- LIB. XXI. Nehemiah building, &c. A Nthtmiahfate \varme in the Court at Shufb•n, favoured by the greot K no Arta . trxts;nothing could be wanting to him, whether forpleafureor lt:ate; wha~ 0 ... ,ncd he to trouble his head with thoughrs for Jerufalem! what ifthofe remote w:~lls !Jy on heaps whiles himfdfe dwelt fa ire~ what if his far-ditlantcountry·men be de!pl· fed, whiles himfelfe is honoured by the great Monarch ofthe WQrld! It is nm fo eafie for gracious difpofi<ions to ruroe offthe publikcalamitksofGods Church: neither can they doe other then l<efe their private fdicities in the common olillreffes of the univerfall body. 1{I forgetthtt, o lerufolem, let my right ha.i/forget her tunnlnt1 T[I d1t not rt111tmber thee, let m7 tonguu"ave tother01[e of my mouth. Many)ewes went up from Babylon,and Shuthan,to Jeruf•lem; f,w ever rerurned voluntarily from their natiye home to the region oftheir captivity : Some occa!ion B drew H•nani with certaine others ofJudah, to this voyage. Ofthem doth Nchemiah carefully inquire the prefent condition ofJerufalem: It was no ncwes that the people were aflliGled, and reproached,the walls brokendowne,the gates burm with fire. Even fince the furious vallation of Nt~U"-Arad•n, that City knew not bert<r termes: fcldome when doth the fpirituall Jerufalem fare otherwife in refpeGl ofoutward e- !bte! External! glory and magnificence is an unfure noteofthe Church. Well hJd Nehtmlah hoped that the gracious Edict, and beneficenceof DATi~«,and the fucceffive patronage ofhis Lord ..ArtAxerxts had by the continuance oftwenry yeares favour advanced the llrength and .glory of]erufalem 1 but now, finding the holy City to liellill in the dull ofher confufion, neglected ofGod, defpifed ofinen, he firs downe and weeps, and mournes, and falls, and prayes to the God of heaven. C How many faw thofe mines, and were little affected! he hearcs ofthem afar off, and is thus paffionate :Howmany were upon this fight affected with a fruitleffe forrow! his mournino is joyned with the indevours ofredreffe. In vaine is that gricfe which hathno oth.;'r end then idclfe. · Nehemi•h is ref0lved to kneele to the King his maller, for the repaire of his Ierufa. lem1 he dares nor attempt the fuir till hee have begunwith God;This good Courcier le. new wdl that the hearts ofthefe earthly Kings are in the over-ruling hand of tht King of heaven to incline whither he pleaferh:Our prayers are tht onely true meanes to make way for our fucceffe; If in all our occa!ioos we doe not begin "irh the full mover, the courfe is prepofterous and commonly fpeeds thereafter, Who dares cenfure the piety ofCourriers, when be finds Nehemiah llanding beD fore Artaxerxes! Eventhe Per!ian Palace is not uncapable ofa Saint: No man that waits on the Altarat Ierufalem can compare for zeale,withhim,rhat waits on the: cup ofa Pagan Monarch: The mercies ofGod are unlimited to places,.to cal!ings. Thus armed with devotions, doth Nehemiahput himfclfe ioro the prefence ofhis maller Artaxerxts. His face was overclouded with a decpe fadneffe, neither was he willing to cleare it.The King ealily notes rhe difparity of the countenane< of the bearer, and the wine that he beares: and in agracious bmiliariry askcs the reafon offuch unwonted change; How well it becomes the great to lloopunroa courteous affability, and to exchange words ofrefpeCl, even with their humble vaffals. Nthtmiah had not beene fo long in the Court but he knew that Princes like no oth<r then cheerefull attendants; neither was he wont tobring any other face into that E prefence, then fmooth, and fmiling. Greatneffeufes to be full of fufpition, and where it fees adejection,and fowerneffe of the browes, is ready to apprehend Come fullen thoughts of difconrcnrment, or, at theleall, conllrues it for a difrcfpeCl to thJt Soveraignty, whofe beames thould be ofpowertodifperfe all ourinward mills: Even good manners forbid a man to prdfe into the prcfen.c• ofa Prince , except he can either lay by thefe unpleafing paffions, or hide them :So had Nebtmiah hitherto done : Now, he pnrpofely fuffcrs his farrow to looke through hrs eyes , that 1t may worlc.e both rnqurry, and cam. paffion from his maller; neither doth he faile of his hopes in either; WhJ is thy "•nttn•ntt (•J,ftting lh•• Arl oot ficke?Howfenfible do we think the father Olfmercies is ofall our penfive thoughts, when an heathen maller is fo tender ofa fervants griefe ! How ready !hould our tongues be to Jay open our cares to the God ofall comforr, Ttttt z when
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