fore Artaxerxes, his counsellors, 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 himself 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 alfo a perfon of diftinguish ed 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 easily investigated. 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 claflès; 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

000 2

Nor was his zeal inferior to his abilities. He gave proof of his inclination and capacity, not only in rifking a petition to the Perfian monarch, but alfo in taking the lead of the returning captives in a journey of feveral hundred miles, without a guard, and in a country infefted with robbers and ravenous beafts: And he difplayed his zeal for the interefts of religion, by fanctifying a faft at the river Ahavah*, in recommending himfelf and all his fellow-travellers to the protection of heaven, their circum ftances rendering human protection ineligible†.

principal Secretary of State, who exccuted civil deeds according to their dignity and degree. The profeffion 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 Forrester 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 infruct the people: Hence, the phrase imports the gift of knowledge, and the gift of utterance, which two com prehend 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 spoken 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."

He

He alfo gave evidence of his ardour for the glory of God, by furveying the people, and fearching for the Priefts and the fons of Levi; and, when he found none, by fending to a very great diftance for thein, to conduct the people in the important duties in which they were employed. Fafting was a duty very familiar unto this READY SCRIBE; he had fcarce reached Jerufalem, and rejoiced in furveying the temple, till he was informed of the tranf greffion of the Princes and Rulers, the Pricfts and Levites, by being joined in affinity with the Canaanites, among whom they dwelt. This gave ample fcope unto the exercife of his forrow, as well as of every other grace which is requifite unto right confeffion: Hence, he has afforded us a noble pattern of that ufeful, but defpifed duty. I fhall only add, If Ezrah's character be furveyed in a political view, he was a faithful adminiftrator of the facred- trea-fures committed to his truft, as well as an im partial difpenfer of juftice among the people. Superior unto avarice and bribery, he weighed over the free-will-offerings of the Perlian monarch into the hand of faithful keepers; and executed the divine law, with an equal hand, on the Prince and the Peafant,-on the Pricft and the Levite. He filled the high ftation of governor in Judea, unto the benefit of the Jews, the advancement of religion; as alfo to the honour and fatisfaction of Artaxerxes, from whom he received his commiflion. Should

any

any enquire Whether he brought the people into this bond as Artaxerxes's governor, or as a priest of the Moft High God? The facred hiftory answers, It was as a prieft: "And Ezrah the priest, and all of them by their names, WHO were separated, fat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter *." As a priest he drew up the bond; and, as a prieft, he looked after the fulfilment of their

Vow.

THIRDLY, I fhall now confider the BOND which was framed and fworn on this occafion, and which conftituted the MATTER of this Covenant. There is, befides confefsion of sin, a general claufe refpecting the whole of God's revealed will, and a particular one adapted to that reformation which their cafe required.

THEY engage unto genuine repentance and fuitable confeffion of fin: "Make confeffion unto the Lord God of your fathers." The glorious party with whom they were to covenant is, the LORD GOD OF THEIR FATHERS. This covenanted character gave them great encouragement to confefs their iniquities unto him; and to fay unto him, "Pardon, we befeech thee, our iniquities, as thou haft done from Egypt's land until now." The duty of confeflion has not only fin, but likeways bene

* Ezr. x. 10. with verfe 16...

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fits for the object of it, as well as truth: Hence it was penitential, euchariftic, and ecclefiaftic, The import of ecclefiaftic confeffion will be afterwards explained.

2. THEY engage TO DO THE PLEASURE. of the Lord God of their fathers. The pleafure of God, in this text at leaft, extends not only unto pofitive inftitutions, which originate in the good pleafure of God; but alfo unto all the acts of natural worship, which are ever well pleafing in his fight. Thus, angels are faid to DO HIS PLEASURE, as they fulfil God's commandments in a more exalted degree than imperfect men. This article, then, muft include all the known will of God, the moral, ceremonial, and judicial laws; with all that advantageous light in which they were placed by after revelations. This was the general claufe in their covenant, which, though general, was well understood; becaufe the particulars included had been often explained in for

mer covenants.,

3. THEY engaged TO SEPARATE FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND, AND FROM THE

STRANGE WIVES. The particular fin which was charged on them was, their confederacy and affinity with the people of the nations round about. The Jews, probably despairing of the divine protection, had entered into a league, offenfive and defenfive, with fome of