11 law of Moses"), and also Divine (which "God had given"). qomp. 1 TheAs. ii. 13-" the word of God which ye heard of us." He recognised also their poculiar value (which the" God of Israel had given"), as God's special gift to his own people (Rom. iii. 1, 2). (b) By Ezra's diligence. Being thus valuable he treated them accordingly. How much is implied in that expression, a "ready scribe" I "Reading," to know the letter. "Marking," to know the meaning. "Inwardly learning and digesting," to know the power. And all together, to acquire the right use-to be "ready" with them whenever called for. A man thus familiar with the "sword of the Spirit" might naturally be expected to further the Spirit's work. 2. How to spealc to men. Many book-learned men are too bookish for this; and, therefore, not fit for reforming efforts. They can describe their weapons, bnt not employ them. Ezra, we find, on the contrary, was a man able to persuade men of all ranks and conditions, whether superiors, from whom he asked permission to go (end of vers. 6 and 28), or equals and inferiors, both lay and clerical (ver. 7), whom he persuaded to go with him. Note, however, that this second qualification or attainment was the result of the first, as implied in end of ver. 6, and in what we afterwards read in viii. 17, 18. III. EzRA's SPECIAL AMBITION. Unless a man desires an end-unless he strongly desires it, if difficult of attainment - he is never likely to reach it. However favoured by circumstances, however qualified in itself, the locomotive will never go forward without the requisite moving power. This supplied here by Ezra's special ambition. We notice-I. Its patience. What is said here (in ver. 9) of the length of his journey from Babylon may help to illustrate this. .Also what we read after- wards in the detailed account of that journey, his waiting for the Levites, in eh. viii. 15-20, and subsequent delay for fasting (ibid. vers. 21-23). What is worth obtain- ing is worth waiting for. Perhaps this conviction is, of all necessities, the most neces- sary for success ( James v. 7). 2. Its depth. "Ezra prepared his heart." He was deeply earnest as well as patient ; could strike as well as endure ; and not only bide his time, but use it too. This a rare combination, but most important, in doing good (see Gal. vi. 9; also examples of Jacob, Moses, and Jehoiada, the high priest, in 2 Chron. xxii. 12; xxiii. 1-16). 3. Its direction. Those qualifying attainments we have spoken of were his because he had sought them-sought them not only as an end, but as a means also to other ends. How definite and complete the description. 11 Ezra had prepared his heart, to seek-to do-and to teach." "To teach in Israel statutes and judgments: " there was the summit of his ambi- tion. First to know and " do" it himself : there was the path, in his judgment, that led to that summit (comp. 1 Tim. iv. 12, 16; Titus ii. 7). .As the poet has written: "Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way." Such is the opening portrait of the man whom God had called then to this special calling. We may gather from it some general considerations as to God's preparatory work in such cases. We see, e. g.-1. How far baclc such worlc may begin. In this case of Ezra, e. g., as far back (shall we say?) as Aaron. Certainly before his own birth (comp. Jer. i. 5; Gal. i. 15); and thenceforward, continually, in all his early training and studies, and in all the various hereditary and circumstantial influences that made him finally the man that he was. This especially illustrated in the case of the greatest of all these II sent forth" (Heh. iii. 1 ). As far back, at least, as the birth of Seth, God was preparing for that of Christ. 2. How far off such worlc may begin. Here, e. g., in Babylon for thl! benefit of those in Jerusalem. So afterwards at Joppe. for Cornelius in Cesarea. So in Egypt in Pharaoh's bed-chamber (Gen. xli.) for the preservation of those then in Canaan. So in Troas for the benefit of Mace- donio. (.Acts xvi. 8, 9); and in Philippi for that of Thyatira (ibid. ver. 14; Rev. ii. 18); and in Palestine for the salvation of Ethiopia (Acts viii. 26-39); and, finally, in heaven itself for the good of earth (Luke xix. 10; John iii. 16; 1 Tim. i. 15). 3. How far in both ways it extends. Here the good work afterwards done by Ezra at Jerusalem helped to preserve by purifying the nucleus of the whole Jewish disper- sion then residing there ; and so, afterwards still, the whole dispersion. ~he disper- sion thus preserved, prepared the way, as we saw before, for the preaching of the gospel to all nations in all parts of the world ; which, again, is to prepar~ for the restoration of Israel to God's favour, and the consequent fulness of blessmg to all 104 THE BOOK OF EZRA. [Clt. Vtl, 1-10,
!flankind (Rom, xi. 12, 15). What an extraordinary power and depth and stretch of mfluence for good is implied in these words-" Beloved for the fathers' eakee" I And how constantly we see similar influence telling on strange peoples and future generations in the history of the world I
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.