lief! For, how fearful, and faint-hearted, and desponding do we often become in the presence of foes and of difficulties! And how far are we from abounding in prayer as we ought, for that prospering blessing which God alone can give, and which He so often and so graciously promises to them that ask it! And what a faith-sustaining, hope-inspiring, and prayer-evoking truth is this, that the God of heaven grants prosperity to his devoted servants and people, when in His name and strength they arise and gird themselves to the task of building up the walls of the spiritual Jerusalem and repairing the waste places of Zion, by labouring to win souls to Christ and to edify His body, and by showing themselves valiant for the truth and honour of God in the earth!

This leads us to notice the second part of Nehemiah's answer and what it teaches us—“Therefore we His servants will arise and build." Here we are taught that the important truth we have been considering,—that prosperity is of the Lord,—ought to have the effect of stirring us up to earnest united exertion, and of keeping us ever actively engaged in the Lord's work. This was the effect produced upon Nehemiah by the animating conviction that God would be with him to prosper him. He was stirred up to holy resolution and activity in the work that had been assigned him. And hence his calm, fearless reply to his opponents, in which he speaks not merely for himself, but in name of all who had so heartily responded to his appeal, by saying, "Let us rise up and build "- "Therefore we His servants will arise and build." Theirs was the high and honourable and responsible position of "servants" of "the God of Heaven," and as such, each had a work to do, a part to take in the great undertaking of rebuilding the dilapidated walls of their beloved city. And believing that He whom they served would surely prosper them in such work, for His own glory, their hearty resolution was, "Therefore we His servants will arise and build."

Now, we need hardly remark that this was the right conclusion to draw from the fact that God would prosper them, "Therefore we will arise and build "-not, "Therefore we will fold our hands and sit still, and put forth no effort at all, but simply wait for the promised prosperity." No. They had no reason to expect that the walls of the city would be built miraculously, as those of Jericho had been thrown down; they knew that the ordinary means must be used, and that they had individually a duty to perform in using these means; and that they could only look for prosperity from God when they were diligently essaying, as indi

viduals and as a united people, to do that duty to the utmost of their ability. And so their united, hearty resolve, expressed by their noble-minded governor in their name, was, "Therefore we His servants will arise and build."

Thus, then, we learn, that so far from the promise and prospect of God's prospering blessing leading us to dispense with the use of any appointed means of usefulness, or to lessen our exertions in the Lord's work and service, it is just this that ought to stir us up to greater and ever-increasing activity, and keep us ever active. It is just the thought, the blessed conviction, that the God of heaven is both able and ready to prosper us, that should animate and strengthen us, and constrain us to abound more and yet more in the work of the Lord, which is at once so honourable and so profitable. As it is the promises of God's Word, coupled with the Divine faithfulness, that should lead us to abound in believing prayer; so it is the assurance that the blessing promised will not be withheld from any humble, scriptural effort in behalf of the cause of truth and righteousness and the salvation of men, that should quicken us to increasing diligence in the putting forth of such efforts. "The God of heaven, He will prosper us," therefore let us not sleep as do others; let us not loiter and trifle away our time for work, or neglect our opportunities and means of usefulness, but let us "arise and build." As labourers together with God, the great Master-Builder, let us gird up the loins of our mind, and give ourselves in right earnest to the all-important work of building on the sure foundation laid in Zion for our own personal salvation, and to that of seeking to secure and promote the spiritual welfare of our fellow-men. And let us not "grow weary" in such "well-doing," assured that "in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

II. Let us now indicate THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THIS NOBLE, MAGNANIMOUS REPLY WAS MADE BY NEHEMIAH, in name of his fellow-countrymen, to their scornful foes.

(1.) Evidently it was made in a spirit of strong, unwavering confidence in God, with the humble assurance of divine help and success in the work. This we think is very apparent. What but a spirit of simple, unhesitating faith in the Most High could have enabled Nehemiah to say, so calmly and so bravely, in the very face of his malicious, and crafty, and powerful adversaries, “The God of heaven, He will prosper us, therefore we will arise and build; but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jeru

salem"? It does not appear that Nehemiah had received from God any express commission to set about the work he had undertaken, or any direct promise of success in it. And yet he felt assured that God would prosper him. For he knew that what he had come to do at Jerusalem was a needful work, closely connected with the honour of Israel's God, and a work, therefore, of which God could not but approve. And he was conscious that, in all he had purposed and undertaken, he was seeking no mere personal interest and advantage, but simply the welfare of his people and the honour of his God. Had the matter in which he was engaged been purely or even partially a personal one, he might not have been justified in cherishing so confident an expectation of success. But in such a work as that to which he had been led to devote himself, under the high constraining principle of ardent love to God and to His Church and cause, he could have no doubt as to his receiving such countenance and support as would bring all his labours to the best and happiest issue. The desire to embark in this great enterprise had been awakened and gradually strengthened within him by the Spirit of God, and therefore he felt confident that the blessing of the God of heaven would accompany his efforts, and crown them with ultimate success. And, as the issue proved, Nehemiah's confidence was not a vain confidence; for, in the short space of fifty-two days, the work was done, the walls were rebuilt and the gates set up,-though it was in "troublous times."

And as it was with Nehemiah, so should it be with all engaged in any work having for its object the good of the Church, the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, and the promotion of the divine glory in the world. They may and ought to cherish such confidence in God, and such humble assurance of success, as Nehemiah had. Of course, such confident assurance by no means warrants any one to limit God as to the time, or manner, or measure of the success He may be pleased to grant. These must always be left in His hand, to His all-wise disposal, since He alone knows what will most tend to the furtherance of His cause and glory. But in so far as the attainment of the objects aimed at will bring glory to His name and grace, we may rest satisfied that we shall not be suffered to labour wholly in vain, however humble may be our efforts or limited the sphere in which they are put forth, provided they are put forth in a right spirit, and from right motives.

(2.) The spirit in which Nehemiah made this reply was one

of enlightened zeal for the cause of God and the divine glory. This also is very manifest, for certainly in setting himself to the arduous task of rebuilding the ruined walls of Jerusalem, in the face of the active opposition of scornful foes, Nehemiah was not consulting his own ease and comfort or reputation. Had he wished to do this, he would never have left his affluent position at the Court of Shushan. Zeal for the cause and honour of the God of Zion was therefore another of the grand moving principles in operation within the breast of the noble-hearted governor. He feared the God of heaven; he loved His righteous cause; he desired the welfare of Zion, the prosperity of the Church at Jerusalem; and so, fired with zeal for the divine glory, he set himself to his great work. And he needed such a spirit of ardent, quenchless zeal. For the difficulties he had to encounter were neither few nor small. Many years had elapsed since the first return of the Jews from Babylon, and during all that time, the walls of Jerusalem had remained as the Chaldeans had left them, or rather, had got gradually more and more dilapidated, while all the gates had been destroyed by fire. Even the rubbish," we are told, had not been anywhere removed. Moreover, there were "nobles," who refused to put their necks to the work, and whose unworthy example had a most discouraging effect upon the people. The brethren of the royal tribe of Judah too, who should have been among the foremost in the work, greatly retarded it, at a subsequent stage, by faint-heartedly representing the task as impracticable, because of the vast accumulations of rubbish which were everywhere to be met with, and which seemed to defy all efforts to clear them away. And then, in addition to all such difficulties from within, his enemies without were constantly exerting themselves to defeat his purposes, by pouring open contempt upon the work, and by conspiring to arrest and overthrow it by attacking those engaged in it, and plotting even to take his own life. Much need then had Nehemiah of all his heaven-born zeal, and his zeal was sufficient to sustain and carry him through. He prosecuted the work to its completion in the spirit of his answer to his adversaries, not regarding difficulties, however great, or fearing enemies, however numerous and powerful. For he felt that One was on his side mightier than them all.

How well would it be for the interests of religion in the world, were there such a spirit of ardent zeal for the cause and honour of Christ in the breasts of all professedly engaged in His

service! How would obstacles be overcome, and enemies be set at defiance, and the Lord's work made everywhere to prosper. It was such a spirit that animated the first heralds of the cross, as they sped their way from country to country with the glad tidings of salvation unto all peoples. And it was such a spirit that filled the Reformers and martyrs in our own and other lands, when they "earnestly contended for the faith once delivered to the saints," and "overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, loving not their lives unto the death." And just in proportion as God's servants and people are imbued with such a spirit, will they attempt great things in the cause of Christ, and be successful in work for the heavenly Master.

(3) Nehemiah's spirit was one of fearless determination to prosecute the work on which he was entering at all hazards. His was a spirit of true courage-of genuine moral heroism. Knowing his God, he was strong and did exploits. He dealt courageously, and the Lord was with him. When urged on one occasion to flee for safety into the temple, by some who secretly desired his ruin, his brave reply was, "Should such a man as I flee? and who is there that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!" He scorned the idea of shrinking like a coward from the post of duty when it had become a position of danger, and stood firm. Waiting constantly and devoutly on the Lord for counsel and direction and help in the work, he was "of good courage," and his heart was strengthened.

And a like spirit of moral courage and resolute determination is still much needed in carrying on the Lord's work in an evil world, and especially in maintaining a testimony in behalf of despised or ignored truth," the word of Christ's patience." For, such work, and those employed in it, meet with many adversaries; and in order to their being withstood and overcome, and in order to our "enduring hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," a spirit of holy fortitude, that will not quail in presence of the foes of truth, is most needful. Let us therefore add to our faith, virtue, that is, courage; and let us "consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest we be wearied and faint in our minds; for we have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."

(4) Once more, Nehemiah's spirit was one of self-denying patriotism. His answer was that of a wise, devoted, largehearted patriot. He had come "to seek the welfare of the