Vel"I!. 70-73.-A good colkctwn. The conclusion of the document found by Nehemiah, being chiefly an account of the gifts of the returned people toward11 the cost of rebuilding the temple and restoring its services. I. THE OBJECT OF THE COLLECTION. The restoration of the temple and its services lay very near their hearts. It was the chief object of their retum to Palestine (Ezra i. 5), and w?uld ~e regarded by _them, and _justly, as the surest ~oun~ation, under God, of their unity and prospenty-of their welfare at once as mdividuals families, and a state. Equally concerned should we be for the erection of churche~ and the maintenance of public worship, and for like reasons. II. THE LIBERALITY DISPLAYED. Very considerable, if we bear in mind their general poverty, the recentness of their return, and the many demands upon their resources which their re-settlement in the land would make. III. THE UNION OF ALL CLASSES IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE COLLECTION. They were well led by the Tirshatha, Zerubbabel, who was well followed by "some of the chief of the fathers." The rest of the people contributed according to their means. It seems, however, from the words" some," &c., that, as usual, there were some that did not contribute ; yet these may have been among the loudest to express their pleasure that so good a collection had been made. With this exception, we have here a model collection. 1. It was well started. Much depends on this. The many take their ideas of what is needful and fitting from their leaders, and are fired by their ardour, or chilled by their coldness. 2. All classes contributed. The rich as well as the poor, the poor as well as the rich. Neither can be spared, neither should be passed over. Not the rich, for a few of them can easily give as much as all the rest, and for their own sake they need to be generous in their gifts (1 Tim. vi. 17-19). Not the poor, for to give to God's cause is a privilege which they should delight to share, and the aggregate of their smaller gifts may equal or exceed that of the 1-arger con- tributions of the wealthy. 3. All contributed voluntarily (see Ezra ii. 68-" freely"). 4. All appear to have contributed liberally. IV. THEIR SUBSEQUENT SETTLEMENT IN TREIB RESPECTIVE CITIES. Which they could e:lfect with a good conscience and cheerful hope of God's blessing, after having :fin;t shown their zealous care for the establishment of his worship.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 6--73.-The true method of prosperity. Here are the three great aims of God's people distinguished. The walls of the city are built. The place of habita- tion is prepared. The doors are fixed. Then the true citizens of Zion will see to it ; God will put it in their hearts. I. To PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY of the city. There must always be the possibility of attack from without. Watch the walls and the gates. 1. The leading men of the Church should be faithful, and f earers of God above many. It is a terrible danger when prominent men are not examples of piety. Those who have a great charge should be above suspicion. 2. The gates mu,st be speci,a,lly watched, and their shut- ting and opening special matter of anxioue care. When Churches are indifferent as to the admission of members they are doing incalculable harm to the cause of their religion. Wide and unwatched gates mean an unsafe city, an approaching ruin. 3. Let every one take part in the guardianship of Jerusalem. "Every one over against his own house." There are eminent men who occupy prominent poets, J:>ut the humblest believer has hie part in the work of defending truth and guarding the spiritual prosperity of Zion. It was a good regulation which Nehemiah made: "Let not the gates be opened till the sun be hot." Do nothing in the dark. See the !11en who ask for admission in the clear daylight; know who they are, and what they mean It is the multitudinousness of the Church which endangers it. If there be no light at the gates there will soon be enemies within the walls, traitors in the camp, aud the safety of the Church will be undermined. on. vn. li-73.] THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 79
II. Those who seek the welfare of Zion will desire INCREASE 01' NUMBERA. The large city nnd the ~rent wall8 are no honour ~o ~?d without ma~y people therein. "The houses not bmlt" represent the lack of md1v1dual and family life. It is the living souls that are the city's glory. III. The TilUE METHOD 01' EBTADLISHING THE PROSPERITY OF JERUSALEM is to LOOK WELL TO THE PURITY of its inhabitants. God put it into Nehemiah's heart to search for the genealogy, to distinguish the true Israel from the false. 1. The variety of office and degrees of honour quite consistent with unity of origin and community of spirit. It ie better to have a place in the genealogy of God's people than to be high in this world's rank. 2. The preservation of the record was a help to subsequent generations to maintain the cause of Zion, and to tread in the footsteps of the fathers. 3. The position of absolute, uncompromising purity and faithfulness to God is the only ground upon which discipline can be maintained. In the case of the priests, if the register could not be found "they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood." 4. The mere external purity of ritual is insufficient; the great requisite is direct intercourse with God. In all difficult cases the Urim and Thummim of immediate revelation must be sought. What is the mind of God? How little would the Church have erred if it had followed this rule: to suffer no caprice, no departure from principle, no compromise, but depend upon the word of God.-R.
PART II. ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF RELIGION AMONG THE JEWS UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF NEHEMIAH.