llOmehow began to yield in very slight degree, when one stormy winter night the whole gave w&y, and now the once fruitful land is turned into barrenness, and has been so for centuries past. Oh, take heed of these small beginnings of sin. Yes, they" nre like the letting out of water: first there is an ooze, then a drip, then a slender stream, then a vein of water, and then at last a flood, and a rampart is swept before it and the whole land is devoured." God help us, therefore, to be on our guard. And, indeed,fif we will think of it, they are not little. There may be but a handful of men c1-oss the frontier of a state, but that is as much an act of war as if an army had come. There are people who never cease to ridicule the idea that "death and all our woe" were the result of man's once eating the forbidden fruit. Bnt there the fact is, all the same. It was the violation of the Divine Law, and it did not matter how it was doue. And so with all those sins which we are pleased to call little. They are as much outrages on the Law of God as if they were acts so flagrant and enormous that all men should denounce them. Broken law is broken law, no matter whether the breach be great or small. Moreover, these sins which we call little ai·e often greater than those which we call great. " If you have a friend and he does you a displeasure for the sake of ten thousand pounds, you say,' Well, he had a very great temptation. It is true he has committed a great fault, but still he has wronged me to some purpose.' But should your friend vex and grieve your mind for the sake of a farthing, what would you think of that? 'This is wanton,' you would say. 'This man has done it out of sheer malevolence towards me.'" And must not the same verdict be passed when, for the sake of one of these trifles, as we term them, we grieve the Spirit of God and outrage his holy Law? And, remember, if you be a Christian, these sins will ruin, your peace with God. You cannot be happy in him whilst you walk contrary to his will. And if you be not a Christian, these same sins will lessen the likelihood of your ever becoming one. They may be but as small skmes, but they will build up a strong ancl high wall of separation between you and God, which will more and more effectually shut you off from him. Every way they are deplorable things. Therefore consider- m:. THE SURE REMEDY. These "little foxes" must be taken and destroyed. You· must search them out by prayerful and diligent self-examination. You must drag them forth into the light of conscience and the judgment of God by full and penitent con- fession of them ; and by vigorous acts of a will inspired by the Spirit of God you must slay them before him. "These mine enemies which would not that I should rule over them, bring them hither and slay them before me." These are our Lord's words, and he who spoke them will, if you do really desire it, give you grace to obey them. May he help you so to do!-S. C. Ver. 16.-He mine; I his. This verse is the oft-repeated and rapturous utterance of her who is the type of the redeemed soul concerning her beloved. Of course, we regard it as telling of the soul's joy in Christ. I. HE ML.~. Let us ask three questions. 1. How P (1) By hie free gift of himself. "He loved me, and gave himself for me." (2) By believing appropriation. Faith has this marvellous power. (3) By joyful realization of his love to me. His love h~s been shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. "I know whom I have believed." How unspeakably blessed such realization is I But it is not universal nor even common. A little child will cry even in its mother's arms. But the arms are there all the same. And so is Christ's love. 2. What for 1 " He is mine to look upon, to lean upon, to dwell with ; mine to bear all my burdens, discharge all my debts; mine to answer all my accusers, mine to conquer_all !flY foes; mi~e t? deliver me f~om_hel_l, mi~e t~ prepare a place for me in heaven; mme m absence, mrne 1n presence, mme m hfe, mme m death, mine in the grave, mine in the judgment, and mine at the marriage of the Lamb" (Moody Stuart). 3. Wl,at then 1 (1) All that is his is mine. His righteousn~ss, acceptableness, worthiness; his incarnation, atonement, resurrectiontand intercession. (2) I ought to know it if I do not. It is all-important to me if he be mine. (3; I ought not to be so anxious about other things. (4) Let me take care not to lose him, It is possible (cf. eh. v. 6). II. I ms. We ask the same three questions. 1. How 1 (1) By creation. "It is he that _hath_ 1;llade us" (Ps. c.). (2) By the purchase of his blood. (3) By the conqu~~t of his Spmt. (4) By my own free choice. (5) By open a.vowal. 2. Wliat /(//' 1 Io OlI, II, 1-17.] THE SONG OF SOLOMON. 61
work and to witness, to suffer and to live, 11nd if needs be to die, for him. To care for those for whom he cares, and to minister as he ministered. 3. Wkat then 1 (1) All that is mine, a sad inheritance indeed, is his. My sin,'my guilt, my sorrow, my shame. And he has tnken them on himself and away from iiie for ever. (2) Others should know it, I may not be a secret disciple. (3) He will be sure to take care of me, teach ma, perfect ma, and bring me to himself. (4) I will be his even when I cannot realize that he is mine. (5) I will try to win others to him.-S. C.