Ezra 6

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VI.—Impartial search never hurts, but helps, the cause of truth: and God makes the attempts against his church the means of her advantage and honour. He raises up unexpected instruments to accomplish his gracious purposes. And often his spiritual work is carried on by their means, who have neither part nor lot in the matter. The prayers of the godly are, or ought to be, the great support of nations and their magistrates: and, if magistrates understood their own interests, they would carefully secure them in their favour. But dreadful is the curse which shall at last light upon all the enemies of Christ and his church. And it is high time to be active and bold in his work, when we are bound to it by his express command, shamed into it by repeated edicts of heathen magistrates, and encouraged in it by his faithful ministers. God will have his work finished at last, notwithstanding ten thousand obstructions. What a mercy is it when Christ’s church is prepared for the exact observance of all his ordinances, the most solemn not excepted! And it is a matter of great joy to all his true friends, and an honour to a church, when ministers are remarkably holy and faithful. Yea, it is highly necessary that all of us solemnly dedicate ourselves for temples to God; and offer up the solemn prayers of faith for God’s blessing on the ordinances of his grace, which we have, or expect to enjoy. Yet not upon our services in his church must our hopes and joys depend, but on Jesus, as our God-honouring and sin-explaining oblation, and our passover sacrificed for us. If we live on him as our all in all, and occupy ourselves diligently in his service, the Lord will provide friends for us, even where we least expected