disnffection and division. 2. The baseness of treachery. 3. The heinous wickedness of those who from worldly motives prostitute sacred functions. 4. The duty and wisdom of private judgment (see 1 John iv. 1). Spiritual teachers, not only through love of money, but from other motives and influences, or from incapacity, may give counsel which our own sense of truth and right may pronounce evil. In such case we must follow our own convictions, although they may possibly be mistaken (see Jer. v. 30, 31; xxiii. 31, 32; Micah iii. 11). 5. The insight and safety against temptation of u. devout, pure, and manly heart. 6. The evil influence of close alliances het,veen God's people and his enemies. 7. The propriety of due regard for our reputation. Our character is not only precious to ourselves, but an invaluable element of useful- ness. Injury to the reputation of a. Christian is injury to the Church. Ca.re for our good name is a help against temptation. 8. The active providence and grace of God. Preserving his servants from evil, and giving success to their pious endea- vours. Finally, we a.re reminded by this chapter of the conflicts and victories of a. greater tha.n Nehemiah, in whose conquests as our Leader we a.re more nearly interested. Ver. 11. -Regard for special obligations. " Should such a. man a.a I flee ? " Thus magnanimously Nehemiah gave one reason for not following the counsel of the lying prophet. The words remind us of the special obligations under which some a.re la.id to a.void evil and practise good. Indeed every one of us has some specia.lty in his case which he should feel as binding him peculiarly to a. right course. I. SOME SPECIAL OBLI0ATIONS TO CHRISTIAN CONSISTENCY. Ma.y be expressed thus: "Should such a. ma.n as I? "-1. So greatly favoured. By the providence or by the grace of God-forgiven so much, so richly endowed, &c. 2. Occupying such a. position, to which I have been so manifestly called. Position in the family, the Church, the world. 3. Who ha.ve ma.de such professions. 4. Who ha.ve served the Lord so long, and done so much. 5. Whose influence is so great, for good or evil, upon others. II. SINS AGAINST WHICH THE THOUGHT of such obligations should be a. defence. "Should such a. man as I "-1. Flee. From Christ. From his post of duty. 2. Act unworthily. By inconsistencies of any sort-indifference, sloth, self-indulgence, intemperance, cowardice, parsimony, &c. Temptations to ea.eh and all may be met by this thought: " Should such a man as I be guilty of this sin ? " Ill. CONSIDERATIONS WHICH SHOULD DEEPEN THE SENSE OF OBLIGATION. If" such a. man as I" fall, then I sha.ll-1. Incur deserved disgrace. 2. Bring reproach on the name and ea.use of Christ. 3. Give joy to his enemies. 4. Discourage and enfeeble his friends. 5. Ca.use injury and ruin to others. " Such a. man as I" cannot fall alone. 6. Insure a heavier doom. Ver. 16.-God's work recoqn_ised. "They perceived that this work was wrought of our God." The work which had been done was so great; it had been accom- plished by so feeble a people, in spite of so much opposition and so ma.ny obstacles, and in so short a time, that the people around, even tl;i.ose most opposed, could not but recognise that the God of Israel had wrought with his servants. The work of Christ's servants may produce a similar impression on others, not only fellow \Jhris- tia.ns, but those without. It is much to be desired that our work should be of such a. kind, and so favoured of God, as to make such an impression. I. WHEN IS GOD'S HAND APPARENT IN THE WORK OF HIS PEOPLE? 1. ,vhen the work done is manifestly good in itself. This can hardly be said of the merely out- ward: of the erection of churches, however grand and beautiful; of the mainten- ance of imposing services ; of the gathering of great crowds, or the making of mere proselytes. Such work may spring from good and tend to good; but it may not. Merely human motives and impulses, perhaps quite unchristian, may explain all. But when the bad become good, and the good become eminently so ; when through Christian teaching and influence the licentious become pure, drunkards sober, the proud humble, the selfish benevolent, the harsh kind ; when a Christian people shines in the beauty of the loftiest Christian holiness and love, and especially in those practical virtues which all can appreciate, then the conviction is likely to be pro- w2 68 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. [CR, VI, 1-19.
duced on othe!'B that God is working in and by them. 2. When the work done ie extensive. 'Whole neighbourhoods, a whole class of irreligious and morally degraded men, have sometimes been transformed by the preaching of the gospel; even a nation to a great extent quickened and elevated. lie must be blinded by sin or the worst bigotry who fails to see in such changes the agency of God. 3. When such bene- ficial changes are wrought very rapidly. As the work to which the text refers. 4. 'When serious difficulties and formidable opposition are overcome. 5. When th~ work proves lasting. 6. When the human instrumentality is manifestly insufficient to account for the results. II. THE EFFECTS WHICH THE PERCEPTION OF GoD's HAND IN SUCH WORK WILL PRODUCE. 1. On the workers. Gratitude, humility, encouragement to labour on. 2. On fellow Christians. Praise to God. Recognition of the workers as their brethren. Prayer for them. Congratulations and good wishes. Co-operation if practicable. At least respect, and the withholding of censorious criticism. 3. On those desiring good for themselves. Attraction toward such people. "We will go with you, for we have heard "-nay, we see-" that God is with you." 4. On enemies. Dis- couragement, mortification, perhaps abandonment of active opposition (see Exod. xh-. 25); perhaps transformation into friends and fellow workers, which is best of all. In conclusion-I. The evidences of Divine agency in Christianity and its effects should be seriously pondered by unbi>lievers. 2. Blindness to God's agency in the work of Christians is a fearful symptom. Yet it is found in some who profess to be Christians in respect to the work of those who "follow not with" them. Let them beware lest they become partakers of the guilt of those highly religious men of our Lord's day who saw not God in the works of Christ, but ascribed them to the agency of the devil, and whom he warned against, if he did not pronounce guilty of the unpardonable sin of "blasphemy against the Holy Ghost." 3. Let all Christians pray for such manifestations of the power of the Holy Spirit in the Church as shall pro- duce general conviction of his agency. The ordinary condition of our Churches, and results of their work, are, alas, little fitted to produce such a conviction. "Awake, awake, put on strength, 0 arm of ihe Lord ; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old."
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.