Nehemiah 8

Piety is no enemy to courtesy. 2. A divine worship, which we give to God, is his prerogative-royal (Nehemiah 8:6): They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground. This divine worship God is very jealous of; this is the apple of his eye, this…

Assurance will not (as the Papists say) breed security in the soul, but industry. Doubting discourages us in God's service, but the assurance of his favor breeds joy, and the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Assurance makes us mount up to heaven as eagles in holy…

But spiritual joy makes one better; it is like cordial water, which (as physicians say) does not only cheer the heart, but purges out the noxious humors; so divine joy is cordial water, which does not only comfort, but cleanse. It makes a Christian more holy; it causes an antipa…

2. Adoration is in bowing to him or worshipping him (Psalm 29:2): Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Nehemiah 8:6) They bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. This [non-Latin text], or divine worship, is the peculiar honor that belong…

No disuse of what continuance soever, can discharge us from the observation of institutions. After the Feast of Tabernacles had been disused from the times of Joshua, to the return from the captivity, the restoration of it was required of God and accepted with him (Nehemiah 8:17…

Remember how short my time is' (Psalm 89:46-47, compared with Psalm 39:12). Tell him that for the little time you have to live, the more joy you have the more service you will be able to do him and the more lively and strongly you will go about his work — 'for the joy of the Lor…

Now, while the autographs of these prophets not only still existed but were practically fresh from the hands of the writers, to suppose that Ezra, rejecting them, copied those prophecies in a different script, seems to me to be near madness. XI. It is pretended, however, that th…

It is pleasing to add one or two examples of the utmost diligence in restoring all things exactly to the standard of Mosaic Theology. VII. Let the first example be the restoration of the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:14, 16-18): "When they found written in the law that Jehova…

The remaining parts of the reformation of the Ezraitic church — The solemn restoration of the preaching of the divine word (Nehemiah 8:1, 8) — Its neglect before the captivity — Jehoshaphat's efforts in its restoration (2 Chronicles 17:7-9) — Princes joined to the priests and Le…

Now, the Lord to help our infirmities, has given us variety of profitable exercises to be occupied in, and to recreate us as it were in another, being weary of one. They are either public, private (Nehemiah 8:5, 13). Public, is to join with the Church from the beginning to the e…

[Psalm 78:2. Hear my doctrine, O my people, incline your ear to the words of my mouth. Nehemiah 8:10. After Nehemiah (to wit, the King's Ambassador) and Ezra the Priest and Scribe, and the Levites teaching the people, said to all the people: This is the day sanctified to the Lor…

Of the actions of the body orderly and reverently used, are bowing of our bodies (Isaiah 45:23). Reverent attention declared sometimes by rising up (Genesis 49:33; 1 Chronicles 28:2; Numbers 23:22; 2 Kings 23:2; 2 Chronicles 34:31; Nehemiah 8:6). Also lifting up of the hands and…

And another answer may be this: that when he there speaks of reading, he speaks not of bare reading. Reading is sometimes put for all that expounding and applying that did ordinarily accompany their reading at such a time, for it was at the same feast that Nehemiah speaks of (Ne…

For to sit in the chair of Moses is nothing else than to teach, according to the Law of God, how we ought to live. And though I am not quite certain whence the phrase is derived, yet there is probability in the conjecture of those who refer it to the pulpit which Ezra erected, f…

Dare you think of throwing off his yoke? How desirable is it then to take delight in him whom I must serve, which only makes that service acceptable to him, and easy to myself (Nehemiah 8)! Further, this is a pleasure none can rob you of; a joy that cannot be taken from you.

4. That a believer should observe the changes of Christ's dispensations, the returns of their own prayers, and be suitably affected with them, whether he delay the answer, or give them a present return. The second thing in the expression, is the object of this joy; it's in you,…

The fifth particular, in which the power of this argument consists, is the abundance of sweet that there is in the hope of this reward, to fill the heart with joy and peace; the more joy and peace the heart is filled withal, the more certainly it is able to do great things. So N…

See part 1. chapter 6. See also Glassius book 1. Tractate 1 de Text. Hebrai punctat: who gives instances to the contrary; yea and the Talmud itself in Nedarim, or of vows chapter 4. on Nehemiah 8. 8 do plainly mention them: and Treatises more ancient than the Talmud cited by Rab…

Now these conflicts are either solicitations to sin, or tend to weaken our comfort; and in both respects we must have strength from God. Satan's first temptation is to draw us to sin; if he cannot weaken grace, then to disturb our comfort; if not to deny God, yet that we may sus…

When God hides his face, when pressing troubles do revive a sense of wrath, alas! my soul is troubled, says the Psalmist, I cannot speak: we cannot pour out our hearts to God with that largeness, that measure of strength, spirit and life, as before. But now when we can joy in Go…

If most of them could not read, how could they join in singing that Psalm, unless some or other read, or pronounced the Psalm to them? Answer 4. Though it be true, that the church of Israel had such an ordinance among them, that after the reading of the Law, or the Prophets, som…

Divine comfort, first, strengthens for duty. Nehemiah 8:10: The joy of the Lord is your strength. Joy sharpens industry; a man that is animated with the comforts of God's Spirit goes with vigor and alacrity through the exercises of religion.

When the wheels of a chariot are oiled they run swiftly; when God pours in the oil of gladness, how fast does the soul run in the ways of his commandments! Joy strengthens for duty (Nehemiah 8:10): the joy of the Lord is your strength. And the more strength, the less weariness;…

Faith makes a Christian walk; assurance makes him run. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Assurance breeds such joy in the soul as derives strength for duty.

Oil supples the joints and makes them agile and nimble; the oil of gladness makes Christians lively and fit to run the heavenly race. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Run in the strength of Christ; do not think you can of yourselves win the race.

The one, in that injunction given to the Priest (Deuteronomy 31:11, 12, 13): "When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord your God, in the place that he shall choose, you shall read this Law before all Israel in their hearing: Gather the people together, men, and women, an…

The excessive sadness and contristation of the godly, will make others afraid to embrace Christ, they will begin to question whether there be that satisfactory joy in Religion as is pretended: Oh ye Saints of God forget not consolation, let others see that you repent not of your…

As it is God that gives the power to get riches (Deuteronomy 8:18), so it is he who gives knowledge, skill, wisdom, a heart seasoned with his fear, and cheered with his favor, whereby we may with quiet contentment, and sweet tranquility, make use of those blessings which are rea…

When the prophet had exhorted the people to assemble together publicly to pray, he says: Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord say, Spare your people O Lord, and give not your heritage into reproach, etc. (Joel 2:16-17). Ministers therefore in public assemblies are to utter…

And though not in that regard, yet being well used, it may be a furtherance to men in the performance of the duties of godliness, as well as in the duties of their calling. But this rejoicing must be such as was the rejoicing of the Jews (Nehemiah 8:12), which was only spiritual…

Thus Josiah his heart is said to melt at the reading of the law (2 Chronicles 34:27). And the people rejoiced greatly, because they understood the word which the Levites had taught them (Nehemiah 8:12). The hearts of the two disciples that went to Emmaus, burned within them when…

Secondly, in our eating we must have respect of the poor. Thus Nehemiah exhorts the Jews that were mourning for their sins, to be cheerful, to eat of the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part to them, for whom none was prepared: that is, to them that were poor (Nehemiah 8:10).…

Or would it be agreeable to the bridegroom, on the day of his espousals, the day of the gladness of his heart, to be much insisting on the blemishes of his bride? We have an account, how that at the time of that joyful dispensation of providence, the restoration of the church of…