The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 328

measu,ed by the tape, or the reed, which the heavenly messenger holds in his hand. What are the heights and the depths and the lengths that are seen and reckoned in the kingdom of Christ? 'l'hey are those of- I. SrncERITY. There may be much singing and many " prayers," and much preach- ing; there may be multiplied activities of many kinds; but if there be not sincerity and simplicity of heart, there will be nothing for the measuring angel to record. If, however, in the culture of our owu character or in the work we do for our Lord, our hearts go forth in genuine endeavour, if we think and feel what we say, if we mean what we do, if the purpose of our soul is toward God and toward the honour of his Name,-then we are really "building;" and the more of spirituality and of earnestness there is in our effort, the higher will the figure be which the recording angel enters in his book. II. TBUSTFULJ>'ESS. "Without faith it is impossible to please God" in anything we undertake for him. The measure of our trustfulness is, to a. large extent, the degree of our acceptableness. Trustfulness is in the freeness and fulness of the grace of God, in the presence and the promises of the Son of God, in the power of the Spirit of God to enlighten and to renew. 'l'he more of this element in our personal relations with God and in our Christian walk, the higher the sacred fabric rises in the reckoning of the heavenly world. III. LoVE. This is an essential element in all Christian edification. 1. Love to Christ himself. The restraining love, which keeps back from all evil; the constraining love, which inspires to cheerful and prompt obedience; the suhmissive love, which knows how to endure as seeing the Invisible One; the lasting love, which outlives all the changes and triumphs over all the difficulties of human life. 2. Love to Christian men; which is more and better than being drawn toward the amiable and the attractive; which consists in the outgoing of the heart toward all the disciples of Jesus Christ because they are such, even though in taste and temper and habit of life they may differ from ourselves; which includes the willingness to acknowledge all that love Christ, and to work with them in every open way. 3. Love to those outside the Christian pale-the love of a holy pity for men who are wrong because they are wrong, which shows itself in active, practical, self-denying labour to raise and to restore them. The practical question for each man and for every Church to ask is this-When the measuring angel comes to us, and applies his reed to owr worship, owr work, our life, what is the entry he makes? what is his measurement? There may be balance-sheets and attendances, activities and engagements, which are very satisfactory in the human estimate, but if simplicity, trustfulness, love, be not found, there is nothing to count in the reckoning of Heaven (see 1 Cor. xiii.).-C. Vers. 6-11.-Entrance to the kingdom. Much mention is made, in this description of the temple, of the gates of that building ; access was provided in abundance to its interior as well as exterior compartments. Having regard to the kingdom of God (of which this ideal structure is a picture (see previous homily), and taking into our thought the work and the teaching of our Lord on the subject, we learn- L THAT THERE IB ONE WAY INTO THE KINGDOM. Jesus Christ himself is that Way, "I am the Way, ... no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John xiv. 6); "I am the Door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved" (John x. 9). Through him "both [Jews and Gentiles] have access . . . unto the Father" (Eph. ii.18); "There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 John ii. 5). To know Jesus Christ, to trust and love, to serve and follow him-that is the way to find eternal life. " Whosoever believeth in him has life eternal." II. THAT TIIEBE ABE MANY APPROA0HES TO THE KINGDOM. '!'hough there is but one "door" or" way" into the kingdom, but one Divine Saviour in whom to trust and by whom to be redeemed, yet are there many approaches that may be regarded as "gates,'' many paths that lead to him and to his salvation. We may be led to him: 1. By our sense of the priceless value of the hwnan soul and our knowledge that only he can bless it. 2. By our view of the seriousness of our human life and the desire to place it under bis wise and holy guidance. 3. By the example and influence of those to whom we are most nearly related. 4. By the attractiveness we see in him, the Lord of love and truth. 5. By the felt force of the claims of the heavenly Father, and the belief that it ill God's will that we should hear and follow him, his Son, etc. on. XL, 1-49.J THE BOOK 01" THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 33!1