John Trapp on Zechariah 6:1

CHAP. VI.

Verſe 1. ANd I turned, and lift up mine eyes] i. e. I paſſed on to another viſion: and 1 lifted up the eyes of my mind, higher to heaven, ſaith Hierom, to receive a further revelation from God. And whereas he ſaith, I turned, he declareth, that God from on every ſide giveth his Church clear teſtimonies of his care of her, ſo that ſhe will give heed unto them, and lift up her eyes.

there came four chariots out] i.e. four ſquadrons of Angels, Gods Warriours, and Miniſters of his manifold decrees, which are here ſet forth by the name of brazen mountains. 2 King. 2.11 2 King. 6.17 So Hab. 3.8 See chap. 1.8. with the Note. Chariots the Angels are called in many places: but eſpecially Pſal. 68.17. The chariots of God (in the Hebrew it is chariot, in the ſingular, to note the joynt ſervice of all the Angels) are twenty thouſand, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. even thouſands of Angels. (of chearfull ones, ſo the Septuagint, of ſuch as ſerve the Lord readily, and freely, with joy and tranquillity, and ſo do quiet his ſpirit,Deut. 33.26 God rideth upon the heavens for Iſra. els help, i.e. upon the Angels. Heb. as it is ſaid here vorſe 8: give him full ſatisfaction) The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place: that is, the Angels by their ſwiftneſſe and warlike proweſſe make Sion (the Church) as dreadfull to all her enemies (did not one of them ſo to Sennacherib?) as thoſe Angels made Sinai, at the delivery of the Law, which was given in fire, Deut. 33.2. The word rendred Angels, in the above-cited Pſal. 68.17. (and ſo the Chaldee plainly expreſſeth it) is by ſome (who derive it of Shaan, to ſharpen) referred to chariots: to note a kinde of chariots, armed with ſharp hooks, uſed in warres, as many humane Writers record. And ſo it maketh ſomething to the confirmation of this Interpretation,Statius. Macrob. Vegetius. concerning Angels, rather then the four Monarchies. But the Angel himſelf is our beſt Interpreter, verſe 5. where, being asked by Zachary, what theſe chariots were? he anſwereth, Theſe are the four ſpirits of the heavens, which go ſorth from ſtanding before the Lord of all the earth, a plain Periphraſis of the Angels, chap. 1.10. See the Note there.

from between two mountains] tanquam è carceribus, as deſigned by Gods all diſpoſing providence, and power, and ready preſt at his appointment and pleaſure to run their race, do their office, execute Gods judgements, which are both unſearchable, and inevitable: and this the Poets hammer'd at in their ineluctabile Fatum, as they called it. Gods decrees lie hid under mountains of braſſe, as it were, till they come to execution: they run as a river under ground, till they break out and ſhew themſelves. When he hath once ſignified his will, then we underſtand it; which before lay hid from us: that is, when theſe chariots come out from between the mountains of braſſe, when the event declareth what was the immutable decrce of God. Hence the Pſalmiſt, Thy right couſneſſe is like the great mountains; thy judgements are a great deep: this for the decree. And for the execution, Thou preſerveſt man and beaſt, (Pſal. 36.6.) but by ſuch means, and in ſuch manner as to thee ſeemeth beſt. It is our part to ſay Amen to his Amen, and to put our F[illegible: 1 letter]at and Placet to his. The will of the Lord be done, ſaid thoſe primitive Chriſtians, Act. 21.14. Here am I, ſend me, Eſay 6.8.