conUnunlly with a doctrine that" distils as the dew" (Deut. xxxii. 2), softens them with an influence that "drops as the rain." He gives "grace for grace;" leads on "from strength to strength ; " converts, upholds, confirms, sustains, each weak and wavering 1oul; cleanses, purifies, infuses light, and strength, and sweetness, and every other virtue into each heart that will admit them; thus constituting and "presenting to himself • glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ... holy and without blemish" (Eph. v. 27). III. ~IB KEEN PURGING FinEB. "The briars and thorns .•. will I burn together." The Church, while on earth, will always have imperfections, weak brethren, unworthv member11, faults, ay, sine, even in the best. It is among the greatest of God\ mercies to the Church that he does not overlook these, but is keenly a.live to them- yee., "sets men's secret sins in the light of his countenance" (Ps. xc. 8). For when these things are noted, there is a hope that they may be remedied. God is ever purgin ~ his Church. He "turns his hand upon it, and purely purges a.way its dross and taketb away all its tin" (eh. i. 25). By pain and suffering, by chastisements of various kinds, by sickness, and disappointment, and ill success, and loss of those dear to them, he leads men to conviction of sin, and hatred c,f it, and aversion from it, and contrition, and amendment. Where these fail, there is the final remedy, which saves the Church, when the individual will not be saved-the remedy of excision, when the dead branch is broken ·off, and "cast into the fire, and burned" (John xv. 6). But in thousands of c11ses the purging is effectual, the keen fire does its work, and purifies without destroy- ing. The soul that was in danger turns to God, and" takes hold of his strength," and "makes its peace with him," and .both the Church and the individual gain. Vers. 7, 8.-The moderation of G<HCs chastisements. All God's doings are "with measure." At the creation he" weighed the hills in a balance" (eh. xl. 12), "made a weight for the winds," and" weighed the waters by measure" (Job xxviii. 25). He sets one thing age.inst another, "looks to the end of the earth," and" seeth under the whole heaven" (Job xxviii. 24). There is nothing hasty, rash, or inconsiderate in his doings. He is a law to himself; and the perfect harmony of his own nature necessarily produces the result that order and measure pervade all that he accomplishes. "Measure," as Hooker eays, "is that which perfecteth all things, because everything is for some end, neither can that thing be available to any end which is not proportionable thereunto, ~nd to proportion .as well excesses as defects are opposite" (' Eccl. Pol.,' v. 55, § 2). God's .chastisements have for their end the recovery of those whom he chastises, and would not be. effectual for this end unless they were carefully apportioned and adjusted to the particular case. Chastisements unduly light would have no restraining or educational force; they would ,be contemned, despised, and would harden those whom they were intended to influence for good. On the other hand, over-severe chastisements would crush and ruin. They would "quench the smoking flax" and "break the bruised reed" (Matt. xii. 20), so rendering recovery impossible. Thus measure is needed in chastisements; and those which God inflicts are measured with most marvrllous exacti- tude. He metes out to all the exact cross, difficulty, suffering, which is suited to bring them to him. He afflicts them always more lightly thau they deserve. "In measure he contends with them," apportioning their day to their strength, and their temptations to their ability to bear them. Ver. 12.-The Israel of God gathered in and garnered 011e by one. While Scripture often speaks broadly of the call and conversion of nations, it yet, to an attentive reader, is continually proclaiming the fact that salvation is an individual matter. No privileges of birth or covenant, of Church-membership or Church-position, assure any one who has come to years of discretion that he is among the saved, or can make up for the want of personal fitness, personal faith, personal sincerity. God is very careful, and very choice, when he "mo,kes up his jewels" (Mal. iii. 17). His eye is not only over all, but each. He tests them" one. by one." He says to each," My son, give me thy heart" (Prov. xxiii. 26). He requires of each conversion to him, trust in him, the earnest wbh to please him. "One by one," as they become:fit for it, he gathers them in, adds them to his crown, causes them to join the "innumerable company " of his elect-" thll ■pirits of just men. made perfect" (Heb. xii. 22, 23). Thie consideration should mak11 0 438 TlIE BOOR 01~ THE PROPRET ISAIA.lt [ol'I. xxvu.1-13;,
men careful to assure themselves; (1) of their hold on the faith; (2) or their interea, in Chri~t; (S) of tbeir possession of that "holiness" without which "no one ahall He the Lord" (Heb. xii, 14). • • \ .1'