in their foreheads, and thus divels never appear nor do. But one of them only is said to be cloathed with linnen, who was not one of these six, but another singularly appointed to the office of marking, as the chief amongst them, and one who best knew, who were to be marked, as mourning for sin out of an hatred thereof, and not to seem pious and zealous to men. And there∣fore it is most commonly held, that this was Christ the Son of God, who is called an Angel, Mal. 3. and appeared like a man siting upon a throne chap. 1. and he appeareth in white linnen, as also other Angels sometimes have done, to shew his purity, linnen that is fine and white is also, or was then accoun∣ted the best sort of cloathing and fittest to be used about the service of God, for which the Priests had their linnen ephods and linnen breeches. Now one of the company being thus cloathed to demonstrate his purity, it is not pro∣bable, but that the rest who came with him, were holy Angels of God also and no divels; Such as he that slew of Sennacheribs hoast in one night 185000. But why came there forth six now, when as one was sufficient to do the exe∣cution now as well as then? Ans. To shew, that of the Caldees army there should be six principal Captaines, who should first enter the City, as Jeremy saith they did, Nergal Sharezar, Samgar Nebo, Rabsaris, Sarsekim, Rabmag, and another Nergal Sharezar, who came accompanied with the power of the An∣gels making their force irresistible; for that this was not an apparition of these six men, may hence be gathered, that they knew not the mark of God to spare any, when they were destroying Jerusalem, but these did, for their standing by the brazen altar, when they had entred by the high or North gate of the Temple, which looked toward Caldea, it was so done to shew their readi∣ness at the command of the Lord to do the execution before threatned. And here it is to be noted, that this North gate was the gate, nigh unto which the image of jealousie stood Ch. 8. 3. here was abominable sin committed, and here destruction entreth, and the most provocative sins were committed about the Temple, therefore destruction must now begin at the Temple, v. 6. intima∣ting [Note.] sins about the worship of God do first and chiefly of all others bring down his judgements, the Sanctuary defiled by sin is so far from being a San∣ctuary, that it is a slaughter-house.
And the glory of the God of Israel, which stood upon the Cherub, went and stood upon the threshold, That is, whereas before it appeared upon the head of the living crea∣tures Ch. 1. 27. called Cherubims, Ch. 10. now this Amberlike glory removeth to the threshold in the inner Court, which was the Priests Court, where the aforesaid great brazen Altar stood, that he might be neer to these wariors to give them commission to kil and slay young and old. And it is to be noted, that he was seen removing from off the Cherub, which stood over the Mercy-seat [Note.] with wings extended to cover it, to shew, that now he was so greatly provo∣ked that he would not do the acts of mercy any more to the Jews, which were to him most natural, but acts of judgement, which were strange to his nature, for which it is called his work, his strange work. There is then no mercy with God for incorrigible sinners, but altogether wrath, fire and destructi∣on, if he be once removed from his Mercy-seat. Hereby also we may take to be figured out before his forsaking of the Jewish Nation, casting them off and their legal hypocritical service, and turning to the Gentiles, who should worship him in spirit and in truth.
Set a mark upon the foreheads of all that sigh and cry, &c. The Lord being come to the place where the warriours were, before he giveth them commission to destroy, first takes order about the preservation of his servants, shewing who they were, and causing them to be marked. They were mourners and cryers for the abominations done there, not such as any way countenanced or ap∣plauded [Note.] men of power doing evil, or their neighbors or friends, or by any shew of liking their courses incouraged them therein, but contrarywise mourned, as Lot is said to have done at the wickedness of the Sodomites, and not only so, but also cryed out against it, and not refraining for fear of their fury, as Esa. 58. 1. he is bidden to do, and every one, Levit. 19. 17. of such