Have we not rendered ourselves sufficiently lothesome in the eyes of a holy God ? Let us never forget that " his very name is, Thou God seest me0." But not to act from a mere servile fear, labour to approve yourselves to God in the whole course of your lives. Let your actions, words, and thoughts be such as the heart-searching God will approve p. Then will he bear testimony to you as " Israelites indeed in whom was no guile;" and he who has beheld your most secret thoughts will, in the presence of the whole assembled universe, applaud and " reward you openly."]
0 Gen. xvi. 13. p Prov. iv. 23.
Ezek. xi. 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
THE vision with which the Prophet Ezekiel was favoured, and which he records in the first chapter, is of very difficult interpretation. In it there were represented to his view four living creatures, all moved and actuated by the Spirit of Goda; there were also wheels moved by themb, and the glory of God was enthroned above themc. The general import of this vision we apprehend to be, that the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the ministration of angels and holy men devoted to his service, manages every thing for the good of his Church. But from the eighth chapter God shews, that when his people shall provoke him by their impieties, he will withdraw from them, and give them up to all those judgments which their iniquities have deserved. This is at first but slightly intimated d; but in our text it is actually carried into effect. The manner in which his departure took place, is deserving of particular attention. It was by several successive steps ; the bright cloud, which was the symbol of his presence, and which is here called " his glory," left the accustomed place of its
a Ezek. i. 4—14. b Ezek. i. 15—21.
c Ezek. i. 26 — 28. d Ezek. viii. 6.