Ezra 7

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VII.—God richly endows men with proper gifts and grace when he intends them for distinguished work in his church. And that character is highly exalted in which great knowledge and activity meet with great holiness of heart and life. Yea very excellent is a knowledge of the scriptures, when it is reduced to practice and employed in the instruction of others. If God call us to a difficult service, he can make all things concur to our encouragement. If his people want magistrates of their own religion, he can make heathens to compensate the loss, doing honour to his word as the rule; shewing at once generous hearts and open hands, and punishing contentious despisers of him and his interests. But how thankful ought we to when he thus makes the princes of this world nursing parents to his characters to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well! Surely then it is coming in us to depend on him alone as our strength and salvation, ascribe the glory of all that we are or do in his service to his own power grace