the work himself. He speaks here with authority, as the Being who needs no coun- sellor, no helper, who has infinite resources at his disposal, who exercises his own prerogative. It is not here explicitly stated what are the means he employs; but we know that they are means in harmony with the moral nature of man, that his appeal to us is an appeal of truth and love. In the Christian dispensation, the agent of transformation is the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost, and perpetually abiding in the Church, and the instrumentality employed is the gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ, appropriated by the faith of the believing hearer of the Word. Ill. THE EFFEOTB AND EVIDENCES OF THIS TRANSFORMATION. 1. Newness of spirit supersedes the old disposition to disobey and rebel. Every reader of the New Testa- ment knows what stress is laid upon the new covenant, the new birth, the new life, newness of the spirit, etc. In fact, this verse from Ezekiel is peculiarly in harmony with the Christian dispensation and all that belongs to it. 2. Unity of heart is one form of newness; for it comes to supersede the division and opposition which prevail where God's authority is rejected and where God's Word is despised. It is our Lord's prayer concerning the members of bis Church, that they "all may be one "-one in him and in the Father, and so one each with the other. 3. Ser;sitiveness is what is intended by the heart of flesh. The nature which God by bis grace renews is a nature which responds to the love of God by gratitude, faith, and consecration. A heart delighting in what pleases God, dreading what offends him; a heart loving all whom God loves, and inspiring a life of scrupulous and hearty obedience ;-such i8 the new heart, the heart of flesh, which is the best gift of God to his children. "A heart resigned, submissive, meek, My dee.r Redeemer's throne; Where only Christ is heard to speak, Where Jesus reigns alone." T. Ver. 20.-MutuaZ possession, This language is of frequent occurrence in Scriptt1re, and applies to the relation between Jehovah and his chosen and covenant people Israel. It is ideal, for, as a matter of fact, the descendants of Abraham and of Jacob were constantly in rebellion against God, and alienated from him by their wicked works. Yet it was actually trne of an election within the nation. And it remains for ever applicable, in strict and literal truth, to all those who receive Divine grace, acknowledge Divine authority, and rejoice in Divine communion. I. THE OBEDIENT ARE 0LAIMED AND OWNED BY Goo AS HIS PEOPLE. "They shall be my people," says the Eternal. They are his: 1. To possess. They a.re his property, and they bear upon them his mark. 2. To control. They are his servants, yielding themselves to him, and their powers as instruments in his service. 3. To love. God loves his own people, as a father loves his own children, as a husband loves his own wife. 4. To bless. The Lord is mindful of his own, There is nothing that is for their good which he withholds from them. II. GoD IS CLAIMED AND OWNED BY THE OBEDIENT AS THEIR Goo. On this account: 1. They reverence him. Let others offer their adoration where they will, the Lord, say they, is our God, and him only will we serve. 2. '!'hey trust him. His ways may sometimes be dark, and his counsels perplexing; but he is theirs, and therefore they will not withdraw their confidence from him. 3. They glorify him with all their powers. To them there is no limit to their Lord's claims and authority; he bas but to say, Go, and they go; Come, and they come ; Do this, and it is done. 4. They hope in his promises. He has given them bis word that they shall be brot1ght to everlasting salvation ; and the assurance, coming from their own covenant God, inspires them with a bright and consolatory hope. "This God is our God for ever and ever; ... our Guide, even unto death."-T.
Ver. 25.-The proplietic office. In these few and simple words we have a declaration of the office and function of the inspired prophet, and in a certain seuse of every true religious teacher whom God commissions to be the vehiclcand conscious agent iu com- municating his truth, counsels, admonitions, and encouragements to !Ilen. I. RECEPTION, The prophet and every religious teacher must come mediately or 202 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [on. xr. 1-21i.
immediately into spiritual communication with the Divine Mind. 1. The Source from which the communication proceeds is none other than God himself. 2. The matter which is received is what is commonly called revelation; the thoughts and commands and purposes of the Supreme are made known to a human spirit. 3. The 11ision the hearing, of the prophetic soul are made ready by Divine grnce to appreciate' the communication. II. IMPARTATION. 1. Thus the prophet, the religious teacher, is a mediator, capable, on the one side, of fellowship with God, and on the other of correspondence and com- munion with his fellow-men. 2. There are special qualifico.tions, by reason of which he can fulfil the commission received; he should be a man of quick intelligence, of tender sympathy, of dauntless courage, of manifest authority. 3. Yet his chief credentials are simple and moral-truthfulness, conscientiousness, and simplicity of nature and habit.-T.