23, 24), not touching the top only, or only sinking to the bottom of their society. It went quite through the whole mass. Among them that had taken strange wives were "sons of the priests" (ver. 18) ; "also of the Levites" (ver. 23); "of the singers also, and of the porters" (vers. 23, 24). No class or grade was free from its infection. It was something (/3) that struck home ; it was not a mere political offence ; it invaded their family life; it was under their roof; it concerned their dearest affections, their tenderest ties, their brightest hopes ; it wae a matter with which their own wives and their children had closely to do. Moreover, it was ( -,) aradicalfa'lllt. They existed, as a nation, on purpose that, being separated from the surrounding people by very distinct lines drawn by the hand of the Supreme, they might bear witness to certain great truths in the preservation of which lay the one hope of the race. But by this step they were becoming mixed up with the heathen world ; their one cha- racteristic was being lost; their virtue was being assailed ; their very life was at stake. Their separateness gone, everything for which they existed would be gone too; they might perish, for they answered no end. The salt would have lost its savour ; let it be cast out and trodden underfoot of men. This is the character of all sin. (a) It is widesp_read. As the leprosy, which was the chosen picture and type of it, spreads over the whole body, so sin spreads over all the nature, poisoning every faculty and instinct of the soul ; communicating itself from one member of society to another, till the whole social body is covered with its loathsome and deathful malady. (/3) It is something that strilces home; it works discord in the family circle ; it introduces strife and contest into the sanctuary of a man's spirit, making it the arena on which conscience and passion, heavenly wisdom and worldly ambition, voices of good and voices of evil, continually and fiercely battle. More- over, ( y) it is a radical fault. It is the soul turning away from the purpose for which it was created, failing to be and to do that for which its Creator brought it into being. II. THE CHARACTER 011' THEIR REPENTANCE, AND 011' ALL REPENTANCE. It included (a) contrition-" We are many that have transgressed" (ver. 13); and (/3) amend- ment-" They gave their hands that they would put away their wives" (ver. 19). The Jews who had offended saw that they were guilty; they freely acknowledged their fault, and, what was the best sign and proof of their shame, they resolved to put away the evil ; they set about it vigorously and methodically, as men that seriously meant to do that to which they "gave their hands," to which they solemnly pledged themselves (vers. 13, 14, 19). All repentance is of this character. Its essentials are-(a) Contrition. There must be a real recognition by the soul of the evil of sin. Something more than mere catching up and repeating the formulie of repentance ; the falling into the ruts of expression made by those who have gone before us. Not, necessarily, the violent, pungent, overwhelming feelings which have shaken some souls, and found vent in agonising utterances ; but a genuine and deep regret and shame, more or less agitating, under a sense of wrong-doing in the past life and of sin within the soul. (/3) Confession and amendment. There must be a solid and living determination to "put away the evil thing," whatever it may be; to surrender the long-cherished and perhaps much-loved habit which is hurtful and injurious; to turn from selfishness and from worldliness and from pride ; to sq,arate the soul from all that offends God, that corrupts the nature, that works ID.1Bchief; and to walk in purity of heart and blamelessness of life bdore God, the heavenly Father ; unto Obrist, the Divine Redeemer ; by kelp of the Holy Spirit, the Sancti.fier.-C. HOMILETICAL INDEX TO
THE BOOK OF EZRA.
CHAPTER I. CHAPTER IV. 'l'H'EME PAOE THEME! PAOB The Crisis 3 The Work endangered 45 The Edict 4 The Work checked 47 The Sovereignty of God 6 Peace and Purity ... 49 The wide Reach of the Rule of God 7 A Sinful Alliance sought and rejected 50 The Muster 10 The Friendship of the World 51 God's Action on the Minds of his Human Hatred 5:: People 11 The Work maligned 54 The Return 12 'l'he World's Opposition to the Church 56 The Response 14 Three Thoughts from Old Documents 57 The Beginning of e. great Religious The Work stopped 59 Movement 15 Man hindering the Work of God 61 Hindrances tl CHAPTER II. Spiritual Amendment 63 The Muster-Roll ... 19 Tho Restoration of Israel .. . 21 CHAPTER Y. Spiritual Significances 22 The Work revived 65 '!'he Privileges of the Priesthood 23 The Inspiration of Prophecy 68 The Arrival 24 A Faithful Ministry in the Church 69 Men forsaking the Worldly Lifo 26 Opposition revived 72 Social and Spiritual Gradations 27 The Eye of God .. . H CHAPTER III. Wisdom in Trial 75 The Providence of God over the The First Sacrifice 30 Church 76 The First Feast . .. 32 The Letter to Darius 77 The Altar rebuilt 33 Things a Church should understand Acceptable Service 34 concerning Itself 78 Aspects of Worship 35 The Worship of the First Year 36 CHAPTER VI. The First Stone .. . 38 Thought, Work, nnd Feeling 40 Opposition silenced 81 The Founding of the Temple 41 The Decree of Cyrus 84 The Joyful and Sonowful in Religious Some Useful Things S5 Worship 42 The Decree of Darius 85 The Foundation laid 42 The Work completed 83 it INDtX.
t'RSKE PAOK 'l"BEME PAO& Overthrow and Upbuilding 9 The Church preparing Itself for Duty 126 The Successful Issue 92 The Halt at Ahava 126 The Temple finished 93 Before Starting 128 Church-Prosperity 95 After Arriving 130 Church-Building ... 95 The Fast at the Ah&va 132 The Dedication of the Temple 95 The Spiritual and Secul&r Aids of Life 133 Timely &nd Wise Enthusiasm 97 The Sacred Trusts of Life ... 134 Church-Dedication 98 The Custody of the Tre&sure 134 The Passover 98 Zionwards 135 Progress 136 CHAPTER VII. The Reformer 102 CHAPTER IX. The Exodus under Ezra 104 An Astounding Discovery 141 Ezra : his Chuacter and Work 105 A Flood of Tears 143 Ezra the Type of an Ideal Minister 106 Spiritual Separation 145 Ezra e.nd his Mission 107 Ezra's Grief 146 The Reformer's Commission 112 Disappointment e.nd Disobedience 146 The Reformer's Psalm 114 Sensibility 147 The Roye.I and the Religious 116 The Dawn of Hope 148 Pagan Piety 116 A Good Man's Sight of Sin 149 Ezre.'s Commission from Art.a.xerxes ... 117 Ezra's Prayer 150 The Decree of Art&xerxes to the Trea- surers ... 118 CHAPTER X. The Extension of the Mercy of the A Gleam of Hope 156 Covenant 120 A Ne.tione.l Ce.11 ... 158 Aspects of the Divine and Human 121 A Satisfactory Close 169 lnflnence 121 The Speech of Shechaniah 161 Things Exceptional 162 CHAPTER VIII. The Reformation ... 163 The Rendezvous, or the Second Muster 123 Sin e.nd Repentance 164