HOMILETICS. Vers. 3, 7, 18.-..:4. cry of weakness, a prayer of faith. "Turn us , •• we shall be turned." The life of the individual, of the Church, of the nation, depends not on means, methods, forms, institutions. With God is the fountain of life. These words are a cry of weakness, helplessness, humiliation; but also a prayer of faith, hope, joyful expectancy. L A COKFESSION OF WEAKNESS, DANOER, SIN. 1. In ordinary affairs a sense of weakness, helplessness, despondency, is the forerunner of failure, often its cause. Rash over-boldness, conceit of ability and good luck, though dangerous, are more apt to ensure success than timid self-distrust. Strange, then, that the " glad tidings," calling us to the grandest, most hopeful of all enterprises, begins by bidding us despair of ourselves! for true repentance is nothing less. '1.'he reason is precisely the grandeur of the mark set before us. In undertakings and tasks within our reach, calm self- reliance is the winning temper; but when the ta.skis altogether too vast, the aim too high, for our strength and wisdom, self-confidence becomes folly, humility our safety. Further, the reason lies in the original greatness of man's nature, and his nndestroyad capacity. The height measures the fall. If a temple or a pyramid be overthrown,' what hands have built, hands can rebuild; but if a landslip cag-ies down half a mountain, God's hand alone can rebuild. 2. A confession, not only of weakness, but of Gin. The soul has turned away from God, and in so doing destroyed itself (Hos. xiii. 9). No sense of helplessness more absolute than conscious guilt. The past is irrevocable. Teare cannot wash the memory. Prayer cannot undo the deed (' Macbeth,' act ii. sc. 2, " Wake, Duncan," etc.!). I cannot sever to-day from yesterday, my present self from my past. This is the sting and burden of remorse (' Macbeth,' act v. sc. 1, "Here's the smell of the blood"). Ho whom we have forsaken alone can restore us (Lam. v. 21). IL A PRAYER FOB FORGIVENESS AND FULL FAVOUR. "Cause thy face to sliine,n etc. Salvation can be nothing less than full restoration to God's favour, childlike trust ; no middle ground between condemnation and acceptance (Rom. v. 1). When the storm-cloud is blown away, what comes in its place is not mere daylight, but sun- shine. Our sins are the cloud that hides God's face (Isa. lix. 1). The sort of /ialf-and- half condition in which many seem contented to live-between hope that they sllall be saved, and fear that they shall be lost-has no warrant in Scripture. "Wo shall be saved,n not " We hope we may be." Salvation is God's free, full gift in Christ, if not rejected or neglected., to be accepted. fully, and WTO'U!Jlit out with all our might (Phil. ii. 12, 13 ; Eph. ii. 10). " He that hath the Son bath life" (1 John v. 12). The true Christian temper, therefore, is the perfect, habitual union of these two-profound humility becalll!e of our sin and sinfulness; joyful trust and thankfulness ~«;cause of " the salvation which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. ii. 10).
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. v .. r.1.-77ie clierubim. Who and what were they? We regard them as typ~ of redeemed humanity, and deaigned. to prefigure and promise that redemptioD, In proof. consider- rs, LXXX, 1-19.J THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 159