The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 245

Vers. Ii-'23.-Effeminate religion. Moral evil is sadly contagious. The boastful a1Togant temper of the false prophets spread to the women also. It was a time ot' great excitement-a national crisis, in which all political considerations were inter- mingled with religion. Amid the general panic of fear, women as well as men were stirred to action. The party who sought God and desired to know his will were a sm:111 minority. The major part of the people, both men and women, were carried away by a spirit of carnal wisdom. They cared far more to secure personal advantacre than to please God. But the gravamen of their offence was that they falsely assum~d to speak in the stead of God. I. SELF-MADE RELIGION IS VAIN. In every age men have ventured to invent for themselves religious creeds and forms. The human mind has chafed against God's requirements as being irksome and severe, and the world has carved out a relicrion that shall be self-pleasing, a lullaby to conscience, a sedative to fear. The doctrines and creeds have been spun out of men's self-consciousness, and have had no foundation outside themselves. In the pride of their heart they have imagined that Reason was a god, and that this internal god was supreme. 'l'hcy see vanity and prophesy falsehood. II. THIS SELF-MADE RELIGION xs LUXURIOUS, All its beliefs and practices are regulated by pleasure. What ministers to present enjoyment is tolerated; what is unpleasant is denonnced. "They sew pillows to all arm-holes." Bodily ease is para- mount. To crucify the flesh is a heresy. To wear a jewelled cross upon the breast is an ornament, and is therefore approved; but to obey commands which are a burden to the fl.esh, to bear Christ's cross of pain and reproach, this is contemned, He who really desires acceptance with God may well suspect any religion that panders to bodily pleasure. "He who is a friend of the world is an enemy of God." ill SELF-MADE RELIGION SEEKS EARTHLY ADVANTAGE. "Will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread?" These self-styled servants of God really cared nothing for the honour of God. They did not scruple to profane his Name,and to trample on ~acred things, if only they could gain a pittance of bread thereby. They made merchandise of religion. It was a religion for the body, not for the soul. They acted as if gain were godliness. So is it ofttimes now. If religion would ensure prosperity to secular business, many men would profess to be religious. But if religion frowns upon fraud and deceit, they will eschew it e.s unfriendly to their worldly prospects. Yet, in the long run, godliness is favourable to every human interest. "It is profitable for all tbings." IV. SELF-MADE RELIGION IS HOSTILE TO RIGHTEuUBNESS. These false prophets sought "to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live." It seeks to frustrate all God's purposes, to overturn the very foundations of rigbteo\lfilless. God's plan of government is to make righteousness contribute to life. "The just shall live by faith;" "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." But this self-me.de religion of proud men strives to arrest the processes of God's rule, e.od endeavours to make the worst things appear the best. "It puts darkness for light, and light for darkness." It would fain slay the righteous; for the godly are as thorns in the sirles of the hypocrite. It seeks to confuse men's ideas of truth and error, of right and wrong. V. Tms SELF-MADE BELlGION IS JNJUilTOUS BOTII TO THE WICKED AND TO TllE BIGHTEous. "Ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not me.de sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from bis wickocl way." It is God's wise intention that, in proportion as men are righteous, err. xm.1-28.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 241