To the Wonderment and Amazement of others, to the Terror and Affrightment of others, and to the Great Torment of the Chiefest of the Sects of Professors.

 

Chapter IV.

How the author has been set as a sign and a wonder, as well as most of the prophets formerly. As also, what strange postures the divine majesty that dwells in his form has set the form in, with the most strange and various effects thereof upon the spectators. Also, his communion with the spirits of just men made perfect, and with God, judge of all, hinted at. 

1.

It is written in your bibles

behold
I and the children whom the Lord has given me
are for signs and for wonders in Israel
from the Lord of Hosts
which dwelleth in Mount Sion
Isa. 8.18

and amongst those who were set thus
Ezekiel seems to be higher than the rest by the shoulders upwards
and was more seraphical than his predecessors
yet he was the son of Buzi
Ezek. 1
which being interpreted is the Son of Contempt
it pleases me

(right well)

that I am his brother
a son of Buzi

2.

He saw

(and I in him see)

various strange visions
and he was
and I am set
in several strange postures

amongst many of his pranks
this was one

he shaves all the hair off his head
and off his beard
then weighs them in a pair of scales
burns one part of them in the fire
another part he smites about with a knife
another part thereof he scatters in the wind
and a few he binds up in his skirts
&c
and this not in a corner
or in a chamber
but in the midst of the streets
of the great city Hierusalem
and the man all this while
neither mad nor drink
&c
Ezek. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4 
&c
as also in several other chapters
amongst the rest
Chapter 12.3
&c
Chapter 4.3
Chapter 24.3 to the end

this Ezekiel

(to whose spirit I am come
and to an innumerable company of angels
and to God the judge of all)

3.

(I say)

this great courtier
in the high court of the highest heavens
is the son of Buzi
a child of contempt on earth
and set as a sign and wonder

(as was Hosea
who went in to a whore
&c)

Hos. 2
when he

(I say)

was playing some of his pranks
the people said to him

wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us
that thou dost so

Ezek. 24.19
with the 3rd verse
and so forwards
when he was strangely acted 
by that omnipotency dwelling in him
and by that eternal
immortal

INVISIBLE

(indeed)

majesty
the only wise God
who dwells in this visible form
the writer of this roll

(who to his joy)

is numbered amongst transgressors

4.

The same most excellent majesty

(in this form)

has set the form in many strange postures lately
to the joy and refreshment of some
both acquaintances and strangers
to the wonderment and amazement of others
to the terror and affrightment of others
and to the great torment of the chiefest
of the sects of professors
who have gone about to shake off their plagues
if they could
some by crying out he's mad
he's drunk
and only one
whom I was told of
by threats of caning or cudgelling
who meeting me full with face
was ashamed and afraid to look on me
&c

5.

But to wave all this

because the sun begins to peep out
and it's a good while past daybreak
I'll creep forth

(a little)

into the mystery of the former history
and into the inside of that strange outside business