The Sinners Hope, Sermon · Chapter 1
CAP. I.
The Introduction, from the Text, and Coherence, to the Obſervation.
THIS book, written by that pious learned Prieſt Ezra, (as it bears his name) doth contain in it an account of the chief paſſages of Hiſtory from the returne of the people of Babylon, for 164 yeares: And ſo you have an account of the ſteps, by which in that time that work went or, Zerobbabel brings the people up. ch: 1. and 2. They reare up an Altar. ch: 3. They begin to lay the foundation of the Temple, In the latter end of ch. 3. This receives interruption: at laſt at 2 bouts it gets up, as appears in the following chapters. Ezra is ſent, ch: 7. to reſtore Sacrifices. This was in the ſeventh of Artaxerxes, 13 years before Nehemiah came to build the walls of the City. But Ezra coming, and breaking up his commiſſion from the King, and being about to ſet upon the work with chearfulneſſe, that he came about, he was ſuddainly ſaluted, with the ſad account of the peoples miſcarriage, in their marriage of ſtrange Wives, which ſtruck him into a great terrour and conſternation. And having ſitten ſilent about this matter, with his cloths rent, after the manner of a bitter mourner, who had his heart broken with this grievous miſcarriage of theirs, at the time of the evening Sacrifice, he makes patheticall lamentation, and confeſſion of the Sin to God, in the Prayer or rather complaint, which you find: ch. 9 wherein you do not find any petition he could frame to put up for them, the matter he judged ſo hainous, but all he could ſay about it, was to aggravate it, and to leave the matter with the Lord, ſaying, he was not able to ſtand before the Lord becauſe of this. The people, upon this Lamentation of his, flock together, and Schecaniah ſpeakes to Ezra about the buſineſſe: and he joyns with him in acknowledging the miſcarriage of the people, but he would not have it thus left as a matter deſperate, but declares his opinion of the caſe, that it is yet hopeful, and he propoſed the way he conceived for cure, which was, by making a covenant for reformation, in that particular, wherein they had ſo groſly offended.
Who this Schecaniah was, that made this ſpeech: we find no mention of him before, nor after, ſave only in this place he is ſaid to be the Son of Jehiel; one of that name is mentioned to be one of the Prieſts, that had ſinned in this matter, enumerated among the offenders. v. 21 whether he was his Son or no, is not determinable. If he was he might the better take himſelf concernd in the buſineſs, and take the ſin the more to himſelf, for his Fathers ſake; however it is probable he was a man of good place and authority amongſt the people, in that he offers to aſſiſt Ezra in driving on the covenant for reformation of the ſin, and, as a good man, grieves under Gods diſhonour, as Ezra did, confeſſes the thing was hainous and ſad, yet he tells Ezra, he thinks it muſt not be ſo left. But ſees that yet there is Hope (yet now) for all this (which is too true of us) that we have ſinned thus hainouſly (now) Now I ſee the people thus meet together, I have a better heart of the thing.
(There is Hope) the matter is not deſperate, there is ſome Hope in it.
(In Iſrael) or concerning Iſrael, or becauſe it is in Iſrael, as anon we may ſhew Iſraels covenant of being the Lords people, gives them hope upon their repentance yet of Mercy. It is a greater ſin for being Iſraels, yet in Iſrael there is more Hope about it, then if it had been in another place, if they repent of it.
(Concerning this thing) this whole matter, the ſin that is committed, and the judgment that is feared; this whole matof the ſtrange Wives, the matter of the preſent conſternation. There is yet Hope about it.
The better to bottome the obſervation, I intend to raiſe from the words; I ſhall preface the larger upon the explication, in making inquiry into 3 things, which yet are all obvious to us in and about the text.
(1) What was the ſcope of Schecaniah his words here? what is the drift of them?
(1) To comfort Ezra in the buſineſſe; he ſaw him dejected about it: he bids him be of good cheere though it it was bad, yet it might do well, there was a way yet out; there was Hope in the thing.
(2) To encourage him to ſet about the duty; Hope puts life into repentance and reformation. Becauſe I ſee Hope in the thing, let us fall upon the uſe of meanes for the peoples recovery.
(3) In reſpect of all in generall he aſſerts his apprehenſions of the preſent ſtate, and that Ezra had left it too ſhort; to conclude, as if there could be nothing to be further done. Hereby implying it was not their duty to deſpaire in the thing, but rather to ſet upon the meanes yet left for remedy.
But Secondly wherein was the matter ſo difficult? Ezra leaves it as almoſt remedileſs, and Schecania ſaies, there is but Hopes in the thing. Hope implies a difficulty. The matter was very dangerous. For
(1) It was a matter of ſin, that was upon them; if it had been a judgement only, it had not been ſo amazing, but it was a ſin that they diſcovered; a ſin without a judgment as yet inflicted, is more amazing, to Godly men, then judgement without a viſible ſin. It was not a matter of famine, or oppreſſion and ſickneſſe, but it was a matter of Sin, and therefore troubleſome:
2. It was a very dangerous ſin, in the very nature and proper influence and effects of it, where it takes place.Deut 7 34 They had married ſtrange Wives, a thing expreſly forbidden; the reaſon given, Becauſe theſe women would go nigh to draw them to ſtrange Gods,Neb. 13.26. exemplified ſadly to their conſtant experience, and in Salomons caſe, even him, that wiſe King, did outlandiſh women cauſe to ſin. Ezra ſaw al Religion hazarded hereby; he might think all his laborfruſtrated by this ſin of theirs, and that it was to ſmal purpoſe for him to ſet up ſacrifices; for theſe ſtrange Wives would ſoon draw their hearts from them and God too.
3. He ſaw ſo many enſnared in this ſin. Many of the great men, the Prieſts and all, as you ſee ch. 9. 1. and ch. 10. 18. &c. and therefore more heinous before God, amounting near to an univerſall guilt upon them, more exemplary and ſcandalous, and harder to be reformed.
4. He conſidered this ſin they were gotten into to be ſadly aggravated, in that ſo ſoone after their return from captivity a grievous judgement, wherein they had ſo heavily ſuffered for ſuch like doings. To be ſinning again upon a new ſcore, when building upon the ruins, which their former ſins had immediately made, Alas? might he think,Joſh. 21.17. when will this people mend? when will they be warned to leave ſin? Is the iniquity of Poor too little for us? Is the Iniquity of our former Idolatry too little for us? from which the land is not yet purged to this day. But muſt we ſo ſoon begin again? It is very ſad; this you ſee laid the thing ſadder on his heart. ch: 9. 7.
5. He conſidered the ſin the greater, in that it was committed by them, that eſcaped the judgment ſo narrowly. It was not long ſince, when it might have been queſtioned, whether ever this people: ſhould have been a people any more, and now to find them ſuch a rebellious people! They might have periſhed in Babylon, as many thouſands did, and therefore it is very ſad to find them thus groſly ſinning here. Chap. 9. v. 13, 14. having had ſuch a deliverance as this, ſhould we again break thy commandements? If they would have ſtrange Wives,Ier. 7.10. If they would have ſtrange Wives, they ſhould have tarried ſtill in Babylon. Are they delivered to do all theſe abominations? muſt the Lord have them for ſuch work as this is? Oh! it is very intollerable.
6. Their danger is great, there is no judgement yet on them, the ſoarer one may be expected; God knows what's comming.Deut. 7.4 The anger of the Lord is kindled againſt the people upon ſuch a ſin as this is, and ſure all good wil be at a ſtand about it, and ſome ſpeedy ruine ſhall overtake us. Alas! alas! who can tell, what may, nay what may not befall ſuch a rebellious daring people? Ezra from this conſideration was thus amazed, concludes his confeſſion, he could not for ſhame tell how to move one word for this people in this caſe, they had ſo baſely miſcarried, and therefore he leaves the Buſineſs in his confeſſion before God, not moving one word on the peoples behalf, as it were not knowing what to ſay for them, nor what to think miſerable enough, that might be towards them.
3. What were the grounds Schecaniah had of hopes in this difficult caſe. There is yet hope in Iſrael concerning this thing. Whence had he this hope, that things might yet frame well?
1. In reſpect of God.
2. In reſpect of the people.
1. In reſpect of God, he confeſſes to all the cauſes of feare forementioned in the thing, the matter was dangerous, the people had committed a great ſin, and that very unſeaſonably, and all might be hazarded thereby, yet there was Hopes becauſe they had to do with a gratious God, one that is ſlow to anger, of great kindneſſe, that is ready to forgive. J…el. 2.13 …o…ah 4 2If we were in any ones hands but Gods we were gone, there were no hopes for us. But we have infinite compaſſions to hope in. There are termes of pardon on Gods part tendered to ſinners, that have got themſelves into plagues for ſuch like miſcarriages. If they had ſinned, and gotten into captivity for it, and yet ſhould bethinke themſelves, and turne to the Lord, the Lord would yet ſhew favour to them, why then much more,1. K 8.46 10.51. if we repent and reforme, we may prevent the judgement, his infinite bowels and goodneſſe makes me hope. He is a God that can overlook tranſgreſſions, Mic. 7.18.that can put up great injuries, paſſe by great offences. And therefore there is Hope, he hath been uſed to forgive ever ſince he had a people, he knew what adoe he ſhould have with the ſons of men, when he took any of them to be in covenant with him. He is armed with infinite mercy and patience, when he goes about to deal with us, he is not deceived in us, when he findes much untowardneſſe and frowardneſſe in us. He will forgive us, for he hath been uſed to forgive in many the like caſes, and is a God that can do it.
2. There is Hope in reſpect of our ſelves. I looke upon the matter as much more hopefull now, then lately or before, there are ſome ſigns of good amongſt us.
1. In that the people are generally ſenſible of the ſin. Women and Children are here flockt about thee, it ſhould ſeeme they are ſenſible of the miſcarriage and willing to mourne with thee.
2.Pſal. 78.34. In that they are gotten thus forward without a judgment: people that have ſinned themſelves into the judgment, have yet by repentance gotten off, though they have not ſought him till he ſhew them, yet upon their repentance he hath tried them, and ſhewed mercy to them, but we have the advantage to ſeek mercy on this ſide of the judgement. We may better diſcern the truth of the repentance, in that no judgment is on us to force it from us; we were not quite ſhut up, though the execution had been ſerved, but there is more hope if we make our peace before the Writ be broken up, and we attached, it cannot but ſave us much charge. There is very much in it in turning betime, ſome they ſeek God, when they have no ſoar, no ſickneſs, no judgment on them, and yet they tremble before the Lord, aſſuredly it is a very good ſigne. If you were afflicted in ſorrow, yet your condition might be hopefull, but when onelyonly convinced into ſorrow, when you have ways enough beſides to take, if your hearts would let you, it is much better.
3.Lam. 3.33. There is hopes, in that I believe the people are willing to amend. The Lord that doth not willingly afflict the Sons of Men if he ſee us ſo willing to reform without judgment, is very ready to ſpare the Rod.
I do judge from theſe grounds that our hopes are yet alive, that there is yet Hopes in Iſrael concerning this Thing.