Ezekiel 7

1. Contrition, or brokenness of heart. Ezekiel 7:16. They shall be like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning every one for his iniquity. This contrition or rending of the heart, is expressed, sometimes by smiting on the breast (Luke 18:13), sometimes by plucking off the ha…

2. Another thing in this repentance, which is a fruit of a lively faith, is sorrow for sin; the Scripture abundantly makes mention of this; and often sets it forth in very high expressions. See (Ezekiel 7:16), where true repentance is, there is a mourning for sin — All of them m…

'Tis soul ingratitude to turn our mercies into a provocation, to make a calf of our earings, and to serve our lusts of God's providence, as he said of Adam, that what he received [in non-Latin alphabet] a rib he returned [in non-Latin alphabet] a dart, alluding to his fall by Ev…

It is enough for us that we find in the Jewish Church, some Elders joined with the Priests, and employed in things ecclesiastical. The Elders and Priests are joined together both in the New Testament, as (Matthew 26:59) the chief Priests and Elders; so in other places before cit…

And Nadab and Abihu no question they thought it no great matter to go and offer strange fire, and it has not been forbidden in God's Word, this fire; but it was a great matter before God, for God came with fire from heaven to destroy them. Hence it is that God in his Word would…

Who knows what a morning may bring forth? Ezekiel 7:5, 6, 7. Thus says the Lord God, An evil, an only evil, behold, is come. An end is come, the end is come, it watches for you, behold, it is come.

That the apprehension of an evil presently coming, that terrifies the soul. You have a notable text for that in (Ezekiel 7:6). An end is come, the end is come; and then in the next words, Behold, it is come again.

Certainly this notes that God aimed at more by the land of Canaan than merely to possess them of so much ground. Further, yet there are divers titles that are given to this land; it is called a holy land in (Zechariah 2:12), and it is called a good land in (Numbers 14:7), that w…

It is the disposition of gospel-penitents to mourn every family apart, husbands and wives apart (Zechariah 12:11-12). And of gracious souls, to be like doves of the valleys, every one mourning for his iniquity (Ezekiel 7:16). There must be joint prayers and separated prayers tog…

And this rending implies, not only acute pain; flesh cannot be rent asunder without anguish; nor yet only force and violence; the heart is a stubborn and knotty piece and will not easily yield, but it also implies a disunion of parts united: as when a garment, or the earth, or a…

The Husbandman does not presently cut down the tree because it puts not forth as soon as other trees do, but waits as long as there is any hope, and then cuts it down. Thus does God wait upon barren dead-hearted persons, from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from year to year; for the Lo…

9. It would be observed that influences of the Spirit are contempered with the actings of grace, with which they concur; the spirit of adoption acts in the grammar of prayer, to cry Abba Father; and he comes down to the language of children learning to speak, and to say Abba; an…

My heart cannot express what sad nights I have for the virgin daughter of my people. Woe is me, for our time is coming (Ezekiel 7:10): behold the day, behold it is come, the morning has gone forth, the rod has blossomed, pride has budded, violence is risen up in a rod of wickedn…

11. The Ornament of God, Ezek. 7:20 12.

All things friendly and beneficial to them, Friends helpful, Enemies helpful, every thing conspiring and conducing to their happiness. With others it is not so; nothing works for their good; in fact, every thing works against it: Their very mercies are snares, and their Prosperi…

If God be angry, whose fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him (Nahum 1:6), can a wedge of gold be a screen to keep off this fire? Ezekiel 7:19: They shall cast their silver in the streets; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them…

While we carry the fire of sin about us, we must carry the water of tears to quench it. Ezekiel 7:16. They are not blessed (says Chrysostom) who mourn for the dead, but who mourn for sin.

Christ's doves weep. Ezekiel 7:16: They that escape shall be like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity. There are several divine motives to holy mourning.

So likewise, though God commanded the burnt offerings, the new moons, etc., yet he asks the Jews, "Who required these things?" (Isaiah 1:12), because it was not the conscience of God's commandment that moved them to perform those services. And again, "Have you fasted to me, to m…

When the dumb creatures melt as wax and vanish away at his presence when he is angry, as the huge mountains and rocks do, frail man must never look to stand. If the roaring of a lion makes men afraid and the voice of thunder is terrible, oh, how exceedingly should all be astonis…