soul." It was with this feeling of gratitude influencing him, with which true religion ever inspires those who are the subjects of its power, that the pious Ezra cried out in the words of the text, after contemplating the goodness of Jehovah : "Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.'

But this leads us to the consideration, in the second place, of his acknowledgment of the divine guidance, superintendence, and direction of man's good intentions, "Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart."

Ezra knew well that the king of Persia was too little acquainted with the God of Israel to have been prompted by his own natural inclination; there were too many enemies of the children of Israel, too many indisposed to the worship of their God, to suppose it possible that the king of Persia would have moved in this holy work,

unless he had been influenced by other feelings than those of his own corrupt heart. Cyrus, the conqueror of Babylon, astonished at the prophecies of Isaiah, which were so remarkably fulfilled in him; and witnessing the miraculous preservation of the prophet Daniel, and the wisdom which emanated from him, doubtless felt himself bound by policy as well as admiration, to restore the children of Israel to their native country: nay more, it is evident, that though an idolator, still he reverenced the God of heaven, and acknowledged him as the mover of his actions. (Ezra i. 2.) “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah." But this was at the distance of eighty years after that event, when much that had taken place then had been forgotten when the governors of the provinces had for a time gained the ear of the king of Persia, that Artaxerxes made

a decree, that not only all that belonged to the house of God should be restored, but whatsoever more should be required, should be given out of his own treasures. It was on hearing this, Ezra, although he might, and doubtless did, feel thankful to the king, as the instrument of God's mercy to his people, still referring all to him who ruleth in the hearts of kings, exclaimed: "Blessed be the God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem."

And this brings us to the consideration, in the third place, of the subject of the prophet's gratitude. To beautify the house of God, which is in Jerusalem.

We have before referred to the interest which their fathers had taken in the erection of altars, and afterwards in the building of the Temple at Jerusalem. Constituted as they were, it had been, as it were, the bond of their nationality and Jeroboam found no possibility of keeping the tribes of Israel from

again returning to their former rightful sovereign, but the erection of the golden calves at Dan and Bethel. So long as the kingdom of Judah lasted, the service of the Temple was continued, and thrice a year did the people assemble in compliance with the strict commands of the God of their fathers.

The interest the Jews felt in their destroyed temple may be gathered from the 137th Psalm, where they cry in mournful voice-" By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, and wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof, for there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" And we read that many of the priests and levites, and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with

a loud voice, and many shouted aloud for joy; for although many of those things which were the ornaments of the first temple were not there, still it was known that the glory of the latter temple should far exceed the glory of the first, inasmuch as the Lord of Glory would himself condescend to visit it. We need not then wonder at the rapturous emotions of this pious servant of God, when he found a heathen king ready not only to build, but to beautify the temple of his God, and that grateful for being the honoured instrument of promoting his glory, he should exclaim, "Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem."

Let us turn my friends for a short time to ourselves; and as all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, let us see what we may learn from the circum