Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 11:19

19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.

This may be understood causally, and so gives an account how the Reformation, mentioned ver. 18. should be effected.

The Lord himself, and he assumeth it to himself thrice in this ver.

Of free Grace 'tis that this renewed heart is in any one, length, soreness, and multiplicity of troubles will not, cannot work it, unless God frame and renew it.

They were scattered abroad through the Babylonish Kingdoms, were under various Circumstances which might divide them, and keep them from each other, and from centering in a return, but I will stir up their heart, and with one heart they shall gather together, when the return shall be proclaimed, Cyrus shall first give them leave, and I will next give them a heart to return; and on their way shall there be great unity; and when come to Ierusalem, they shall own me, and my Laws, &c. they shall with one consent build Ierusalem, the Temple, and restore true Religion; as Ier. 32.39. and Ezek. 36.26.

That is Judgment, and understanding, Mind, and Will, Affections and Conscience; all fixed only on God, and their Obedience to him, as ver. 20. This one heart is called a New Spirit.

An Excellent, Regenerate, Holy, and Sincere Soul; they were of a base, corrupt, and hypocritical Spirit, dividing between God and Idols; but when God brings them back, they shall be of another frame, quite changed, and made new.

That hard, inflexible, undutiful, incorrigible disposition which was in their Fathers, who refus'd to be amended; I'le take that away.

Flesh in Scripture sometimes speaks an unrenewed, carnal, sinful state, as Rom. 7.18. sometimes for the Body, as Psal. 38.3. sometimes for the whole man; so Luk. 3.6. Rom. 3.20. and thus in this place speaks the persons, and whole man.

not like the old, hard, and stony, but counsellable, tractable, that will hear, consider, obey, do commanded Good, and forbear forbidden Evils, submit to my Law, and reform on Admonitions. All which in part, and so far as concern'd those times, was fulfil'd in the Iewes that did return from Babylon, and fullier is made good to us in these Gospel dayes.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] give.; Psal. 51.[illegible: 2 letters]; Z[illegible: 1 letter]ch. 7.1[illegible: 1 letter].