Page 397
CHAP. X.
THe Prophet seeth the throne, which he saw, ch. 1. 26, 27. touching which * 1.1 enough there, v. 2. The man cloathed with linnen is bidden to go be∣tween the Cherubins and Wheels, and thence to take fire and scatter it upon * 1.2 Jerusalem. This was done to shew, that after the destruction of the Jews, by the Caldees, they should set the City on fire, and burn it, as indeed they did, but that this fire might appear to have befaln Jerusalem, not at the will of the Caldees, but from the wrath of God, this shew was made, for God is said to fit between the Cherubims, and in the most holy place was the golden Altar of incense under them. Some by this fire taken from this holy place, will have purifying the City set forth, as Esa. 6. a coale is taken from the Al∣tar * 1.3 and therewith touching his lips he was purged; thus Jerom using many more words to this purpose. But Calvin and others better hold, that this fire * 1.4 was taken, as was said before; to shew the burning of the City. The holy fire indeed, whereby incense was burnt and made a sweet persume unto God, was for the expiation of sin, but God, as Calvin saith, had another occult fire between the Wheels of his providence under the Cherubims, from which, when he would, destroying fire came, as to Sodom, and Corah and his com∣pany * 1.5 immediatly by the ministry of his Angels, so mediately upon Jerusalem by the Caldees. And by his Angels also he causeth thunder, lightning, raine and snow, frosts and heat. For these come so from the influence of the Stars, that the Angels are above them, and these as the Wheels of Gods Charriot move as they move, for their spirit is in them to move or to lift them up or to make them stand.
Now the Cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in, and a * 1.6 cloud filled the house: That is, saith Calvin, withdrawing to one side, that room might be made for the man in linnen cloathing to go, as he was bidden for fire * 1.7 and to come out with it. For the cloud filling the house, it was not in token of favour, as in Solomons dayes, but rather to shew the darkness, in which the house of God should be left, he with his glory being departed, as followeth v. 4. which is added for further explanation of this, for thus a cloud is spoken * 1.8 of, with which the Lord cometh, Psal. 18 11. when in wrath Lyra contrary∣wise takes the cloud here for a signe of Gods presence, as 1 Kings 6. he saith, * 1.9 he will dwel in a cloud in his Temple, but the reason brought by Calvin from v. 4. is so plaine that I rather prefer his Exposition. For the glory of the Lord removing to the threshold, see before ch. 9. 3.
And the sound of the wings of the Cherubs was heard to the outer Court as the voice of * 1.10 the Almighty, that is, as a terrible thundering, which is called the voice of the Lord, Psal. 29. and this sound was made to shew the terrible alterations to come in that place, v. 6.
Then a Cherub stretched forth his hand, and gave fire to the man in linnen in the palnte * 1.11 of his hand; this was done to shew how readily all heavenly creatures seek to further the doing of that which God commandeth, that we may learn of them to do likewise, as we pray, Thy will be done in earth as in Heaven, v. 8. he repeates * 1.12 againe what he had said, ch. 1. touching a mans hand under the Cherubs wings, up∣on which enough hath been spoken there, it is repeated in this place because it was said before, that the Cherub took coals up in his hand, to shew that he had hands, and where those hands were.
Here a repetition is also made concerning the Wheels of that, which was said * 1.13 ch. 1. because he had spoken of fire between the Wheels, v. 2. if the reader should inquire, what those Wheels were, and what was remarkable in them, of all which also see before. This also repeated to make way to that which followeth of the Lords speaking to the Wheels, v. 13. The Lord cryed to the wheeles, O wheels, the meaning is, at the voice of the Lord they moved and * 1.14 stood, as before, v. 10. 11. and againe after this, v. 16. They did not so move as the Cherubs, as having the spirit of the Cherub in them, but that