Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 36 · Verses 21-24 · Textual commentary 18 – Textual commentary 19
Will I give you, will I put within you.
The new heart, and new ſpirit comes from God; he that to the Authour of every good and perfect gift, is the Author of the ſame: Now in the working of this new heart, and new spirit, there be ſeveral Attributes of God ſet on work: As
Firſt, His infinite mercy. That he ſhould mind ſinners, who have old, rotten, filthy, hard, dead hearts within them, ſo at enmity with God, that they would pull him out of Heaven had they power to do it; for God to mind ſuch hearts and ſpirits, and make them new ſo as to affect him and his wayes, argues unſpeakable mercy, loving kindneſs ſuperabundant. It was a time of love when God ſaw Jeruſalem in her bloud, and ſaid unto her live, Ezek: 10. It was infinite love, infinite mercy for him to pity Jeruſalem in ſuch a caſe, and to ſay ſo unto her: the ſame it is when God makes of an old heart a new heart, of an old ſpirit a new ſpirit.
Secondly, Gods infinite power is imployed in this work. The making of a dead heart to live, a blind heart to ſee, an old heart and ſpirit to become new, requires an omnipotent arm. By the preaching of the word men have great convictions, ſtrong reſolutions, and are perſwaded almoſt to be Chriſtians; but thoſe convictions and reſolutions dye away, and they never come altogether to be Chriſtians, altogether to be new hearted, and new ſpirited, till the Lord put forth his allmighty power, and create new hearts and ſpirits in them; its a work of creation, Pſal. 51.10. 2 Cor. 4.6. Eph. 2.10. And ſuch hearts and ſpirits are call'd new creatures, Gal: 6.15. 2 Cor: 5.17.
Thirdly, Infinite wiſdome. The heart of man is deceitfull above all things, and deſperately wicked; who can know it? Jer: 17.9. Its beyond the knowledge of man; it hath ſo many windings, turnings, pretences, ſhifts, arguments, wiles, depths, methods, as that none but God knows it; he being infinitely wiſe; can anſwer all the objections, arguments, and ſubtle diſtinctions of the heart, ſo that it ſhall be ſilent. Mans heart whileſt its old, hath the cunning of the old Serpent in it, and pleads hard to keep its old principles, its old ungodly luſts, its old ignorance, its old darkneſs, its old formal wayes of worſhip, its old fleſhly confidences, its old delights and pleaſures, its old company, its old cuſtomes, its old aims and ends, which were ſelfe; it muſters up many arguments to defend theſe; and who can convince the heart of the evill of theſe, and take it off from them, but God by his infinite wiſdome? To make an heart, or ſpirit, which hath ſo many oldneſſes in it, new, argues more skill and wiſdome then dwels in any creature.
Fourthly, His Infinite holineſſe and purity. When God takes an old heart which is as dark as hell, as ſtinking as any Sepulchre, Math: 23.27. an old ſpirit which is as unclean and loathſome as the Devils are; when he takes theſe, and makes them new, he ſcatters darkneſs, aboliſheth death, ſeparating filthineſſe, and inſtead thereof brings in marveilous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. A glorious life, Epheſ. 4.18. And true holineſſe, verſ. 24. which import that God is light without darkneſſe, life without poſſibility of dying, holineſſe without any ſpot or imperfection. When the wind cleanſeth the aire infected, peſtilential and ſtinking, it argues the wind is pure; when a veſſel or houſe is noyſome, and one cleanſes and ſweetens them, as not enduring them in that condition, it argues their cleanlineſſe, and if they could make them new, it would argue it much more; ſo here, God makes them new, He puts them into the fire that they may be refined, and partake of his holineſſe, Heb: 12.10. Its Gods holy arme which makes an unholy heart to become holy, and glorious in holineſſe.
The dignity and excellency of this new heart and new ſpirit, is worthy the notice.
Firſt, Its that doth diſcriminate and difference a man from all others. They that have old hearts, old ſpirits, and new hearts, new ſpirits, differ as much from them, as light from darkneſſe, life from death, & holineſſe from filthineſſe: a man with a new heart, a new ſpirit, is a living man, whereas others be dead, Epheſ. 2.1. He is a ſeeing man, whereas others be blind, 1 Jok: 5.20. 1 Cor: 2.14. He is pure, whereas others are filthy, 1 Pet. 2.9. Tit: 1.15. Hereby a man is differenced from all profane, civill, and moral men, from all gifted men, from all hypocrites, what ſpecious forms of religion and holineſſe ſoever they have; whoever hath a new ſpirit is diſtinguiſhed from all other ſpirits, yea from the Devils who are but unclean ſpirits.
Secondly, It doth ennoble a man; A new heart and new ſpirit doth not only diſtinguiſh from others, but makes more excellent then others, Prov: 12.26. The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour. Righteouſneſſe is one of the qualities in the new heart, in the new ſpirit, Eph: 4.23, 24. and that Nobilitates a man; ſuch a one is born not of blood, that is, not of the Princes and Nobles of the world, who ſtand upon their blood and greatneſſe; nor of the will of the fleſh, that is, not in the ordinary way; nor of the will of man, viz: not by education and School principles; but of God, John 1.13. He is deſcended from the higheſt, the King of Kings, he is of the moſt Royal blood, even the blood of God, Acts 20.28. Others are vile, but he is precious, Jerem: 15.19. 2 Pet. 1.1. He is partaker of the Divine Nature, and lives the life of God, 2 Pet. 1.4. Epheſ. 4.18.
Thirdly, It fills them where it is with new joyes. New things affect much; when the Apoſtles had new tongues given them, they were greatly affected therewith; and when men have new hearts, new ſpirits, they abound in joy: the greater the mercy, the more full the joy; If when a ſinner is converted, there be joy in Heaven, what joy is in the ſinners heart then? When Chriſt came to Zacheus, and gave him a new heart, a new ſpirit, he was fill'd with joy, Luke 19. and new joyes: Before his joy was to get money by any means, and treaſure it up; now his joy was to diſperſe, make ſatisfaction, and to give away, verſ. 8, 9. His new heart begat in him new joyes, and inabled him to joy in that he could not do not think of before without ſadneſs. So Paul, when he had a new heart and ſpirit, he had new joyes, fullneſſe of them in thoſe things he could not rejoyce in before, 2 Cor. 7.4. I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulations; & Chap: 12.10. He took pleaſure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſſities, in perſecutions, in diſtreſſes. Here's the excellency of a new heart and a new ſpirit, it fills with new joyes in God, in Chriſt, in the Promiſes, in the Saints, and inables us to rejoyce and glory in tribulations, Rom: 5.3.
Fourthly, It intitles us to diverſe new and excellent things: As
Firſt, To the New Covenant: When a man hath a new heart and a new ſpirit, he hath an intereſt in the New Covenant, Jer: 31.31, 33. The law of ſin, and principles of Satan and the wo…ld, were writ in the old heart, and old ſpirit, and ſo the party was under the Covenant with death and hell, Iſa: 28.15. but in the new heart is written, the Law of God, the Law of faith, Rom: 3.27. Heb: 8.10. and ſo they are under the New Covenant which is call'd Grace, Rom: 6.14.
Secondly, To New Names: Where there is newneſs of heart and ſpirit, there they are ſealed in their fore-heads with new Names; their Title is New Creatures, 2 Cor. 5.17. The Seed of Abraham, Iſa. 41.8. Servants of Righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6.18. Children of Light, John 12.36. Conquerours, Rom: 8.37. Gods workmanſhip, Epheſ. 2.10. Kings and Prieſts, Rev: 1.6. Temples of God, 1 Cor: 3.16. The glory of God, Iſa. 4.5. New born Babes, 1 Pet: 2.2. His Saints, Pſal. 149.9. Veſſels of Gold and Silver, 2 Tim. 2.20. Wiſe Virgins, Matth: 25. Heirs of Salvation, Heb: 1.14.
Thirdly, To a New Lord and Maſter: When their hearts were old Satan was their Soveraign, They walked according to the Prince of the aire, Epheſ. 2.2. 2 Tim: 2.26. His luſts they did execute, John 8.44. But having new hearts, they have a new Lord, a new Maſter, and that is the Lord Chriſt, Phil: 1.1. Paul a ſervant of Chriſt: He had a new heart, and now he had a new Maſter, which was Chriſt, he would ſerve Satan no longer, but Chriſt, who dyed for ſinners, that they might live unto him, 2 Cor. 5.15. When the hearts and ſpirits of men are new, they are dead to their old Maſters, and have new, Rom: 7.4. Chriſt is the Husband and Head of every one renewed by his grace, he is Lord and Maſter of all ſuch, 1 Cor. 7.22. Matth: 23.8.
Fourthly, To a New Guard; Such have a Guard of Angels about them: before, as they were without God, ſo without the protection of his Angels, expoſed to all dangers; but having new hearts and new ſpirits, being new creatures they have a multitude of the Heavenly Hoſt, not only to praiſe God for their new-birth as they did at Chriſts birth, Luke 2.13. but to attend and protect them, Heb: 1.14. Are not the Angels miniſtring ſpirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them, who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation? and none ſhall be ſuch, but thoſe that have new hearts and new ſpirits, for fleſh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God, 1 Cor: 15.50.
Fifthly, To New Alliance this change is wrought in them: Blaſphemers, Idolaters, Adulterers, Drunkards, Murtherers, Lyars, Ʋnbelievers, Hypocrites, and all profane ones, they the very Devils themſelves, John 8.44. But when they have new hearts and new ſpirits, then they have new kindred; as a man that marries a woman, all her kindred becomes his; ſo here, all that have new hearts and ſpirits are his kindred who hath a new heart, he is allied unto them all, Math: 23.8. All ye are brethren. All the Saints throughout the earth, how great, how learned, how rich, how gifted or gracious ſoever they be, are all brethren; yea, the Angels are brethren unto thoſe that have new hearts, Rev. 19.10.22.9. and that which is beyond all, Chriſt himſelf is their Brother and Father; Math. 12.49, 50. Heb: 2.12, 13.
Sixthly, To the New Manſions in the City made without hands, John 14.2. ſaith Chriſt, In my Fathers houſe are many Manſions, and I go to prepare a place for you; You have right and title to them, ye have new hearts, ye believe in God, verſ. 1. and I go to prepare and fit places for you in thoſe Manſions.
Fifthly, The excellency of a new heart is this, That it ſets an high price upon the things of God, and a low price upon the things of the world, how goodly ſoever they appear; whereas before the things of the world were magnified, and the things of God ſlighted. When Paul had another heart, and another ſpirit then before, then he had no confidence in the fleſh, then he did not value his great priviledges, he counted them and all things but loſſe for Chriſt, they did damnifie him rather then advantage him, and therefore lookt upon them as dung foreign, things of no worth, chaffe, dirt, excrements in reſpect of Chriſt, his righteouſneſſe, and knowledge of him, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. all which had an excellency, and were ſo prized by Paul, that he was willing to lay down his life for them, Acts 21.13. When Simon Magus offered the Apoſtles money for to have power to give the Holy Spirit, by laying on of hands, Peter in his own name, and in the name of the reſt, ſaid, Thy money periſh with thee; we value not bags of gold and ſilver, but the things of God, Acts 8.19, 20. When the Conjurers had the Devils caſt out of them, and new hearts given them, they brought forth their books which they had highly valued, and burnt them before all men, and ſo many they burnt as came to fifty thouſand pieces of ſilver, Acts 19.19. and inſtead of theſe, they prized the books of Moſes, the Prophets, and Apoſtles. A new heart ſees excellency in ſpiritual things, and ſaith, It cannot over value them, but for other things it puts them under its feet.
Sixthly, Its excellent in that it doth really make God its end and aims at his glory in its operations; before ſelf was all, now God is all. Acts 20.23, 24. Paul was told by the Spirit of God, that bonds and afflictions did abide him every where, that his life was in danger; now had not Paul been a man of a new heart and ſpirit, he would have ſhifted for himſelf, and let the preaching of the Goſpel have fallen; but being ſuch an one, what ſaith he? None of theſe things move me, neither count I my life dear unto my ſelfe, ſo I may finiſh my courſe with joy, and the Miniſtry, I have received of the Lord Jeſus, to teſtifie the Goſpel of the Grace of God: That was Pauls end to make known the grace of God in the Goſpel towards poor ſinners, that ſo they partaking of that grace might give glory to God, and God be glorified by him. God and his glory were ſo in his eye, that he gave out a rule for all Chriſtians to eye and mind God and his glory in all things, 1 Cor. 10.31.
Seventhly, Its the principle of eternal life and happineſſe: When God puts life, light, and grace into the heart, and ſo makes it new, he hath begun our admiſſion into Heaven and happineſſe; this new heart and ſpirit are the water ſprings up into everlaſting life, John 4.14. They are the Eagles wings will carry you not only up to Heaven, but into Heaven.
Concerning this new heart and new ſpirit, there be divers miſtakes; many think they have the ſame, when they have it not. There be ſeveral things which cauſe men to judge ſo.
Firſt, Outward Reformation. When men ceaſe from their former lewd courſes, when they give over their drunkenneſs, whoredome, ſwearing, lying, oppreſſion, and other ſcandalous practices, they think themſelves, and are reputed of others to be new men, and ſo to have new hearts; but know, A man may have eſcaped the pollutions of the world, have changed his manners, yet retain his old heart: a Swine may be waſhed; and yet reſerve her Swiniſh nature: Herod reformed in many things, yet had an unreformed heart, Mark 6.20. Luke 3.20. Chap. 9.9. The Scribes and Phariſees were whited Sepulchres, they had beautifull out-ſides, they appeared righteous unto men, but what were their hearts? were they not full of hypocriſie and iniquity? Matth: 23.27, 28. Shame among men, fear of puniſhment, death, hell, terrours of conſcience, afflictions, ſtrength of reaſon, and hope of profits and reward, may make a man reform his life and manners, his heart being ſtill naught; a man formerly deboiſt and wicked may become a new man, and yet not have a new heart.
Secondly, Morall virtues cauſe many to be deceived about this new heart: becauſe they are temperate, juſt, prudent, faithful to their friends, true in their ſpeeches, patient under afflictions, ſeek the publique good, not their own intereſt, are chaſte, and courteous unto all, they thereupon conclude that they have the new heart and new ſpirit here ſpoken of; but all theſe are no more then were found in heathens; Scipio, Ariſtides, Cato, Aemilius, Lepidus, Lucretia, and others, excell'd in morall virtues. The Romane faith was in great eſteem in all the world, becauſe the Romans kept their word, and made good whatever they promiſed. Many Heathens excell'd in morallities, and did virtuous actions for virtues ſake, yet they had no new hearts or ſpirits, they knew not what regeneration was, they were ſtrangers to the Life of God and Faith, they attained to what they had by their own induſtry, and what they did was not done according to the mind of God in his Word, and ſo referring to his glory; they ſought their own glory in all.
Thirdly, A form of godlineſs. When men have left their old wayes of ſin, and taken up a way, or form of godlineſſe which is new to them, they imagine themſelves to be new, and to have new hearts; they read, pray, hear, meditate and worſhip God with their hearts, which they never did before, and hence they ground a newneſs in their hearts. The Jews have a form of godlineſſe at this day, yet are they caſt off of God and numbred amongſt unbelievers, Rom: 11.20. Such was their godlineſs, as perſecuted true godlineſs, Acts. 13.50. 1 Theſſ: 2.15. The Heathens had forms of godlineſſe; Plato taught men not to ſleep without repentance for their ſins; Hermes inſtructed them to pray earneſtly unto God, and continually for repentance to call upon him in the day, and not to forget him in the night; they worſhipped by nature, thoſe were no gods,Treatiſe of Moral Philoſophy. Gal. 4.8. Forms of worſhip they had, though they worſhipped blindly; Socrates ſaw further then the moſt of them, who ſaid, God muſt be worſhiped only that way which he hath appointed; yet neither Socrates, nor the reſt of the Heathens had new hearts. Chriſtians have forms of godlineſſe, yet all among them have not new hearts; among Papiſts and Proteſtants are many religious, but few pious, they have the form of godlineſs, but not the power: Painted fire is not true fire, and all that worſhip God do not worſhip him in newneſs of ſpirit; the moſt do worſhip him with old hearts.
Fourthly, Some are deceived upon this ground, that they have the Law in their hearts, approve of truth, make conſcience of their wayes, have peace within, and ſo determine their hearts are new. But here is a great miſtake, the Law is in mens hearts by nature, Rom: 2.14, 15. The Gentiles which had not the Law, did by nature the things of the Law, and ſo ſhewed the work of the Law written in their hearts. When they did ill their conſciences did accuſe them, and when they did well they did excuſe them, and ſo they had peace; here was nothing ſupernatural: where there is a new heart, a new ſpirit, there is ſomething ſupernatural; men have not theſe by deſcent from their parents, but they are given, they are put in by God, I will give you a new heart, and I will put within you a new ſpirit. The Law that all men have in their hearts is by virtue of Creation, not of the new Covenant, that is another Law, Jer: 31.33. which is from grace, not from nature; where this Law is written, the heart is new, and ſo doth not only approve of truth in general, but knows and approves of truth as it is in Chriſt, Eph: 4.21. and as it is according to godlineſs. Truth in a new heart provokes unto Godlineſs, and maketh conſcientious towards God and men, Acts 24.16. Looking at Chriſt for peace, Rom: 5.1. Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God, the conſcience being purged from dead works by the bloud of Chriſt: Men have ſound peace in their new hearts; Its falſe peace which men of old hearts have, they bribe their conſciences with doing ſomething, and that is their peace.
Fifthly, New Relations make ſome to fancy they have new hearts and new ſpirits; they are under Church priviledges, they are Citizens of Sion, inhabitants of Jeruſalem, in relation to Chriſt and his Ordinances, this may be, and yet without newneſſe of heart or ſpirit; Relations make not alterations in mens hearts. Simon Magus was baptized, ſtood in relation to Chriſt and the Goſpel, yet his heart was the ſame it was before, Acts 8. The Jews gloried they were the ſeed of Abraham, John 8.33. Yet they were of their father the Devill, verſ. 44. and had bloudy hearts, verſ. 40. ſeeking to kill Chriſt, Rom: 2.28, 29. Outward priviledges may be, as Circumciſion of the fleſh, where there is no Circumciſion of the heart; and Paul tels us, Gal: 6.15. That Circumciſion nor uncircumciſion avail any thing, but a new creature; they may be where the new creature is not; himſelf had many priviledges, Phil. 3. when he was far from newneſs of heart.
Sixthly, Gifts, They breed miſtakes in divers perſons: thoſe that have choice and great gifts perſwade themſelves they have new hearts and ſpirits, that they are gracious and good; but there is a vaſt difference between gifts and grace.
1. Gifts make not a man a Chriſtian: Heathens had great gifts, as Tully, Seneca, Plato, Ariſtotle, Plutarch; Its grace makes a Chriſtian; the Gentiles were not Chriſtians, and ſo not acceptable to God, till they were ſanctified by the Holy Spirit, Rom: 15.16. They may make a man an uſeful man, not a good man, Acts 11.24. Its faith and the graces of the Spirit make a good man.
2. All gifts do ſeldome or never meet in one man, but graces do, they are the fruits of the Spirit, and grow all in a new heart, John 1.16. Of his fullneſſe have we all received, and grace for grace. Graces go together, not Gifts.
3. A man may have Gifts and not be ſaved. Judas had gifts, yet was a ſon of perdition: The beaſt came up out of the earth had miraculous Gifts, and the falſe Prophets alſo, and notwithſtanding their Gifts, they were both caſt into the Lake of fire burning with Brimſtone, Rev: 13.11, 13, 14. Chap. 19.20. But he that hath a new heart and new ſpirit hath grace, and ſo ſhall be ſaved, John 3.6. 2 Cor. 3.17. He that is born of the Spirit, is a new creature, he hath grace, and ſhall be ſaved, Acts 15.11.
Seventhly, Activeneſs. Some men growing active for God and the publique, Zealous againſt corrupt practices in Church or State, gather from hence that they have new hearts and ſpirits; they were not ſo before, and how can it be that ſuch new operations and activeneſs ſhould be in them, and from them, and they not be men of new hearts? When men are call'd to publique imployments, they may have other hearts then they had before, yet not ſuch a new heart as is here ſpoken off. Saul had another heart, (1 Sam: 10.9.) when anointed to be King, yet not a new heart. Credit, profit, and conſcience miſ-informed may make men zealous and active, when they have no other then their old hearts. Paul before his converſion was very active and exceedingly zealous of the Traditions of his fathers, Gal: 1.13, 14. How active are Jeſuits? how zealous are Papiſts and many others? and that from erroneouſneſs of their conſciences, not newneſſe of their ſpirits.
Firſt, Obſerve
Mens hearts and ſpirits by nature are old, they are degenerated from that innocency, ſimplicity, and purity, Adam was created in, they are corrupted ever ſince he eat of the forbidden fruit.
Pſal. 14.1. Men are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doth good; Pſal. 53.3. Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doth good, no not one. Such as their hearts are, ſuch are their actions; old hearts have anſwerable operations, Pſal: 58.3. They go aſtray aſſoon as they be born. They brought corrupt hearts and natures with them into the world, and their firſt actings were againſt God, truth, ju…ce, and holineſſe; men by nature have hearts full of old things, 2 Cor. 5.17. Old things are not paſſed away, but abide: Old principles, old luſts, old deſires, old thoughts, old reaſonings, old enmityes, old confidences, old hardneſs, old deceitfulneſs, old frowardneſs, and old naughtineſs, are all found in mens hearts till they are made new, Gen. 6.5. Math: 15.19.
Secondly, Obſerve
A new heart, a new ſpirit, is not from the power or will of man, but from the grace of God.
A new heart will I give you, a new ſpirit will I put into you. God bade them (Ezek: 18.31.) make themſelves new hearts, and new ſpirits, but they were not able to do it, he promiſes therefore to do it for them. Its Gods way in his holy Word to command and call for that at the hands of men, which he intends to give and work, as Phil: 2.12. Work out your own ſalvation; and in the next verſe its ſaid, Its God which worketh in you, both to will and to do: Iſa: 1.16. Waſh ye, make ye clean; Ezek: 36.25. I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean: Deut: 10.16. Circumciſe the foreskin of your heart, they could not do it, therefore (Deut. 30.6.) the Lord thy God will circumciſe thine heart. Theſe Scriptures evince, that it is the Lord himſelf who performs what he commands; its not mans will or power which produceth the new heart, its the gracious and mighty hand of God which effects it; and when he will work who ſhall let it? ſhall mans will? yes, if God did only propound arguments, command, exhort, invite, encourage, threaten, it might, but God doth promiſe to do the thing, To give a new heart, to put in a new ſpirit; and ſhould the liberty of mans will hinder it, how ſhould God be faithful? but rather then he will be found unfaithful, he will over-power the corrupt wills of men, and make them flexible to his will. The efficacy of grace depends not upon mans will, embracing, or refuſing what is tendered, but on the good pleaſure and power of God, Phil: 2.13. When it pleaſes God to put forth his power the wo… …hall be done, the new heart and new ſpirit ſhall be wrought in the man, notwithſtanding all the oldneſſes therein.
And I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh.
In Chap: 11. verſ. 19. the words are, I will take the ſtony heart out of their fleſh; and here they are, I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh. Much was ſpoken of them there; ſomething I ſhall ſpeak now.