Ezekiel 9

Thus was it ever. When God proceeds in judgment against Jerusalem, for the sins thereof: he marks the godly in their foreheads; namely, such as mourn and cry for the abominations which are done against God, Ezekiel 9:4. When Sodom must be destroyed, righteous Lot and his family,…

2 Peter 2:7: Lot was vexed, and his righteous heart was vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites from day to day: so ought our souls to be vexed and grieved continually at the wickedness of our time: and we are to send up our prayers to God for unbelieving and unrepe…

For when a man does not so, all the angels of God are his enemies, and at all times ready to execute God's vengeance upon him: but when men carry themselves as dutiful children to God, they have this prerogative that God's holy angels do watch about them, and defend them day and…

I answer, 1. Not godly sorrow, and complaining to God, and bewailing the corruptions of the times: no, the mourners in Zion are marked for preservation (Ezekiel 9). None are better friends to public interest; 'twere well if these doves of the valleys had more company; this is no…

And (Jeremiah 23:15): From the Prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone out into all the Land. 2. Judgement begins at them (Ezekiel 9:6): Slay utterly old and young, and begin at my sanctuary. 3. The refining work of Reformation begins or ought to begin at the purging and refin…

He is more desirous to hear of the preservation and welfare of a few righteous, than of the just punishment of the wicked wherein his justice is gloriously interested. The man clothed with linen, that was to mark the mourners, returned to God and gave an account that he had done…

3. Of the same kind in its measure, is unaffectedness with the sins of others, among whom we live, or in whom we are concerned. To mourn for the sins of others, is a duty highly approved of God (Ezekiel 9). It argues the effectual working of many graces, as zeal for the glory of…

2 Peter 2:7. Lot was vexed, and his righteous heart was grieved, with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites from day to day: so ought our souls to be vexed and grieved continually, at the wickedness of our time: and further, in this grief we are to send up our prayers to God…

2. God rewards secret prayer openly, by discriminating providences in a common calamity: God usually takes them into the chambers of his protection that retired themselves into chambers of devotion: They that enjoy most of God, shall be best secured by God: (Psalm 91:1) He that…

It was the manner of Paul to abase himself, and to mourn for the sins of others (2 Corinthians 12:24), and he reproves the Corinthians that they were puffed up, and did not mourn for the incestuous person. Like was the practice of David (Psalm 119:136), of Lot (2 Peter 2:7), of…

Or upon malefactors, as a hole in the ear, an F in the forehead, a brand in the hand. Or such a mark, as some think, was set upon Cain (Genesis 4:15), or the mark of God (Ezekiel 9:4), or of the beast (Revelation 16:[illegible]). The marks of Christ are of two sorts, either inwa…

The Seals of Princes were the distinguishing Marks of Princes: And thus God's Seal is spoken of as God's Mark. Revelation 7. 3. Hurt not the Earth, neither the Sea, or the Trees, 'till we have sealed the Servants of our God in their Foreheads; together with Ezekiel 9. 4. Set a M…

So David (Psalm 119:136): Mine eyes run down with water, because men keep not your law. Ezekiel 9:4. And lastly, though you see some men sad and melancholy, yet think not ill of the ways of God, because this way of all others does most invite to joy and gladness in the Lord.

It is used both for Quantity and Quality; much in quantity, or plenteous, abundant, and in Quality, that is, precious, excellent. And it is applied in a good and bad sense; so it is said of our sins, Ezekiel 9:6. our sins are increased or multiplied, or are great; many in number…

Mourn, London, mourn, put on sackcloth, you see in part what an evil thing and a bitter it is, to offend a holy and jealous God; the effects of sin here are fearful sometimes, what evil is there in sin then which is the cause of your ruins. God looks now that the sinners of Lond…

4. Such as would be found mourners for the sins of the age, place, and time wherein they live, with the consequents of them, in the dishonor of God, and the judgments which will ensue thereon. There are times wherein this is an especial and eminent duty, which God does highly ap…

Thirdly, let us greatly lament the folly and wickedness of those who speak against Christ and his holy religion, and if we can do anything, have compassion upon them, and help to undeceive them, and rectify their mistakes. Surely this is one of the abominations committed among u…

So evidently in this sense the servants of God are said to be sealed, Revelation 7:4 — marked with God's mark as his peculiar ones. This sealing answers to the setting of a mark in Ezekiel 9. Believers are sealed when they are marked for God, to be heirs of the purchased inherit…

If he hate sin all the world over, where its nearest him he hates it most, and testifies his hatred of it; will not endure it in his presence: as cleanly neat persons, cannot well look upon any thing that is nasty, much less will they suffer it come near them, or touch them, and…

And besides this, he has his Book of Remembrance, where he sets them down; are they not in your Book? Especially God writes down such Tears as are shed for the sins of the times, Ezekiel 9:2. One was clothed with linnen; with a writers Inkhorn by his side: this was to write down…

The person himself was a man highly favored of God, above all in his generation: so richly furnished with gifts and graces, that he is once and again brought forth as an example, and instanced in by God himself, upon the account of eminence in wisdom and piety. Yet all this pres…

But as we should not be conformed to this world at large, so not to any part of it. Is there any sin by which the land is defiled (for which the land mourns) and is ready to spit out the inhabitants thereof for it (Leviticus 18:27-28), take heed you be not found guilty; but be o…

Upon this ground it is that they let loose themselves in the fearless pursuit of [illegible] loathsome abominations. Then said he to me — the Angel of the Lord of Hosts — the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, the land is full of blood, and the city fu…

Not only when God's people do walk closely with him, have they more observable and admirable deliverances conferred upon them; and when they highly provoke him, do they meet with more stupendous visitations, and come down wonderfully; but this is oftentimes apparent in particula…

Though success be a great encouragement in duty, yet that which firstly ought to engage the conscience of one that fears God, is that it is his will. Duty is our part, success is his, we may desire it, and ought to pray for it; but when we have done all, we must leave it with hi…

(1) What if there be no God? (Psalm 14:1). (2) What if God see not? (Ezekiel 9:9). (3) What if man perish as the beasts? (Ecclesiastes 3:19).

Could we in silence believe it is Christ with two garments on him at once, Christ clothed with love, wrapped in the unseen mystery of tenderness of compassion, and yet his upper garment is vengeance, and rolled in blood, we should kiss the edge of Christ's bloody sword; so we ar…

Eli honored his sons more than God, suffered them to profane the priesthood and sacrifices; justice rooted out his sons from the priesthood and sacrifices: Hezekiah out of his pride showed all his treasures, and all that was in his house to the king of Babylon's messengers; and…

You say, if the mourning of God's people in a land, be the mourning of a whole land, how is it then, that they prevail not with God sometimes to save the land, for which they do mourn, but sometimes the land perishes, and only themselves preserved? As (Ezekiel 9:4): Set a mark o…

Note the histories of the Jews under idolatrous and wicked kings, and under religious and good kings; God being forsaken by them, brought many calamities upon them: but being loved of these, delivered them from many which their enemies intended against them. Indeed, when general…

Secondly, where you can do no good, there mourn: beg of God to give you a spirit of mourning for all the sins of the land. We find this spirit to have been eminent in good David (Psalm 119:136, 158), and it is that, which (if it tend not to the prevention of public calamity, yet…

Contrariwise, the true Christian is so far out of the reach of God's judgments that they cannot hurt him: Christ is a covering and a cloud against the heat and tempest of God's judgments, and when a man's heart is sprinkled with the blood of this immaculate Lamb, all the plagues…