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1. GOD fometimes referves the best,of men. for the worst of times. Good Hezekiah is raised between a wicked Ahaz and a wicked Manaffeh; and good Jofiah between a wicked Amon and a wicked Jehoahaz. Such good men are the pillars of the earth; through the means of their prayers, and that they may be fafely housed in the triumphant Church, the day of divine forbearance is prolonged, as the day of vengeance is deferred. It had fared ill with backfliding Judah much fooner, if God had not bestowed on her fuch men as a reforming Jofiah, and a weeping Jeremiah.

2. THE Lord may reward and countenance a work of reformation when there are several things attending it ftill calling for reformation. The Lord approved of Jofiah's reformation, and made it the means of deferring his judginents; but it was accompanied with the want of fincerity in many of the people, and the want of due fearch into the iniquities of their fathers in all.

3. THE reading of the holy Scriptures is the means of awakening, both unto a fenfe of fin and duty. In times of ignorance, idolatry, fuperftition, and corruption, the Scriptures are concealed from, or, at least, flighted by a people; yea, fuch has been the audacity of a certain fociety, who prefumes to appropriate unto

itself the name of THE CHURCH-the only Church on earth, that it has locked up the precious treasure of the holy Scriptures in an unknown tongue; and a dreadful anathema hangs over the head of him who dares to peep into this facred depofitum. The dark times of Popery and the reigns of Manafleh and Amon were, in fome refpects, analogous; particularly in ignorance of the Scriptures: And the reading of the Scriptures produced a fimilar effect in Jofiah's time with that at the Reformation from Popery. It was bleffed, at both, for awakening unto a dread of fin, and for exciting unto formal covenanting.

4. GOD fometimes brings his people into formal covenanting with himself, as the means of preparing them for the day of affliction. He makes fome take the fafter hold of him, in order to their taking him along with them into the furnace: And others are permitted to aggravate their iniquities by a pretending to take hold of him, when, in fact, they are about to renounce him, and he is about to punish them for their apoftacy and deceit, that they may fill up the measure of their iniquity. This people was just on the brink of the Babylonifh captivity: And the people of our own land covenanted but a little before they were caft into the furnace of a long and grievous perfecution,

perfecution. How some were thereby fitted to bear their fiery trial, and others accumulated their guilt, are plain to all in the least converfant with the hiftory of thofe times. God grant, that a furnace may not be a-heating for covenanters in this finning land; or, if it muft needs be, that covenanting may be blessed to prepare for that evil day.

DISSER

ON THE COVENANT

BETWEEN GOD AND HIS CHURCH,

IN THE DAYS OF EZRAH:

I

EZRAH X. 3-5:

SHALL purfue our fubject, in this Tranfaction, by attending to the following particulars I. The Character of the Covenanters. -II.. The Minifter, by whofe agency they entered into this Covenant.-III: The Matter of the Covenant.-IV. The Occafions of it.-V. Its Confirmations.-Then make fome Reflections on the whole.

FIRST, I shall confider the CHARACTER of the Covenanters. The account of them, which is afforded in the infpired hiftory, is to the following purpose: "They were perfons returned from the Babylonish captivity, and engaged in repairing the city of Jerufalem; but not fufficiently weaned from connection with

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the nations: Hence, guilty of affinity to idolaters, fo as to expofe themfelves unto the wratir of God. They were not fo hardened in fin, however, as to contemn the warning which was given them from the word of God; but, when they heard the threatening it denounced against fuch an offence, they TREMBLED AT GOD'S WORD. The perfons affected at these threatenings were, "A VERY GREAT CONGREGATION, out of all Ifracl, of men women, and children; even fuch as had rendered themselves obnoxious to them, and these were the Princes and Rulers, the Priests and the Levites, and the people of Ifrael." Had not thefe got enough of the people of the land? Yes, more than enough; but how often have perfons formed connections to their hurt! How

often have thofe who were feparated to God affociated with his enemies? This people, then, were the offspring of covenanting Jews, but chargeable with acting a part altogether unworthy of their folemn engagements, and of their peculiar privileges.-A people, however, that had been endued with the grace of repentance; as well as enabled to make fuitable profeffions of it.

SECONDLY, I fhall attend unto the CHARACTER of Ezrah, who was the Minifter in this Tranfaction. The first notice we have of him is at the Perfian Court: Having preferred a petition unto the king, he found favour be

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