from the sheep-gate to the fish-gate, ver. 1, 2. (2.) Thence to the oldgate, ver. 3-5. (3.) Thence to the valley gate, ver. 6-12. (4) Thence to the dung-gate, ver. 13. (5.) Thence to the gate of the fountain, ver. 14. (6.) Thence to the water-gate, ver. 15-26. (7.) Thence by the horsegate to the sheep-gate, again, where they began, ver. 27-32. and so they brought their work quite round the city.

VER. 1. "They sanctified it unto the tower of Hananeel."]-In which was fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah, Jer. xxxi. 38. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built unto the Lord, from the tower of Hanancel."-IIananeel signifies the grace of God, or grace from God: in both respects it might be fitly compared to a tower; for grace, as it is in God, is the tower, strength, rock, and refuge of the christian; and grace, as it is communicated from God, is likewise filly compared to a tower; for it is the strength of faith, the life of hope, and the joy of the christian.

CHAPTER IV.

We left all hands at work for the building of the wall about Jerusalem. But such good work doth not use to be carried on without opposition; now here we are told what opposition was given to it, and what methods Nehemiah took to forward the work, notwithstanding that opposition. (1.) Their enemies reproached and ridiculed their undertaking; but their scoffs they answered with prayers, and went on with their work notwithstanding, ver. 1-6. (2.) They formed a bloody design against them, to hinder them by force of arms, ver. 7, 8, 10, 11, 12. And to guard against this, Nehemiah prayed, ver. 9, set guards, ver. 13. and encouraged them to fight, ver. 14. by which the design was broken, ver. 15. and so the work was carried on with all needful precaution against a surprise, ver. 16—23. In all this Nehemiah approved himself a man of great conduct and courage, as well as great grace.

VER. 2. "What do these feeble Jews?"]-The people of God are despised by the world, because they appear to be a weak and feeble people; yet being encou raged by God, and strengthened by his promise, they through grace astonish the enemies of the Lord, in their zeal for the glory of God. Secondly, there appear such difficulties in the ways of God to the enemies of his name, that they despise those that through grace follow on to know the Lord and it often proves one of the blessings of the covenant for a child of God to be despised by the world, as through grace he is thereby kept from the allurements

and snares of it, and his soul brought nearer to the Lord in prayer. Note, that whatever willingness there is in the hearts of his people for the honour of God, it is the fruit of God's own power, working in them that which is wellpleasing in his sight.

Ver. 17. "Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon."]-It filleth the hearts of the wicked with enmity against the people of God to see the work of God prosper through their hands. Secondly, though the strength of the "bearers of the burden is decayed, and there is much rubbish," ver. 10. yet gospel-builders are not to be discouraged, though those ministers that used to bear the "heat and burden of the day," are decayed in their zeal, love, and strength, or are decayed in number, and become few; yet those that are called to build up Zion ministerially, are not to be discouraged, but are to remember that their God is their strength; and though there is much rubbish of arminianism, legality, self-seeking, and selfconfidence, mixing of faith and works, law and grace, Moses and Christ, and many adversaries, yet through grace they, are not to fear; this rubbish shall all be removed, for none but spiritual stones shall be laid in Christ's building; and though the christians are a feeble flock, and weak as other men, yet the Lord giving them a heart and hand to the work, and weapon of faith and the sword of the Spirit to fight, they are terrible to their enemies "as an army with banners."

CHAPTER V. .

How bravely, through grace, Nehemiah, as a wise and faithful governor, stood upon his guard against the attacks of enemies abroad, we read in the foregoing chapter. Here we have him no less bold and active to redress grievances at home, and having kept them from being destroyed by their enemies, to keep them from destroying one another. Here is, (1.) The complaint which the poor made to him, of the great hardships which the rich (of whom they were forced to borrow. money) put upon them, ver. 1-5. (2.) The effectual course which Nehemiah took, both to reform the oppressors, and to relieve the oppressed, ver. 6-13. (3.) The good example which he himself, as governor, set them, of compassion and tenderness, ver. 14-19.

VER. 9. "Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies."] -The christian who is redeemed, not only from the state of

. bondage of sin and satan, but from his backslidings and spiritual captivity, is under the greatest obligation to walk in the fear of the Lord, with a tender concern for God's manifestative glory.

CHAPTER VI.

The cries of oppressed poverty being stilled, we are now to enquire how the building of the wall goes forward, and in this chapter we find it carried on with vigour, and finished with joy, notwithstanding the restless attempts of the gates of hell to hinder it. How the Jews' enemies were baffled in their design, to put a stop to it by force, we read before, chap. iv. Here we find how their endeavours to drive Nehemiah off from it were frustrated. (1.) When they courted him to an interview, with design to do him mischief, he would not stir, ver. 1-4. (2.) When they would have made him believe his undertaking was represented as seditious and treasonable, he regarded not the insinuation, ver. 5-9. (3.) When they hired pretended prophets to advise him to retire into the temple for his own safety, still he kept his ground, ver. 10-14. (4.) Notwithstanding the secret correspondence that was kept up between then and some false and treacherous Jews, the work was finished in a short time, ver. 15-19. Such as these were the struggles between the church and its enemies; but great is God's cause, and it will be prosperous and victorious in his hands.

VER. 9. "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."-It is the christian's greatest mercy, when a sense of his weakness and the power of his adversaries engage him to seek to God alone for strength and support. A soul that is enabled to depend upon the Lord under all his troubles, will surely be supported under them, or delivered from them.

Ver. 11. "And I said, should such a man as I flee ?"] -The more work God has called any of his ministers unto, the more enemies he will find, and the more the Lord will strengthen him against them; which through grace will engage him with fortitude and zeal to stand with more courage for the Lord; for a christian that trusts in God for strength will not be afraid of the adversary.

CHAPTER VII.

The success of one good design for God and our generation should encourage us to proceed; Nehemiah did so, having fortified Jerusalem with gates and walls; his next care is, (1.) To see the city well kept, ver. 1—4. (2.) To see it well peopled; in order whereunto, he here reviews and calls over the register of the children of the captivity, the families that returned at first, and records it, ver. 5-73. It is the same in effect with that which we had Ezra ii. What use he made of it we shall find afterwards, when he brought one of ten to live in Jerusalem, chap. xi. 1.

VER. 2. "For he was a faithful man, and feared God above many."]-Nehemiah was appointed by the Lord to be a watchman in Jerusalem, who had his heart engaged for the prosperity of his brethren; for, he appointed the porters, singers, and Levites, in their places to their work: it is meant of their work in general, which was to attend the temple-service, that had been neglected in some degree, but now was revived. God's worship is the defence of a place, and his ministers are watchmen on the walls. Of Hananiali it is said, that he was a "faithful man, and one that feared God above many." Among those who fear God truly there are some who fear him greatly, and excel others in the expressions and instances of that fear; and they are worthy of that honour which is due to them that "fear the Lord," Psalm xv. 4. There were many in Jerusalem that feared God, but this man was more eminent for the filial fear of the Lord than any. Those that fear God must evidence it by their being faithful to all men, and universally conscientious. God's Jerusalem is then likely to flourish when those rule in it, and have charge of it, who excel in the fear of the Lord, and are eminent both for godliness and honesty.

CHAPTER VIII.

Ezra came up out of Babylon thirteen years before Nehemiah came; yet we have here a good work which he did, that might have been done before, but was not, till Nehemiah came who was a man of a more lively and active spirit than Ezra. God set Ezra's learning on work, and then great things were done; as we find here, where we have, (1.) The public and solemn reading and expounding of the law, ver. 1-8. (2.) The joy which the people were ordered to express upon that occa sion, ver. 9-12. (3.) The solemn keeping of the feast of tabernacles, according to the law, ver. 15-18.

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VER. 8. "So they read in the book, in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading."]-Observe, the religious exercises performed in this assembly were not ceremonial, but moral, praying, and preaching: Ezra, as president of the assembly, was "the people's mouth to God," and they affectionately joined with him." He blessed the Lord, as the great God, gave honour to him by praising his perfections, and praying for his favour; and the people, in token of their concurrence with him, both in prayers and praises, said "amen, amen; and lifted up their hands," in token of their desire being towards God, and all their expectation from him; and bowed their heads in token of their rever. ence of him and subjection to him. Thus must we adore God, and address ourselves to him when we are going to read and hear the word of God, as those that see God in bis word, very great and very good.

Ver. 10. For the joy of the Lord is your strength."] -The fatness and sweetness of this feast and sacrifice under the law, which the returned captives so rejoiced in, was a lively figure of the fatness and marrow of the blessings of the gospel, and of the sweetness and savour of the love of God, which the returning backslider in Israel enjoys, when the Holy Ghost seals the pardon of his sins in the blood of Jesus, and gives his soul faith to feed upon all the blessings and promises of the gospel; which sweetness, or oil of gladness, filleth the heart of the christian with liberty, and also with liberality to his brethren.

Ver. 17. "For since the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, unto that day, had not the children of Israel done so; and there was very great gladness."]-The chil dren of Israel had not kept this feast, as God had commanded them, since the days of Joshua, which was near a thousand years; but as soon as they saw that it was written in the law how they should keep the feast of tabernacles, they gladly obeyed the command of God: they did not consult with flesh and blood, and say, our forefathers went to heaven without it, and therefore it is not essential nor material: no, they did not judge thus, but finding it written as part of God's will to them, it was suffi cient ground for their obedience, not looking what their forefathers did, but what the word of God commanded. If christians were, through grace, but so humble as to be like them in embracing the ordinances of God's house, we should then have no more division, but an entire beauty, harmony,