Exposition of Ezekiel 6-13, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 11 · Verse 19 · Textual commentary 2
Helpes to unite our hearts, or uniting Directions.
1. Conſider many things are darkely layd downe in the Scriptures, and the ſcope of God and Chriſt therein, is not to cauſe contention, difference, and cenſuring: but to unite us more ſtrongly in thoſe things are cleare, and to cauſe a forbearance of one another in things are dark and doubtfull: Phil. 3.15, 16. If in any thing you be otherwiſe minded, God ſhall reveale even this unto you: Nevertheleſſe whereto we have already attained, let us walke by the ſame rule, and let us minde the ſame thing. Saith Paul, I confide not in my owne works or righteouſneſſe, but look at Chriſt alone; I labour to win Chriſt, and be found in him; I preſſe after him and none but him, and minde nothing elſe at a meanes of Salvation; if any be otherwiſe minded through ignorance, or weakneſſe of Faith (as many were, who affected Moſaicall Rites and Ceremonies) God ſhall reveale even this unto you; he will make knowne the truth unto you; nevertheleſſe, though there be differences, let us forbeare one another therein, and whereto we have attained, let us walke harmoniouſly and peaceably together, minding the ſame things.foreign, notes the outward practice; foreign, the conſent of minds and judgements. What is cleare held out unto us in the Goſpell, let us conſent in, and walk anſwerably; in what is dark, doubtfull, let us forbeare each other, and ſtay till God reveale more. If we cannot unite in all, let us unite in what is cleare. Things fundamentall, and abſolutely neceſſary, are clearlyeſt layd downe in the Word; they are expreſly commanded, or held forth in Scripture, whether they be matters of Faith or practice, they are not things drawne out by remote conſequences, and ſtrength of mens parts, but imm…diatly from, or in, the Word, and in theſe moſt m…y, or doe agree, not being many in number; ſo farre as we have attained in theſe, let us walke; and as King James ſaith, in other things, place may be given to Chriſtian liberty; and let us take heed how we charge men to hold fundamentall errours, when Fundamentalls are few, Rom. 10.9. 1 John 4 2. and mens errours are Extrafundamentalls.
2. Divine providence hath ordered it ſo, that there ſhould be d fference and inequalitie in the naturalls, and ſpiritualls, of Chriſtians, that ſo they may have a greater tendencie and fitneſſe for union, as in a ſhip, or houſe, all peices of tymber muſt not be of the ſame length, height, and breadth; but differing; that ſo they may fit their ſeverall places, and conduce to make up a more goodly fabrick: ſo among men, ſome have great naturall, and ſpirituall abilities, ſome lower degrees of both, ſome leſſer then they; and this is the will and wiſedome of divine providence, ſo to diſpenſe, and diſpoſe, that all may fitly fall in together, and make the more glorious ſtructures for Heaven, John tells you Epheſ 2.13. of Fathers, young men, and little children, who d…ffered in their naturalls and ſpiritualls, yet lived lovingly and peaceably together, and made up a Church for Chriſt. If we quarrel becauſe there be differences of judgement amongſt us, we croſſe the intent of divine providence, and quarrell with that, which hath ſo diſpenſed his gifts and grace,Strong have need of the weak, rich of the poore, Epheſ. 4.16. Every joynt ſupplyeth ſomething. and given them out unequally. When we ſee one man white, another black, one tall, another low; ſhall we quarrell becauſe both are not white, both of one equall height; one hath ſore eyes, another ſound, the vaile is fully drawne off ones heart, halfe way off anothers; and this is the Lords doing, it is that we may the better joyne together.
3. Seek the good one of another, and that indifferently, ſelviſhneſſe and partiality undoe and divide; they have private ends, wayes, meanes, and move upon ſiniſter reſpects: whereas if we had more ſelfe-denying, impartiall, and publique ſpirits to mind the welfare of others, we ſhould quickly attaine to ſome good degree of this oneneſſe of heart, 1 Cor. 10.24. Let no man ſeek his owne, but every man anothers wealth: Its not a flat prohibition from ſeeking a mans owne good,Rom. 15.2. Let every one of us pleaſe his neighbour for his good. but he ſhould rather ſeek the good of others, then of himſelfe; as Paul did, Verſ. 33. I ſeeke not mine owne profit, but the profit of many: If this were in practice, it would let in our hearts and ſpirits into the boſomes of others, and make us one hearted with them, Phil. 2.20. Paul ſpeaking of Timothy, who ſought the good of the Philippians, ſaith, I have no man like minded; the word is foreign, which ſome render, Pari animo praeditum; ſome, Tam unanimem; but the word notes, Eum qui aequalis ſit animi; ſo that Timothy and the Philippians were aequ…nimes; his heart, his ſoule was in theirs, and equall, yea one with theirs; and what then? Who will naturally care for their eſtate; the workings of his ſoule for their good, were like the workings of a Father towards his Children naturall, which are moſt ſtrong, conſtant, and delightfull; when mens hearts are equall too, one with the hearts of others, they act naturally for their benefit, but when men ſeek the hurt of others, black their names, greaten their infirmities, catch advantages againſt them, they are unnaturall, foreign, & foreign, men of other, and bitter ſpirits.
4. Lay aſide the wiſedome of the fleſh, and exalt the wiſedome of the ſpirit; fleſhly wiſedome makes and maintaines diviſions, Rom. 8.7. foreign. Its enmity againſt God, and all the wayes of God, it ſubjects not to them, neither can doe it, but oppoſes continually. And as it hinders union with God and his wayes, ſo it doth with the Children of God, it keeps them from one heartedneſſe, it makes breaches, and maintaines them made; it was ſuch wiſedome ſeparated Paul and Barnabas, and kept them, being ſeparated, at a diſtance. The fleſh y mind puffes up, and ſo the heart cannot lye even with anothers;Col. 2.18. but ſpirituall wiſdome is of another nature, Prov. 12, 18. The tongue of the wiſe is health, others tongues are like the peircings of a Sword, they wound: but the ſpirituall wiſe they heale wounds, make up breaches, they pacifie wrath, even the wrath of great ones, Prov. 16.14. Men thinke themſelves wiſe in theſe dayes, but what is the wiſedome of moſt, is it not ſuch James ſpeaks of? Earthly, ſenſuall, deviliſh, becauſe its joyned with Bitterneſſe, envying, ſtrife, ſee James, 3.14.15. And then he tells you the nature of ſpirituall Wiſedome, verſ. 17. That is from abov…, firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eaſie to be intreated, full of merciemercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and hypocricy. There is nothing in it but what tends to oneneſſe of heart, its Pure, there is no mixture of fleſhly wiſedome in it, its Peaceable, ave…ſe from contention, ſtudious of peace, Gentle, and eaſie to be intreated, not harſh and ſelfe willed, but pl…able to that is good, Full of merciemercy and good fruits, Its ready to helpe and doe for others in their neceſſities, Without partiallity, foreign. without wrangling, judgeing, Without hypocriſie, its reall in what it doth.
5. Humilitie, where that is it drawes the heart of God to it, Iſa. 57.15. God dwells with the humble ſpirit, and ſurely it will gaine the hearts of men to it Prov. 29.23. A mans pride will bring him low, Mat. 18.4. The humbleſt man is the greateſt in the Kingdome of Heaven.it will make God and man againſt him, But honour ſhall uphold the humble in ſpirit, both God and man will ſupport, ſpeake well of, do good to and cloſe with him: its pride onelyonly, cheifly that makes contentions, Prov. 13, 10. Mens luſts lift them up, divide themſelves, and cauſe diviſions among'ſt others, therefore James, 4.1. From whence come Warrs and fightings amongſt you, Come they not hence, even of your luſts, that war in your members? Proud men have many luſts and much war▪ and when they agree not with themſelves, how can they agree with others? we ſhould therefore purifie our hearts from ſuch luſts,Verſ. 8.10. and humble our ſelves in the ſight of the Lord, and then our hearts would cloſe better. Its mens proud luſts that diſſolve union, that make Warre, and breed confuſion, blind mens eyes, and ingage them in errours: but the humble man that hath had his heart broken, and hath let them out, he is readyeſt to unite with others, he ſtands not upon his will, his credit, he hath low thoughts of himſelfe, and high of others: Hence Paul bids the Colloſſians, put on bambleneſſe of minde Chap. 3.12. & 1 Pet. 5.5. Peter bids them Be cloathed with humility, that is the moſt becoming garment and leaſt offenſive of any. The man walks with that garment on will not wrong any man in thought, word, or deed; he judges not others, but himſelfe; he beares the burden and infirmities of men, and ſo gaines upon and gets intereſt in the hearts of others.
6. Conſider we are brethren, cald and preſ'd unto peace and mu…uall agreement in the Goſpell. Moſes thought the name brethren, ſufficient to reconcile the t…o ſtrugling Hebrews, Acts 7.26. Sirs ye are Brethren, what your harts, heads, and hands divided? thinke how neare you are, and how dear you ſhould be one to another. The word brethren ſhould draw our hearts together, and make us deſirous of peace. 1 Tim 6.1.2. Servants muſt not deſpiſe their Maſters, but count them worthy of all Honour, becauſe they are brethren. And we ſhould not deſp…ſe and contend one with another, becauſe we are brethren, indued with divine nature, and brethren of Chriſt. Heb. 2.12. The Prince of peace, Iſa 9.6. Partakers of the Goſpell of peace, Epheſ. 6.15. And are cal'd of God to peace, 1 Cor. 7.15.Col. 3.1…. And its peace that we are preſt unto, Rom. 14.19. Let us follow after the things that make for peace, foreign, 2 Tim. 2.2…. foreign, Heb. 12.14. foreign, We ſh…uld p…rſue peace with all men, but eſpecially with thoſe are our brethren in Chriſt; they make up the body of Chriſt, in which the ſpirit of Chriſt lives, therefore Epheſ. 4.3. Paul cou…ſells them, to K…pe the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace, the Spirit hath united men to Chriſt, and its peace, is the bond whic… keep…s the Spirit …mo…g them: When the Corinthians brake the bond of pea…e ſaying, I am of Paul &c. the Apoſtle told them, they we…e carnall not ſpirituall. Chap. 3.1. There ſhould be no ſtrife among Brethren, but this, Viz. Who ſhould be moſt loving and peaceable.