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Therefore thus saith the Lord God, as I live, surely mine Oath that he hath despised, and my Covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
I Conceive in the Verse that I have read, there is more solid Truth de∣livered by the Spirit of God, which cannot lye, than I am able to declare, when I have fallen to the Explication and Enlargement of if; yet the very first words in the 11 and 12 Verses, speak as much to the Truth contained in the rest of the Sermons of Ezekiel, as that it is not laid before the People, neither left unto them in any confused way, which is not plain: But the Prophet gets a Commission to show them plainly, what the mind of the Lord was to them. This will more clearly appear, if you take notice of the former part of the Chapter, wherein these things are de∣livered plainly to the People by a Similitude, the Prophet having shewed to his Hearers the same things that he comes to speak plainly of unto them, so that any Man might have thought this with himself, What needs so plain Preaching, and Application? Will not any Man that hears the Words take them up without any Application? You find the Lord in his Commission to Ezekiel, after he Points out the Similitude of two Eagles taking away the Branches, he tells (now says he) Go to the City of Jerusalem and say, Do ye understand these things, that God will avenge his broken Covenant against the King of Jerusalem? And if they understand not these things, go and make them plain to them, and apply it to them; spare neither King nor Prince, but tell them this is my Message; Thou hast broken my Covenant, therefore by this Message which I send to you, the Plague and the Vengeance of God shall come upon you, As I live, saith the Lord.
And lest any of you who sometime have heard us press the Oath of the Covenant in these Lands, should now a-days think it alterable, and look upon it as a thing that may be dispensed with; therefore, we are through God's strength from Scripture, to make out the indissolvable Tye of the Covenant; and that we bear not upon the Air in speaking to that purpose, according to the Faithfulness of the Prophet's Commission by the Lord, We intend to follow this Rule, as we shall be answerable to our Lord and Master; and to be free of your Blood, whose Souls are committed to our Charge, to lay it before you; and if you sin against the Lord, then your Blood will be upon your own head; this we intend not to speak in general but in particular; and if any Man will justle himself against the Lord, then he will break himself for ever.