2 lines
6.3 KiB
HTML
2 lines
6.3 KiB
HTML
|
<p>We have here an account of the proceedings upon the resolutions lately taken up concerning the strange wives; no time was lost; they struck when the iron was hot, and soon set the wheels of reformation a-going. 1. Ezra went to the council-chamber where, it is probable, the priests used to meet upon public business; <i>and till he came thither</i> (so bishop Patrick thinks it should be read), till he saw something done, and more likely to be done, for the redress of this grievance, <i>he did neither eat nor drink</i>, but continued mourning. Sorrow for sin should be abiding sorrow; be sure to let it continue till the sin be put away. 2. He sent orders to all the children of the captivity to attend him at Jerusalem <i>within three days</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.7,Ezra.10.8" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.10.7,Ezra.10.8"><span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.7">Ezra 10:7</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.8">8</span></a>); and, being authorized by the king to enforce his orders with penalties annexed (<a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.7.26" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.7.26">Ezra 7:26</a>), he threatened that whosoever refused to obey the summons should forfeit his estate and be outlawed. The doom of him that would not attend on this religious occasion should be that his substance should, in his stead, be for ever after appropriated to the service of their religion, and he himself, for his contempt, should for ever after be excluded from the honours and privileges of their religion; he should be excommunicated. 3. Within the time limited the generality of the people met at Jerusalem and made their appearance <i>in the street of the house of God</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.9" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.10.9">Ezra 10:9</a>. Those that had no zeal for the work they were called to, nay, perhaps had a dislike to it, being themselves delinquents, yet paid such a deference to Ezra’s authority, and were so awed by the penalty, that they durst not stay away. 4. God gave them a token of his displeasure in the great rain that happened at that time (<a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.9,Ezra.10.13" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.10.9,Ezra.10.13"><span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.9">Ezra 10:9</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.13">13</span></a>), which perhaps kept some away, and was very grievous to those that met in the open street. When they wept the heavens wept too, signifying that, though God was angry with them for their sin, yet he was well pleased with their repentance, and (as it is said, <a class="bibleref" title="Judg.10.16" href="/passage/?search=Judg.10.16">Jdg. 10:16</a>) <i>his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel</i>; it was also an indication of the good fruits of their repentance, for the rain makes the earth fruitful. 5. Ezra gave the charge at this great assize. He told them upon what account he called them together now, that it was because he found that since their return out of captivity they had <i>increased the trespass of Israel</i> by <i>marrying strange wives</i>, had added to their former sins this new transgression, which would certainly be a means of again introducing idolatry, the very sin they had smarted for and which he hoped they had been cured of in their captivity; and he called them together that they might <i>confess their sin to God</i>, and, having done that, might declare themselves ready and willing to do his pleasure, as it should be made known to them (which all those will do that truly repent of what they have done to incur his displeasure), and particularly that they might separate themselves from all idolaters, especially idolatrous wives, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.10,Ezra.10.11" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.10.10,Ezra.10.11"><span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.10">Ezra 10:10</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.10.11">11</span></a>. On these heads, we may suppose, he enlarged, and probably made such another confession of the sin now as he made <a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.9.5-Ezra.9.15" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.9
|