Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 34 · Verses 23-24
Verſ. 23, 24.
And I will ſet up one Shepherd over them, and he ſhall feed them, even my ſe…vant David; he ſhall feed them, and he ſhall be their Shepherd.
And I the Lord will be their God, and my ſervant David a Prince among them, I the Lord have ſpoken it.
HEre begins a ſweet Propheſie of Chriſt and his Kingdome, with many benefits which the Flock of God ſhall have therein.
1. An happy Condition under him and his government, verſ. 23.
2. God to be theirs, verſ. 24.
3. A Covenant of peace, verſ. 25.
4. Protection, verſ. 25, 28.
5. Security, verſ. 25, 27, 28.
6. Watering and fruitfulneſſe, verſ. 26, 27.
7. Freedom from enemies, verſ. 27. and evills, ver: 29.
8. The preſence of God, verſ. 30.
And I will ſet up one ſhepherd over them.
Some make this ſhepherd to be Zerubbabel, who came of the Race of David, and brought the Jews out of Babylon, into their old paſtures again, viz: into the Land of Canaan, where they had their Temple, Worſhip, and Ordinances, as in former dayes; but if we conſult Chap: 37.24, 25. where he ſpeaks of the ſame perſon, you ſhall find things there incompetent to Zerubbabel, and muſt refer unto Chriſt; and the things mentioned here, were not fulfilled in Zerubbabels dayes. By Shepherd is meant the Lord Chriſt, who is frequently ſo called in Scripture; as 1 Pet: 2.25. John 10.16. Zech: 13.7. Iſa. 40.11. and not ſimply a Shepherd; But
Firſt, The true Shepherd, John 10.2. He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the Sheep, that is the true ſhepherd, and diſchargeth that truſt committed unto him moſt faithfully.
Secondly, The good ſhepherd, John 10.11, 14. Never any like him for goodneſs, he laid down his life for his ſheep, he knew them exactly, and was ſo converſant with them that they knew his voice; he took not away from, but gave fleeces unto his ſheep, and ſupplyed all their wants.
Thirdly, The great ſhepherd, yea that great ſhepherd of the ſheep, Heb: 13.20. He made the ſheep, he owns the ſheep; he hath more and greater Flocks, then any other ſhepherd in the world, he ſtands and feeds them in the ſtrength of the Lord, in the Majeſty of the name of the Lord his God, Micah 5.4.
Fourthly, The chief ſhepherd, 1 Pet: 5.4. He ſets all others over his flock, and they are under him, 1 Cor: 12.28. Eph: 4.11. They are ſheep, he is head of the Church, Eph: 1.22. and their ſhepherd, Pſal. 23.1. The Lord is my ſhepherd, ſaith David, who was a Prophet and a King, both an Eccleſiaſtical and a Political Shepherd.
Fifthly, One ſhepherd, as here: One either in oppoſition to the multitude they had before, which wrong'd the Flock, Jer: 12.10. Many Paſtors have deſtroyed my Vineyard, they have troden my portion under foot; of which ſort Chriſt ſpeaks, John 10.8. All that ever came before me are Thieves and Robbers. Or One, that is, the firſt or only Shepherd, unto whom none is comparable, the only wiſe ſhepherd that gave out living and effectual truth, Eccleſ 12.11. The words of the wiſe are as goads, and as nailes faſtned by the Maſters of Aſſemblies, which are given from one ſhepherd; that is, from Chriſt, the only ſhepherd; all the Maſters of Aſſemblies had their words from Chriſt, which ever did any ſouls good.
This ſhepherd did not intrude himſelf into the office, but was call'd and ſent of God, I will ſet up; The Chaldee Paraphraſe is, I will raiſe up one Governour over them, and he ſhall govern them. This expreſſion of ſetting up, is in the New Teſtament ſet out by giving, John 3.16. by ſending, Gal: 4.4. by ſealing, John 6.27.
And he ſhall feed them.
This word feed notes the whole office of a ſhepherd, which is briefly ſet out, verſ: 4. viz: Strengthning the diſeaſed, or weake, healing the ſick, binding up the broken, bringing back that which was driven away, ſeeking up that which was loſt, and ruling gently. Others make theſe things the compleat office of a ſhepherd, viz: providing good and wholeſome paſtures for them, bringing back thoſe that go aſtray, keeping …hem from Wolves and wilde Beaſts, and healing thoſe which are ill affected; All theſe were found in Chriſt, Iſa: 61.1, 2, 3. Luke 4.18, 19. Iſa: 40.11. Jer: 3.15. Iſa: 27.3. Pſal. 23.1, 2. Micah 5.4. John 10.4.
The difference between this ſhepherd and all others.
Firſt, He is an univerſall ſhepherd, all flocks are his. God ſaith, Pſal. 50.10. The Cattel upon a thouſand Hills are mine; and Chriſt ſaith, The flocks in a thouſand Countries are mine; the Churches in Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria, Acts 9.31. The Churches of Syria and Cilicia, Acts 15.41. The Churches in Aſia, Rev: 1.11. The Churches of Macedonia, 2 Cor: 8.1. The Churches of Galatia, 1 Cor: 16.1. The Churches of the Gentiles, Rom: 16.4. are all called the Churches of Chriſt, Rom: 16.16. They had their particular Paſtors, Teachers, Elders, but Chriſt was the univerſal Paſtor; Paul was the Apoſtle of the Gentiles, Peter of the Jews, but Chriſt was the Apoſtle and Shepherd of both, therefore ſaith John 10.16. That he hath other ſheep which he muſt bring to his fold, meaning the Gentiles.
Secondly, Chriſt is a ſhepherd that feeds them with ſuch meat and drink, as other Shepherds cannot, they may feed them with knowledge and underſtanding, Jer: 3.15. but beſides this Chriſt feeds them with his fleſh and bloud, John 6.51, 53, 54, 55. Math: 26.26, 28. he feeds them with his Spirit, John, 16.7. Acts 8.15, 17.
Thirdly, He inables all other Shepherds to diſcharge the truſt committed to them. Thoſe that are over his flocks, he gave them their gifts, their graces, their power, they have nothing but what they received of him; therefore Iſaiah, Chap: 50.4. ſaith, The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I ſhould know to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary. Iſaiah who was one of the Jewiſh ſhepherds, had all his wiſdome, skill and power from the Lord Chriſt: And when he ſent out his twelve Apoſtles, Matth: 10.8. he told them, they had freely received, and muſt freely give; no Shepherds give ought to Chriſt, he communicates all to them, John 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing; but Chriſt could do all without them.
Fourthly, Chriſt is an abiding, an everlaſting, unchangeable Shepherd. Other Shepherds are flitting hither and thither, and at laſt dye and leave the Flock; Chriſt doth not ſo, he dyed for the Flock, but was brought again from the dead, Heb: 13.20. and lives for ever, making interceſſion for his Flock, Heb: 7.25. he ſtands on Mount Zion, Rev: 14.1. beholding and feeding them daily; he walks in the midſt of the golden Candleſticks, Rev: 2.1.
Fifthly, Chriſt knows which are Sheep, and which are Goats, John 10.3, 14, 26, 27. others do not.
Even my ſervant David.
Chriſt is here called David, and ſo in many other places, as Jer: 30.9. Hoſ. 3.5. Iſa: 37.35. 2 Kings 19.34. Ezek: 37.24, 25. In all thoſe places is Chriſt call'd David, becauſe he came of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh; as it is Rom: 1.3. and becauſe David was a type of Chriſt: he might have ſaid, My ſervant Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, as Iſa: 49.3. Thou art my ſervant, O Iſrael; Chriſt is called Iſrael, becauſe he was from the Iſraelitiſh Na…ion; but David is named, becauſe he was the firſt Godly King of all Iſrael and Judah, Vid: Galat: l. 3. c. 25.and ſo typed out Chriſt more eminently then his predeceſſors.
My ſervant, So Chriſt is called, Iſa: 42.1. Chap: 52.13. Ezek: 37.24, 25. and in other places. A ſervant is one who is under another, and who keeps and doth things commended to him by his Maſter; Chriſt as man, was under his Father, and kept his commandements, John 15.10. He ſerved him in taking mans nature upon him, and doing his will in redeeming and ſaving man, Heb: 10.9. Matth: 20.28. John 13.16. Phil: 2.7.
He ſhall feed them, he ſhall be their ſhepherd.
He inſiſts upon, and repeats the ſame thing again, to ſhew the great care, diligence, and intention of Chriſt in and upon his work of feeding the flock; he ſhall make it his foreign his buſineſs to do it; others have made it their work to fleece them, to ſcatter or devoure them, but he ſhall ſo mind them, as to make up what was wanting in others, and to do ſome ſingular thing for them; he ſhall go in and out before them, and lay down his life for them.
Verſ. 24. And I the Lord will be their God.
The Hebrew is, And I Jehovah will be to them for a God, or a God to them. The French is, Mais moy qui ſuis Seigneur ie ſeray leur Dieu, But I who am the Lord will be their God; though I give them Chriſt to be their ſhepherd, yet I will be their God; I will not denude or diveſt my ſelf of my right and power over them, but I will still be their God: this ſenſe is true, but I like it better to take the words as we have them; And I the Lord will be their God, I will ſet my ſon, or ſervant David over them to feed them, and I the Lord will be their God, they ſhall find me a mercifull and gracious God, they ſhall find me in Chriſt my ſon, their Shepherd, reconciling them unto my ſelfe, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them; I will be their God to pardon them, to take ſpecial care of them, to deliver them, to comfort and counſell them in all their ſtraits and miſeries, and to communicate choice mercies unto them.—Of theſe words before, Chap: 11.20.
And my ſervant David a Prince among them.
The words are to be read thus, My ſervant David ſhall be a Prince amongſt them: if we take the former words with them, its clear they ought to be read, I will be their God, and my ſervant David ſhall be a Prince among them; ſo Piſcator reads the words, and ſo the French tranſlation, Mon ſervit cur David ſer a…le Prince, au milieux d'eux, My ſervant David ſhall be a Prince in the midſt of them.
Whether this propheſie be fullfill'd is queſtionable; there is ſomewhat in the Goſpel may make us conceive it is, for Matth: 2.2. its ſaid, where is he that is born King of the Jews? and Matth: 21.5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, behold, thy King cometh unto thee; Acts 5.31. God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour: and Rev: 1.5. He is ſtiled Prince of the Kings of the earth; theſe Scriptures evince that Chriſt is a King, a Prince, but not that he reigned as a Prince among them, for he profeſſes that he came not to Reigne but to ſerve, Mat. 20.28. Phil. 2.7. and therefore waſhed his Diſciples feet, John 13.12. and when they would make him a King, he would not, John 6.15. Chriſt hath appeared fully in his Prieſtly, and Propheticall Office, and hath had the honour of them; but he hath not appeared in his Kingly Office, nor had the honour of it; therefore its conceived this propheſie is not yet fulfilled, but that the time is to come wherein he ſhall reign as a Prince and King in the midſt of his people, Luke 22.29, 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table, in my Kingdome. The time is coming that Chriſt ſhall reign, and keep a Table like a Prince, where his friends ſhall freely eat and drink; Chriſt ſpeaks not this of his ſpiritual Kingdome, which is now in the Churches and hearts of his people; nor of his Kingdome of glory, for there is no eating or drinking; but of his perſonall, humane Kingdome, as ſome term it; for Rev: 3.21. Chriſt hath another Throne to ſit in, then his Fathers, in which at the preſent he doth ſit; Chriſt hath not poſſeſſion of that Throne yet, when he hath, his promiſe is, That thoſe that overcome ſhall ſit with him therein. I ſhall have occaſion in the 37. Chapter of our Prophet, to ſpeak to this ſo controverted a point.
I the Lord have ſpoken it.
Theſe words are as a ſeal to, and ratification of what went before. If you make queſtion of what is ſaid, if you conceit theſe promiſes are too great and good for you, or hard to be accompliſhed, know I the Lord, who am Jehovah, and give being to all my promiſes, I have ſpoken it.
Firſt, Obſerve;
The appointing of Offices in the Church belongs to God, not to man.
I will ſet up a ſhepherd over them; God appointed the office and the Officer. 1 Cor: 12.28. God hath ſet ſome in the Church, 1. Apoſtles; 2. Prophets; 3. Teachers. In the Romiſh Church are many Officers which God never appointed, there be Popes, Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbiſhops, &c. which places were never appointed by God, and therefore have no bleſſing go along with them, but ſerve for ſecular ends, even pomp and tyrannizing over the conſciences of men.
Secondly, Obſerve;
Its a great mercy and happineſſe to that people, who have Chriſt for their Shepherd.
The Lord doth promiſe it here as a choyce bleſſing unto them, to give them Chriſt for their Shepherd. The mercies or bleſſings are divers.
Firſt, They ſhall be ſure to be fed, He ſhall feed them; his heart will be upon them, and take ſpecial care that they have wholſome and good food; verſ. 14. I will feed them in a good Paſture, yea, in a fat paſture ſhall they feed; they ſhall not want, but have the green paſtures, and ſtill waters, Pſal. 23.1, 2. yea he will feed them with his own Fleſh, and give them his own bloud to drink.
Secondly, He will govern them with gentleneſſe, and with skill; their former Shepherds did thruſt with the ſide and ſhoulder, and puſh with the horn; Chriſt would not do ſo, he is likened to David who was meek and gentle, 1 Chron: 28.2. Then David the King ſtood upon his feet, and ſaid, hear me my brethren, and my people: Here he expreſſed his diſpoſition and affection to his people: ſo Chriſt, he was a gentle, mild and meek Shepherd, Iſa: 40.11. David was wiſe and skilfull, Pſal. 78.72. and Chriſt orders them by judgement; he judges between Sheep and Sheep, and deals with them according to their ages, conditions and capacities.
Thirdly, He will lead them in the right way; John 10.4. He goes before them, and they follow him. Chriſt never is out of the way; and where he is the leader, how can the Sheep go aſtray? Pſal: 23.3. He leadeth me in paths of righteouſneſſe. Whoever follows Chriſt ſhall be found in a path of righteouſneſſe; if we follow others, we may be lead into by-wayes, therefore ſaith Paul, 1 Cor: 11.1. Be ye followers of me &c.
Fourthly, He will keep them ſo that none ſhall be loſt, or miſcarry; he is vigilant and potent, he ſees the wolves, and lyons, when they are coming, and ſuffers them not to deſtroy his Sheep or Lambs; John 10.27, 28. My ſheep hear my voyce, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternall life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man pluck them out of my hand. All the perſecuting Emperours could not pluck one Sheep out of Chriſts hand: out of the hands of other ſhepherds its eaſie to pull them, but impoſſible to pull them out of Chriſts hand; he knows its his Fathers will, that of all he hath given him he ſhould loſe nothing, John 6.39. and Chriſt will loſe nothing.
Verſ. 25. And I will make with them a Covevenant of peace, and will cauſe the evill beaſts to ceaſe out of the Land: and they ſhall dwell ſafely in the wilderneſſe, and ſleep in the woods.
The Lord proceeds here in mentioning more benefits which his Flock ſhould have in the Kingdome, and under the Government of Chriſt their Shepherd; and they are three;
Peace.
Protection.
Security.
I will make with them a Covenant of peace.
The Hebrew is, I will cut with them a Covenant of peace; the reaſon of which phraſe is this: When the Jews made Covenants, they uſed to take a Calf and cut it in the midſt, laying the two halves at a diſtance, and ſo paſſed between them; this was their manner of covenanting, and hence came the expreſſion of cutting a Covenant, How the Heathens made their Covenants, ſee Piſcat: in loc. Maldon. in Jer. 34.18.ſee Jerem: 34.18. to this God alludes when he ſaith, I will cut, or ſtrike a Covenant with them; he did it by making Chriſt a ſacrifice, by ſheding his bloud, dividing his ſoul and body, who (Iſa. 42.6.) is ſaid to be the Covenant of the people, that is, the Mediator of the Covenant between God and his people.
The word for Covenant is Berith; of which, and whence it comes hath largely been ſpoken, Ezek: 16.8. Its not a Covenant of works, but a Covenant of peace, which ſome interpret of external peace, plenty and proſperity which they ſhould have: but the peace here meant reacheth further then to outwards, its a peace concerns the ſoul, a peace procured by the bloud of Chriſt, Col: 1.20. And having made peace by the bloud of his Croſſe, by him to reconcile all things to himſelf. Hence as Chriſt is call'd the Covenant, ſo he is call'd our peace, Eph: 2.14. He is our peace, who hath made both one: He is the ground and foundation of peace, between Jew and Gentile, between God and man; and the Goſpel upon this account is call'd the Goſpel of peace, Epheſ. 6.15. for Chriſt preached peace unto them, Epheſ. 2.17. This peace is not like the peace of the world, John 14.27. but its peace that quiets the conſcience, paſſeth underſtanding, keeps the heart, and rules in the ſoul, Rom: 5.1. Phil: 4.7. Col: 3.15. Where this peace is, neither death, nor Devil are feared, becauſe ſin is remitted, 1 Cor: 15.55, 56, 57. Rom: 8.33, 34.
And will cauſe the evil beaſts to ceaſe out of the Land.
In the 70. years captivity, when Judaea was without inhabitant, wild beaſts might multiply therein; theſe God doth promiſe to cauſe to ceaſe, they ſhould be no more. But theſe evil beaſts were rather falſe Teachers, and Tyrants, wicked Political and Eccleſiaſtical Shepherds: God would order it ſo, that theſe who were worſe then Bears, Lyons, Wolves and Foxes, ſhould be no more; and in ſtead of ſuch, he would give them good Magiſtrates and Miniſters, Jer: 23.4. I will ſet up ſhepherds over them, which ſhall feed them, and they ſhall fear no more, nor be diſmayed. There is another conſtruction to be made of the words; namely this, That God would cauſe the wild and beaſtly diſpoſitions of men to ceaſe, and they ſhould become meek and gentle, according to that in Iſa: 11.6. where its ſaid, That in the dayes of Chriſt, the Wolfe ſhall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard ſhall lye down with the Kid. Wolves and Leopards are creatures moſt fierce and cruel, eſpecially againſt Lambs and Kids, yet God would ſo alter the nature of theſe, that they ſhould live and lye down together; he would make the moſt fierce, rugged, cruell men, to become mild and ſweet, and to converſe with them that were for diſpoſition Lambs and Kids. Junius ſenſe of the words is this, That the Lord would take away or reſtrain every hurtfull thing; he would not ſuffer his people to be infeſted, or if they were, they ſhould not be damnified by thoſe infeſtations.
And they ſhall dwell ſafely in the wilderneſſe, and ſleep in the woods.
Theſe are proverbiall ſpeeches, ſetting out the great ſecurity the Flock of God ſhould have under Chriſt: Where there are no wild beaſts in the Wilderneſs or the Woods, there the Sheep feed and reſt without all fear, they are moſt ſecure; and Gods people under the Goſpel and Chriſt, have the greateſt ſecurity. The word for ſafely is Labetach, in fiducia, or Confidenter, as Montanus renders it; that is, confidently, they ſhall be free from the fear of all enemies both Corporal and Spirituall; Satan ſhall be cast into the bottomleſſe pit, Rev: 20.2, 3. and all other enemies brought to ſuch a condition, as that they ſhould not cauſe fear, Jerem: 23.4. The Jews becauſe they ſee not ſuch ſecurity for themſelves any where, do therefore deny that Meſſiah is come, for when he comes he ſhall make a Covenant of peace, and they ſhall be in ſafety, even in Wilderneſſes and Woods, becauſe there ſhall be no enemies, no evill beaſts to take away or hinder their peace. Though when the Lord Chriſt the true Meſſiah came, there was an univerſall peace through the world, it being at that time when the taxing was in Auguſtus dayes,Vid. Sanct: in Iſa. 2.4. Luke 2. and though the wars after were not ſo much as before, yet I conceive there is a time when this propheſie ſhall be more fully compleated, for every propheſie of Chriſt was not fullfilled when he came in the fleſh, but many were to be fullfill'd in after times, among which this was one. The Jews were miſtaken concerning Meſſiahs coming, but not much concerning this propheſie.
Firſt, Obſerve;
The infinite goodneſſe, kindneſſe, and condeſcenſion of God, who will enter into Covenant with ſinners, with any of the children of men.
Doth not the Scripture ſay, Verily, every man at his beſt estate is altogether vanity? Pſal: 39.5. and why ſhould the Lord who is an infinite excellency, infinitely diſtanced from all creatures and vanity, enter into Covenant with man? what did he ſee in theſe Jews or in the Gentiles to awaken, rouze, and draw out his heart unto ſuch a work? if ſtubbornneſs, ignorance, unbelief, idolatry, oppreſſion, and ſuch like, might induce him thereunto, theſe abounded both in Jew and Gentile; there was nothing but Gods own goodneſs, grace and mercy, to cauſe him ſo to condeſcend, as to make a Covenant with man, and ſuch a Covenant as a Covenant of peace. This ſhould
Firſt, Raiſe up our ſpirits and hearts to admiration, that an infinite, holy, glorious, and great God ſhould mind, converſe, and make Covenant with duſt and aſhes; Pſal: 144.3. Lord (ſaith David) what is man that thou takeſt knowledge of him? or the ſon of man that thou makeſt account of him? David wondered that God ſhould take notice of, eſpecially make account of ſo mean a thing as man is, as himſelf was, though a King and Prophet.
Secondly, Indear us greatly unto him. When high Ones ſtoop unto thoſe that are low and mean, it gains much upon their hearts, and indeares them abundantly unto them. When David condeſcended to Abigail to take her to wife, it affected her greatly, and indeared her unto him not a little, as you may ſee 1 Sam: 25.41.
Thirdly, Make us faithful unto God. Is he pleaſed to make a Covenant with man, and ſhall not man be faithfull unto him? a wife ſhould not be unfaithful unto her husband, and break Covenant with him, though he be but a little above her; how much leſſe ſhould man break Covenant with God, who is ſo much above him. God complains in Hoſea 6.7. ſaying, They like Adam have tranſgreſſed the Covenant; I condeſcended to Adam, and made a Covenant with him; yea, I condeſcended to them, and made a Covenant with them, but they both proved unfaithful, father and poſterity, they tranſgreſſed the Covenant.
Fourthly, Cauſe us to be free and chearful in our obedience unto God: When ſo great a God ſhall ſo graciouſly condeſcend unto us, as to enter into Covenant with us, and that a Covenant of peace, ſhould it not make us run in his wayes, and ſerve him with gladneſs of heart?
Secondly, Obſerve;
That men through ſin are at diſtance from, and enmity with God.
I will make a Covenant of peace with them. What needed a Covenant of peace, if there had not been war between God and man? Man being apoſtatized from God through Adams fall, lived in enmity to God, Rom: 8.7. The carnall mind is enmity againſt God, for its not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. Men by nature have carnal minds, oppoſe God, his Laws and wayes, and therefore Rom: 1.30. they are ſaid to be haters of God; and in Pſal. 5.5. God is ſaid to hate them, Thou hateſt all workers of iniquity. There was ſuch hoſtility between God and man, as that there was no approach for man to God without a Mediator, and ſuch a Mediator as could make ſatisfaction to divine juſtice, being offended; Col: 1.21. You that were ſometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. The Coloſſians as well as others, were once at a great diſtance from God, and enemies to God; and wherein lay their enmity? in their minds; and how did that appear? by wicked works; they plotted, contrived, and did ſuch things as declared them to be enemies to God, and being ſo, they durſt not appear before God. But
Thirdly, Obſerve;
God by Chriſt hath been pleaſed to take away this enmity, and to reconcile ſinners unto himſelf.
2 Cor: 5.18. All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himſelf by Jeſus Chriſt. Its Chriſt hath paid the price of our redemption, he hath ſatisfied his juſtice fully, and delivered us from wrath to come, 1 Theſſa. 1.10. Its by Chriſt the Mediator that reconciliation is made; neither Angels nor men could do that work, it was a work for one that had more worth in him, then all Angels or men, Coloſſ: 1.19, 20. It pleaſed God that in him all fullneſſe ſhould dwell, that ſo by him he might reconcile all things to himſelfe, by him, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven: By him is twice in the verſe that we may ſee by whom the enmity was taken away, and from whom the reconciling virtue came, even from the Lord Chriſt, whoſe bloud made the attonement, Epheſ: 2.13, 14, 15, 16. How ſhould this teach us to honour and prize the Lord Chriſt, by whom ſo difficult, ſo great and glorious a work was wrought?
Fourthly, Obſerve;
Thoſe that are received to God by the mediation of Chriſt, ſhall be preſerved from all hurtfull things, receive all good things needfull, and enjoy much ſecurity.
When men are in the Covenant of peace, then God will cauſe the evill beaſts to ceaſe out of the Land, then no creatures, no enemies, no Devils ſhall do them harm, Job 5.23. Pro: 16.7. Rom: 16.20. Then there will be a communication of all good things needful, they ſhall dwell in the wilderneſſe, there they ſhall have bleſſings, ſo as they ſhall not be put to remove their dwellings for want, Pſal. 34.9, 10. Pſal. 23.1. Pſal. 84.11. Then ſhall they dwell ſafely in the wilderneſſe, and ſleep in the woods; nothing without or within ſhall create any fear, or cauſe any ſolicitouſneſs in them, they ſhall have perfect peace, and be as in the ſuburbs of Heaven, Jer: 23.4.