Ezra 9

God does not go according to the summum jus, or rigor of the law; he abates something of his severity. He might inflict heavier penalties than he does, (Ezra 9:14) You have punished us less than our iniquities deserve; our mercies are more than we deserve, our punishments less.…

As Mauritius the Emperor, when he saw his sons slain before his eyes, Iustus es Domine, Righteous are you O Lord in all your ways. We justify God, and confess he punishes us less than we deserve (Ezra 9:13). (3.) Patient submission to God's will lies in the accepting of the puni…

The third thing in Humiliation, is supplication made to God for mercy, as earnestly as in a matter of life and death: and of these three things we have in scripture the examples of Ezra, Daniel, and the Prodigall sonne. Ezra 9. Dan. 9.

(2 Kings 19:19) Now therefore, O Lord our God, I ask you to save us out of his hand. Ezra bases his prayer on this (Ezra 9:6): O my God, I am ashamed and blush. And Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:12): O our God, will you not judge them?

Even they that make a covenant with God, they often break covenant with him; and so often as you entertain any thought in your mind, wherein you have not consulted with God, and do anything further than you have warrant from God, so often have you broken covenant; so often as th…

And this has been always the help of the godly in their distress. Read 2 Chronicles 33:12; Ezra 9; Daniel 9; Psalm 32; 31; 130; 143. Consider the example of the Publican, and the Prodigal son, who condemn themselves, and make their appeal to the court of mercy and grace.

Hear ye the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his Word. Ezra 9:4. Then were assembled unto me, every one that trembled at the Words of the God of Israel.

So is it expressed in Answer to what he requires. O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you my God, because of our Iniquities, Ezra 9. 6. And by another Prophet, We lye down in our shame, and our Confusion coveres us, for we have sinned against the Lord our God,…

And then, (2. For caution against sin for the time to come; it's plain, that the rebukes of Providence leave that effect also upon gracious hearts, Ezra 9. 13, 14. Psalm 85:8

Those mercies and comforts are undoubtedly sanctified to men, which humble their souls kindly before God in the sense of their own vileness and unworthiness of them, Genesis 32:10 And Jacob said, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, &c. Sanctified mercies are commonl…

Especially if we remember, that we never deserved the least part of the good we have received, but we have deserved more than all the evil that we suffer. We may say as Ezra did (Ezra 9:13), You our God has punished us less than our iniquities; and we may say as Jacob (Genesis 3…

APPLICATION. GOd having to do in a way of correction with divers sorts of offenders, does not use the like severity with them all, but proportions his correction to their abilities and strength, Ier. 30. 11. I will not make a full end of you, but will [correct you in measure] an…

When formerly I had fallen by the hand of a temptation, how was I accustomed to lie in tears at the Lord's feet, bemoaning myself? How did I hasten to my closet, and there cry like Ezra (Ezra 9:6), O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to look up to you. How did I sigh and weep befo…

In the last storm he shot off his Vvarning-piece; in the next, he may discharge his Murdering-piece against my Soul and body. O my Soul! has he given you such deliverances as these, and darest you again break his Commandments; Ezra 9. 13, 14. O let me pay the Vows that my lips h…

The Original of that nation is known from the Scripture, as also their Worship of God, 2 Kings 17. Their solemn Excommunication and casting out from any interest among the people of God, is also recorded, Ezra 9, Nehemiah 6: and chapter 13. Their continuance in their abomination…

Does God take away a Child? he might take away his Spirit; Does he chastize the Body? he might torment the Conscience. 2. God does not correct his Children so much as they have deserved, Ezra 9:13. You hast punished us less than our Iniquities deserve.

To you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake: if it be a gift, it is matter of praise. 5. Take these evils in the worst notion, they are less than we have deserved (Ezra 9:13). And after all that is come upon us for our…

3. It sweetens the duties of holiness; (1 John 5:3) This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. This makes our resistance of sin more serious, (Ezra 9:13) Seeing you our God has punished us less than our iniquities deserved, sho…

3. His punishments are not above deservings. Ezra 9:13. Seeing that you our God has punished us less than our iniquities deserve. Job 11:6. Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

Such expostulations and speeches are very frequent in the prophets; and all these speeches do abundantly justify God when he judges: he would gladly hold off the extremity of judgments deserved by them; the Lord makes a stand, and would gladly be prevented before he proceeds to…

But of the usefulness of this doctrine I speak in the treatise itself, and shall therefore forbear to name anything more of that nature in this place. As to the book I have but a few things to say; this treatise was begun, and almost finished, before the late sore and great plag…

God was angry with Solomon because he departed from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice (1 Kings 11:9). We should draw inferences as Ezra did (Ezra 9:13-14): After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, seeing you have punished us less than our iniquity d…

Secondly, in regard of our afflictions we have deserved more. "You have punished us less than our iniquities deserve" (Ezra 9:13). Is our condition sad?

Second, he minimized and excused his sin that it might appear lesser; he laid his sin upon the people (verse 24): Because I feared the people; they would have me take the spoil, and I dared do no other. A true mourner labors to draw out sin in its true colors, and accent it with…

And if God establish David's seed forever (Psalm 89:4) and the seed of his people shall possess the gates of their enemies (Genesis 24:60) and if he pour his Spirit upon the seed of Jacob (Isaiah 44:3) and circumcise the heart of the seed of his people (Deuteronomy 30:6) and put…

Our turning away our eye from the Covenant is the cause why we succumb; Christ, under his sorest assault with hell and hell's pursuivants and officers, devils, and the felt anger of a forsaking God, doubles his grips on the Covenant, my God, my God (Psalm 22:1) (Matthew 27), O m…

The expressions of smiting of the thigh, (Jeremiah 31:19). knocking on the breast, L[illegible]k. 18. 13. putting on of sackcloth, (Isaiah 22:12). plucking off the hair, (Ezra 9:3). What are all these, but outward signs of inward sorrow.

Prayer is the asking of an Alms, which requires humility, Luke 18 verse 13. The Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Gods incomprehensible glory may even amaze us, and st…

He might have deprived us of salvation; does he put wormwood in the cup? We have deserved poison, Ezra 9. 13. Thou hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve; we have a sea of sin, and but a drop of suffering. 7. The patient soul does most sweetly enjoy itself; an impatie…

And: I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I beseech you, remove the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly. Of Ezra: O my God, I am ashamed and confounded to lift up my eyes to you, my God, for our iniquities are increased over our he…

'You are just in all that is brought upon us,' said Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:33). 'You have punished us less than our iniquities deserve,' said Ezra (Ezra 9:13). 'It is of the Lord's mercy we are not consumed,' said the church (Lamentations 3:22).

Hence it is that they stick not to commit ten sins against God, to hide one sin from the eyes of men. It is a mercy that sin is the matter of men's shame, and that all are not arrived at that height of impudence to declare their sin as Sodom, and glory in their shame; but to be…

Then is the heart pricked, when God afflicts it with sorrow and grief for sin; grief for sin, and care for reformation of it. They were pierced with many sorrows for piercing of Christ, and care to be delivered from that sin: there are other affections that usually follow these,…

You hate sin as sin; if you are grieved for sin, not as it is grievous to your conscience, and an amazement to your spirit, but as it is loathsome and filthy in the sight of God; when you can abhor yourself for sin (Job 42:6). A man takes up a coal and feels it hot, and throws i…