imitate him. But every merely human model we.a Imperfect; eaoh led hie followora more or less astray. It is our happiness to have a perfect Model-a real Person; OM whose character is so clearly depicted that we cannot mistake it; One whom we may feel t.o be indeed a Friend; One whom we may at once revere and love. 2. We have, further, through the anointing of Jesus, the blessing of a full and complete satisfaction and stoneruent for all our sins. No atonement for the sins of others could be made but by a spotless sacrifice. Jesus was spotless," through the anointing." It is thus "through. the anointing" only that we have onr perfect confidence in reconciliation having been made for us, our sins blotted out, and our pardon obtained from an offended God, whr will receive us in his Son and/01· his Son's mel'its. II. THROUGH MEN'S OWN ANOINTING. "We have an unction from the Holy One" (1 John ii. 20), if we are Christians at all, and through that unction obtain more bless- ings than we can enumerate; as (1) comfort and encouragement from him who is "the Comforter" (John xiv. 26), who encourages humble souls, and cheers up those who are depressed, and infuses hope into those who are ready to despair of their salvation ; (2) strength from One who is stronger than man, who can enter into our hearts, anti give us the power both to will and to do of his good pleasure; (3) release from the bondage of sin through the "free Spirit," who is able to overcome Satan, and release us from slavery to evil habits, and make us free and willing servants of God; (4) light and knowledge of the truth from him who is" the Spirit of truth," among whose gifts are wisdom, and knowledge, and faith, and discerning of spirits, and prophecy (1 Cor. xii. 8-10); (5) holiness from "the Sanctifier," the Holy Spirit-the "Spirit of holiness " (Rom. i. 4). The anointing of the Holy Spirit onee received through the mercy of God, naturally and almost necessarily, unless we grieve and vex the Spirit by our perversity, abides in us (1 John ii. 27), and teaches us, and guides us, and strengthens and sustains us, and purifies our hearts and lives, and enables us to grow in grace, and press on ever towards the mark of our high calling in Christ, and become more and more conformed to t.he image of him to whom God gave not his Spirit " by measure" (John iii. 34).
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 5--15.-~ssyria the rod of Jehovah. I. A WARLIKE POWER MAY DE 'l'HE PENAL INSTRUMENT OF PROVIDENCE. Assyria is here described as the "staff of Jehovah's anger," the" rod of his wrath," appointed to march against a people who have excited the Divine indignation. As he plunders and spoils, and proceeds on his devastating way, he may be in effect like Attila, the" scourge of God," destined like a wholesome tempest to purify the moral air of a corrupt age, and to prepare for a better sanitary state. lL YET HE WBO IS BUT AN INSTRUKENT OF ANOTHER WILL ll.AY IGNORE HIS 0FFIOB .u"D wonx. The Assyrian's thoughts are bent on destruction. His motive is personal ambit.ion. In haughty pride he not only overvalues his power, but mistakes its nature. His courtiers, he vaunts, are equal to kinga. All foreign lands without distinction sre to meet the same doom from him. As the heathen kingdoms of the north have been subdued by him, powerful and many as the gods had been, eo the little kingdom of Judah, with its few gods or idols, will not be able to withstand him. As a heathen, the Assyrian recognizes, though in a mistaken way, the power of religion as the mainstay of a state. 'l'he idols or fetishes are to him the signs of a real supernatural power residing in the nation. Ill. DIVINE DENUNCIATION OF VAIN-GLORY. When Jehovah executes his judgments at the right time, this insolent pride will be punished. 1. Its folly exposed. 'l'he prophet reads the heart of the vain-glorious conqueror. He is saying to himself, "It was the strength of my hand, it was the clearness of my own intelligence, that accomplished tnese victories, that cast down my powerful foes. I was like a boy pillaging a deserted nest." 2. It• fallacy rebuked. lt is as if the axe should boast that it does tho work of the hewer, or as if tbe saw were to brag against the sawyer, or the staff were ~o boast that it swings the hand of him who holds it-that the lifeless instrument raises the living haod. How deeply do these thoughts run through the lore of Israel down to l'aul, who wiee the image of the potter and the clay in a similar lllanner I Say~ Lord THE HOOK OF THE PROPHE'r ISAIAH. 193