do without it, 11 seeking the honour that cometh from God only," and satisfier! with that. " Men heed thee not, men praise thee not ; The Master praises ;-what are men 1" And yet we should (b) so live that we may fairly hope to eam the benediction of our kind. While some skilful, selfish men have reaped the honours due only to disin- terestedness, more often selfishness shows its cloven foot, and is contemned. And while some generous souls have lived and died unappreciated, more often kind-heart- edness and self-forgetting love win an answering affection, and draw down the blessing of those who are enriched. For good as well as evil, 11 with what measure ye mete," &c. (Matt. vii. 1). 11 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure," &c. (Luke vi. 38). Live a life like that of Job, and you will be able to say as he said, "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me" (Job xxix. 11).-C. Vers. 3-36.-Three elements in the Church of Christ. In the first verse of this chapter Jerusalem is called II the holy city;" as such it was the type of the Church of Christ. In three respects it bore to the Christian Church a real and close resem- blance. 1. It was a separated city ; separated and fenced from surrounding idola- tries and immoralities. 2. It was a distinguished city; distinguished by (1) the manifested presence of God, and by (2) the knowledge of his holy will. 3. It was a commissioned city; charged to hold and preserve a certain deposit of sacred truth against all the world. The Church of Christ is a body (1) separated from surround- ing irreligion, error, and folly; (2) distinguished by the presence of the indwelling Spirit of God, and the graces be communicates ; (3) commissioned to carry the gospel of the grace of God to the utmost ends of the earth. There are to be in the Church what there were in the city, three things, viz.- I. THE ELEMENT OF ORDER. There were dwelling in Jerusalem II the rulers of the 1eople" (ver. 1). Concerning these rulers, we are told who was II overseer" of the "sons of Benjamin" (ver. 9); who was II overseer" of the priests (ver. 14) ; who also of the Levites (ver. 22); we are told who was precentor, 11 the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer" (ver. 17) ; who had II the oversight of the out- ward business of the house of God" (ver. 16), and who of the internal business (ver. 22). Everything was obviously ordered most carefully, and every one had his poet at which to rule or serve. The " order '' of the Church of Christ is something which has given rise to most serious differences and disputes-alas I to much bitter- ness and bloodshed. There are advocates of (1) one universal visible Church, (2) national Churches, (3) large closely-confederated Christian communities, (4) separate societies united only by occasional non-legislative councils or unions. But whatever the form which the Christian Church may take, whatever its method of organisation, order should always be conspicuously present. 11 God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all Churches of the saints" (1 Cor. xiv. 33). Everything is to be done "in order" (1 Cor. xiv. 40). There are two complementary duties a Christian man may set before him : one,-the bringing about, in an orderly way, that form of Church organisation which, after diligent study and patient observance, he considers to be after the will of Christ ; the other,-the taking bis place in that particular Church of which he is a member, and filling it faithfully and peacefully. He who, in the name of order, brings about contention brings down on himself the condemnation of his Master (1 Cor. xi. 16). II. THE ELEMENT OF VARIETY. Beside the governor were II rulers of the people" (ver. 1) generally; and, particularly, priests (ver. 10), and Levites (ver. 15), and porters (ver. 19), and singers (ver. 22); and, still more particularly, (1) those who were engaged in the II outward business of the house of God" (ver. 16), and (2) those who were occupied with the internal arrangements (ver. 22). All these various classes had their work to do ; not one was redundant. Some were much higher than others, and did a work of a more valuable and a higher kind, but every one was needed in his place, and the security of Jerusalem, as well as the worship of God, would have been incomplete if all had not done their work at the appointeJ 126 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. [CH. XII, 1--26,
time and place. In the Christian Church are many services to be ,rendered and many orders of servants. Some are higher, others lower. But from the m;n in- spired of God to teach and kindle thousands of human souls, to "the doorkeeper of the house," every one has his work to do for Christ and for man. One workman needs the other, and the world needs them all ; and the eye cannot say to the foot, "I have no need of thee," &c. If we "magnify our own office" that we may be found faithful therein, let us not disparage that of others, lest we be counted self- important by our brethren, and injurious by our Lord. III. THE ELEMENT OF UNSUSPECTED STRENGTH. To the eye of flesh Jerusalem seemed weak enough at this time. If we include "the residue of Israel " that were "in the cities of Judah " (ver. 20), and those in the" villages with their fields" (ver. 25), all in the outlying provinces,,of Judah and Benjamin, they make but a very feeble band compared with other places then or with other communities now. How easily might they have been crushed and extirpated by the Persian power, eo far as human calculations go. Yet they were the Church of God on earth, the custodians of his holy oracles, the chosen company £rota which should come forth the Divine Redeemer, and from which should go forth the Divine mission that is to transform the world. The Church of Christ may still seem small as compared with the II un- possessed land" of heathendom; individual Churches may seem weak in the midst of an all-surrounding and overtowering iniquity ; but " God is in the midst of her ; " his " right hand '' is on her side. There is an unsuspected strength in the truth she i:iolds, in the weapons she wields, in the cause of which she is the champion. In ways and by means quite unsuspected by her enemies, and equally unexpected by herself, God will make his Church his agent for the redemption of the world.-C.