The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 394

11nd do their work in the day of restoration (eee vers, 11, 14). In that klng<lom of God wherein we now stand we see illustrations of this Divine discrimination in- I. TaE DISPENSING oF THE DIVINE BOUNTY. God gives much to all his oreatures, to all his children; but he gives much more to some than he does to others. Herein is no favouritism or injustice. It is simply the presence of a most desirable variety; the conferring iupon every 01U1 more than he deserves or can claim, and upon some a very large inheritance of good. Not any one of us is entitled to our being, or our comforts, or our powers; but God, in the fulness of his bounty, gives us these. Shall we complain because there are those to whom he has been even more bountifully than he has to us? Shall we not rather rejoice and be grateful that he has not limited his love as he might well have done? In fact, although very much inequality here is due to our own unwisdom, much is due to the variety in the Divine distribution. To some he gives more vigorous health, a clearer or more active mind, a stronger will, a fuller or longer life. Surely gratitude and not complaint is the note of the wise and the good. II. THE DIVERSITY OF THE DIVINE BESTOW AL OF " GIFTS." While there is no one who may not and who should not bring his contribution to the cause of Christ and of maB, it is clear that some may do a much higher and a much greater work than others can. To some it is given to guard the door only; to others to present the sacrifice unto the Lord. Some with a feeble intelligence and a scanty knowledge may be quite equal to a humble post; others with versatile and vigorous powers -itnd a well-stored mind may rende! most important and vital service. .And there are many degrees between the humblest and the highest office in the Christian ranks. Let every man feel that to be or to do anything for Christ is a joy and an honour; let those who are invited to the "chief seats n remind themselves that they "have nothing which they have not received," and let them do everything "as with the ability which God giveth." III. THE EXERCISE OF DIVINE MEROY. The " Levites that went astray after their idols" were to receive the Divine mercy; they were to be restored to their place in the commonwealth of Israel; they were to be admitted to service at and indeed in the sanctuary (see vers. 11, 14); but they could not wholly regain what they had lost; some of their iniquity ( or she.me, ver. 13) they would have to bear; e.t a certain point their privileges stopped. Now, in the kingdom of Christ, we have the same kind of Divine discrimination. 1. There is mercy for those who have gone furthest ru;tray. Into whatever alienation of heart, rejection by the mind, guiltiness of behaviour, they have wandered, there is forgiveness to be had in Jesus Christ. 2. The mercy of God means nuch. It means the absolute pardon of all past sin; the restoration of the sonl to the favour and the friendship of God; access, full and free, to his praise, his throne, his table; liberty to serve him in the broad field of sacred usefulness. 3, But there is l!Ome serious and necessary qualification. 'l'hey who have gone very far into wrong-doing, or have spent many years in sinful estrangement, must "bear their iniquity" in one sense-they must suffer the injury which their sin has wrought in the formation of evil he.bits (mental or physical) which cannot be immediately cast forth; in the loss of reputation which cannot be e.t once regained; in the enfeeblement of the soul (or, at any rate, the loss of strength and influence that might have been acquired) which has to be endured. Sin means some considerable measure of ab8Q- lutely irreparable loss.-C. Vere. 15, 16.-Fidelity and its reward. We do not suppose that the statement respecting the sons of Zadok is to be pressed to historical exactitude. Their stead- fastness is assumed for the purpose of exhortation, to point out the reward of fidelity in the kingdom of God. We have- I. THE FACT AND THE AOCOUNT OF UNFAITHFULNESS. There is no more patent fact before our eyes than that men do "go astray;" they go astray, like these Levites, from God, from truth, from wisdom, from purity, from their earlier convictions and their noble life. The frequency of the fact cannot dull our eyes to the extreme sadness of it. What sadness was there in the tone of the Master's question, " Will ye also go away?" With what profound regret do we now witness the descent of a. human soul from the heights of heavenly wisdom to the depths of disbelief or oR, xuv. 1-31.J TH:lll BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 4-09