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sonality of the Divine Being in opposition to the views of agnostics, to whom God is the 'Unknown and Unknowable.' True ' He is exalted above all praise and blessing,' but He is also the Creator and Preserver of all things. 'And the host of heaven worshippeth Thee.' Earthly affairs are not beneath His notice, and in particular His hand is seen in the history of His ancient people. From the beginning of their national life, through all its chequered phases, down to its latest development God is there choosing, covenanting, redeeming, legislating, guiding, sustaining; subduing their enemies; chastening themselves, and forgiving and restoring, and again chastening; yea, that very day in the tributary position in which they were found, they smarted as they clearly saw, and penitently confessed; from the strokes of a divinely appointed rod.

This belief, lingering still in the minds of many, that God has interested and does interest Himself in human affairs, may not accord with certain modern theories. So much the worse for these theories; for, unless they are supported by better arguments than those we are acquainted with, they are not going to dislodge the belief alluded to, from the position which it has so long held, both in the Jewish and in the Christian Church.

But this prayer has lessons also for critics of another school. Perfectly orthodox on the points

just named, believing in God as the Creator and Preserver and Ruler of heaven and earth, and all therein, they have yet something to learn of the value of prayer to Him. It has a subjective as well as an objective value. Now, while the latter is clearly recognised, the former is too frequently overlooked.

The worth of prayer does not consist solely in the opportunity it affords of asking for, and of obtaining needed blessings. Here is a lengthened and solemn address to God, which we will not say 'has no petition in it' (Lange's 'Com.'), but which contains one single petition only. This occurs in the thirtysecond verse: 'Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, Who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before Thee, that hath come upon us,' etc.

With the exception of this solitary appeal to the goodness of the Divine Being, there is nothing of the nature of a request to be found in the prayer before us. Lacking petition, lacking in this element as is the prayer here recorded, let us not deem it valueless. It was well calculated to produce a frame of mind favourable to the objects. contemplated by Nehemiah, and formed a fitting prelude to the covenant which followed. 'Often,' writes one, 'the best part of a prayer is its rehearsal of God's goodness and our own short-comings. This increases the receptivity of the soul.' As a

rule, it is true, prayer, whether public or private, must have in it much of petition and intercession : we should not, therefore, speak slightingly, as is sometimes done, of a recognition of the divine attributes in prayer; and of statements made in devotional exercises which, though not supplicatory, are intended to forward communion with God, by bringing the soul into 'an acceptable recipient condition.'

In the twentieth verse of this chapter, we read, Thou gavest also Thy good Spirit to instruct them;' and in the thirtieth verse, 'Yet many years didst Thou forbear them and testifiedst against them by Thy Spirit in Thy prophets.'

The 'Spirit' here referred to is the Holy Ghost -the same Holy Spirit mentioned in Isaiah lxiii. 11, as dwelling in Moses. We bring these passages before you, not so much with a view to prove the Personality of the Spirit, as to show that this divine Instructor, this Guide infallible was present in the ancient Jewish Church.

Living, as we are, under the dispensation of the Spirit, we are privileged with richer manifestations of His presence than the Jews of old enjoyed. It is interesting, however, to note, and important also, His agency under a former dispensation. He instructed in those days. He reproved then. As the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of holiness He was not unknown even to the Church in the wilderness.

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The prayer closes with a cry of penitential sorrows The sins of the Jews had brought them into servitude and 'great distress.' This is acknowledged in the closing sentences of the prayer, and leads them, as a nation, to enter anew into covenant with God.

'Because of all this, we make

a sure covenant and write it; our princes, Levites, and priests sealing unto it.'

The provisions of this covenant will be considered in the next discourse.

We are on the highway to blessing when we are bowed in penitence before God, and resolved on solemn dedication of ourselves to Him accordto His will.

XI.

Covenanting.

'They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His judgments and His statutes.' -NEH. X. 29.

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THERE are three things which have affinity, yet differ,' says a writer: a purpose which lays no obligation on anyone; a promise which binds only the person promising; a covenant which binds all the contracting parties, and is besides a more solemn form of contract.'

The last verse of the last chapter describes the Israelites as entering into covenant with God. The great religious awakening we have spoken of took this practical turn. It did not end in mere emotion. It was followed and crowned by a formal and national act of covenanting. The verse referred to characterizes this covenant as 'sure,' and further states that it was written and sealed. It was undertaken with becoming seriousness. A covenant deed was drawn up, and was duly attested.

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