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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Ezra, Chapter III].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>E Z R A</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. III.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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In the close of the foregoing chapter we left Israel in their cities,
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but we may well imagine what a bad posture their affairs were in, the
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ground untilled, the cities in ruins, all out of order; but here we
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have an account of the early care they took about the re-establishment
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of religion among them. Thus did they lay the foundation well, and
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begin their work at the right end.
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I. They set up an altar, and offered sacrifices upon it, kept the
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feasts, and contributed towards the rebuilding of the temple,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:1-7">ver. 1-7</A>.
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II. They laid the foundation of the temple with a mixture of joy and
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sorrow,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:8-13">ver. 8-13</A>.
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This was the day of small things, which was not to be despised,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+4:10">Zech. iv. 10</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Renewal of the Sacrifices.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 536.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And when the seventh month was come, and the children of
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Israel <I>were</I> in the cities, the people gathered themselves
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together as one man to Jerusalem.
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2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the
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priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren,
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and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt
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offerings thereon, as <I>it is</I> written in the law of Moses the man
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of God.
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3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear <I>was</I> upon
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them because of the people of those countries: and they offered
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burnt offerings thereon unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, <I>even</I> burnt offerings
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morning and evening.
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4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as <I>it is</I> written,
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and <I>offered</I> the daily burnt offerings by number, according to
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the custom, as the duty of every day required;
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5 And afterward <I>offered</I> the continual burnt offering, both of
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the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> that were
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consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill
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offering unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer
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burnt offerings unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>. But the foundation of the temple
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of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> was not <I>yet</I> laid.
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7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters;
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and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of
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Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa,
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according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is, I. A general assembly of the returned Israelites at Jerusalem,
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in the <I>seventh month,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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We may suppose that they came from Babylon in the spring, and must
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allow at least four months for the journey, for so long Ezra and his
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company were in coming,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+7:9"><I>ch.</I> vii. 9</A>.
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The seventh month therefore soon came, in which many of the feasts of
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the Lord were to be solemnized; and then they gathered themselves
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together by agreement among themselves, rather than by the command of
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authority, to Jerusalem. Though they had newly come to their cities,
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and had their hands full of business there, to provide necessaries for
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themselves and their families, which might have excused them from
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attending on God's altar till the hurry was a little over, as many
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foolishly put off their coming to the communion till they are settled
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in the world, yet such was their zeal for religion, now that they had
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newly come from under correction for their irreligion, that they left
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all their business in the country, to attend God's altar; and (which is
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strange) in this pious zeal they were all of a mind, they came <I>as
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one man.</I> Let worldly business be postponed to the business of
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religion and it will prosper the better.</P>
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<P>
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II. The care which their leading men took to have an altar ready for
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them to attend upon.</P>
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<P>
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1. Joshua and his brethren the priests, Zerubbabel and his brethren the
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princes, built <I>the altar of the God of Israel</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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in the same place (it is likely) where it had stood, upon the same
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bases,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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Bishop Patrick, observing that before the temple was built there seems
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to have been a tabernacle pitched for the divine service, as was in
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David's time, not on Mount Moriah, but Mount Sion
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+9:23">1 Chron. ix. 23</A>),
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supposes that this altar was erected there, to be sued while the temple
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was in building. Let us learn hence,
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(1.) To <I>begin with God.</I> The more difficult and necessitous our
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case is the more concerned we are to take him along with us in all our
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ways. If we expect to be directed by his oracles, let him be honoured
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by our offerings.
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(2.) To <I>do what we can</I> in the worship of God when <I>we cannot
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do what we would.</I> They could not immediately have a temple, but
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they would not be without an altar. Abraham, wherever he came, <I>built
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an altar;</I> and wherever we come, though we may perhaps want the
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benefit of the candlestick of preaching, and the showbread of the
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eucharist, yet, if we bring not the sacrifices of prayer and praise, we
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are wanting in our duty, for we have an altar that sanctifies the gift
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ever ready.</P>
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<P>
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2. Observe the reason here given why they hastened to set up the altar:
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<I>Fear was upon them, because of the people of the land.</I> They were
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in the midst of enemies that bore ill will to them and their religion,
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for whom they were an unequal match. And,
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(1.) <I>Though</I> they were so, yet they built the altar (so some read
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it); they would not be frightened from their religion by the opposition
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they were likely to meet with in it. Never let the fear of man bring us
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into this snare.
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(2.) <I>Because</I> they were so, therefore they set up the altar.
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Apprehension of danger should stir us up to our duty. Have we many
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enemies? Then it is good to have God our friend and to keep up our
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correspondence with him. This good use we should make of our fears, we
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should be driven by them to our knees. Even Saul would think himself
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undone if the enemy should come upon him before he had made his
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supplication to God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+13:12">1 Sam. xii. 12</A>.</P>
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<P>
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III. The sacrifices they offered upon the altar. The altar was reared
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to be used, and they used it accordingly. Let not those that have an
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altar starve it.</P>
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<P>
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1. They began <I>on the first day of the seventh month,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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It does not appear that they had any fire from heaven to begin with, as
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Moses and Solomon had, but common fire served them, as it did the
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patriarchs.</P>
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<P>
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2. Having begun, they kept up the <I>continual burnt-offering</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>),
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<I>morning and evening,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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They had known by sad experience what it was to want the comfort of the
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daily sacrifice to plead in their daily prayers, and now that it was
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revived they resolved not to let it fall again. The daily lamb typified
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the Lamb of God, whose righteousness must be our confidence in all our
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prayers.</P>
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<P>
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3. They observed all the <I>set feasts of the Lord,</I> and offered the
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sacrifices appointed for each, and particularly <I>the feast of
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tabernacles,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:4,5"><I>v.</I> 4, 5</A>.
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Now that they had received such great mercy from God that joyful feast
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was in a special manner seasonable. And now that they were beginning to
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settle in their cities it might serve well to remind them of their
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fathers dwelling in tents in the wilderness. That feast also which had
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a peculiar reference to gospel times (as appears,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+14:18">Zech. xiv. 18</A>)
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was brought, in a special manner, into reputation, now that those times
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drew on. Of the services of this feast, which continued seven days and
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had peculiar sacrifices appointed, it is said that they did <I>as the
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duty of every day required</I> (see
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+29:13-38">Num. xxix. 13, 17</A>,
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&c.), <I>Verbum die in die suo--the word, or matter, of the
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day in its day</I> (so it is in the original)--a phrase that has become
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proverbial with those that have used themselves to scripture-language.
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If the feast of tabernacles was a figure of a gospel conversation, in
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respect of continual weanedness from the world and joy in God, we may
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infer that it concerns us all to do the <I>work of the day in its day,
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according as the duty of the day requires,</I> that is,
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(1.) We must improve time, by finding some business to do every day
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that will turn to a good account.
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(2.) We must improve opportunity, by accommodating ourselves to that
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which is the proper business of the present day. Every thing is
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beautiful in its season. The tenth day of this month was the day of
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atonement, a solemn day, and very seasonable now: it is very probable
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that they observed it, yet it is not mentioned, nor indeed in all the
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Old Testament do I remember the least mention of the observance of that
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day; as if it were enough that we have the law of it in
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:1-34">Lev. xvi.</A>,
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and the gospel of it, which was the chief intention of it, in the New
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Testament.</P>
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<P>
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4. They offered <I>every man's free-will offering,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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The law required much, but they brought more; for, though they had
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little wealth to support the expense of their sacrifices, they had much
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zeal, and, we may suppose, spared at their own tables that they might
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plentifully supply God's altar. Happy are those that bring with them
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out of the furnace of affliction such a holy heat as this.</P>
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<P>
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IV. The preparation they made for the building of the temple,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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This they applied themselves immediately to; for, while we do what we
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can, we must still be aiming to do more and better. Tyre and Sidon must
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now, as of old, furnish them with workmen, and Lebanon with timber,
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orders for both which they had from Cyrus. What God calls us to we may
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depend upon his providence to furnish us for.</P>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ezr3_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Foundation of the Temple Laid.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 535.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God
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at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of
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Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of
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their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that
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were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the
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Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the
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work of the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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9 Then stood Jeshua <I>with</I> his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel
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and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the
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workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, <I>with</I> their
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sons and their brethren the Levites.
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10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets,
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and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
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11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving
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thanks unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>; because <I>he is</I> good, for his mercy
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<I>endureth</I> for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted
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with a great shout, when they praised the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, because the
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foundation of the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> was laid.
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12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the
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fathers, <I>who were</I> ancient men, that had seen the first house,
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when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes,
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wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
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13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout
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of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the
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people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar
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off.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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There was no dispute among the returned Jews whether they should build
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the temple or no; that was immediately resolved on, and that it should
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be done with all speed; what comfort could they take in their own land
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if they had not that token of God's presence with them and the record
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of his name among them? We have here therefore an account of the
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beginning of that good work. Observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. When it was begun-in the second month of the second year, as soon as
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ever the season of the year would permit
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>),
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and when they had ended the solemnities of the passover. They took
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little more than half a year for making preparation of the ground and
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materials; so much were their hearts upon it. Note, When any good work
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is to be done it will be our wisdom to set about it quickly, and not to
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lose time, yea, though we foresee difficulty and opposition in it. Thus
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we engage ourselves to it, and engage God for us. Well begun (we say)
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is half ended.</P>
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<P>
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II. Who began it--Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and their brethren. Then the
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work of God is likely to go on well when magistrates, ministers, and
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people, are hearty for it, and agree in their places to promote it. It
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was God that gave them one heart for this service, and it boded
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well.</P>
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<P>
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III. Who were employed to further it. They appointed the <I>Levites to
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set forward the work</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>),
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and they did it by <I>setting forward the workmen</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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and strengthening their hands with good and comfortable words. Note,
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Those that do not work themselves may yet do good service by quickening
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and encouraging those that do work.</P>
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<P>
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IV. How God was praised at the laying of the foundation of the temple
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:10,11"><I>v.</I> 10, 11</A>);
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the priests with the trumpets appointed by Moses, and the Levites with
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the cymbals appointed by David, made up a concert of music, not to
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please the ear, but to assist the singing of that everlasting hymn
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which will never be out of date, and to which our tongues should never
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be out of tune, <I>God is good, and his mercy endureth for ever,</I>
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the burden of
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+136:1-26">Ps. cxxxvi.</A>
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Let all the streams of mercy be traced up to the fountain. Whatever our
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condition is, how many soever our griefs and fears, let it be owned
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that God is good; and, whatever fails, that his mercy fails not. Let
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this be sung with application, as here; not only his mercy endures for
|
|
ever, but it endures for ever towards Israel, Israel when captives in a
|
|
strange land and strangers in their own land. However it be, yet
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<I>God is good to Israel</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+73:1">Ps. lxxiii. 1</A>),
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good to us. Let the reviving of the church's interests, when they
|
|
seemed dead, be ascribed to the continuance of God's mercy for ever,
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for therefore the church continues.</P>
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<P>
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V. How the people were affected. A remarkable mixture of various
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affections there was upon this occasion. Different sentiments there
|
|
were among the people of God, and each expressed himself according to
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his sentiments, and yet there was no disagreement among them, their
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minds were not alienated from each other nor the common concern
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|
retarded by it.
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1. Those that only knew the misery of having no temple at all praised
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|
the Lord with shouts of joy when they saw but the foundation of one
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laid,
|
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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To them even this foundation seemed great, and was as life from the
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|
dead; to their hungry souls even this was sweet. They shouted, so that
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<I>the noise was heard afar off.</I> Note, We ought to be thankful for
|
|
the beginnings of mercy, though we have not yet come to the perfection
|
|
of it; and the foundations of a temple, after long desolations, cannot
|
|
but be fountains of joy to every faithful Israelite.
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|
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2. Those that remembered the glory of the first temple which Solomon
|
|
built, and considered how far this was likely to be inferior to that,
|
|
perhaps in dimensions, certainly in magnificence and sumptuousness,
|
|
<I>wept with a loud voice,</I>
|
|
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+3:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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If we date the captivity with the first, from the fourth of Jehoiakim,
|
|
it was about fifty-two years since the temple was burnt; if from
|
|
Jeconiah's captivity, it was but fifty-nine. So that many now alive
|
|
might remember it standing; and a great mercy it was to the captives
|
|
that they had the lives of so many of their priests and Levites
|
|
lengthened out, who could tell them what they themselves remembered of
|
|
the glory of Jerusalem, to quicken them in their return. These
|
|
lamented the disproportion between this temple and the former. And,
|
|
|
|
(1.) There was some reason for it; and if they turned their tears into
|
|
the right channel, and bewailed the sin that was the cause of this
|
|
melancholy change, they did well. Sin sullies the glory of any church
|
|
or people, and, when they find themselves diminished and brought low,
|
|
that must bear the blame.
|
|
|
|
(2.) Yet it was their infirmity to mingle those tears with the common
|
|
joys and so to cast a damp upon them. They <I>despised the day of small
|
|
things,</I> and were unthankful for the good they enjoyed, because it
|
|
was not so much as their ancestors had, though it was much more than
|
|
they deserved. In the harmony of public joys, let not us be jarring
|
|
strings. It was an aggravation of the discouragement they hereby gave
|
|
to the people that they were priests and Levites, who should have known
|
|
and taught others how to be duly affected under various providences,
|
|
and not to let the remembrance of former afflictions drown the sense of
|
|
present mercies. This mixture of sorrow and joy here is a
|
|
representation of this world. Some are bathing in rivers of joy, while
|
|
others are drowned in floods of tears. In heaven all are singing, and
|
|
none sighing; in hell all are weeping and wailing, and none rejoicing;
|
|
but here on earth we can scarcely <I>discern the shouts of joy from the
|
|
noise of the weeping.</I> Let us learn to <I>rejoice with those that do
|
|
rejoice</I> and <I>weep with those that weep,</I> and ourselves to
|
|
rejoice as though we rejoiced not, and weep as though we wept not.</P>
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