Ezekiel 2:10

REFLECTIONS

IF my humble commentary could be supposed to fall under the eye of any of the ministers of God's sanctuary, I would venture to say to such an one, behold, my brother! the solemnity of Ezekiel's ordination; and then enquire, whether it can be supposed, that in the Church of Jesus now, the ordination of any can be less solemn, or less important? Did One like the Son of man, ordain Ezekiel? And did the Spirit enter into the Prophet, as the Lord spake to him? And can there be any real ordination now, but under the same Almighty authority? Did I say at mine ordination, that I believed myself to be inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon me that holy office? And have I never enquired since, whether that Almighty Spirit hath spoken in me to my own soul, and by me to the souls of others? Oh! what an awful thing it must be, in any, to rush into the ministry unsent, uncalled, unauthorized, unanointed. Oh! for grace to be given to the ministers of my God, to be faithful to God and to souls! Lord Jesus! do thou fulfil thy gracious promise, and give to thy Church, Pastors according to thine own heart, which shall feed thy people with understanding and knowledge. Lord Jesus! impress it upon the minds of unfaithful Pastors, how truly awful must it be, When the sins of the priests make the offerings of the Lord to be abhorred by the people. 1 Samuel 2:17. Reader! join my soul in prayer to God, that none may go forth to the Lord's ministry, but such as are of the Lord's ordination. And then like Ezekiel, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear, they shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them!