they who are wife will fhine as the brightness of the firmarnent, and they who turn many to righteousness, as the fars for ever and ever. LII, L. NEHEMIAH. THIRTEEN years were expired, fince Ezra went up to Jerufalem. During that period of time, the holy man had diligently availed himself of the commiffion granted him by the king of Perfia. He had re-established the purity of religious worship-he had introduced a general reformation among the people— he had fet in order the fervices of the newly-confecrated temple. But, alas, much remained unfinished, which regarded the welfare and profperity of Jerufalem. The walls lay wafte-the city was ruinous—the house of GoD exposed to every danger, which might be feared from from the secret treachery, or open hoftility, of their evil neighbours. Ezra fees all this, and laments that he is unable to promote the welfare of the state as effectually as he had benefited the Church. But the LORD will not caft off his people, neither will he forfake his inheritance. HANANI, a faithful fervant of GOD, prompted by his own zeal, and probably encouraged by Ezra, departs from Jerufalem to the court of Artaxerxes, to implore affistance for his defponding countrymen. He repairs to his brother Nehemiah, and with all the eloquence of impaffioned grief tells him, that the people are in affliction and reproachthat the fortreffes are broken downthat the gates are in the fame ruinous condition to which the fury of Nebuchadnezzar had reduced them. NEHEMIAH was at peace in the court of Perfia, beloved and diftinguished by his fovereign. He was in poffeffion of VOL. II. S all all that the world holds dear, or defirable. Why should his happiness be affected by the danger of Jerufalem? If those remote walls are on heaps, he is in the palace of Sufa. If his far-diftant countrymen are despised, he is held in honourable estimation by the monarch of the world. But the private felicity of a good man is loft in the public distress. When the head fuffers, all the members suffer with it. NEHEMIAH had once indulged the hope, that the gracious edict of Darius, and the royal benevolence which had been extended by his fucceffor to Jerufalem, would have advanced its ftrength, and glory. Now, when he hears that the holy city is ftill in confufion, despised of men, and as it were forfaken by GOD, he fafts, and mourns, and implores the of Heaven. How many mercy inhabitants of Jerufalem actually beheld those ruins with dry eyes, or at best were were affected with a fruitless forrow! Nehemiah hears of them afar off, and weeps-he refolves to devote his life to the fervice of his country. That grief is ufelefs, which centers in itfelf, and is not joined with active endeavours for redrefs. HE determines to throw himself at the feet of his generous master, and make interceffion for Jerufalem-but he will firft have recourfe to his GOD. He knew that the hearts of earthly kings are under the guidance of the King of Heaven-he was not ignorant of the efficacy of fervent prayer. In all our undertakings, if we feek not the patronage of the Almighty, it is vain to hope for permanent fuccefs. THUS armed, thus prepared, Nehemiah approaches his royal mafter. The king beholds him overwhelmed with forrow-forrow which he neither attempts, nor wishes, to conceal. S 2 His diftrefs was vifible |