Lord Behold I am against thee and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked These times in which we now live are times of War and rumors of War which does abound and prevail in them in which respect a Text of War will not be unfit or unsuitable to us Especially of such a War which if it be duly and rightly considered is the cause and occasion of all other Wars besides which is that of God himself the Lord of Hosts with the Sons of men And this is that which we have propounded unto us here in this Scripture God's controversy with the people of Israel and the publishing and declaring of it to them by the Prophet Ezekiel who in these two Verses which I have read is first of all qualified and prepared for the delivery of such a message as this and then has the message it self committed unto him to be published by him The first in the second Verse and the second in the third of this Chapter Our business at this present time will be only with the first The Prophet Ezekiel 's preparation to his Emhassage in this second Verse which I have now read Son of man c. IN this present Verse before us we have two General Parts considerable of us First the Prophet's Compellation or Title which is given unto him Secondly the Prophet's Injunction or Command which is laid upon him His Compellation that ye have in these words Son of man His Injunction that ye have in these Set thy face c. We begin in order with the First viz. His Compellation Son of man There are but two persons in Scripture which have eminently this name put upon them of the Son of man The one is our Blessed Saviour in the new Testament and the other is this Prophet Ezekiel here in the old For our Saviour it is the name put upon him in sundry places I shall not need to instance in any particulars they are so frequent in every page of the Gospel and it was not without very good reason namely as hereby to discover the truth of his humanity to us that amongst those many miracles and wonderful works which were wrought by him from whence he did appear to be God he might have somewhat also fasten'd upon him declaring him likewise to be man Besides as suitable to his present state of abasement and humiliation and future passion that he might be looked upon according to that view wherein he tender'd himself to the world and that those which were about him might be prepared for what should happen unto him he thought it fitting thus to be call'd In the mean time likewise encouraging them upon these terms to close with him as who having taken their nature upon him was not now asham'd to call them Brethren This for our Blessed Saviour But now as for the Prophet Ezekiel why this name should be put upon him this is a thing further considerable especially why upon him rather than upon any other of the Prophets besides as we do indeed find it to be the Prophet Daniel only excepted who once and no more but once is distinguished by this compellation Dan. 8.17 Vnderstand O Son of man It is the general sense of Divines that it was for this reason especially namely to humble him in the midst of those many divine visions and revelations which he was partaker of That though in regard of his work and employment he was a companion of Angels yet for his condition he was numbred amongst Men And so in that respect had a double disparagement upon him which serve to abase him both of mortality and sinfulness Of mortality Son of man that is one who is subject to death as well as others The Prophets and Apostles and all other Ministers of the Church they have this treasure in earthen vessels Again of sinfulness Son of man that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as was said of the Prophet Elias A man subject to like passions and infirmities with other men Look as the Apostle Paul when he had been caught up into the third Heaven and heard such words as it was not possible for a man to utter he was buffeted with the messenger of Satan thereby to debase him and had a thorn in the flesh sent him thereby to keep him from being exalted with the abundance of the revelations Even so was it likewise here with the Prophet Ezekiel in this his present employ which that he might consider what he was in the midst of this great favour which God did now vouchsafe unto him in being made partaker of these heavenly apparitions he is qualified by this Title which is given him Son of man But we may add also another reason here in this place and in reference to the present occasion and matter in hand for the giving of it and that was not only to breed in him an humble spirit but likewise a pitiful and compassionate The business which he was now employ'd in and the message which he was now sent about it was a matter of judgment and terror it was a threatening and foretelling of God's wrath and indignation against his people Now this it did require some bowels and tenderness in him that he should do it and therefore Son of man was a very fit and proper compellation that so being a man himself he might the more commiserate the rest of his brethren Remember those which are in bonds as bound with them and those that are in adversity as being your selves in the body It is the Apostle's counsel to the Hebrews Heb. 13.3 Those who are themselves in the body have cause to tender others in adversity as being in that respect subject to the same afflictions and calamities themselves Therefore it is said of Christ that in all things it behov'd him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God c. And so Ezekiel is here admonish'd of his humane condition that so he might with the more tenderness of affection denounce God's judgments against men as himself was that he might not too insultingly triumph over them but carry himself with meekness and lenity towards them as being one in the same nature with them And so now I have done with the First General Part of the Text viz. the Prophet's Title or Compellation Son of man The Second is the Prophet's Injunction or Command which is laid upon him and that is how to carry himself in the denunciations of God's judgments against his people This is exprest and laid forth in three clauses First To set his face towards Jerusalem Secondly To drop his word towards the holy places Thirdly To prophecy against the land of Israel Where ye have a full and perfect enumeration of all kind of places and conditions and persons as the objects of Divine wrath and vengeance which is threatned
expression it is to be taken per Excellentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Comforts not onely Originaliter and Effective but likewise Meterialiter and Objective not onely as God is the Author and Bestower of these Comforts but likewise as God is the Object and matter of this last If we speak properly and exactly so all Comforts are Gods Comforts even those Comforts which are in the Creatures and which are derived and conveyed to us in them they are no other then his The Comforts which are in Friends and the Comforts which are his Estates and the Comforts which are in any outward Blessing which we here injoy they are all his Comforts They are his as giving the thing and they are his as giving the Contentment we cannot partake of any Blessingexcept he bestow it nor we cannot have Comfort in any Blessing except he breath upon it and vouchsafe his concurrance with it If he does but either withhold his Hand or withhold his Influence we are still void of Comfort so that we may say of all these Refreshments which we do at any time here share in as David said once in another case Lord they are thine own which by the way should teach us to use them so much the more to his Honour and Glory but these Comforts here in the Text are said to be his Comforts as I conceive in a further Consideration And that is not onely as leading us to the Spring and Fountain of the Comfort but likewise as denoting to the kind and Nature of Comfort thy Comforts that is Comforts sounded n thee and sutable to thee and fetcht from thee From thee not onely as the Creator and Preserver of the World Vt es Author Naturae but from thee as the Lord and Governour of the Church Vt dispensator Gratiae Grasiosus pater in Christi Thy Comforts that is Divine comforts Christian Comforts Spiritual Comforts Comforts drawn from Religion by taking it Specificator and so the point will be this That Divine and Spiritual Comforts are the chiefest Comforts of all others there 's no Comforts which are able to satisfie that mind which are troubled with sad thoughts as those Comforts which are more especially Gods and do belong unto us in our reference and relation to Him as his Children and People This is clear from this very Text it self and there needs no other Testimony besides for the Confirmation of it Now that which will further discover it to be so are these following Considerations First Because such Comforts as these are most full and large and of greater extent they are such as are every way answerable to the Grief it self which lies upon us what ever it be that 's the most satisfactory Comfort which does come to the relief of all kind of Troubles and Distractions now thus do these as we shall hear more anon Secondly They are such as are of the deepest Rooting and Foundation they are therefore the best Comforts because they are the surest and solidest Comforts For what can be more solidly laid then that which is laid in God Himself and is founded in Him such as the Foundation is such is the Comfort which is fasten'd upon it Thirdly They are also more lasting and continuing they will hold out when none others will besides All other Comforts besides they are passing and transatory and fading they have an inconstancy and uncertainty in them and are easily lost and gone but these Comforts which are Divine and Spiritual they are perpetual and external They are such as for the substance of them they cannot be lost Indeed they may be sometimes lost to us in regard of our sense and feeling and oftentimes are as we may carry our selves but otherwise they are abiding Comforts and the continuance and duration of them does further add to the Excellency of them and does serve so much the more to commend them and to set them forth unto us to be the best Comforts that are The Consideration hereof may therefore teach us in the first place to preserve and look after these above any other else besides We when any Evil befals us or we are exercised with any troublesome thoughts we are ready presently to run and to betake our selves to other things to our own wits and Counsels and Contrivances and those delights which are so in the Creature but in the mean time we do not so apply our selves to God Himself No alas What are all Comforts without Him they are but poor miserable Comforters and Physitians of no value as Job said of his Friends it is God that comforteth those that are cast down He that is the God of Comfort and the father of Consolations as the Scripture sometimes styles himself and therefore we should have recourse to him in all our Perplexityes and to his Comforts as they are here commended unto us Now what are they may some happily Interpose what are these Comforts of God which the Psalmist does more especially intend here in this place In a word they are the Comforts which do flow from our Communion with him The Comforts of his Attributes and the Comforts of his Promises and the Comforts of his Gracious Presence drawing near unto our Souls when it pleases him to shine upon us and to express his good will to us and to give us some evidence and assurance of his love and favour towards us these are his Comforts and these are more then the Comforts of all the world besides this is that which David does further signify in another place Psal 4.6.7 Many will say unto who will shew us any Good Lord list thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us thou hast put more gladness into our Heart more then in the time when their Corn and Wine and Oyl increased Secondly As we should labour for those Comforts above all others so we should also improve them unto us If we do injoy them and live in the comfort of them we should esteem them and prize them above all other Comforts else and be thankful and bless God for them we should yeild our selves unto them and suffer our selves to be satisfied and comforted by them when God at any time offer them and afford them to us There are many who when God would comfort them they themselves refuse to be comforted as it is said of Rachel and they will not receive comfort from him unless they may have such kind of Comfort as themselves desire their Comforts that is the comforts of the Creature but his comforts those they do not care for though he does never so much flow in unto them with them now let us by all means take heed of this Let not the Consolation of God be small with us as Eliphaz speaks to Job 15.11 But let us hug them and make much of them even there where it may be we may be destitute of other things for if God will but give us his Comforts we have enough to
in Christ This is such as whosoever keeps close to shall undoubtedly attain this blessed end It is new in regard of the new Covenant It is living as it bringeth unto life Secondly As Christ is the true way so he is the short way and most direct All other ways besides which mens fancies have devised to themselves they are but so many labyrinths and wheelings about As by mens own merits and single performances or by the merits and satisfactions of Saints This it is but running at random and will never come home at last But now Christ he brings us home presently and directly without more ado Thirdly He is a safe way That 's a great matter in a way and much to be desired in it Now such an one is Christ Though we meet with many assaults in it yet we are fair to conquer and overcome them and at last to get victory over them In the way of righteousness is life and in the path way thereof there is no death as it is in Prov. 12.28 Fourthly He is a pleasant way also there 's that considerable in it His ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Prov. 3.17 The ways of the world and such as lead to destruction they seem to have some pleasure in them but they are pleasures but for a season and they have no reality of pleasure indeed But Christ and the ways that he leads into eternal life they are full of delight especially to such kind of souls as are capable and sensible of them And that 's the first thing whereby Christ is described unto us namely as the Way The Second is the Truth Christ describes himself also by this He is not only true but truth it self and the truth emphatically This is that which is declared of him And whiles he is said to be so we may take it two manner of ways especially First In a moral sense and Secondly in a rational He is the truth as it is opposed to shadows and so he is the truth of Dispensation And he is the truth as it is opposed to errors and so he is the truth of Doctrine In each respect he is said to be the truth First Take it in a moral sense and by way of dispensation So Christ is the truth as it stands in opposition to shadows and legal ceremonies The Jewish rites and ordinances they were but types and prefigurations of Christ who was shadowed out by them and who was the main truth and principal substance intended in them Therefore Joh. 1.17 It is said that the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ And Col. 2.17 Speaking of the Judaical observations he says that they were but shadows of things which were to come but the body was of Christ that is the truth and substance of all the ceremonies is now enjoyed in and by Christ in whom all is now sulfilled The Jews as the Apostle speaks had the shadow of good things to come but not the very image of those things No that is brought and exhibited to us in the Gospel in Christ himself who was signified by them And who is as far different from them and above them as the body is different and transcendent to the shadow and the thing it self to that which is but the picture and representation of it This shews what great cause we have of thankfulness that live in these times of the Gospel and New Testament above those that lived under the Law forasmuch as we have the truth and substance of these things whereof they had no more but the shadows It is true that they had Christ propounded to them as well as we even the Fathers under the Old Testament but after another manner of dispensation For they had him propounded in the type we in the substance and thing it self They had him exhibited in the shadow we have him exhibited in the truth as opposed thereunto From hence it will likewise follow that there is and ought to be a cessation and perfect abolition of all those Jewish rites and observations upon the coming of Christ because they were intended only to point out Christ till such time as he should come And so we shall find the Apostle himself to make improvement of it in Gal. 4.3 c. Where now that God hath sent us his Son he does diseharge us from all such rudiments as those were That 's one sense of this expression wherein Christ is said to be the Truth namely as it may be taken in a moral sense and by way of dispensation The Truth as it is opposed to shadows The Second is as it may be taken in a rational sense by way of revelation and in reference to Doctrine The Truth as it is opposed to errors Christ he is the truth thus likewise He is the true and faithful witness as he is else-where called And he brings nothing but truth it self with him Thus Joh. 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free What 's the truth but the truth of the Gospel in the Doctrines and discoveries of it which are exhibited by Christ There was a truth in the Law in its kind and in the Doctrine of Moses Oh but the Gospel and the Doctrine of Christ is the truth with an emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being of the greatest efficacy and influence of any other besides It hath liberty and strength and peace and comfort with it and all that is good This should teach us so much the more to hearken to it and to Christ himself who is both the matter and Author of it and who hath revealed it and made it known unto us Here 's that which does now justly scatter all infidelity and unbelief whatsoever that men may have nothing to say for it and in a defence of it seeing it is a rejection of truth it self Therefore let us take heed of it And on the other side stir up our Faith in this particular When we find our hearts any thing doubting and calling in question the gracious promises of the Gospel and the free offers and tenders of mercy which are made to us by Christ in it let us think and consider with our selves what our Blessed Saviour here declares of himself whiles he tells us that he is the truth Whiles he is the truth it be comes us accordingly to receive him and embrace him and to give credit to him as we would to truth it self And that 's also the second description of Christ wherein he expresses himself to us to wit the truth both in a moral sense and in a rational As it is opposed to shadows and as it is opposed to errors and falshood The Third and last is the Life This is another property whereby Christ does describe himself to us and it is such as is very agreeable to him Not only