ns G0d hns given to us. Our theme is-Leve veiled in frown; or, the terrors of the Lord a necessity (!{ his in.finile love. I. There nrc some in c,·cry nation whom it is absolutely necessary to sway by deterrents, and in the infancy of a nation fear is more potent than faith. II. God has a curse ns well as a blessing. His love is not a mere desire to rnako men as easy ns rossiblc. It is, first of all, a rightcous love. When love has to deal only with righteousness, its benel'olent aspect only will bo seen; but when sin has to·bo dealt with, the cnse is very different. III. It should be deeply graven in our souls that the black-looking and lowering 6torm-cloud of Dh·ine wrath, though we call it "the curse of God," must novcr be th0ug:ht 0f in any way which would be inconsistent with his pw·e and perfect love. The wrath of God is holy love frowning on wrong. IT. When once the wrath of God is incurred, the sinner cannot elude it, any more than he can retreat from his own shadow. Y. Given the actuality of sin, and a far-seeing eye can with certainty descry somo of the consequences thereof; an infinitil eye can discern them all. (The list of pre- dicted evils in this chapter may with great advantage be arranged and classified. All hal'e been realized. See also the Times, November 18, 1880, for an account of the present anti-Semitic agitation in Germany.) YI. We know that God bas no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but bis vindi- cation of bis own laws is essential to guard righteousness as with a wall of fire! Hence- YII. The truest kindness is seen in the enunciation of the most alarming warnings which can be given. The tr11est love is that which is most faithful. Hence it will often seem the most stern. nII. A like holy guard to that which is here thrown around the Law of God is also thrown around the gospel. Just as, on the one band, this Law did not and could not annul the promise which had been made to Abraham fmd bis seed, even so, on the other hand, not even the richness and glory of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ can ever annul the action of these stern, retributive laws of God's providence on those who continue in sin, and who reject the redemption brought in by the Son ol God (see Heb. ix., x.).
HOMILIES BY VAilIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-14.-The blessing. Blessing and curse, as Keil says, are viewed in these verses "as actual po'l"l"ers, which follow in the footsteps of the nation, and overtalrn it" (vers. 2, 15, 22; Zeeb. i. 6). The blessing of God is a vera causa in buinan lil"e. It is not to be resolved entirely into natural tcndencies. A cheerful mind conduces to health; virtuous habits tend to prosperity, etc. Bnt this is not the whole. Con- spiring \\'ith natural tendencies, we must recognize a special providence, a. designed direction of the beneficent powers of nature and life, so ae to pour "treasures of good- ness on the favoured individual. Virtue has its natural reward in the approval of conscience; but it would not of itself suffice to bring about the exceptionally for- tunate condition in the outward Jot which these verses represent. So strongly was this felt by the philosopher Kant, that, as is well known, he postulates the existence of God, for the express 1mrpose of bringing about an ultimate harmony between virtue and felicity. I. TrrE SPHERE OF THE nLESSING. The covenant rested largely on temporal promises. Jehovah was doub[!ess felt by the believing soul to be a. better portion than any of bis gifts (Ps. xvi.; lxxiii.), and the re!ation which be sustained to hie worshipper could not but be thought of as subsisting beyond death, and yielding its appropriate fruit in a future life (Ps. xvi. 11 ; xvii. 15; xlviii. 14; xlix. 14, 15; Heb. xi. 9-17). Yet, iD.aSruuch as "lire and immortality " had not been clearly brought to light (2 Tim. i. 10), Lis favour was specially exhibited in the abundant communication of earth 1y blessingH. A higher or<lcr bas supervened, and the temporal promi~~ of these verses ar1; cwal.l&wtd. up in better and more enduring ones (licb, viii, 6). The gospel doca IJTI. XXVIII. l-G8.] TIIE DOOK Olt' DEUTf•:n.0~1)MY. 43:,