Hawker's Poor man's commentary
Ezekiel 18:32
REFLECTIONS
READER! let us both pause over this solemn chapter, and ponder well the contents of it, looking up to God the Holy Ghost, with an humble eye of supplication, that He will be our teacher. Here we learn most awfully the sure end of sin. Here also we learn in what must consist the righteousness and everlasting safety of the re deemed.
Precious Lord Jesus! how increasingly precious is thy righteousness in this point to every truly awakened heart, convinced by the Holy Ghost of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Truly, O Lord, there is, there can be no righteousness but Thine to be depended upon or trusted in. All our righteousness is as filthy rags, in which there is no confidence. From every fancied goodness of ours, for it is but fancied, not real, we should all apostatize, and die in our iniquity. Truly, Lord, in Thee alone is salvation found. Lord! turn poor sinners to behold Thee and Thy loveliness, and to seek Thy face in Thy strength, that their souls may be saved in the great day of the Lord!
Dearest Lord Jesus! help both Writer and Reader to praise Thee, in the consciousness that Thy salvation is forever, and Thy righteousness that which cannot be abolished. Thy people, kept by Thee, upheld by Thee, and justified by Thee, and in Thy righteousness, cannot turn away. If, dear Lord, the righteousness was their own, and wrought out in their own strength, then indeed both themselves and their merit might and would be lost, and as it came, so it would go. But founded in Thee, and in the power of Thy might, they are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Help then, O Lord, both Writer and Reader, to be forever looking unto Thee for righteousness and strength. Let it be the constant language and experience of both our souls to say, as one of old did, and to rest in the same blessed assurance, I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only. My mouth shall show forth Thy righteousness and Thy salvation all the day, for I know not the numbers thereof.