unto perdition; they go on in the courfe of their miniftry ftrait forward, let what will be in their way, nothing diverts them from it; notwithftanding all difficulties and difcouragements in themfelves; reproaches, afflictions, and perfecutions from men; and the temptations of fatan; fee the note on y. 7.

¥. 10. As for the likenes of their faces, they four had the face of a man, &c.} For thefe living creatures are men, redeemed from among men by the blood of Chrift; their: bufinefs lies with men, to preach the gofpel to them; and they fhould be humane, kind, and tender in their behaviour towards them; wounded confciences, weak believers, diftrefled and difconfolate fouls, requiring fuch ufage; and they fhould be men in underftanding, have a large knowledge of the fcriptures, of the truths of the gofpel, and of Jefus. Chrift, fince their work is to feed men with knowledge and underftanding; and fhould a¢ the manly part, quit themfelves like men in defence of the gofpel, and the truths of it. And the face of a lion on the right fide; denoting the ftrength of gofpel-minifters, the lion being the ftrongeft among beafts, Prov. xxx. go. and they have need to be {trong in the grace of Chrift, and in. the power of his might, to do the feveral parts of their work; to endure hardnefs as good foldiers of Chrift; to wreftle with principalities and powers, and to bear the infirmities of the weak: and alfo their courage and fortitude of mind; their _boldnefs in preaching the gofpel of Chrift, not fearing the faces of men, ‘nor their revilings; fee Prov. xxviii. 1. They four had the face of an ox on the left fide, expreffive of the patience of gofpel-minifters in bearing the yoke that is upon them, not only of the miniftry, but of the weakneffes of faints, and the reproaches and indignities of the wicked; and in inftruéting thofe that oppofe themfelves, and in waiting the iffue of ‘their miniftry:.and alio of their laborioufnefs in their miniftrations; particularly in treading out the corn of the word, for the fubfiftence of the faints; fee 1 Cor. ix. 9, 10. They four alfo had the face of an eagle; fhewing their ftrong and clear fight of the gofpel, and the myfteries of it; the eagle shaving fo ftrong an eye, that it-is able to look full and ftedfaftly upon the fun; and their diligence sin fearching into the deep things.of God, and particularly to find out where the carcafs is, a crucified Chrift, to feed) upon, themfelves, and» to: direct others to it likewife. It feems, as if thefe four Jiving creatures, had four diftinét heads, \as well as faces, and that the pofition of them was: in. this manner; the face of a man béfore; the face of a lion on the right fide, the face of an- ox on the left; and the face of an eagle behind. Thefe four, are the moft excellent of creatures, The Ta/mud-.

iis have a faying, ‘ there are four that are proud ** (or excel) in the world; the lion among beatts; ‘¢ the ox among cattel; the eagle among birds; ** and man, whom God has exalted above all, for * he rules over all °,”

¥. 11. Thus were their faces: and their wings were firetched upward, &c.| The former claufe, thus were their faces, either belongs to the preceding verfe; and the meaning is, this, as now reprefented, was the likenefs of their faces, and this the pofition of them: or it may be read in connexion with the following claufe, and be rendred, and their faces and their wings were ftretched upwards; as they are in the Chaldee paraphrafe, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic verfions: their faces were firetched upwards, fhewing that the minifters of the gofpel look up to Chrift for freth fupplies of gifts and grace, of light, knowledge, wifdom, and ftrength, to enable them to perform their work: and their wings were firetched upwards, that is, two of them; not four, as the 4radic verfion has it; for two covered their bodies, -as is after faid. Thofe that were ftretched upwards, anfwer to the two with which J/aiah’s feraphim flew; for thefe were, as in the original text, parted upwards ®; though they were joined together at the bottom of them, as in ¥. 9. yet being fpread in flying, they opened wider and wider, and were at a greater diftance from each other in their extreme points. This may defign the agility, fwiftnefs, and readinefs of miniflers in the performance of their work. Two wings of every one were joined one to another; with which they covered their heads and faces, as did I/aiah’s feraphim, as confcious of their unworthinefs and infirmities; looking upon themfelves to be lefs than the leaft of al! faints, unfit to be minifters of the gofpel; acknowledging they have nothing but what they have received, and therefore would not glory as tho’ they had not received, and as afhamed of their poor performances and miniftrations. Aud two covered their bodies; their lower and fecret parts, called their feet in J/aiah,; which however to others beautiful upon the mountains, running and bringing the good news’ of peace, righteoufnefs, and falvation by Chrift; yet fenfible of their deficiences, they cover them, and confefs, when they have done all they can, they are but unprofitable fervants;\ from hence it appears, that thefe living creatures had fix wings, as the /eraphim in I/aiab, and the four beafts in Fobn’s vifion.

y. 12. And they went every one firaight forward, &c.] Or, over againft his face?; for which way foever they went, whether forward or backward, or on either fide, they hada face to go before them, to direét the way, and fteer their courfe; fo the minifters of the gofpel have a face to go by, and follow after, the word of God, to look to and dire&t them, which way foever they go, or whatfoever feryice they are called unto. Whither the fpirit-was to go, they went; which may be meant of their own {pirit, will, and inclination; fo the Targum, ** to the place where it was» their good ‘¢ pleafure to go, they went;” fo Farchi and Kimchi; but this is not always the cafe, fee fs xvi. 6, 7, 8, 9. rather the Holy Spirit of God is intended, by whom holy men of God were moved, and fpoke formerly; and by whom gofpel-minifters are led into the truth, as it is in Jefus; and by whom they are direéted where to go, and what to do; and they are fent, and go where the Spirit of God is defigned to go, in order to work upon the hearts of men, and effectually call them by his grace, which is ufually done by the minifiry of the word; and therefore gofpel-minifters muft go, and they do go, where the Spirit of God has work to do by them; fee As xvi. 6, 7. And they turned not when they went; they had no occafion to turn their bodies, becaufe which way.

foever they went, they had a face to go before them, and direét the way; fee the note on ¥. 9.

¥. 13. As for the likenefs of the living creatures, &c.] That is, of their bodies; for their faces, feet, hands, and wings, are defcribed before: their appearance was like burning coals of fire; becaufe of their minifterial gifts; the gifts of the Spirit are compared to fire, and like coals of fire are to be ftirred up, and not covered or quenched, Ais ii. 3. 2 Tim. i. 6. 1 Theff. v. 19. and becaufe of their clear fhining light in the truths of the gofpel; and becaufe of their ardent love to Chrift, and the fouls of men; the coals whereof give a moft vehement flame, which all the waters of reproach and perfecution cannot quench, Cazt. viii. 6, 7. and becaufe of their burning zeal for the glory of God, and the intereft of the Redeemer; hence they are called feraphim, fiery or burning, If. vi. 2: and like the appearance of lamps; fo the minifters of the gofpel are compared to lamps, which hold forth the light of the gofpel to the fons of men; they are the lights or lamps of the world, and fome of them are bright burning and fhining ones, as YFobn was, Matt. v.14. Fobnv. 35: it went up and down among the living creatures; that is, fire went up and down among them; fo the Targum, ‘* and fire inflamed was among the crea- ** tures;” by which may be meant the word of God, comparable to fire, Yer. xx. g. and xxiii. 29. common to all the minifters of the gofpel, by which their minds are enlightened, and their hearts are warmed and filled with zeal, and by which they are the means of enlightening and warming others: and the fire was bright; and clear, as the word of God is: and out of the fire went forth lightning; by means of the miniftry of the word, the kingdom and intereft of Chrift fpread like lightning in the world, from eaft to weft; fo the coming of the Son of man in his kingdom and power is compared to lightning, Matt. xxiv. 27. it denotes the quick, penetrating, and enlightening power and efficacy of the word.

¥. 14. And the living creatures ran, &c.] Did their work with great readinefs and fwiftnefs; fo efpecially in the latter day, minifters of the gofpel fhall run to and fro, and knowledge fhall be increafed, Dan. xii. 4: and returned; for tho’ before it is faid, they turned not when they went, they kept ftraight on till they had done their work; but when they have done it, then they return, and give an account of it to him that has fent them: and their running and returning are faid to be, as the rt hasten of a flafh of lightning; very fudden and wilt.

¥. 15. Now as I bebeld the living creatures, 8&c.] Whilft he had the vifion of them, and when he was confidering their form and likenefs, and what fhould be the meaning of them: debold, one wheel upon the earth; the ews * underftand this of an angel, who ftood upon the earth, and his head