(1) so many as to keep us from taking a fair share in the duties of daily life and of citizenship, or as to lead insensibly to formality and ceremonialism; nor should they be (2) so .few as to starve the soul or withhold from it the full nourishment it needs. E3ra and Nehemiah may have felt that the intense and prolonged exaltation of heart in which they had been luxuriat1ng was not without its dangers, and would be wisely followed by a calmer service. In the cultivation of our religious character, one kind of service should alternate wi,th another-the contemplative with the social, the spiritual with the practical, and the joyous and congratulatory with the penitential. Confession of sin was the key-note of this entire service. It found utterance in two ways. . I. OUTWARD BIGNB OF HUMILIATION (ver. 1). "The children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth and earth upon them" (ver. 1). They took those measures to indicate humility which in their age and land were natural to them: (1) fasting, (2) wearing sackcloth, (3) putting earth or" sprinkling dust" (Job ii.12) on their head. Whenever outward manifestations of this kind-" bowin~ down the head as a bulrush, or spreading sackcloth and ashes" (Isa. !viii. 5), or fasting-become purely formal or simply ostentatious (Matt. vi. 16), they become unacceptable or even positively repugnant to him who demands sincerity and spirit- uality (Ps. li. 2; John iv. 24). But the bent head, the downcast eye, the uncon- trollable tear, the unconscious sigh-these are often the inarticulate but eloquent utterances of contrition which the eye of the all-seeing, the ear of the all-hearing Father fails not to see and hear. II. WORDS OF PENITENCE. One "fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God" (ver. 3). "With a loud voice" (ver. 4) the eight Levites led their devotions, calling on them to "stand up and bless the Lord their God for ever and ever" (ver. 5), and then the people followed them in their confession; thus:-" Our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy command- ments, and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them" (vers. 16, 17); they "wrought great provocations" (ver. 18) ; "they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs " (ver. 26); "they did evil again before thee" (ver. 28); "they dealt proudly, and Binned against thy judgments, ... they withdrew the shoulder" (ver. 29). "We have done wickedly : neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, or our fathers kept thy law; ... they have not served thee ... in thy great goodness." Here is ample and unreserved confession of their own and their fathers' guilt: -1. Manifold shortcoming-not hearkening to commandments, being unmindful of wonders, not serving God in his great goodness. 2. Positive and aggravated transgression- dealing proudly, working great provocations, rebelling against God, casting law behind them, &c. 3. Backsliding-" withdrawing the shoulder" that had been given to the yoke. We are summoned to " take with us words and tum to the Lord" (Hosea xiv .. 2). "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. x. 10). Our confession should be (1) ample and unconstrained, including (a) shortcoming, (b) transgression, and, if called for, (c) backsliding; it must be (2) sincere-not a mere repetition of becuning words which other penitents have employed, but the utterance of what our own heart feels.-C.
Vere. 1_-29.-A:prf!,yerful review of .pivine goodnes~ as manifested in tliefccts of human life. I. This 1s a prayerful reV1ew of the DiV1ne NAME. "And bletised be t~y glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise" (ver. 5). 1. It views God as the Creator of all things (ver. 6). 2. It views God as electing his people (ver. 7). 3. It views God as covenanting with the faithful (ver. 8). 4. It views God as delivering hie people in the time of sore affliction (vers. 9, 10). II. This is a prayerful review of the Divine ACTION. " And thou didst divide the sea before them" (ver. 11). 1. The net of deliverance (ver. 11). 2. The act of guid• ance. " Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar" (ver. 12). 3. The act of instruction (vers. 13, 14). 4. The act of provision. "And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger" (ver. 15). 5. The net of forbearance (ver. 17). 6. The act of conquest (ver. 24). 7. The act of retribution (ver. 27).-E. 106 THE BOOK OF NI.;HEMIAH. [uu. IX. 1-38.