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be_v deliver_v for_o the_o great_a and_o grievous_a sin_n of_o that_o nation_n in_o general_a as_o you_o may_v read_v in_o the_o last_o chapter_n of_o the_o second_o book_n of_o the_o chronicle_n from_o the_o 14_o verse_n to_o the_o end_n of_o the_o 16._o and_o be_v now_o by_o the_o merciful_a hand_n of_o their_o good_a god_n bring_v back_o to_o their_o own_o land_n and_o ruin_a city_n they_o be_v set_v a_o new_a government_n among_o themselves_o by_o way_n of_o reformation_n both_o in_o their_o ecclesiastical_a and_o civil_a state_n be_v assist_v in_o the_o one_o by_o ezra_n rhe_n scribe_n and_o in_o the_o other_o by_o nehemiah_n their_o religious_a and_o prudent_a governor_n wherein_o that_o they_o may_v procure_v direction_n from_o heaven_n and_o conceive_v the_o fair_a hope_n of_o happy_a success_n they_o be_v assemble_v as_o one_o man_n into_o a_o great_a and_o famous_a street_n of_o the_o city_n there_o by_o fast_v and_o prayer_n to_o call_v upon_o god_n in_o humiliation_n of_o 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point_n that_o we_o may_v observe_v the_o sweet_a benefit_n and_o comfort_n of_o affliction_n where_o it_o be_v sanctify_v to_o the_o patient_n and_o a_o right_a use_n make_v of_o it_o this_o people_n have_v be_v accustom_v to_o find_v mercy_n at_o the_o hand_n of_o their_o god_n how_o grievous_o soever_o offend_v with_o they_o so_o often_o as_o they_o do_v return_v unto_o he_o by_o repentance_n and_o humiliation_n their_o father_n have_v trust_v in_o he_o and_o be_v deliver_v as_o the_o psalmist_n true_o sing_v psal_n 22._o 4._o and_o now_o their_o child_n take_v the_o same_o course_n and_o prosper_v use_v to_o show_v we_o that_o affliction_n unto_o a_o child_n of_o god_n be_v but_o a_o refine_n of_o he_o from_o his_o dress_n and_o a_o try_v of_o he_o for_o his_o future_a good_a according_a to_o that_o remarkable_a speech_n of_o the_o lord_n by_o the_o ministry_n of_o his_o prophet_n zachary_n the_o 13._o chap._n the_o 8_o and_o 9_o verse_n where_o threaten_v the_o jewish_a nation_n with_o utter_a destruction_n by_o the_o sword_n of_o titus_n vespasian_n the_o roman_a emperor_n he_o say_v that_o in_o that_o day_n it_o shall_v come_v to_o pass_v that_o throughout_o all_o the_o land_n two_o three_o part_n thereof_o shall_v be_v cut_v off_o and_o die_v but_o a_o three_o shall_v remain_v therein_o and_o i_o will_v bring_v that_o three_o part_n through_o the_o fire_n say_v god_n &_o i_o will_v refine_v they_o as_o silver_n be_v refine_v and_o try_v they_o as_o gold_n be_v try_v and_o then_o shall_v they_o all_o call_v upon_o my_o name_n and_o i_o will_v hear_v they_o then_o i_o will_v say_v this_o be_v my_o people_n and_o they_o shall_v say_v it_o be_v the_o lord_n my_o god_n and_o thus_o be_v it_o with_o this_o people_n at_o this_o time_n they_o have_v be_v in_o the_o surnace_n of_o affliction_n they_o be_v humble_v before_o god_n and_o he_o hear_v they_o he_o acknowledge_v they_o once_o more_o to_o be_v his_o people_n and_o they_o be_v in_o devotion_n before_o he_o as_o before_o the_o lord_n their_o god_n to_o teach_v we_o all_o what_o course_n we_o shall_v take_v in_o this_o case_n when_o by_o our_o fin_n we_o have_v bring_v ourselves_o under_o the_o rod_n of_o god_n in_o what_o nature_n soever_o even_o to_o seek_v god_n in_o his_o holy_a ordinance_n in_o humility_n of_o soul_n for_o sin_n who_o before_o we_o call_v be_v ready_a to_o answer_v and_o while_o we_o pray_v be_v ready_a to_o hear_v isaiah_n 65._o 24._o but_o i_o insist_v no_o long_o upon_o this_o point_n i_o pass_v to_o another_o 2_o ob._n in_o the_o second_o place_n therefore_o be_v please_v to_o observe_v with_o i_o thus_o much_o this_o people_n in_o their_o great_a distress_n be_v compassionated_a by_o king_n cyrus_n in_o the_o first_o year_n of_o his_o reign_n who_o according_a as_o jeremy_n have_v prophesy_v at_o the_o full_a period_n of_o seventy_o year_n do_v by_o public_a proclamation_n lose_v the_o bond_n of_o their_o captivity_n as_o you_o may_v read_v in_o the_o two_o last_o verse_n of_o the_o last_o chapter_n of_o the_o second_o book_n of_o the_o chronicle_n and_o who_o according_a as_o the_o lord_n have_v foretell_v of_o he_o by_o name_n no_o less_o than_o one_o hundred_o and_o seventy_o year_n before_o he_o be_v bear_v perform_v all_o god_n pleasure_n say_v to_o jerusalem_n thou_o shall_v be_v build_v and_o to_o the_o temple_n thy_o foundation_n shall_v be_v lay_v isa_n 44._o verse_n the_o last_o to_o which_o end_n leave_n be_v give_v by_o the_o king_n to_o ezra_n the_o scribe_n and_o to_o nehemiah_n their_o governor_n to_o direct_v and_o assist_v they_o in_o the_o repair_n of_o their_o state_n and_o reformation_n of_o religion_n a_o great_a comfort_n and_o encouragement_n to_o these_o distress_a jew_n 2_o point_n doubtless_o to_o teach_v we_o by_o the_o example_n of_o these_o jew_n that_o such_o as_o unfeigned_o turn_v to_o god_n by_o true_a repentance_n as_o do_v these_o penitent_a people_n shall_v never_o want_v a_o seasonable_a and_o comfortable_a deliverance_n how_o grievous_a soever_o their_o sin_n have_v be_v yea_o rather_o than_o fail_v in_o such_o a_o case_n god_n will_v raise_v up_o help_v for_o they_o where_o they_o look_v not_o for_o it_o david_n in_o the_o day_n of_o saul_n find_v it_o thus_o full_a many_o a_o time_n elias_n find_v it_o thus_o in_o the_o wilderness_n be_v feed_v by_o raven_n in_o the_o first_o book_n of_o the_o king_n the_o 17._o chap._n at_o the_o 6_o verse_n manasses_n in_o the_o prison_n find_v it_o so_o when_o upon_o his_o unfeigned_a humiliation_n for_o sin_n god_n wrought_v little_o less_o than_o a_o miracle_n for_o he_o bring_v he_o back_o to_o jerusalem_n restore_v he_o to_o his_o kingdom_n and_o change_v his_o iron_n fetter_n and_o chain_n into_o a_o chain_n of_o gold_n and_o royal_a sceptre_n 2_o chro._n 33._o 13._o the_o people_n of_o god_n have_v find_v this_o true_a by_o frequent_a experience_n in_o all_o age_n and_o that_o i_o may_v not_o look_v too_o far_o from_o home_n the_o poor_a of_o this_o house_n and_o foundation_n find_v it_o true_a for_o who_o emergent_a distress_n provision_n have_v be_v make_v and_o still_o be_v continue_v by_o those_o who_o never_o see_v their_o face_n until_o that_o hour_n wherein_o their_o necessity_n enforce_v they_o to_o seek_v unto_o we_o meat_n and_o medicine_n for_o their_o hunger_n and_o sickness_n clothes_n for_o their_o nakedness_n with_o other_o necessary_a comfort_n and_o that_o they_o may_v be_v instruct_v to_o make_v a_o happy_a use_n of_o god_n mercy_n extend_v unto_o they_o in_o this_o case_n care_n be_v have_v for_o the_o spiritual_a food_n of_o their_o soul_n by_o read_v and_o expound_v unto_o they_o the_o bless_a word_n of_o god_n so_o that_o i_o refer_v it_o to_o your_o consideration_n whether_o they_o have_v not_o as_o just_a cause_n minister_v unto_o they_o to_o bless_v god_n for_o his_o gracious_a providence_n over_o they_o for_o soul_n and_o body_n as_o have_v these_o jew_n to_o give_v glory_n to_o the_o god_n of_o jsrael_n in_o their_o particular_a who_o foresee_v that_o in_o time_n they_o will_v cast_v themselves_o by_o their_o sin_n into_o the_o fiery_a furnace_n of_o babylon_n captivity_n have_v foretell_v they_o of_o a_o deliverer_n by_o the_o ministry_n of_o the_o prophet_n jsaiah_n a_o hundred_o and_o seventy_o year_n before_o hand_n and_o now_o in_o his_o own_o time_n do_v perform_v his_o word_n punctual_o by_o this_o monarch_n of_o persia_n and_o his_o favour_n to_o his_o two_o servant_n ezra_n the_o scribe_n and_o nehemiah_n the_o governor_n and_o now_o as_o upon_o these_o ground_n we_o find_v they_o renew_v and_o have_v learn_v somewhat_o from_o thence_o 3_o obser_n so_o we_o may_v observe_v in_o the_o three_o place_n that_o upon_o their_o return_n they_o make_v provision_n for_o the_o public_a exercise_n of_o true_a religion_n as_o without_o which_o their_o state_n can_v have_v no_o firm_a or_o assure_a foundation_n therefore_o it_o be_v say_v in_o the_o first_o verse_n of_o this_o chapter_n that_o all_o the_o people_n assemble_v themselves_o together_o and_o speak_v to_o ezra_n the_o scribe_n that_o he_o will_v bring_v the_o book_n of_o the_o law_n of_o moses_n which_o he_o have_v command_v israel_n and_o ezra_n the_o scribe_n bring_v forth_o the_o book_n of_o the_o law_n before_o the_o congregation_n both_o of_o man_n and_o woman_n ver_fw-la 2._o and_o if_o any_o will_v be_v satisfy_v who_o this_o ezra_n be_v let_v he_o read_v ezra_n 7._o 6._o and_o he_o shall_v find_v that_o this_o ezra_n come_v up_o from_o babel_n and_o be_v a_o scribe_n prompt_v in_o the_o law_n of_o moses_n which_o the_o lord_n god_n of_o israel_n have_v give_v a_o man_n to_o who_o the_o king_n have_v grant_v all_o his_o request_n and_o to_o who_o sole_a direction_n this_o people_n have_v refer_v themselves_o for_o the_o establishment_n of_o religion_n &_o the_o worship_n of_o god_n among_o they_o from_o whence_o we_o mayobserve_v thus_o much_o 3._o point_n that_o the_o public_a exercise_n of_o religion_n and_o the_o establishment_n thereof_o be_v the_o firm_a ground_n whereupon_o the_o peace_n and_o happy_a government_n of_o any_o state_n can_v possible_o be_v build_v the_o very_a heathen_n themselves_o know_v this_o and_o therefore_o so_o soon_o as_o romulus_n the_o first_o builder_n of_o rome_n have_v by_o force_n and_o arm_n lay_v a_o foundation_n of_o that_o city_n next_o after_o he_o succeed_v numa_n pompilius_n who_o by_o a_o heathenish_a kind_n of_o religion_n bring_v that_o rude_a and_o barbarous_a people_n into_o some_o order_n ut_fw-la quod_fw-la vi_fw-la et_fw-la injuriâ_fw-la occupaverat_fw-la imperium_fw-la religione_fw-la ac_fw-la iustitiâ_fw-la gubernaret_fw-la say_v their_o own_o historian_n that_o the_o command_n which_o they_o have_v obtain_v by_o force_n and_o