Ezek. 22:1-16 The prophet is to judge the bloody city; the city of bloods. Jerusalem is so called, because of her crimes. The sins whic Jerusalem stands charged with, are exceeding sinful. Murder, idolatry disobedience to parents, oppression and extortion, profanation of the sabbath and holy things, seventh commandment sins, lewdness an adultery. Unmindfulness of God was at the bottom of all thi wickedness. Sinners provoke God because they forget him. Jerusalem ha filled the measure of her sins. Those who give up themselves to be ruled by their lusts, will justly be given up to be portioned by them Those who resolve to be their own masters, let them expect no othe happiness than their own hands can furnish; and a miserable portion it will prove.

Ezek. 22:17-22 Israel, compared with other nations, had been as the gold and silver compared with baser metals. But they were now as the refuse that is consumed in the furnace, or thrown away when the silve is refined. Sinners, especially backsliding professors, are, in God' account, useless and fit for nothing. When God brings his own people into the furnace, he sits by them as the refiner by his gold, to se that they are not continued there any longer than is fitting an needful. The dross shall be wholly separated, and the good meta purified. Let those who suffer pains, or lingering sickness, and fin that their hearts can scarcely bear these light and momentar afflictions, take warning to flee from the wrath to come; for if thes trials are not sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the cleansing their hearts and hands from sin, far worse things will com upon them.

Ezek. 22:23-31 All orders and degrees of men had helped to fill the measure of the nation's guilt. The people that had any power abused it and even the buyers and sellers find some way to oppress one another It bodes ill to a people when judgments are breaking in upon them, an the spirit of prayer is restrained. Let all who fear God, unite to promote his truth and righteousness; as wicked men of every rank an profession plot together to run them down __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew