Nehemiah 8

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VIII.—Not strong walls, but knowledge of, and obedience to, God, are the great safety of cities and nations. Nothing is more necessary, for the establishment or preservation of true religion, than a diligent study and thorough acquaintance with the word of God. Men, women, and children, ought to vie with each other in their study and knowledge of it. And it is a great pleasure to faithful preachers to have hearers who hunger and thirst after it. Not only ought God’s word to be read, but also explained, and enforced on the conscience. And solemn prayers and praises should be joined with every public religious instruction. Sermons bid fair for success when the hearers are solemnly attentive. Nor will those, who relish the word of God, ever think the time long which is spent in hearing. Short sermons, and soon wearied hearers, are sad tokens of cold and careless hearts. O what a happy passage it is when God’s law cuts men’s consciences to the quick, and makes them weep from the heart. Penitent mourning makes way for spiritual mirth. They who sow in tears shall reap in joy. And it is the pleasantest part of a minister’s work to comfort, with the gospel of Christ, those that mourn. For the gospel explained and believed, and the consolations of Christ experienced, effectually rejoice the heart, and qualify for the performance of duty or resistance of enemies. And a sense of God’s redeeming kindness powerfully instigates to charitable benevolence. But how often the institutions of God’s word are unknown to the most of professors! What a multitude of things will diligent searchers of the scriptures find there, which they had forgotten, or had never duly considered! It will convince them of many negligences and ignorances. Well spent are those hours which are occupied in earnest conversing with God by his word. And happy is the effect when such as have access to it speedily and cheerfully practise whatever they find therein commanded