meroly outwarrl prnctices constitute faithfulness before God. 2. Its reality. Jt 1~ foithfulness "before God," such as he who searches the hoe.rt ce.n see to exist; not merely what men might from outward appearances erroneously think to exist. 3. ltB principle, Faith in God (see above, IV.). 4. Its manifestations. (1) Confession. Open ncknowledgment of God, and testimony for him. (2) W orsbip. (3) Obedience. ( 4) Fidelity in use of talents for God. (5) Constancy and perseverance in all. Not- witbstanding temptations, difficulties, opposition, persecution, defections of others. II. THE DIVINE RECOGNITION OF IT. 1. He knows and marks it. "Foundest" &c. "The Father seeketh such," and rejoices to find them. If unobserved by m;n not by him. 2. He accepts it. Though it be accompanied with imperfections, as i~ the case of Abraham. 3. He honours and rewards it. With gracious assurances, and the fulfilment of them. To the faithful he will show himself faithful. They shall at length be addressed, 11 Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." In conclusion, God sees all hearts ; what does he find in ours? Vera. 9-11.-Redemption from Egypt. The people proceed to celebrate the power and goodness c,f God as displayed in the deliverance of their ancestors from Egyptian bondage. I. THE CONDITION FROM WHICH THEY WERE DELIVERED. It was one of-1. Cruel oppression. 11 They dealt proudly," insolently and cruelly, 11 against them." 2. Misery. 11 The affiiction of our fathers." II. THE SUCCESSIVE STEPS OF THEIR DELIVERANCE. 1. The Divine notice of their condition. 11 Didst see," &c. , "thou !me west," &c. God seemed to ha'l"e forgotten them, but he had not. His eye we.a on them ; their condition interested him ; and at length, in the fulness of time, he interposed to rescue them. 2. The plagues inflicted on the ruler and people of Egypt. 3. The wonders wrought at the Red Sea. In utmost apparent peril, the people and Moses cried unto God; he heard II their cry" (ver. 9), divided the waters, led the Israelites safely through, and overwhelmed their "pursuers." Ill. ONE GREAT RESULT OF THEIR DELIVERANCE. "So didst thou get thee a name," &c. (comp. Exod. ix. 16). Jehovah secured for himself a name for power, terrible- ness, special favour to Israel ; a nnme widespread, lasting (" as it is this day," and still in our day); n name to be revered, trusted, loved, rejoiced in, praised, published. The Jews never wearied of proclaiming in their Psalms the name of him who redeemed them from Egypt so marvellously; and, in recalling this great redemption to mind, renewed from 1ime to time their confidence that God who had done so much for them would not forsake them. Notice-1. The importance pf these events for the Israelites. Not only for their immediate effects: but they gave the nation birth, separated them from the spiritual perils of Egypt, its idolatry, &c. Their passage through the Red Sea was their national baptism unto Moses, and unto God by him (1 Cor. x. 2), consecrating them to be the people of God, to learn and practise hi; laws, maintain his worship, preserve the knowledge of him for the benefit ultimately of the world. 2. Their significnnce for us. (1) Direct. As a display of the power and goodness of our God, his mindfulness of his people in their sorrows, and sure deliverance of them, though they may long have to II wait for him." As a pledge of the final triumph of his Church over all its enemies. And as one of the most marvellous of that series of interpositions which had for their object the enlighten- ment and salvation of the Gentiles as well as the Jews. (2) Typical. Of the great redemption wrought for us in Christ by his death and the power of the Holy Ghost. The creation and consecration of a new and larger " Israel of God." This redemp- tion is, like that of the Israelites, a deliverance from slavery into freedom, from degradation into honour, from misery into happiness, with the prospect of a settled and blessed rest; but vastly superior in respect to the marvels by which it was, and is, wrought, the evils from which it saves, and the blessings to which it introduces. Estimating these aright, we shall be prepared and impelled to " sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" (Rev. xv. 3).
Ver. 10.-The Divine self-made name. "So didst thou get rmake] thee a name, as it is this day." "What is thy name?" is a question asked of God by thoughtful men in a.II ages. How shall we conceive and speak of God? The answer is found B 2 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. [OH, IX, 1-88,
in the various manifestations he has made of himself. He is the maker and pub- lisher of his own name. I. THE WAiS llY WHICH Goo HAS MADE FOR HIMSELF A NAME. 1. By his works. Of nature, providence, miracle, grace. 2. By his word. Directly instructing men how to think and speak of him, and enabling them to interpret his works. 3. Pre- eminently by the manifestation of himsel£ in bis Son, The character1 teaching and works of Christ present a perfect revelation of the invisible God, " I hav~ dee] ared thy name, and will declare it" (John xvii. 26). II. THE NAME HE HAS THUS MADE FOR HIMSELF. The Almighty, All-wise All- good, the Holy, Just, Faithful, Merciful, Terrible, Father and Saviour of all e~peci- ally of believers, LovE, &c. ' III. ITS ENDURANCE. "As it is this day." He remains the samn; his name is so written that it can never be blotted out, so proclaimed that it shall resound through the world, through the universe, for ever. IV. ·wm HE HAS MADE HIMSELF sucn A NAME. For his own glory, and for the benefit of his creatures; that th_ey may fear, trust, love, ~orship, and obey him, and thUB be saved and blessed. Fmally, we shall at length m our own personal experi- ence know and illustrate the name of God. Which part of his name? This depends on how we are affected by and towards it now.