B.C. cir. 457. "Faith builds in the dungeon and the lazar-house its sublimest through roofs of stone, that shut out the eye of the ladder where heaven, ascends the angels glide shrines; and up, one the moral law walked hand in hand with the ceremonial, and the mandate of worshipping the one God in purity of heart and in strictness of practice was unvaryingly asserted in the chastisement or welfare of the people; and so we see it was acknowledged by the seemly and humble joy under pardon, with which the recalled Israelites returned to the land of their temple. But here the performance of certain rites seemed to be all in all-the preachers of the multitude holding forth that as they advance nearer to the shrines of their pilgrimage so in due proportion their sins depart from them; and thus every step they approach the load becomes lighter and lighter, till the last and froatom flies off the moment they fall prostrate before the tomb Prayer."--Lytton. of the prophet, or saint; and from which holy spot they rise b Sir R. K. Porter. perfectly clear, free, and often too willing to commence a new score, to be as readily wiped away.' 28-30. (28) ye.. Lord, etc., the strongest reason he could urge for conscientious care-taking. (29) watch.. weigh, etc., as they have hitherto been watched, and are now weighed to you. (30) so, etc., as holy men having a holy duty to perform. Godly fear.-Many men affect to despise fear, and in preaching resent any appeal to it; but not to fear when there is occasion, is as great a weakness as to fear unduly, without reason. God planted fear in the soul as truly as He planted hope or courage. Fear is a kind of bell or gong, which rings the mind into quick life and avoidance upon the approach of danger. It is the soul's signal for rallying.-The fear of God.-An African traveller says that when among one of the most degraded and savage tribes he met with, his attention was attracted by the idol of the tribe stuck upon a high pole, as if intended to convey the idea that he could see all around the country and every one of the people. And such is their superstitious faith, that they believe that every act of dishonesty would be seen by their god, if they were guilty of such an act, and that they would be punished accordingly. The effect of this faith is, that no dishonest act is perpetrated within sight of this idol, and the most valuable property is perfectly secure. a 31, 32. (31) then.. Jerusalem, the whole time of the march was about 4 mo. hand. . enemy, etc., ref. to prowling bands of Bedouins. (32) and.. days, days of rest and council, bef. proceeding to business. "Is father on deck?"-A number of years ago, Captain D. commanded a vessel sailing from Liverpool to New York, and on one voyage he had all his family with him on board the ship. One night, when all were quietly asleep, there arose a sudden squall of wind which came sweeping over the waters until it struck the vessel and threw her on her side, tumbling and crashing everything that was movable, and awakening the passengers to a consciousness that they were in imminent peril. Every one on board was alarmed and uneasy; and some sprang from their berths and began to dress, that they might be ready for the worst. Captain D. had a little girl on board, just eight years old, who of course awoke with the rest. "What's the matter?" said the frightened child. They told her that a squall had struck the ship. "Is father on deck?" said she. "Yes; father's on deck." The little thing dropped herself on her pillow again without a to Ezra's the priests De. xxxiii. 8; Le. b Beecher. "As the bristle on the shoemaker's thread goes through the draws the thread hole first, and after it; so the fear of God's first vengeance goes before, breaking man's heart, and then follows the thread of God's mercies in Christ." Cawdray. the Ahava broken up, You may do much without faith, but nothing which God will accept. it is impossible to please Him." "The steps of faith fall on the seeming void, and find the rock beneath."Whittier. "Without faith B.C. cir.457. the vessels redelivered and the burnt-offer ing a vi. 17. some "There are but do not work, two."-Froude. fear, and in a few moments was sleeping sweetly in spite of winds or waves. Blessed child! How her confidence shames our doubts and fears, and restless vague surmisings. She had faith in father, and she had no room for fear. 33-36. (33) weighed, vv. 26–30. (34) by.. one, the least as well as greatest individually registered. (35) offerings,a expressive of humility and gratitude. (36) commissions, see vii. 21. lieutenants, lit. satraps. Honesty.-A beggar asking Dr. Smollet for alms, he gave him through mistake, a guinea. The poor fellow perceiving it, hobbled after him to return it. Smollet, however, allowed him to keep it, and gave him another guinea as a reward for his honesty, exclaiming at the same time, "What a lodging has honesty taken up with!"-Reward of conscientiousness.-A gentleman jumping from an omnibus in the city of New York, dropped his pocket-book, and had gone some distance before he discovered his loss; then, hastily returning, he asked every passenger whom he met, if a pocket-book had been seen finally, meeting a little girl of ten years old, to whom he made the same inquiry, she asked, "What kind of a pocket-book?" He described it. Then unfolding her apron, "Is this it?" "Yes, that is mine; come into this store with me.' They entered; he opened the book, counted the notes, and examined the papers. "They are all right," said he; "fifteen notes of a thousand dollars each; had they fallen into other hands, I might never have seen them again. Take, then, my little girl, this note of a thousand dollars, as a reward for your honesty, and a lesson to me to be more careful in future.' "No," said the girl, "I cannot take it. I have been taught at Sunday school not to keep what is not mine; and my not."-Shake-parents would not be pleased if I took the note home; they might suppose I had stolen it." Well, then, my child, show me where your parents live." The girl took him to a humble tenement in an obscure street, rude but cleanly. He informed the parents of the case they told him their child had acted correctly; they were "poor," it was true, but their pastor had always told them not to set their hearts on rich gifts. The gentleman told them they must take it; and he was convinced they would make a good use of it, from the principles they had professed. The pious parents then blessed their benefactor, for such he proved: they paid debts which had disturbed their peace, and the benevolent giver this principle is gave the father employment in his occupation as a carpenter, honest enabling him to rear an industrious family in comparative man."-Whately. happiness. This little girl became the wife of a respectable "There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats; for I am arm'd SO strong in honesty, that they pass by me as the idle wind, which I respect speare. Stealing never makes a rich man, alms never makes a man poor, and praying never hinders a man's business. "Honesty is the best policy; but he who acts upon not an B.C. 457. Ezra mourns the sins of the people The events of this chap., and esp. the prayer of Ezra, impor 66 tradesman of New York, and had reason to rejoice that she was born of pious parents who had secured their daughter's happiness by sending her to Sunday school. CHAPTER THE NINTH. 1-4. (1) princes, i.e. some of them, not all, see v. 2. abominations, idolatrous practices. (2) for.. sons, and they were seduced to evil by these unequal marriages. hand.. trespass, some of those who should have withstood these practices were leaders in evil. (3) rent.. garment.. mantle," rent my inner and outer robe: this, with plucking, etc., a sign of over whelming grief. (4) then.. Israel, the sincerely devout came to condole, advise, help. Rending garments.-The Jews mingled a great deal of ceremony with the tearing of garments, when any misfortune befell them. Sometimes they made the rent from the top downwards, sometimes from the skirt upwards. The requisite length was a hand's breadth. When made on the occasion of the death of parents it was not sewed up again; when for the death of other persons it was sewed up at the end of thirty days. It is in reference to this practice that Solomon has said there is "a time to rend, and a time to sew," that is to say a time to be afflicted and a time to admit of consolation.-Oriental mourners.— Oriental mourners divested themselves of all ornaments and laid aside their jewels, gold, and everything rich and splendid in their dress. The Grecian ladies were directed in this manner to mourn the death of Achilles: "Not clothed in rich attire of gems and gold, with glittering silks or purple.' This proof of humiliation and submission Jehovah required of His offending people in the wilderness: "Therefore, now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the Mount Horeb." Long after the time of Moses, that rebellious nation again received a command of similar import: "Strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins." 5-7. (7) I.. heaviness,a perh. comforted by the suggestions of the hour. fell.. God, making public confession and prayer. (6) ashamed, etc., not of repentance but of the sins of the people. (7) since.. day, the very sins of wh. they had so soon become guilty were the cause of their national disasters. ix. 5, 6, 8. V. 63. Ezra's humiliation for the sins of his people.-We propose to a Ps. evi. 6; Da. consider-I. The reason of his sorrow. He justly regarded the conduct of the people as a most heinous evil. I. As being a viola-e C. Simeon, M.A. tion of an express command; 2. As having an evident tendency to vv. 6, 7. L. Sterne, bring the people back to idolatry. How great his sorrow on this occasion was, we may judge from-II. The expressions of it. Note the expression of his grief the instant he was informed of their misconduct. But his humiliation before God is that which more particularly demands our attention. Note on v. 6.-"Ah, that fellow's sins are on his head: how numerous are the sins on his head! Alas! for such a head as that. Who can take them from his head? His iniquity is so >great, you may see it on his head." Does a man wish to extenuate his crime, to make himself appear not so great a sinner as some suppose, he asks, "What! has my guilt grown up to heaven! no! no!" "Abominable wretch, your guilt has reached to the heavens." "Can you call that little, which has grown up to the heavens ?" "Repentance hath a purifying power, and every tear is of a cleansing virtue; but these penitential clouds must be still kept dropping: one shower will not suffice: for repentance is not one single action, but & course."-South. f Roberts. 8, 9. (8) little space, lit. moment. remnant, ref. to Isa. a Isa. xxii. 23. i. 9, x. 20-22. nail, pin of wood for fixing a tent, meaning, ab Ne. ix. 36; Ps. constant and sure abode." (9) bondmen, etc., see refs. give vii. 28. CXxxvi. 23; Ez. ..wall, a fence. Wall of Jerus. not yet built. Grace.-I. The meaning of the word grace, and the manner c Isa. v. 2, 5. in which it has been shown to us. 1. In the preservation of "O ye powers! our country, both from foreign and domestic enemies; 2. In that search the B.C. 457. heart of man, and weigh his inmost thoughts! If I've done amiss, impute it not: the best may err, but ye are good." Addison. d W. Stevens. with which the fastened to the lar allusion is a De. vii, 1-3. preserving our monarch from death and from family judgments, etc., in placing some wise men on the throne; 3. In granting a decree of success to our fleets and armies; 4. In preserving to us our religious privileges; 5. In preserving to us valuable lives. II. This comes from God not by secondary means or causes, nor by chance. III. The end God has in view by thus showing grace to us.d 66 Note on v. 8.-The margin has, " or a pin," that is, "a constant and sure abode." It is worthy of notice that the Tamul translation has it, a hut in His holy place." "To "lighten" the eyes signifies to give comfort, to strengthen, to refresh. A father says to his son, when he wishes him to do anything, "My child, make these eyes light." "O woman, enlighten my eyes, lest I be swallowed up with sorrow." "O that our eyes were clear! who will take away the darkness from my eyes ?"e-A hint for teachers, etc.—The Rev. Samuel Bottomley, for the long period of fiftyseven years the pastor of a Christian congregation at Scarborough, in the beginning of his ministry, had inscribed on the dial in his chapel the impressive sentiment, "On this moment eternity depends." A most important consideration, which should never be forgotten in the house of God, either by the preacher or his hearers. 10-12. (10) what.. this, what, in excuse; or by way of 6 De. xxiii. 6; cf. promise. (11) by.. prophets, i.e. "by the hand of," etc. Their hand of power indicating the authority with wh. they wrote. saying, etc., a testy. to the Pentateuch." (12) nor. "He that repents peace, etc., not protect them, nor enrich yourself by their Jos. xvi. 10. every day for the sins of every day, when he comes Henry. wealth. Cause of confession of sin.-Learn what produced confession. to die will have It was mercy. The promise is, "Whoso confesseth and forsaketh the sin but of one his sins shall have mercy." That promise was in substance made day to repent of. Short reckonings before any sinner confessed, otherwise there never would have make long been on earth any confession of sin. That promise has power. friends."-P. It touches a sinner while he is dead, and hard, and still as a stone-it touches and moves him. It touches his heart, and The more you makes it flow down like water in confession; it touches his life, yield to any and leads him into the paths of righteousness. Had there been known sin, the greater will be no such gracious offer from God, there would have been no such its power over submissive surrender by man. This is a circle, you say. The Men may sinner who confessed obtained mercy, and that very much give way to the caused the sinner to confess. So it is; and it is like God. All power of sin till the worlds are globes, and all their paths are circles. His dispensations circulate. All good comes forth from Himself, and all glory returns to Himself. His mercy displayed, broke the stony heart, and caused the confession to flow; the confession flowing, opened the way for mercy to enter. If I have not a broken, contrite heart, God's mercy will never be mine; but if God had not manifested His mercy in Christ, infinite and free, I could never have a broken, contrite heart." you. at last they are "led captive of the devil at his will." c Dr. Arnot. a Ps. ciii. 10. Ne. xiii. 23-27. c De. ix. 8. d Ne. ix. 33; Da. ix. 14. b 13-15. (13) after.. deeds, by which the people should have been warned. hast.. deserve, lit. hast withheld beneath our iniquities. (14) affinity, by marriage, etc. angry.. us,c the heaviest punishment dealt out may be exceeded in the future. (15) righteous, making a dif. betw. the evil and the good. escaped, the sin, as well as the punishment. B.C. 457. e E. Jones. Dr. vv. 13, 14. Bp. Rey v. 15. "We live in the consequences of past actions.". Dr. A. A. Hodge. The voices of the soul in view of sin, and of salvation from it.— Under the influence of a great grief we have in our text the soul uttering two voices. I. The voice of conscience in view of sin. Conscience says-1. That man himself is responsible for his sins; 2. That the evil of sin is great; 3. That punishment ƒ C. Simeon, M.A. is connected with sin; 4. That sin is not punished in this world according to its desert, and this for two reasons: because it is a world in which good and evil exist, because there is more mercy than justice in this world. II. The voice of wild wonder in view of God's salvation from sin. This wonder is caused by two things. 1. By the greatness of the deliverance; 2. By looking at the awful consequences of rejecting this salvation.-Use of God's diversified dispensations.-From these words we shall take occasion to consider I. God's diversified dispensations towards us. He has visited our sins with judgments; He has now also vouchsafed us a deliverance. To promote a suitable improvement of these dispensations, let us consider-II. The effect they should have upon us. We should look upon the sin which causes them as-1. Unreasonable; 2. As ungrateful; 3. As dangerous. An old sailor's story.-Once upon a time I made a voyage in a merchant barque. We were becalmed in the south seas, and weary work it were, a doing of nothin' from day to day. But when the water began to come up thick from the bottom of the water casks, it was a wearier a deal. Then a thick fog came on, as white as snow a'most, and we could'nt see more than a few yards ahead or on any side of us. But the fog didn't keep the heat off, it only made it worse, and the water was fast goin' down. The short allowance grew shorter and shorter, and the men, some of them, were half mad with thirst, and began to look bad at one another. I kept up my heart by looking ahead inside me. For days and days the fog hung about us as if the air had been made o' flocks o' wool. The captain took to his berth, and several of the crew to their hammocks, for it was just as hot on deck as anywhere else. The mate lay on the spare sail on the quarter deck, groaning. I had a strong suspicion that the schooner was drifting, and hove the lead again and again, but could find no bottom. Some of the men got hold of the spirits, and that did'nt quench their thirst, it drove them clean mad. I had to knock one of them down myself with a capstanbar, for he ran at the mate with his knife. At last I began to lose all hope, and still I was sure the schooner was slowly drifting. My head was like to burst, and my tongue was like a lump of holly-stone in my mouth. Well, one morning I had just, as I thought, lain down on the decks to breathe my last, hoping I should die before I went quite mad with thirst, when all at once the fog lifted, like the foot of a sail. I sprung to my feet. There was the blue sky overhead, but the terrible burning sun was there. A moment more, and a light air blew satisfaction for on my cheek; and, turning my face to it as if it had been the very breath of God, there was an island within half a mile, and I saw the shine on the water, on the face of a rock, on the shore. "This is ever God's manner, when me u change their deeds, to change His doom; when they renounce their sins, to retence; when they repent of the evil they have done against Him, to He had said He would do against them. Never was a man truly call His sen repent of the evil and inwardly humbled but God, in the riches of His special mercy (in Christ), truly pardoned him."-Bishop Sanderson. Whatsoever curse there is in sin, or punishment due to it, is taken from you, if you are in Christ; for Не has made the one, and borne the other. I cried out, "Land on the weather quarter! water in sight!" g Dr. G. Mac In a moment more a boat was lowered, and in a few minutes the donald. boat's crew, of which I was one, were lying, close and all, in a little stream that came down from the hills above. |