Wesley Corpus

His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” (Verses 20, 21, 29.) It follows: “But if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;--nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my truth to fail. My covenant will I not break. I will not fail David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.” (Verse 30, &c.) May not every man see, that the covenant here spoken of relates wholly to David and his seed or children? Where then is the inconsistency between the most absolute promise made to a particular family, and that solemn account which God has here given of his way of dealing with all mankind? Besides, the very covenant mentioned in these words is not absolute, but conditional. The condition of repentance in case of forsaking God’s law was implied, though not expressed; and so strongly implied, that, this condition failing, not being performed, God did also fail David. He did “alter the thing that had gone out of his lips,” and yet without any impeach ment of his truth. He “abhorred and forsook his anointed,” (verse 38,) the seed of David, whose throne, if they had repented, should have been “as the days of heaven.” He did “break the covenant of his servant, and cast his crown to the ground.” (Verse 39.) So vainly are these words of the Psalmist brought to contradict the plain, full testimony of the Prophet! 8. Nor is there any contradiction between this testimony of God by Ezekiel, and those words which he spake by Jeremiah: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” For do these words assert, that mo righteous man ever turns from his righteous ness? No such thing. They do not touch the question, but simply declare God’s love to the Jewish Church. To see this in the clearest light, you need only read over the whole sentence: “At the same time, saith the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I caused him to rest.