perfecution.

How some were thereby fitted

to bear their fiery trial, and others accumulated their guilt, are plain to all in the leaft converfant with the history of those times. God grant, that a furnace may not be a-heating for covenanters in this finning land; or, if it must 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 Tranfac

tion, 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 fhall 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 Babylonifh captivity, and engaged in repairing the city of Jerufalem; but not fufficiently weaned from connection with

*

the

the nations: Hence, guilty of affinity to idolaters, fo as to expofe themselves 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 TRE MBLED 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 thefe were the Princes and Rulers, the Priefts and the Levites, and the people of Ifrael." Had not these 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

fore

fore Artaxerxes, his counfellors, and all his mighty princes; and got an edict, authorifing him to lead unto Jerufalem fuch of the people of Ifrael, and of the Priefts and Levites as had a willing mind for the journey; at the fame time, the king was induced to contribute liberally for the fervice of the temple, and to grant full authority, that whatfoever is commanded by the God of heaven, be done for the houfe of the God of heaven. Ezrah himfelf was of the facerdotal line; being the. fon, or grandfon of Seraiah, the high-prieft, who was flain by Nebuchadnezzar, when he ftormed Jerufalem. He was also a person of distinguished gifts and uncommon learning; hence, he was ftyled a READY SCRIBE of the law of Mofes, which the Lord God of Ifrael had given*.

Nor

Scribes appear to have been a particular order of men among the Jews, devoted to literature. Their origin, however, is not eafily inveftigated. Some make it as ancient as the giving of the Law: Others fix it in the days of David; but Spanheim the elder thinks it was by no means fo ancient. Others have brought it as low as the days of Jehoshaphat; while fome carry it fill lower, even to the days of Ezrah. But, whatever be the æra at which this order formally commenced, yet it was always neceflary that fome perfons fhould execute this office, even from the time at which the law was committed to writing. The Scribes have been properly enough distributed into two claffes; namely, CIVIL and ECCLESIASTIC. The Civil Scribe is mentioned as early as the days of David, 2 Sam. viii. 17. Nor is the Sacred one of a later date, 1 Chron. xxvii. 32. Of the former there were various ranks, from the common notary to the principal

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Nor was his zeal inferior to his abilities. gave proof of his inclination and capacity, not only in rifking a petition to the Persian monarch, but alfo in taking the lead of the returning captives in a journey of feveral hundred miles, with out a guard, and in a country infefted with robbers and ravenous beafts: And he displayed his zeal for the interefts of religion, by fanctifying a faft at the river Ahavah*, in recommending himself and all his fellow-travellers to the protection of heaven,-their circumftances rendering human protection ineligible†.

principal Secretary of State, who executed civil deeds according to their dignity and degree. The profeflion of the Sacred Scribe was to make out correct copies of the Scriptures, and to read and explain it to the people. It has been difputed among the learned, If Scribes and Lawyers were of the fame order; or, if they were different Spanheim the elder makes them the fame ; Camero, Drufius, and Trigland, as well as Forrefter and Chemnetius, make them diftinct offices. After all, as the infpired writers ufe the terms promifcuously, this feems to be a diftinction without a difference, compare Matth. xxii. 35. with Mark xii. 28. Ezrah got the epithet of a READY SCRIBE. The phrafe is analogous to that in Pfal. xlv. 1. He was ready to bring forth things both NEW and OLD; dexterous in declaring the will of God unto the people. It was the duty of Scribes to instruct the people: Hence, the phrafe imports the gift of knowledge, and the gift of utterance, which two comprehend APTNESS to teach.

* Ahavah is a river in the land of Affyria.

+ Ezr. viii. 22. "For I was afhamed to require of the king a band of foldiers, and horfemen, to help us against the enemy in the way: becaufe we had fpoken unto the king, faying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that feek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forfake him."

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