Nehemiah 10:39

REFLECTIONS

How truly beautiful is the church of God when considered in her several orders and characters. Here in this chapter we have a faint representation of it. The people of God are here set forth as renewing their covenant, signing and sealing to the testimony of God's truth, their right of covenant blessings in him; and his authority and power over them by virtue of his having taken them into covenant with him. These distinguishing relations, if I may so call them, are marked down. Each in his rank and order subscribe his hand to the blessed truth. The governor begins, the Priests and Levites follow; and the rest of the people bring up the great account. And is this not the case of God's church and people in all ages? Chosen out of the world, and distinguished and set apart from the world, God acknowledgeth himself to be, the gracious Father of his Christ; and his people in Christ as a people which he hath formed for himself, and who shall show forth his praise. Jesus is the true Tirshatha, the governor of his people; all his people are made kings and priests unto the Father by him. And as all his household, both young and old, both high and low, of both sexes, and characters, subscribe and set to their seal that God is true; so He graciously poured out of his Holy Spirit on all, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. My soul! art thou of this family? Hath the Lord this day avouched thee to be his servant? And hast thou avouched the Lord to be thy God? Yes! blessed Jesus! in thee I pray to be found. Thou art the covenant, and the whole of the covenant. Here would I subscribe my hand, and set to my seal. And oh! blessed Lord, do thou set me as a seal upon thine heart and as a seal upon thine arm. Let thy blessed Spirit seal my soul unto the day of redemption. Amen.