fallen king of the Lord's people. But nevertheless out of one of the least of the cities of Judah, the long looked for Messiah should arise; before whom all enemies must be trodden under foot, and who would give his people perfect peace. God might indeed and would give them up for a time; but it would be only until the virgin mother of our Lord should bring forth her first born Son. Then would begin the restoration of Israel, a work, which however long in progress, or suspended altogether for a time, would be brought to a happy conclusion in the end. Christ would fulfil all that had been long ago foreshewn in the redemption of Israel out of Egypt, all that was yet to be brought to pass in the discomfiture of Assyria by the Israelites; Christ would fulfil it all by saving all who believe, redeeming them from sin and death, and giving them the victory over all their enemies. Christians would prove as a refreshing dew amongst the nations; and of all Christians none so largely, as "the remnant of Jacob," when converted to the Gospel. Such a conversion may even yet be looked for; one which will restore to God's ancient people their lost ascendancy, make them again eminent as the chosen of the Lord, render them independent of all other defences, and strong in his strength, free from all superstition and idolatry, and objects of redeeming love, whilst the heathen are devoted to a signal destruction.

This is probably the general purport of a prophecy which we must own to be in part hard to understand. In part however it is remarkable for its easy and obvious application to the person and work of our Saviour. We learn in the New Testament, that the Jews usually understood the "ruler" here described to mean their Messiah. See Matt. 2. 6. They might therefore hence have been prepared to understand, that Christ would be both God and man; born indeed of a woman in a place otherwise of small account, yet One "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." And they might further have concluded hence, that his office would not be as they expected, like that of earthly kings, but that He would feed his people as a shepherd, "in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God." A strength and majesty very different from that for which the Jews used to look of old; and from which it is not easy even for enlightened Christians to divert their thoughts, and disengage their affections, as much as Christ would have them. Let us however try to regulate our notions by the standard of God's word, and of Christ's kingdom. And then we shall feel, that however his glory among men at present may be short of that which it shall be hereafter, yet is He who died on the cross great in the condescension of his love, and also great in the extent of his dominion, great in the devotion of his people, great in their holy lives, great in their triumphant deaths; great beyond all other potentates, great even "unto the ends of the earth."

The solemn controversy of God with his people.
thy God?

1 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD. 6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? O

8 He hath shewed thee, man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with

9 The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?

11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

14 Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

15 Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

LECTURE 1427.

Formal religion cannot pass for vital godliness.

How great is the condescension of the Lord, to represent Himself as pleading with his people, and as summoning the works of

his creation to hear the issue! How solemn, how heart searching, how tender, is his appeal, "O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me!" They for their parts have no answer to make. Next therefore it is their turn to be put upon their trial. And they are reminded of God's goodness in redeeming them from Egypt, and of the signal mercy which He shewed towards them, in the case of Balak and Balaam, as they were journeying to the land of promise. Nor could they in reply justly plead ignorance, as to what was their way to please Him, who had done so much in their behalf. He had shewn them "what is good." In the Law which He had given them, abounding as it did in ordinances of a ceremonial nature, there were weightier matters put in their just station of precedency; the testimony of the covenant itself consisting of the ten great moral commandments. By these then they must be tried in the controversy to which they were now challenged. And being tried by these, they were found wanting.

The sum of the commandments is expressed in the New Testament by the love of God and of our neighbour. Here it is defined as follows: "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." And this amounts to the same thing; for here are justice and mercy in our behaviour to each other, and piety in our hearts towards our Maker. The Lord's people of old were brought in guilty on both accounts. In their houses were the treasures of wickedness, heaped up by dishonest practices. And instead of mercy, they were "full of violence;" with falsehood abounding in their mouths, a sure proof that love was lacking in their hearts. And so far from walking humbly with their God," the statutes of Omri" were kept, "and all the works of the house of Ahab." Idols were become their gods. Laws and ceremonies of idolatry had superseded those of true religion. Thus was their guilt proved. And at the same time their sentence was pronounced. Desolation and disgrace was to form the rod of their chastisement, and He who appointed it was the Lord. We for our parts know God's will, at least we have means of knowing it, far better than the Israelites. He has shewed us more plainly and more fully how we ought to walk and please Him. He has given us motives more urgent, and help more powerful, for the work of pleasing Him. And especially He has brought to light the judgment to come, the controversy which He will have hereafter with every one of us in the presence of an assembled universe. How hopeless will be our condition then, if now we substitute formal worship for the religion of the heart! How surely will sentence be then pronounced against us, if we now tender to God ceremonial observances, whether superstitious or religious, instead of genuine holiness of life!

The Church after complaining, taketh comfort in God's promises. me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

sion of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and

thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

LECTURE 1428.

The happiness of believing that we have peace with God. The heading of this chapter in our bibles suggests a just and instructive method of explaining it. The church, after complaining of the small number of the godly, and deploring the general corruption, resolves to place confidence not in man but in God; and expresses certainty of final triumph through Him. And God, for his part, comforts his faithful people with promises; foreshewing the confusion of their enemies, and enabling them to profess the most entire trust in his mercy and his faithfulness. When iniquity abounds, the love of many is apt to wax cold. See Matth. 24. 12. Hence complaints of evil times, a tendency to despond, distrust of our brethren, and an inclination to murmur against God. Happy they, who instead of giving way to such ill tempers, learn from God's word to turn their thoughts and affections more wholly towards Him, without thinking less kindly of their brethren! Happy they, who are enabled, whatsoever they suffer here, to bear their griefs with patience, admitting that their sins deserve no better, and yet hoping, and trusting, that God, after chastising them for a time, will bring them forth out of darkness into light, out of sorrow into joy unspeakable! They have the promises of God for the foundation of their hope. They have the sacrifice of the death of Christ, both to make atonement for their sins, and to inspire them with a confident assurance that their sins are atoned for. The persuasion that their manifold transgressions have actually been forgiven by God, fills them with peace and joy; melts their hearts with love towards Him, and with brotherly kindness towards all mankind. They utter no murmuring complaints about the evil of the times, for they are disposed to think others better than themselves; and whilst they feel lively sorrow and compassion for the notoriously wicked, they delight to think, that there are many more than they can know of, who believe, and love, and obey God, at least as devoutly as themselves. May God thus make us full of compassion and kindness, full of hope and love! May He give us grace to trust without reserve in his promises, and to live as they that have been reconciled unto Him through the precious blood of his dear Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!