The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 292

see that it is not invaded and defiled. That it may be preserved in its purity and integrity it becomes him : 1. To recognize the strength of ,he enemy. To remember and to realize that the adversaries of his soul are many, subtle, and strong; they are such as these-covetousness, passion, pride, intemperance, worldliness, unbelief. 2. To raise the strongest defences he can secure, .And these are (1) good pri,ncipks,-the love of that which is true and pure and sound, the hatred of that which is base and shameful and degrading'.; (2) good habits,-the habits, well cultivated and coust.antly sustained, of self- command, of temperance, of purity, of thorough investigation before acceptance and utterance, of devotion. There are "the walls, the bars, and the gates" of the soul, which the adversary must take before he succeeds in his att.ack, within which the soul should be safely entrenched. 3. To secure the guardianship of God. By simplicity and uprightness of heart, by prayerfulness of attitude and engagement, to secure that gracious and mighty power against which all the devices and all the assaults of evil will not be able to succeed.-C. Ver. 23.-Making God great and holy. "I magnify myself, and sanctify myself." I. Goo MAKING IDMBELF GREAT AND HOLY IN THE BIGHT OF MEN. We may ask: 1. Why God 1Mgnijies himself; and the answer will be-Not for the mere purpose of self-glorification. We cannot think that of him "whose nature and whose name is Love" (see homily on eh. xxxvL 16-21), We conclude that he desires and deter- mines to make his Name to be bad in reverence, and to cause himself to be honoured as the Great and Holy One, because (1) it is inherently right that it should be so; and because (2) it is altogether and immeasurably advantageous and elevating to his children that it should be so; it is indeed the only way by which they can attain a true and worthy manhood; for it is reverence toward God which is the very root of human excellence and nobility. 2. How he magnifies himself. 'rhis is by (1) all that he has said of himself in his Word ; (2) all that he makes known of his disposition and bis character by his Di vine providence; (3) by the revelation of himself in the Person of his Son. In these three ways especially God makes us know bow great he is,-how great is his majesty, his power, his goodness, bis righteousness; and how holy he is,-how utterly he hates sin, how determined he is to rebuke it, and aot only to rebuke it, but to conquer and to expel it. Most especially does he "magnify and sanctify himself" in Jesus Christ; for in his Person and in his work we see the great- ness of his love, and the intensity of his hatred of sin and the fixedness of his purpose to subdue and to extirpate it. II. OUR DUTY TO MAGNIFY mM. 1. Why we should do so. Because: (1) It is the one right thing for us to do. The Great One should be exalted; the Holy One should be honoured, because he is great and holy, especially because bis greatness is the greatness of goodness as well as of power, and because bis holiness is crowned with p1\tience and mercy. (2) To revere God and magnify him in our heart is the one way to our own moral and spiritual elevation, to nobility or character, to excellency of life. (3) It is distinctly the way to promote the happiness nnd well-being of the world. 2. How we can do so. (1) In owr spirit; by cherishing in our hearts the reverence that is "due to his Name;" i.e. due to himself for all that he is and bas done for us. (2) In our life. (See Phil. i. 20.) By bringing all our actions into harmony with the known will of G~d; by living in such a way that we show ourselves to be loyal subjects of ~esus Chnst, consulting his mind and obedient to his Word in everything; by making 1t clear that we are willing to put forth any effort or submit to any sacrifice in order that Christ may be great in the esteem and in the affectioas of men; thus we "magnify and sanctify" him. (3) By our speech. We need not be always intro. ducing the distinctive language of religion into our conversation; yet we may take opportunity in the home, as well as at the desk or in the pulpit, to commend Jesus Christ to the hearts of youllg and old, as that Divine Saviour in whom to trust, as that Divine Lord in whose service they will find freedom, rest, and eternal life.-C. 302 THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [on. xxxrx, 1-29,