Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 36 · Verses 21-24 · Textual commentary 31 – Textual commentary 33
Ye ſhall keep my judgements and do them.
Statutes and Judgements are comprehenſive words, and ſometimes are uſed promiſcuouſly, as hath formerly been ſhewed in Chap: 18. and 5. but here they may be thus differenced, Statutes to ſignifie the duties of the firſt Table, the things of Gods worſhip and manner of the ſame, whether under the Law or Goſpel; and Judgements, the duties of the ſecond Table, matters of equity and juſtice between man and man.
The word for keep is foreign, which imports keeping with care and diligence, they ſhould not keep them in their houſes or memories only, but they ſhould keep them practically, they ſhould do them.
Firſt, Obſerve;
Gods ſpirit differs from all other ſpirits.
Angels are ſpirits, ſouls of men are ſpirits, but theſe are below Gods ſpirit; I will put my ſpirit. Gods ſpirit is a ſpirit of holineſſe, Rom. 1.4. The power of the higheſt, Luke 1.35. A ſpirit of truth guiding into all truth, John 16.13. A ſpirit of grace, Zech: 12.10. The Oyl of gladneſſe, Heb: 1.9. The Comforter, John 14.16. A ſpirit of glory, 1 Pet. 4.14. A ſpirit, that is the Lord, Iſa. 11.2. Ruach Jehovah, The ſpirit of Jehovah ſhall reſt upon him. Whatever excellencies may be in ſouls or Angels, they are infinitely ſhort of that that is in the ſpirit of God; Pſal. 143.10. Thy ſpirit is good; that is, Thy ſpirit, O Lord, is tranſcendently good; my own ſpirit is naught, and all other ſpirits are nothing compared with thy ſpirit, that, and that only is good, good originally, good tranſcendently, good infinitely.
Secondly, Obſerve;
The putting in of the ſpirit into the ſons of men, is a free act of God.
He doth it not upon the account of the Covenant of works, but by vertue of the Covenant of grace. This verſe is a branch of the Covenant of grace, and agrees with that in Jerem. 31.33. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; that God doth when he puts in his ſpirit, 2 Cor. 3.3. for the ſpirit being within, writes divine truths in the heart: Adam had the Law writ in his heart by the ſpirit, but not as it is written by the ſpirit in the hearts of Believer, who are under the new Covenant; the ſpirit writ the Law in Adams heart as Concreator with the Father and the Son, not by vertue of any Covenant; but Believers receive the ſpirit, and have the Law writ in them by vertue of Covenant; God hath covenanted to put his ſpirit in them, and they have the ſpirit from Chriſt and the Father; Chriſt purchaſed of the Father the miſſion of the ſpirit, therefore ſaith, He will ſend the Comforter unto them, John 16.7. And that he will pray the Father, and he ſhall ſend the Comforter unto them, John 14.16. So that Believers now have the ſpirit from God as a Father in Chriſt, from Chriſt as Head of the Church, and both theſe by vertue of the new Covenant; Adam had not the ſpirit ſo: and for thoſe that had the ſpirit under the Law (for ſome had it as you may ſee, Pſal. 51.11. Nehem: 9.20. Numb: 27.18. Hagg. 2.5.) they had it not by vertue of the Covenant of works, Do this and live; for none were able to keep the Law, but by vertue of the Covenant of grace; there was Goſpel in the Law, yea, the whole Ceremonial Law was ſo: The Apoſtle tells us that the Galatians received not the ſpirit by the works of the Law, but by the hearing of faith, Gal. 3.2. And look how the Gentiles received the bleſſing of Abraham, viz. the ſpirit, which was through faith, and through Chriſt, verſ. 14. ſo did the Jews likewiſe.
Neither Jews nor Gentiles do bring any preparations or qualifications towards the reception of the ſpirit; God gives his ſpirit freely where there are no ſuch things: when men are in a ſtate of ſin and wickedneſſe, the ſpirit is put in; firſt, its there, and then it works grace; before they have new hearts, new ſpirits, the ſtone be taken out of the heart, and there be an heart of fleſh; the ſpirit is put in and acts, he finds not qualifications or diſpoſitions, but brings them, works them. The Bees when they come to the Hive, find no wax, no honey there, but they bring the wax and honey; ſo the ſpirit, when it comes to mens hearts it finds no wax, no honey, no graces, nor gracious diſpoſitions there, but brings them; when the ſpirit comes to regenerate and ſanctifie it finds nothing in men but darkneſs, unbelief, unholineſſe, and enmity, by which its no more defiled than an Angel by coming into the world which lyes in wickedneſſe, or the Sun ſhining upon a Dunghil; but when it comes to be an Inhabitant, a Comforter, a ſpirit of glory to reſt upon a man, then it finds the heart prepared, and made meet for its entertainment and abode.
Thirdly, Obſerve;
The gift of the ſpirit is a great and excellent gift.
I will put, or give my ſpirit within you. The greatneſs and excellency of it appears in theſe following particulars:
Firſt, Its the perſon of the ſpirit which is a fundamental mercy, and more conſiderable than all his gifts and graces which flow from him; the Tree is better than all the fruit, the Sun is of more worth than all his Beams.
Secondly, It is the procreator of all grace in the ſoul, Gal. 5.22. The fruit of the ſpirit is love, joy, peace, faith: Take but thoſe four graces, & ſee how they are exalted; faith is ſtiled precious, 2 Pet. 1.1. peace is ſaid to paſſe all underſtanding, Phil. 4.7. joy to be glorious and unſpeakable, 1 Pet. 1.8. and love is magnified by Paul above all gifts and other graces, 1 Cor. 13. What a gift then is the ſpirit which is the Parent, not only of theſe, but of all graces and all gifts, Epheſ. 5.9. The fruit of the ſpirit it in all goodneſſe.
Thirdly, It is the Conſervator of all grace and good things in us: As God conſerves the world which is his creature, ſo the ſpirit conſerves grace which is its creature; the ſpirit as it gives being to all graces, ſo it preſerves them in their beings and operations; It's the ſpirit which mortifies luſts, Rom. 8.13. And it is the ſpirit maintains graces, John 3.6. That which is born of the fleſh is fleſh; and that which is born of the ſpirit is ſpirit. As fleſh brings forth fleſh, ſo it maintains the ſame, and as the ſpirit brings forth ſpirit, ſo it maintains the ſame; each maintains their own off-ſprings. The ſpirit is the Nurſe of all thoſe graces it hath brought forth in the heart of any; 2 Cor. 4.13. its called The ſpirit of faith, not only becauſe it creates faith in the heart, but keeps it there; ſo its called The ſpirit of grace, Zech. 12.10. not only becauſe it works grace in men, but alſo becauſe it keeps grace in them; hence thoſe who are after the ſpirit, are ſaid to mind the things of the ſpirit; their graces are maintained by the proviſion of the ſpirit.
Fourthly, The ſpirit is he who actuates and conſummates our graces; the ſpirit doth not content it ſelf to beget and preſerve graces in mens hearts, but improves and perfects them; we and our graces would act very poorly, did not the ſpirit aſſiſt us, John: 15.5. Without me (ſaith Chriſt) you can do nothing; that is, without my ſpirit concurre with your graces and actuate them, you can do nothing. The Mill may have all things fit for motion, the Sails may be ſpread, but if the wind blow not, the Mill goes not; ſo a man may through grace be prepared and fitted to every good work, but if the ſpirit blow not, he moves not, John 6.63. It is the ſpirit that quickens; it quickens us and our graces alſo; 2 Cor. 3.6. The ſpirit gives life, Life to mens perſons, and life to their graces; its the ſpirit makes lively, and ſets grace a work. It's the Sun and influences of Heaven which draw up the ſap, and make the Tree grow, and it is the ſpirit and its influences, which draw out our graces into act, they lye ſtill unleſs freſh blaſts of the ſpirit come upon us and them. And as the ſpirit acts our graces, ſo it perfects them, it adds ſupplyes unto them, Phil. 1.19. and changes us into further glory, day by day, 2 Cor. 3.18. And what is ſaid of Chriſt, Heb: 12.2. That he is the Authour and Finiſher of our faith; the ſame Chriſt doth by his ſpirit, and ſo the ſpirit is the Authour and Finiſher of all our graces.
Fifthly, The ſpirit is a great and excellent gift, in that it doth facilitate, ſweeten, and make delightfull unto us all the wayes of God; they are hard and harſh to fleſh and bloud, as to deny a mans ſelf, to paſſe by wrongs, to forgive enemies, to bear the Croſſe cheerfully, &c. theſe are things corrupt nature cannot digeſt; but where the ſpirit is given, they become eaſie; the ſpirit is the oyl of gladneſſe, and makes the ſoul cheerfully fall in with whatever is of God. When a child hath the father to go before, and leads it by the hand, though the way be ſtony, durty, up hill, it goes willingly; ſo the ſoul that hath the ſpirit to lead it, let the way be what it will, followeth willingly, Pſal. 119.32. I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou ſhalt enlarge my heart; the ſpirit doth enlarge the heart, 2 Cor. 3.17. where that is there is liberty; let the Lord command things hard, David will run to do them, they are ſuitable to the ſpirit, and the work of the ſpirit in the heart.
Sixthly, The ſpirit is an excellent gift, in that it makes them excellent who have it, Dan: 5.10, 11. ſaith the Queen to Belſhazzer, There is a man in thy Kingdome in whom is the ſpirit of the holy gods, he is an excellent man, none like him in all thy Provinces, he hath the ſpirit of the gods in him, which others have not. Where the ſpirit of God is put into a man, that man is an excellent man, he hath an excellent perſon in him, more excellent than his ſoul, than all ſouls, than all Angels, he hath excellent graces, and is honourable above others, 1 Sam. 9.6. There is in this City a man of God, and he is an honourable man, ſaid Sauls ſervant; ſo every one that hath the ſpirit, be he in the City, or out of it, is a man of God, and an honourable man.
Fourthly, Obſerve;
There is an union between the Saints and the ſpirit of God.
I will put my ſpirit within you; it is not ſaid, I will put my ſpirit upon you, but within you; So that by vertue of thoſe graces it works in you, there ſhall be an union between you and my ſpirit. This union is not ſuch as is between the three John ſpeaks of, 1 John 5.7. for they are one eſſentially, nor ſuch as is between the Deity, and Chriſts humane nature, Col. 2.9. for that is perſonal, but it is a myſtical union, an union of perſons, not a perſonall union. It is
Firſt, Reall; there is a true oneneſs between the ſpirit and thoſe its put into, 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joyned unto the Lord is one ſpirit, he ſaith not is one body, or one ſoul, or hath one ſpirit with the Lord, but is one ſpirit; there is as reall an union as is between ſoul and body, he is ſo one with the ſpirit as he is denominated ſpirit, John 3.6. That which is born of the ſpirit is ſpirit.
Secondly, It is a wonderful union. The ſpirit of God who is one with the Father and the Son, to be one alſo with man, and not with one man, but all he is put into, even thouſands of men, is wonderfull. John tells us, It was a great wonder to ſee a woman cloathed with the Sun, Rev: 12.1. but it is a greater wonder to ſee a man or woman united to the ſpirit of God, which is in our ſouls and bodyes, the faculties and members of them, as the ſap is in the root, vine, and branches; and here is the wonder, the ſame ſap to be in every one of theſe, and in all other Vines.
Thirdly, It is a moſt glorious union. When the Lord came into the Temple it was filled with glory, 1 Kings 8.11. and when the ſpirit is put into a man, and the union made between them, the man is filled with glory: when the Sun ſhines into an houſe, it fills it with glory; when the fire is in the Iron, how glorious is it? the union between the Fire and the Iron makes the Iron a thick, dark, ſolid body, as glorious as the Fire it ſelfe.
Fourthly, It is a ſtrong and intimate union which cannot be diſſolved; I will put my ſpirit within you, that is, into their inward parts; the ſpirit is deeply ſeated, and ſtrongly united unto thoſe it is in, 2 Cor. 6.16. I will dwell in them. The Greek is, I will indwell in them; there is ſuch an indwelling of Gods ſpirit in the hearts of his, that he will neither leave, nor be thruſt out of his habitation; John 14.16. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. I am leaving you (ſaith Chriſt) but when I am gone, I will intercede with the Father for you, and he ſhall ſend the ſpirit, the great Comforter, and he ſhall never leave you, he ſhall abide with you for ever, none ſhall be able to diſpoſſeſſe or drive him out of you.
Object: But both theſe ſeem contrary to Scripture, 1 Sam. 16.14. The ſpirit of the Lord departed from Saul; and David did drive away the ſpirit, when he committed his great ſins of murther and adultery.
Anſw. 1. Wicked men have the ſpirit from God as a Lord, by vertue of the Covenant of works, & ſo ſinning the ſpirit departs from them; thus was it with Saul, he rebelled againſt God, vexed his ſpirit, & ſo that left him; but David who was a godly man, had the ſpirit from God as a Father in Chriſt, by vertue of the Covenant of grace; and ſo though the ſpirit were grieved by his ſins, it did not depart from him; for Pſal: 51.11. he prayes unto the Lord, ſaying, Take not thy holy ſpirit from me. Had it been gone, the tenour of his prayer had been for reſtitution, not againſt ablation of it.
Secondly, The ſpirit departed from Saul was the ſpirit of propheſie, and thoſe Kingly endowments which he had received 1 Sam. 10.6. they ceaſed. The ſpirit is oft put for the gifts of the ſpirit, and they do oft-times fail in men.
Thirdly, All men have the ſpirit of bondage to fear, but all have not the ſpirit of adoption to cry, Abba, Father, whoſoever have the ſame it abides with them.
Fifthly, Obſerve;
That before the ſpirit of God be put into men, they are without life or motion towards God, or ſpiritual things, they live not to God, they walk not in his ſtatutes, they live to themſelves, to the fleſh, to the creatures, and wander from God and his wayes.
Naturally men are deſtitute of the ſpirit, ſenſual, as Jude tells you, verſ. 19. Senſual, not having the ſpirit. foreign: Thoſe that have not the ſpirit, at the beſt are but ſenſual or ſoulie men; and thoſe had the beſt ſouls, moſt reaſon, underſtanding, knew not God, Acts. 17.23. 1 Cor. 1.21. David tells us, Pſal. 14.2, 3. That God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men; that is, Jews and Gentiles, to ſee if there were any that did underſtand, and ſeek God, that is, whether any did ſo know God as to ſet them a work to ſeek him, as being the higheſt good, beyond all creature excellencie. But what was the iſſue of Gods ſo looking upon men? They are all gone aſide, that is, from him and his wayes, They are altogether become filthy, their practices are ſuch as makes them ſtink, There is none that doth good, no not one; of ſo many millions of men as are upon the earth, there is not one doth good. There were men of excellent parts then in the world, men of ſoul, or foulie men, but not one of them did know God, or ſeek after God; Paul therefore hath laid it down for an univerſal Maxime, That the animal, natural, or ſoulie man, receives not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe unto him. Whileſt he is without the ſpirit of God, they are no better than fooliſhneſſe unto him, and ſo are rejected by him.
Sixthly, Obſerve;
The principle of ſpiritual life and motion is the ſpirit of God.
I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk. Immediately upon the putting in of the ſpirit into the heart of any, there is life and motion; men live and move ſpiritually. Some make grace the principle of life and motion, but all grace flows from the ſpirit, Gal. 5.22, 23. Epheſ. 5.9. and why ſhould grace have that honour is due to the ſpirit? It was the entrance of the ſpirit which quickned the dead bodies of the Witneſſes, and cauſed them to move, Rev. 11.11. and it is the entrance of the ſpirit which quickens dead ſouls and cauſes them to move. We muſt beware of an error here which hath ſiezed upon divers of late, viz: That becauſe the ſpirit is in us, and the principle of life and motion, that therefore the ſpirit doth all. Matth: 10.20. It is not ye that ſpeak, but the ſpirit of your Father which ſpeaketh in you; ſo it is not you that do, but the ſpirit in you, and if the ſpirit ſpeaketh and do all, we muſt ſit ſtill and leave our ſelves to the ſpirits motions and actings: This is a dangerous error; know therefore, That though the ſpirit be in men, and the principle of life and motion, yet it doth not act or work without us; in the putting in of the ſpirit we are Paſſive, John 3.6. we concur no more to our birth, then a child doth to its generation; but when the ſpirit is in us and hath quickned us, then there is the co-operation of man with the ſpirit, Rom: 8.16. The ſpirit beareth witneſſe to our ſpirit, verſ. 26. It helpeth our infirmities. Acti agimus, the ſpirit acts us, and we co-act with it; If the ſpirit did all, then the ſpirit ſhould repent, believe, and not man; but what cauſe hath the ſpirit to repent or believe? it never ſinned, it ſtands not in need of help or mercy; that place Matth: 10.20. is not abſolutely to be taken, that they did not ſpeak, for ſo it ſhould be falſe, Luke 12.12. The holy ſpirit ſhall teach you in the ſame hour what ye ought to ſay. They ſpake, and the ſpirit taught them to ſpeak; the place is to be taken comparatively, not you, but the ſpirit; that is, it is rather the ſpirit than you, the ſpirit is the principle which ſets you on. For men to ſit ſtill, and leave all to the ſpirit, is a grieving of the ſpirit, and contradicts what the ſpirit hath given out, Matth. 7.7. Ask, and it ſhall be given you; ſeek, and you ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. The ſpirit would have us uſe means, and doth moſt vigorouſly aſſiſt us, when we are moſt diligent in the uſe of them, Prov. 2.3, 4, 5. 2 Chron. 15.2.
Queſt: If the ſpirit be put into us, dwell in us, and be the principle of life and motion, what need the ſoul look unto Chriſt for any freſh or further ſupply?
Anſw. 1. It is granted there is a ſufficiency and fullneſſe in the ſpirit, yet becauſe it is the will of God that we ſhould look unto Chriſt, we are bound to do it, Heb. 12.2. Looking unto Jeſus the Authour and Finiſher of our faith; 2 Tim. 2.1. Be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus; and Paul himſelf, 2 Cor. 12.8, 9. looked up to Chriſt for more help, notwithſtanding he had a fullneſſe of the ſpirit within him, Acts 13.9.
Anſw. 2. The ſpirit is not the head of the body, though it be in the body; that honour is Chriſts, Col. 1.18. He is the Head of the Body, the Church; and from it the whole body receiveth influence, Eph. 4.15, 16. Col. 2.19. its requiſite therefore, that every member in the body ſhould look up to the head.
Seventhly, Obſerve;
God firſt makes men good, and then they do good; firſt he puts his ſpirit into them, and then they walk in his wayes.
It is ſaid of God himſelf, He is good, and doth good, Pſal. 119.68. He is firſt good, and then good comes from him; ſo God makes men good by the infuſion of his ſpirit, and then they bring forth ſpiritual fruit, Epheſ. 2.10. We are his workmanſhip created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works. Since mans fall, amongſt all the ſons of men God finds none good, Rom. 2.10. There is none righteous, no not one; if any be ſo, he is foreign, God hath made him ſo by his ſpirit, he hath made him a new creature, & ſo fitted him for good works; the Tree muſt firſt be good, before the fruit be good: amongſt men good actions are firſt done, and then men are reputed good; but with God it is otherwiſe, he makes men firſt good, and then they do good actions; they do not make themſelves good by their free will, by frequent acts of good, but God puts in his ſpirit towards which they contribute nothing, and thereby they are made good, and act anſwerably, then their actions have life in them, worth in them, and are ſuitable to God who is a ſpirit, and muſt be worſhipped in ſpirit and truth. Let men look heedfully to themſelves, and not ſtand upon their actions; men may do many actions outwardly glorious, and magnified by men, themſelves being corrupt and naught; if men have not the ſpirit of God in them, their actions are no better than corrupt fruit, of a corrupt Tree, they do not pleaſe God; and if any have not the ſpirit of Chriſt, he is none of his, He is neither good, nor doth good.
Eighthly, Obſerve;
In what heart ſoever the ſpirit dwells, there will be outward and viſible manifeſtations of it.
Grace within will appear without; I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, to keep my judgements, and to do them. The ſpirit is like the Sun in the Firmament which cannot be hid long, though it may be clouded for a ſeaſon; the Cough and Grace are of ſuch natures as will not be concealed; and the ſpirit is of that nature, as it will di…er it ſelf in the man it is within, cauſing him to change his courſes, and to walk in other wayes then ever he walked in. When the ſpirit is put into a ſwearer, a lyar, an unclean perſon, an extortioner, a bloudy perſecutor, it makes the ſwearer fear an oath, the lyar ſpeak truth from his heart, the unclean man to poſſeſſe his veſſel in ſanctification and honour, the extortioner to make ſatisfaction, and give half of his goods to the poor, and the bloudy perſecutor to love and preach the Goſpel he perſecuted, ſo demonſtrating it ſelf to be in them. The ſpirit in Scripture is compared to Fire, Matth: 3.11. to a mighty wind, Acts 2.2. to a fountain or ſpring, John 7.38, 39. to an ointment, 1 John 2.27. to the oyl of gladneſſe, Pſal: 45.7. All which things will be ſeen, heard, or ſmelt, and ſet out the ſpirits manifeſtation of it ſelf. The ſpirit is an active thing, and makes its inbeing-known by mens outward actions, as the inbeing of the ſoul is by ſpeaking and walking; the ſap keeps not alwayes in the root, but aſcends, diſperſeth it ſelf into every branch, and by leaves, bloſſoms, and fruit, declares the life and nature of the Tree; many whoſe lives do teſtifie what they are, cheat their own ſouls with this deluſion, They have honeſt hearts, and are inwardly good, though they be not ſo gracious, and holy outwardly as others; yea, though corruptions do break out ſometimes, inwardly they are good; but let ſuch know, it is impoſſible there ſhould be grace, Chriſt, or the ſpirit within them, and theſe not appear in their tongues and lives; For out of the abundance of the heart the tongue ſpeaks, and the hand acts: The corruption breaks out teſtifies there is a corrupt, graceleſs, Chriſtleſs, and ſpiritleſs heart within.
Ninthly, Obſerve:
When men have received the ſpirit of God, they are aſſiſted and enabled by it to proceed and perſevere in the wayes of God.
I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and ye ſhall keep my judgements. As the ſtonyneſſe of their hearts, and power of their wills, could not hinder God fr… …utting in his ſpirit; ſo the ſtonyneſs being removed, the liberty or power of the will cannot hinder the ſpirit from carrying on the men in whom it is in the wayes of God, it complyes and co-operates with the ſpirit therein: Mans Will after the ſpirits infuſion and work upon it neither doth, nor can hinder his proceeding and perſevering in the wayes of God; for if ſo, mans will ſhould fruſtrate the promiſe of God, and make him in one part of it unfaithful; for he that ſaid, I will put my ſpirit within you, ſaid alſo, I will cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, to keep my judgements and do them; he ſaith not, If man will it ſhall be ſo, but I will have it ſo. The ſpirit of God is ſtronger than Satan, 1 John 4.4. Stronger than mens wills and corruptions, and will put forth his ſtrength to maintain the truth and faithfulneſſe of him who put him within men for that end, that he ſhould aſſiſt them againſt whatever ſhould hinder their progreſs and perſeverance in his wayes. The ſpirit writes the Law of God in the hearts of men, 2 Cor. 3.3. teaches them to underſtand the ſame, 1 John 2.27. and enables them to obey all truth, 1 Pet. 1.22. They obeyed the Truth through the ſpirit; that cauſed them to walk in the way of truth, notwithſtanding Satans temptations, the ſtrength of their own corruptions, and liberty of their wills. Thoſe that have the ſpirit are led by it, and cannot be under the dominion of ſin or Satan, Rom. 6.14. They are under grace, under the conduct of the ſpirit, which will never let them apoſtatize and periſh, 1 John 3.9. There is a ſeed in them which will never ſuffer them ſo to degenerate, as to become the ſeed of the Serpent.
Tenthly, Obſerve;
Thoſe that have the ſpirit in them, do make godlineſſe and the wayes of God their buſineſſe and delight here in this world.
They walk in his ſtatutes, that's their work, trade, recreation; no buſineſſe lyes more upon them than to be godly; The world they are dead unto it, Gal. 6.14. and uſe it as if they uſed it not, 1 Cor. 7.29, 30, 31. And ſin they are dead unto, they have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkneſſe, Epheſ. 5.11. but they are alive unto God, Rom: 6.11. They ſpend their time and ſtrength for him, they live to his praiſe and glory. So Paul, Phil. 1.21. ſaith, To me to live is Chriſt; Vita mea non niſi in rebus Chriſti occupatur, My life is employed and laid out in the ſervice and intereſt of Chriſt. Thoſe that have the ſpirit in them, live in the ſpirit, and walk in the ſpirit, according to Gal. 5.25. They ſhew forth the vertues of him that hath put in the ſpirit within them, and the vertues of the ſpirit being within them. David had the ſpirit of God within him, and he made godlin…e his foreign his principal buſineſſe, and the ſtatutes of God his delight, Pſal. 119.164. Seaven times a day do I praiſe thee; verſ. 62. At midnight will I riſe to give thanks unto thee; verſ. 97. Gods Law was his meditation all the day; Pſal. 71.15. My mouth ſhall ſhew forth thy righteouſneſſe and ſalvation all the day; Pſal. 25.5. On thee do I wait all the day; Pſal. 84.…0. A day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand; I had rather be a door-keeper in the houſe of my God, than dwell in the Tents of wicked…eſſe; Pſal. 27.4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord, that I will ſeek after, That I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple. Where is a King? where is a Chriſtian that mindeth godlineſſe as David did? or delights in the wayes of God as he did? May it not be taken up for a lamentation, that moſt Chriſtians declare, that neither Chriſt nor the ſpirit is in them, becauſe they neither ſeek the things of the one, nor ſavour the things of the other, Phil. 2.21. Rom. 8.5.
Eleventhly, Obſerve;
A man indowed with the ſpirit, muſt walk in Gods ſtatutes, and in his only.
I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes; they muſt not worſhip God any other way then he hath appointed in his word. Inward and outward worſhip muſt be appointed by God, for who knows, what will pleaſe God but himſelf? he is a glorious and holy ſpirit, infinitely and only wiſe, and that only muſt we ſtick unto as pleaſing unto him, which himſelf appoints. Mens inventions and appointments in worſhip, defile mens ſouls, & provoke divine Majeſty; a godly man therefore is very tender in point of worſhip, and will practice nothing therein but what he hath found a cleer foundation for out of the word of God; he knows that when Nadab and Abihu brought ſtrange fire before God, it brought a ſtrange judgement upon them from God, Levit. 10.1, 2. He knows that all worſhip after the Commandements and Traditions of men is in vain, Matth. 15.9. He knows no Coin is currant in the Court of Heaven, but that which hath the Image and Superſcription of God himſelf upon it; he knows what God hath ſaid; Ezek. 20.18, 19. Walk ye not in the ſtatutes of your fathers, neither obſerve their judgements, nor defile your ſelves with their idols; I am the Lord your God, walk in my ſtatutes, and keep my judgements, and do them. He knows that to fear God, and keep his Commandements is the whole duty of man, Eccleſ. 12.13.
Twelfthly, Obſerve;
That man that hath the ſpirit of God, is for righteouſneſſe as well as holineſſe;
He is a ſecond Table man, as well as a firſt Table man; he is conſcious towards man, as well as towards God; he keeps the judgements ſet between man and man, as well as walks in the ſtatutes which are between God and man, as, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf, Rom. 13.9. Not to defraud thy brother in any matter, 1 Theſſ. 4.6. To do to others as we would be done unto our ſelves, Luke 6.31. To condeſcend to thoſe of low eſtate, to recompence to no man evill for evill, but to overcome evill with good, Rom. 12.16, 17, 21. Bleſſing them that curſe you, and praying for them that deſpitefully uſe you, Mat. 5.44. To forbear and forgive one another, Col. 3.13. To bear one anothers burdens, Gal. 6.2. Every man to poſſeſſe his veſſel in ſanctification and honour, 1 Theſſ. 4.4. To ſpeak evill of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, ſhewing all meekneſſe unto all men, Titus 3.3. To put away all bitterneſs, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil ſpeaking, with all malice, and to be kind and tender hearted one to another, Epheſ. 5.31, 32. Not to lye, but ſpeak the truth every man with his Neighbour, verſ. 25. To diſtribute to the neceſſities of Saints, Rom. 12.13. To lend, looking for nothing again, Luke 6.35. &c. Theſe be judgements God hath ſet in his infinite wiſdom between man and man, and whoſoever hath the ſpirit of God dwelling in him, keeps theſe and many other mentioned in ſacred writ. David had reſpect to all the Commandements of the Lord, Pſal. 119.6. Thoſe which concerned men, as well as thoſe concern'd God, for they are all of equall authority, being from the ſame God, and branches of his infinite wiſdome; the one tending to mans good, and Gods glory, as well as the other, which David knew, and therefore kept. So Paul, his care was not only to mind the duties of holineſs towards God, but thoſe of righteouſneſs towards men, Acts 24.16. Herein (ſaith he) do I exerciſe my ſelf, to have alwayes a conſcience void of offence towards God and towards man. Had he not kept the judgements ſet of God between man and man, his conſcience had not been innocent, but becauſe he did keep them, therefore he could ſay, Acts 25.10. To the Jews have I done no wrong; and to the Corinthian Gentiles, we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man, 2 Cor. 7.2. He had the ſpirit within him which carryed him forth ſtrongly to do juſt, righteous, and equall things, and to move others thereunto, Phil. 4.8. Finally Brethren, whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report; if there be any vertue, and if there be any praiſe, think on theſe things. He writ theſe words unto the Philippians as his laſt words, that ſo they might take the deeper impreſſion in them; knowing that if ſecond Table duties were not done, firſt Table duties would be in vain. See how the Lord with indignation takes up the Jews for failing in their duties towards men, though they did their duty towards him, Jer. 7.6, 9, 10. Will ye oppreſs the ſtranger, the fatherleſſe, and the widow? will ye ſteal, murder, and commit adultery, and ſwear falſly, and come and ſtand before me in this houſe? what, do you come hither for to pray, to hear the Law, to offer Sacrifice, and think I am pleaſed with theſe duties? no, no, I will deſtroy the Temple where ye worſhip, and I will caſt ye out of my ſight as I have done all your brethren, even the whole ſeed of Ephraim, verſ. 14, 15. It is in vain to be religious, if we be not righteous; ſuch Religion is a dreadful provocation of God, as you may read Iſa. 1.10, 11, 12▪ 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Many are religious in theſe dayes, but where is a righteous man? He that doth righteouſneſs, juſt and equal things, is righteous, 1 John 3.5. Let us learn, as to walk in Gods Statutes, that is to be religious, ſo to keep his judgements and do them, that is to be righteous; for of the three great things which God requires of man, this is the firſt, Micah 6.8. What doth the Lord require of thee, O man, but to do juſtly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Verſ. 28.
And ye ſhall dwell in the Land that I gave to your Fathers, and ye ſhall be my people, and I will be your God.
THis verſe comprehends in it both temporal and ſpiritual mercy, as repoſſeſſion of their Land, and Gods renovation of Covenant with them.
And ye ſhall dwell in the Land which I gave to your fathers.
God had long before this time given Canaan unto Abraham and his poſterity, who through their ſins were driven out of the ſame, and made captives in Babylon, but he would bring them back again and ſet them in it, which reſembled Gods gathering of his out of all Nations, and bringing them into the Church of Chriſt, the City of God, the ſpiritual Canaan.