Nt::he.t l:t,J,41 Ch3pt. Contemplations. LIB.XXI. Proclamation is made thorow Judah and Jerufalem, under paine of forfeiture of A fub!boce, and excommunication from Gods people; that all the children ofthe captivity lhould gather themfelves together untoJeruf~lem.They are met accordingly; The Courts ofGods Houfe are thronged wtth penttents ; and OQw, as ifthe heaven would reach them ,~hat ro doe, the clouds raine downe abundance of teares. Whatwith thofe fad f11owers, what with their inward remorfe, the people fit rrem. bliog in the open Courts;and humbly wait for thereproofe,for the fenrence of E::.r•. He tifes up, and with a fevere countenance, !ayes before them their finne, their ame_nds : The fin~e of their llran~e wives;the amends o~ their confdlion,,oftheir feparatlon : not fpanng to fearch thetr wouns1 nor ncglecbng the mee.t platller for their cure. The pe_ol'!e, as willin!l to be healed, yeeld themfelves patieotly to that rough hand, not lh_rmkmg at the pat_ne,or fa_vounng the for<! Asth•u haflf•id,fom•ft wt dot; B Ondy cravmg a fir propomon of ttme, and a due atlillance for thedifpatch offo long and important awotke. Ezra gladly hearkens to this, nor fo much requell as counfell oflfrael; The charge is divided to me11, and dayes; For two moneths fp~ce the commitliooers fit clofe; and withio that compa!fe, finilh this bufinefl'e, not more rhankldfe thm nece!fary: Doubtle!fe much varietyofpatlionmet with them in this bufie fervice; Here you lhould have f<enean affectionate husband bitterly weeping at the difmitlionofa loving wife, and drowniog his !all farewell in fobs : there you might have fc<ne a patlionate wife, hanging upon the armes of her beloved husband and onher knees, conjuring him by his former vowes, and the deare pledges oftheir loves; and profering with many teares, to redeeme the loffeofher husband with the change ofher R<ligion :Here you might !Jave feene rhe kindred and parents ofthe C difmi!fed, flmtting up their denied fuits with rage andthreats; There, the abandoned childrenkneeling to their feemingly-crucll father, befeechinghim not to call offthe fruit of his owne Ioynes; and expo!l:ularing, what they have offended in bein1: his: The refolved Ifraelitcs mull be' deafe, or blind to thcfcmoving objetis; and fo farrc forget nature, as to put offpart ofthcmfclves. Perfonall inconveniences have reafon to yeeld to publikmifchiefes: Long interrainment makes that fiane hard to be eject. ed; whofe fir!l: motions might have beeae repelled with cafe. Had not the prohibition of thefemariages beene cxpre!fe, and their danger and mifchiefe palpable, the care of their feparation had not bred fo much tumult in Ifrael. He that ordained matrimony, had upon fcarcfull curies forbidden an unequal! yokewith infidels. Befidesthe marring of the Church by the mixture ofan uoholy D feed,Religion fuffered for thcprefent,and all good hearts wirh it;Many teares,many facrifices need to expiate fo foule an offence, and to fer Ifraelllraight againe. All rhis while even thcfe meflinc Jewes wereyetfQrwardto build theTemple; The wor!l: finners may yeeld an outward conformity to a~ions of piety : Et:OrA bath done more fervice in pulliogdowne, then the }ewes in building ; without this act,the Temple might havellood, Religion mull needs have falne. Babd had beene traofiared to J erufalem; }ewes had turned Gentiles. Oh happy indeavours ofdevour and holyEzrAthat bath at once rellored Judah to God, and to it felfc. Nehemiah building the walls ofIerufalem. · Hirteene yeares were now pa!fed, lince Ezr•ts goiag up to JerufaIcm; when Neht..,Jab the religious Courtier of ArtAxerxts, inquires ofthe e!l:ate ofhis Country, aad brethren of}ud:ra: He might well finde that holy Scribe had not beene idle : The commitlion of Ar· taxerxts had beenc improved by him to the utmoll1Diforders were reformed, but the walls lay wall; the Temple was built, butrht City was ruinous; and iffome llrcetswere repaired, yet they llood unguarded; open to the mercie of an enemie, to the infellation of ill neighbour• hood; Grea't bodies mull have flowmotions; As Jerufalem, fo the Church ofGod whofc type it was, mull be finilht by leifure. NehtmiAh E
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