[" The remnant of the people," from the highest to the lowest, all obeyed the voice of the Lord, and of the prophet whom he had sent unto them. They all began to " fear the Lord," and in little more than three weeks actually commenced the work to which they were called s. O that such a change also might be wrought in us! O that our governors also, both in Church and State, might obey the call ; and that all classes of the community would begin, as with one heart and one mind, to serve the Lord ; first, to get their whole souls sanc- tified unto the Lord ; and then, to promote his glory through- out the world ! ]
Great also was the encouragement instantly afforded them by God himself —
[No sooner did they evince a desire to comply with God's command, than God commissioned his prophet to say to them, " I am with you, saith the Lordh." And no sooner did they set about the work, than God called them to notice the very day, and pledged himself from that hour to bless them \ Yea, even the very day of their change did God himself register, not only in the book of his remembrance in heaven, but in the written records of his prophet on earth : " In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king k." O that this present year of our king might be so marked! yea, that this very day might be so registered, as the season of a remarkable conversion of our souls to God! Be assured, that, if only one amongst us should now begin to obey his call, and to turn from earthly vanities to the Lord our God, it should not be overlooked, nor should it be forgotten in the eternal world. The very angels in the presence of God would shout for joy : and if they would notice it with such delight, we may be well assured that our God and Saviour, at whose call we turn, will not be regardless of so blessed an event.]
Conclusion —
[The time will come when you will deeply regret that you have wasted the present hours in frivolous pursuits. Your past ease, and pleasure, and vanities, of whatever kind they have been, where are they? What fruit of them all have you at this time? Compare them with one single hour that has ever been spent in penitential sorrow : Is there any comparison as to the satisfaction they have left behind them ?
Again : For what end is your time now allotted you by God? Is it for no higher purpose than to advance your temporal inte- rests ? Is there no work that you have to do for him, and none for your own souls ?
s ver. 14. h ver. 13. > Hagg. ii. 15 — 19. k ver. 15.