Ezekiel 26:21

REFLECTIONS

OH! Eternal Spirit, who by thy servant the Prophet, hath here brought us into visions of God! condescend blessed Lord, to be our Guide and Teacher in them: If by the Tyre here spoken of as an enemy to the Church, we are to consider the ancient Tyre the foe to Israel, we bless thee, O Lord, for thus showing thy people how graciously thou hast always watched over them for good, notwithstanding their unworthiness; and considered the injuries shown to them, as directed against thyself. And if Lord, this prophecy hath a further reference to the after dispensations in thy Church; and this becomes some mystic Tyre, that shall be thrown down, and thy Church triumph over her, when thou shalt set glory in the land of the living; give, gracious Lord, wisdom, both to him that writes and to him that reads, humbly to wait at thy footstool, thy revelations, in their due season; and never presume to be wise above what is written. Grant Holy Lord, all suited and becoming grace to this purpose, and make the heart of each infinitely more studious, to be found among thy faithful people, when thou shalt set glory in the land of the living, than to be among the wise and prudent in their own conceit, from whom divine things are hidden. Oh! precious, precious Jesus! be it our one only desire, to be found in thee: that when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning; it may be our portion to be found written, among the living in Jerusalem! Amen.