us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the King?" In this manner their enemies tried to dismay them by insinuating that the Jews were revolting against the King, and that they were fortifying the city with the intention of casting off the Assyrian yoke. "Then answered I them," says Nehemiah, with noble reliance upon God-" Then answered I them "-not that the King had given me a decree to undertake the work; not that I was in reality obeying, instead of resisting him-but this heavenly hero's sublime and magnanimous answer was," the God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build." And in the might of that confidence they prosecuted their task, spite of every discouragement -spite of contempt and fraud and treacheryspite of false friends and open enemies, till, in fifty-two days, this handful of feeble men brought the mighty work to a happy issue; the walls of the city were finished, and the gates were again set up, because the good hand of their God was upon them. "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

Such is the interesting and encouraging theme which invites the attention more especially of those of you who are busied in the world's affairs. May it minister to your instruction, admonition, and

encouragement! and may the Spirit of God be with us whilst we enlarge upon it!

The principle which underlies the practical recognition of God in all the events of ordinary life is that for results, just as much as for duties, we are utterly dependent upon Him. We are very apt to lose sight of this truth; either on the one hand, presuming on consequences as inevitable, or on the other, not content with being vigilant and energetic in the pursuit of our objects, we harass ourselves about the issue of our endeavours. We take upon ourselves the burden of the result, when we should only take upon ourselves the yoke of obedience to the will of God. Yea, and even for that obedience, as we have in a former lecture shown you, we are to confide in the grace which is sufficient for us. Surely if we rely upon God for strength to fulfil every duty, we should no less rely upon Him to crown the discharge of every duty with success. If no effort is of us, but as it is of God, must not the upshot of all our efforts be still more palpably in His hands? If, therefore, we have to confide in Him, in order that we may do any thing that is good, it follows that we must repose upon Him, in order that what we do may be brought to good effect.

That we may exercise such reliance, it is essential that we realize the all-pervading, all-controlling

government of the Lord God Omnipotent. In creed, we all avouch that sovereignty, yet in the practical details of life, where is the Christian who carries out this faith in all its bearings and in all its influences? The general providence of God, His sway over systems and worlds and nations, and even over events of magnitude and moment, we do not deny. To deny this would be virtual atheism. But to own God as fashioning every link in the complicated chain of our history; to discern his hand in the least as well as in the greatest; to realize a providence which overrules what is evil, as well as orders what is good-a Providence which restrains the unwilling, whilst it leads the obedient-a Providence so transcendent, that none and nothing can thwart it, so minute, that none and nothing can escape it-a Providence which directs the insect's wing and the atom's flutter, as well as the planet's course and the archangel's flightto do this clearly, constantly, and experimentally, is an attainment in the divine life as rare as it is precious; yet this, and nothing less than this, is warranted, or rather commanded, by such expressions as "in Him we live, and move, and have our being;" "the wrath of man shall praise Him, and the remainder of wrath He will restrain ;"" not a sparrow is forgotten before God;" "not a sparrow falleth to the ground without our heavenly Father's will;" "the

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very hairs of our head are all numbered." We must interweave these assurances with the tissue and texture of our lives; they must enter as an essential element into the formation of our purposes, and into the conduct of our pursuits. It is thus we I must walk with God." It is thus we must wait upon Him, as "working all things according to the counsel of His will." It is thus we must trust in Him, and be "doing good;"" commit our way to Him, that He may bring it to pass." If, however, we are to have confidence in God's paternal Providence whilst pursuing our designs, it is essential that we should pursue them as His servants. We must be assured that we are obeying His will. We must be diligent because obedient. Mark the connection between Nehemiah's confidence, and the energy with which he and his companions girded themselves to their task. "The God of heaven, He will prosper us." What then? Did he arguelet us sit still, till God accomplish the work by miracle; let us wait, God will fulfil His own designs ?No, but "therefore we His servants will arise and build;" we will labour, "forasmuch as we know our labour is not in vain in the Lord." It is thus, in doing the will of God, that we must look for the blessing of God. So that, if we are not satisfied that the purpose we are cherishing, or the friendships we are forming, or the undertaking we are

enterprising, has the divine sanction, and is in harmony with our duty, we cannot proceed in the calm hope that "God will prosper us." Nothing can animate and sustain a Christian like the persuasion, "I am about my Father's business; I am where He would have me be; I am doing what He would have me do." The first question, therefore, in all cases is, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" "Is this Thy way?" "Then it shall be my way." "Is this Thy pleasure?"

"Then it shall be my

pleasure." We must take every step in faith. We must "hear a word behind us, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when we turn to the right hand or turn to the left." Then, only then, shall we pursue our path in the sweet conviction that all must be well, everlastingly well; for the upshot is not ours, but His whom we serve.

We

Whilst, however, we reckon, without wavering, that God will insure to us a happy result, we must leave the time and the circumstances and the character of the result entirely in His hands. are not to prescribe, but to submit; we are not to say, "Thus it must be," but " Father, Thy will, not mine, be done!" It is enough for us to know, that the issue shall be "according to the good pleasure of His will," though it may not prove according to our narrow forecastings, or congenial to our natural desires.

Disappointment may be the