Ezra 10:44

REFLECTIONS

PAUSE, my soul, over this chapter, and before I close this book of divine inspiration, and shut up the view of this great man's history and reform; see, and consider what the Holy Ghost graciously intended to teach the church from it of a spiritual, gospel nature.

And here, my soul, stand still and consider how much of thine own life and conduct is strikingly set forth. Have I not from the womb been seeking out and forming strange alliances, and taking up connection with anything, and with everything, rather than being married to Christ? In Adam and his stock, fallen, sinful, and polluted I was born; by nature closely attached to him, and seeking nothing but what proved my alliance to him. Married to the law, wedded to my own righteousness, (or rather my fancied righteousness, for in reality righteousness I had none); how did I seek to find justification before God by the works of the law? And though that law became only the ministration of death; though its demands of unsinning obedience, making no one allowance whatever, might have made my very soul tremble under its universally condemning power; yet notwithstanding its rigour; notwithstanding the dreadful condemnation it held forth; still infatuated to my own present and everlasting ruin, never should I have put away those strange wives had not Jesus, like another Ezra, have come with grace in his lips, and love in his heart, and by his Holy Spirit convinced me of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and divorcing me from every other alliance, betrothed me to himself, and made me his forever. Oh! thou almighty Bridegroom of thy church and of thy people! what unknown, unexplored riches are contained in that tender character. Yes! my soul! thy Maker is thine husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name. And thy Redeemer, the God of the whole earth, shall he be called. Help me, Jesus, my Lord and my God, to put away all the strange alliances my poor sinful heart hath been making. Do thou, dearest Jesus, hedge up my path, my way, with thorns, if at any time my wandering soul should be going away from thee after my old lovers! oh! draw me, thou dear Lord Jesus, that I may run after thee; and be thou my Ishi, my husband, my Holy One, the Lord my righteousness.

Farewell, Ezra, faithful servant of my God! I bless thy Lord, and my Lord, that he was pleased to sanctify thy ministry in this sweet book of thine, under God the Spirit, in showing so much of Jesus shadowed forth in the several parts of it. And, blessed Lord God, be thou eternally praised, when from the services of thy inspired ministers glory thereby reverts to Jesus; everlasting glory be to the holy undivided Three in One, for all salvation. Amen.