To no one is there any doubt that the prophet makes known one thing in words as an allegory and a parable but means something else, for even the Savior spoke to the people in parables, which he explained in secret to the apostles. Therefore we must understand the allegory and the parable for what they are. There are two eagles that are placed before us in this part of the prophecy of Ezekiel.

[Ezekiel] calls the king of the Babylonians an eagle and speaks of him as being great and long-winged; and he calls him long-extended and full of claws, on account of the multitude of his army, and the greatness of his power and the swiftness of his invasion. For just as the wings and claws of the eagle are his armor, so are horses and soldiers to kings.

He came to that Lebanon, which is the church, where the offerings of God and the incense of his prayers are celebrated, that great true evil, Nebuchadnezzar, that is, the devil, and he sees it.

[Ezekiel] calls the city of Jerusalem a vine; but in saying that it stretched out its branches towards the eagle and that its roots were under him, he refers to the treaties and alliances made with him and that it cast itself on him.

As long as it was on holy ground, the vine was huge; but when it was taken to the land of sinners, it was made infirm and small.

Whoever has been under the wings of this sun [of justice and healing]^[1] who has said in the Gospel: how often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you would not!^[2] shall be safe from the devil hawk, safe under the great wings of that mighty eagle in Ezekiel, and all the wounds of his sins shall be healed.

Another crowd was taken by him, and it became a vine, less vigorous than it was when it was in the vineyard of God and on holy ground, where the sacrifices of God are celebrated, but it was transferred to Babylon as a weak vine.

One who was condemned by God does not escape his sentence and does not want to change the will of he who judges him, but he will bear it with all patience until God frees the one who he has condemned.

When the association of such different natures is made in faith in Christ, the lion will no longer be impure, and all the animals called impure in the law of God will receive the purity of their former condition.

I am inclined to think that by the good quality of their conduct they increase yet more the agreeableness of the words of God, mixing the sweetness of the life with the sweet savor of the word.

If we who appear to stand over the church have sinned and given place to the devil against the teaching of Paul when he says do not give any place to the devil,^[1] in the same way the faults committed at Jerusalem mean that we provide Nebuchadnezzar with the chance to enter into the holy city and to take away those whom he chooses.

If you have the covenant with us in a blessing, Nebuchadnezzar cannot make a covenant with you.

God makes covenant with us in a blessing; Nebuchadnezzar establishes his covenant in abuse.

As holy Scripture tells us, God intends that the covenant with Israel is an abuse against Nebuchadnezzar.

There is one who dishonors the judgment of God; there is another who honors it.

To the one who has transgressed and has dishonored the judgment of God, Pharaoh cannot come to the rescue; he will die in the center of Babylon for his transgressions.

Consider the sublime grandeur of the church of Christ, to understand that according to the promise of God the word has been realized. . . . It will become a noble cedar; and under it will dwell all kinds of beasts; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest.

Take the wings of the word of God, and you will be able to repose under this tree that has been planted over a high mountain.

The high tree humbled and the humble tree exalted refer to the passion of the Lord and Savior, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a theme to be grasped, but he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,^[1] and after the resurrection, this very wood was afterwards raised high, which was fair and strong, and then made dry in death, and after reviving, received back its original strength.

He says, know that it is easy for me both to humble what is lofty and to raise up what is lowly; to make dry what is wet and to manifest what is dry to be in flower.