Exposition of the Whole Bible

Sandalphon; and fo many expofitors interpret the ~ wheels of angels: but the more common interpretation of them is, that they defign the, vifible world, and all things in it, which are moveable and uncertain; tho’ the true interpretation of them, as of the living creatures, is to be fetched from the vifion in Rev. iv. and as the four living creatures here, are the fame with the four beafts there; fo the wheels are the fame with the four and twenty elders, the reprefentatives of gofpel-churches, as appears by both being in the fame fituation’; as there is a throne, and next to that the four beafts, and next to them the four and twenty elders, Rev. iv. 3, 4, 6. and v. 6, 11. fo here alfo is a throne, and next to the throne the four living creatures or cherubim, and next the living creatures, and by the fide of them, the wheels, ch. x. I, 2, 6, 7,9. and this is further manifeft; by their being both under the fame influence and motion; as the four beafts were the firft agents and movers, and the four and twenty elders, were directed by them, who went before them in their devotion, Rev. iv. 9, 10. and v. 14. fo the wheels moved as the living creatures did; when the living creatures went, they went; when they ftood, the wheels {tood; and when the creatures were lifted

17, 19. and the wheels are a very proper emblem of churches under the gofpel-difpenfation 5 partly for their round form, a fymbol of perfection; the churches of Chrift being more perfect under the gofpel-difpenfation, than the church was under the legal one: and partly for their moveablenefs from place to place; churches are not always in the fame place; they have been removed from Fadea into the Gentile world; ‘and they have wheeled about there, fometimes in one place, and fometimes in another: as alfo for their changeable ftate and fituation; being fometimes in profperity, and fometimes in adverfity:\ likewife for the work done by them 5 many things are done by the help, and with the ufe of wheels; much work is done in and by the churches of Chrift; here the gofpel is preached, ordinances adminiftered, divine worfhip in ali its parts performed, finners are converted, and faints are edified and comforted: ‘and as when wheels are in motion, they make a great noife and rattling; fo when there is any great work going on in the churches of Chrift,.it makes a great noife in the world; as at the firft preaching and fpread of the gofpel, both in Fudea, and among the Gentiles;

and at the time of the Reformation; and as there’

will be when antichrift fhall be deftroyed, and the gofpel fhall be fpread all the world over, Rev. xix. 1—6. to which may be added, that thefe wheels, together with the cherubim or living creatures, make a chariot; and as the cherubim in the temple are called the chariot of the cherubim, 1 Cbroa. xxviii. 18. fo the author of Ecclefiafticus, ch. xlix. 8. fays, that Hzekiel was fhown the glorious vifion upon the chariot of the cherubim; and nothing is more common with the ews, than to callthis vifion of Ezekiel PIBD 1D mercavab, or chariot.

‘« the work of the wheels was as the work of the «« wheels of the glorious chariot;” meaning this in Ezekiel; and a chariot is a fit emblem of the churches of Chrift, in which he rides about the world, and does his work; fee Cant. iii. 9; and tho” but ove wheel is here mentioned, yet it appears reached to the living creatures, and his name is that there were four, as in y. 16. and ch. x. 9. a

- wheel by every living creature; fo tho’ there is but one general affembly and church’ of the firftborn written in heaven, of which Chrift is the head, and for which he gave himfelf; yet there are many particular congregated churches, which may be fienified by the number four; partly with refpect to the four parts of the world, where Chrift has an intéreft, and which.will more manifeftly appear in the latter day; and partly with refpect to the four living creatures, a wheel to every cherub, a church to every minifter and paftor; for tho’ fometimes there have been more paftors than one to a church when large, yet never more than one church under the care of one paftor: moreover, this wheel or wheels ‘were feen upon the earth; which is obferved, to diftinguifh the church militant, from the church triumphant in heaven; and to point out the place where the churches are; which tho’ they confift of men that are not of the world, yet they are in the world: as alfo to denote the firmnefs of them; they are on the earth, not in the air or fea, where wheels can’t move and roll; but upon éerra firma, and that to the churches is Chrift Jefus; and may alfo fignify, that the mutability and moveablenefs of churches are only whilft they are-on earth, in the prefent ftate of things: it follows, dy the ving creatures; that is, the wheel or wheels were feen by the fide of the living creatures; which is more fully expreffed in ch. x. 9. churches are placed by the minifters of ‘the gofpel, to direét them in matters of faith and worfhip; to put them in motion; to ftir them up to the exercife of grace, and the difcharge of duty; to watch over them in the Lord; and to feed them with fpiritual knowledge and underftanding: with his four faces; either the living creatures; and fo the Vulgate Latin verfion renders it, having. four faces; and the meaning is, that the wheel or wheels were on the four fides of the living creatures: or rather, as farch?, the wheel’s four faces; for upon every wheel there were the fame four faces as were in the living creatures, as is clear from ch. x. 13, 14. there being a great likenefs between gofpel-churches and gofpel-minifters:_ the fir? was the face of a cherub or ox; which may denote the patience of gofpel-churches, and the members thereof, in bearing afflictions, reproaches, and perfecutions, for the fake of Chrift; their meditation on the word of God continually, the ox being a creature that chews the cud; and their conftancy and laborioufnefs in the work of the Lord: the /econd was the face of a man; which may be expreflive of their knowledge and underftanding of’ divine and fpiritual things; and of their tender-heartednefs, fympathy, and compaffion one towards another in diftreffed citcumftances: the shird was the face of _alion; fignifying their boldnefs and intrepidity in the caufe of Chrift, and the profeffion of his name: and the fourth was the face of an eagle; fhewing that they mount up on the wings of faith and love, as on eagles wings; that they foar aloft, and dwell on high, and have their affections fet on things in heaven, and not on earth. Cocceius interprets the wheel or wheels of the word of God, and the courfe of the miniftry of it, under the influence of the Spirit; and fo Starckius of late. y. 16. The appearance of the wheels, and their work, was like unto the colour of a beryl, &c.]

folite; the Arabic, a jafper; and fo may denote the precioufnefs, glory, and excellency of the churches, and the true members of them, which are as jewels and pearls of great price in the efteem of Chrift; and the colour of this ftone being a fea green, from whence it has here the name of Tarfoifh, a word fometimes ufed for the fea, may fignify the fluctuating and uncertain ftate of the churches in this world, and in their prefent circumftances: and they four had one likene/s; thie fhows that there were four wheels, and that they were all alike, as the true churches of. Chrift. are; they are alike gathered out of the world, and confift of the fame fort of perfons, true believers in Chrift,; they profefs the fame faith; they have the fame officers and ordinances; keep up the fame difcipline, and are under the farne form of government, and have all the fame power and authority: and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel, not as if one wheel was comprehended and. included in another; for then one muft. be lefler than another; whereas all the wheels were alike, as for form, fo for bignefs; but the work or make of them was in a tranfverfe way, or crofs way; juft as two hoops may be put together crofs-ways, and fo form four femicircles, and thefe a globe or fphere; hence this wheel is called hieh) an orb or globe, in ch. x..13, and it was on thofe four femicircles, that the four faces of the ox, the man, the lion, and eagle, were engraved; the reafon of their being wrought in this form was, for the motion of them, as follows:

¥. 17. When they went, they went upon their four fides, &c.| On either of their croffing rings, as they were directed by the living creatures, at whofe fide they ftood: and they returned not when they went, they had no need to turn. about when they were to go eaft, weft, north, or fouth, as wheels ufually do but they turned upon the crof= fing ring, which was towards either of the four points. This denotes the perfeverance of the churches, and the true members thereof, in faith and practice; they don’t turn back, nor look back, but go right on, walking in the fear of the Lord, and in all his ways and ordinances.

¥. 18. As for their rings, they were fo high, that they were dreadful, &c.] ‘The circles and circumferences of them were high, which may denote thevifibility and extenfivenels of the churches of Chrift, efpecially in the latter day;, when they fhall be exalted above the mountains. and hills, the kingdoms and ftates of this world; and there fhall be fuch numerous additions to them, that the place will be too ftrait for the members of them to dwell in, J/ ii. 2. and xlix. 20. and they were dreadful; terrible, as the churches of Chrift will be to their enemies to look at, when they fhall be in their exalted ftate, Rev. xi, 12, 13. or the words may be rendered, and they had fear’; there was fear and reverence in them; the fear of God, and a: reverential affection for him; they were waiting on him, and attending his worfhip with great reverence, and godly fear: and their rings. were full of eyes round about them four, every one of the four wheels, and each of their four femicircles, were full of eyes; expreffive of the knowledge of the gofpel, and the truths of it,. in church-members; their continual looking to Chrift

Which is a precious ftone; fee Exod. xxviii. 20. Rev. xxi. 20. the Syriac verfion renders it, a chryfor frefh fupplies of grace and flrength; and their conftant watchfulnefs over each other.

s ord IN) et timor illis erat, Cocceius; et timor ipfis, Starckiuss and they were reverent, fo Dr. Lightfoot, Profpeét

¥. 19. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them, &c.] When the minifters of

the gofpel begin the worfhip of God, and move in acts of devotion, the churches join with them; fee Rev. iv. 9, 10. and v.14. and in their lives and converfations they are examples to them; and churches and members ought to walk as they have them, for an example in word, in converfation, in charity, in fpirit, in faith, in purity: and, when the living creatures were lift up from the earth, the wheels were lift up, when the minifters of the word have their affections raifed, and are in lively frames of foul in preaching the gofpel, generally fpeaking, fo it is with the churches and the members thereof, that fit under their miniftrations; their hearts burn within them; their affeétions are raifed, and their fouls are lifted up heaven-wards, while the fcriptures of truth are opened unto them. ¥.20. Whitherfoever the /pirit was to go, they went, &c.] That is, the Spirit of God; whereever that leads and directs, whether in the paths of faith or duty, they follow; they walk not after the fiefh, but after the Spirit 3 he guides their feet in the way of peace, and into all truth; and leads them in a right way to the land of uprightnefs: thither was their /pirit to go; their fpirits or fouls being regenerated by the Spirit of God, are moved and actuated by him, and readily go where that directs: and the wheels were lifted up over againft them that is, over againft the living creatures; being by their fides, going where they go, and being lifted up when they are: for the /pirit of the living creature was in the wheels, the fame Spirit of God, which is a fpirit of life, a quickening fpirit, and a free fpirit; which gives motion and liberty in religious exercifes; that which is in the minifters of the gofpel, isin the churches of God; there is but one Spirit, and minifters and members are actuated and influenced by it; fee Epd. iv.

¥.21. When thofe went, thefe went; and when thofe fiood, thefe ftood, &c.] When minifters are active and lively, then the churches are; but when they are indolent, dull and inaétive, then the churches are fo likewife: and when thofe were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over againft them, fee the note on y. 19: for the Jpirit of the living creature was in the wheels; or, the Spirit of life, asin ¥. 20. fee Rev. xi. 11.

¥.22. And the likene/s of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature, &c.] This was not a real firmament, but the likenefs of one; it was like the firmament which God created on the fecond day, which divided between the waters above and below, and which he called heaven; and is no other than the airy and ftarry heavens. Its name is in Hebrew yp" an expanfe, from its being {tretched out as a curtain, and a tent to dwell in; and a firmament, from its firmnefs and continuance; and therefore called the firmament of his power, Gen.i. 8. If xl. 22. Pfcl. 1. and this vifionary one was over the heads of the living creatures; which fhows that they could not be angels, for thofe have their habitation in the third heaven, above the firmament; much lefs an_ hieroglyphic of the trinity of perfons, who are the three that bear record in heaven, and are not under the fir- ‘mament; but minifters of the gofpel, who are on earth, and are fubjeé&t to Chrift, whofe throne is above the firmament, ¥. 26. and who receive their commiffion and gifts from him, and are account- able to him. This firmament was as thecohuref: the terrible cryftal; cryftal is a very white, eraniparent, precious ftone, refembliag ice, from whenee it has its name; hence Plizy« thought it was 20 other than ice vehemently frozen; and here it ig called terrible, becaute exceeding clear and bright, fo that there was no looking upon it, without the eyes being dazzled with the glory of it: The fky - is called a molten looking-glafs, in which the glory of God, and his handy work, may be feen, Fad xxxvil. 18, Pf. xix. 1. and as the throne of Chrift was over this cry{tal firmament, ic fhows, that ” tho’ he is in heaven, he fees all that is done on earth, and in his churches, and by his minifters; and the faints alfo fee him by faith, and thro’ the glafs of the gofpel: it is only a cryftal, fgmamenct that is between them, Jiretched forth over their beads above; that is, over the heads of the living creatures, as before; faid to he ftretched out, in allufion to its name, an expanfe, as before obferved..

¥.23. And under the firmament were their winzs frraight, the one toward the other, &c.| _Afarther account is here given of the wings of tke living creatures, which were under the frmament: two of their wings were ftretched {traight upwards towards the firmament, and joined each other; fee the nete on ¥.9: every one had two which covered ou this Jide, befides the two that were carried ftraight upright towards heaven, they had other two, which covered their back and belly: amd every one bad two which covered on that fide their bodies, that isy on each fide of their bodies; fo that there were in all fix wings, as in J/aiaé’s vifion, and in that oF the Revelation of Fchn: as their wings in general denote the fwiftnefs and readinefs of gofpel-mini- {ters to do the work of Chriit, for which they expect help and affiftance from above, fignified by two being {tretched ftraight upwards; fee ¥. 11. jo covering the feveral parts of their bodies with the reft, fhews their modefty and humility, as being afhamed of themfelves and their fervices, when performed in the beft manner; it being altogether owing to the grace of God, they are what they are, have and do; they themfelves being the chief of finners, and the leaft of faints, in their Own account., y.24. And when they went, &c.] In their miniftrations, preaching the gofpel, and adminiitring ordinances: I heard the noife of their wings, like the noife of great waters, fo. the voice of Chrift, which is no other than his gofpel preached by his minifters, is faid to be as the found of many waters, Rev, i. 15. which is heard a great way off, as the gofpel-miniftry is, even to the ends of the earth; thither the found of the apoftles words reached, Rom. x. 18. and which, as they move with great force, yield a pleafant found; and may denote both the energy of the word, and the delight fulnefs of it: as the voice of the Almighty, the gofpel being the word ef God, and not of man; which is quick and powerful, and full of majelty, and works effectually in them that believe: se voice of /peech an articulate voice, an human one, pronounced by men, whom God employs to deliver out his mind and will: as the nore of an bok the church being militant, to whom they miniftes fo that their voice, in their miniftry, is fometimes reproving, convincing, confuting, conte i difputing, as well as teaching and inftrudtin Targum is, ‘* and the voice of their words “¢ they confefs and bles the Lord, the liv

*« Jafting King, is as the voice of the hoft of an- * gels on high:” when they ftood, they let down their wings, thofe two with which they flew, ang, with them covered their faces, or fome part o their bodies, as afhamed of their own unworthinefs and imperfections; or this may denote their having done their work, and finifhed their courte.

¥.25. And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their beads, &c.| Which was the voice of Chrift upon the throne, above the firmament, over the heads of the living creatures; which directed them when and where to go, and what to do, and when and where to ftop: when they ftood, and had les down their wings, either encouraging them to lift them up, and go on in their work, notwithftanding the fenfe they had of their own weaknefs and unworthinefs; or having done their work, calling them to himfelf in heaven.

y¥.26. And above the firmament that was over their heads, &c.} The heads of the living creatures: was the likenefs of a throne; a fymbol of Chrift’s kingly power and authority, who is the perfon that iat upon it;.as he is God, he is on the fame throne with his Father; as Mediator, he is king of faints, and was fo from eternity; he exercifed his office-before his incarnation; and as he was prophefied of as a king, he came as one, tho’ little known, and his kingdom was not with obfervation; upon his afcenfion he was declared Lord and Chrift; and will appear on a throne, when he fhall come to judge the world, and particularly in the new Ferufalem church-ftate: and this throne was as the appearance of a fapphire-ftone; which is a ftone very clear and tranfparent; very hard, folid and durable; very precious and excellent; and of an azure fky-colour; denoting the clear manifeftation of Chriit’s righteous judgments, in the miniftration of his kingly office; the duration of his government; the excellency of it; and its heavenly nature and original: aud upon the likene/s of the throne was the likenefs of the appearance of a man above upon it; this was no other than Chrift; who, tho’ he was not really man before his incarnation, yet often appeared in the form of a man; and thro’ his incarnation, he was found in fafhion as a man; and was really man, tho’ not a mere man, nor was the perfon here defigned; for this was the appearance and likenefs of the glory of the Lord, y. 28. and this fhows, that when Chrift, as man, had done his work, he fhould fit down upon his throne above the firmament, being made higher than the heavens.

y.27. And I faw as the colour of amber, &c.]

HIS chapter contains the prophet’s call, commiffion and inftruéction to prophefy. The preparation to it is in ¥.1, 2. being fallen upon his face, he is bid to ftand upon his feet, with a promife to fpeak to him, and the Spirit entring into him, he is fet by him on his feet, and he hears what is fpoken to him; then follows his miffion to the children of J/rae/, who are defcribed as rebellious, impudent, and {ftiff-hearted; and to -whom he is fent, to render them inexcufable, y. 3, 4, 5. and he is exhorted not to be afraid of their words, nor difmayed at their looks, however fierce and furious they might be; but faithfully declare his meffage, and not be difcouraged, fhould it be