for us, and we for him. A few steps more and his largest promises and our highest hopes will be all fulfilled. -C.
Veni. 19-26.-The poopk of God, in their prosperity. These verses are primarily applicable, and they are more or less true as they are applied, to the return of the Jewa from captivity, and their residence in their own l:ind. But they find a larger ful6lment in the condition or the Church of Christ in its last days. l'ossibly they anticipate the felicities of the heavenly future. We refer them to the Church in its prosperity, and conclude- !. THAT THE PEOPLE OF GoD ARE THOSE THAT HAVE KNOWN A TIME OF TBOlJ'IiLJI, Dark days have passed over their heads; there has been" the breach of his people, and the stroke of his wound" (ver. 26). God once made them to "eat the bread of adversity," etc. (ver. 20). They have passed through grave spiritual anxieties; they have felt the burden of unforgiven sin; they have sighed for the sense of God's favour; they have known the miseries of separation from God, and the weariness of a life unbrightened with sacred joy. II. TIHT IN THEID DISTRESS THEY MADE EFFECTUAL APPEAL TO GoD. (Ver. 19.) God is neYer deaf to the cry of sorrow; but to the appeal of the penitent spirit, longing to return unto him, his ear is peculiarly alive ; he will be " very gracious" at the voice or that cry-" when he shall hear it, be will answer thee." No loudest sounds will drown the sigh of the contrite spirit, no multiplied activities will prevent the heavenly Father from giviug it his immediate regard. III. THAT THE DAY OF CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE IS ONE OF VERY BLESSED ILLUMINA• TION. fo the day of its prosperity there should be abundance of light for the Christian Church. Its teachers shonld not have to hide in obscurity, but should be visible and accessible to all (ver. 20); and there shonld be times when the light of Divine truth would be not only clear, but brilliant and powerful, making other days to seem dark by comparison (ver. 2G; see 2 Cor. iii. 9, 10). Compared with the condition of heathen lands, or €Ven with the state of Israel under Samuel or David, or even with many Christian countries now, how blessed the state in which the gospel of the grace of God shall be made known in its freedom and its fulness in every town and hamlet, and in every cottage home ! IV. 'l'RAT THIS DAY OF CIIRISTIAN PRIVILEGE Wil.L BE ONE OF KIND .UID FAITHFUL WATCHFUL~~ss. (Ver. 21.) The vision is one of high, but not heavenly, blesPedness; of advanced, but not absolute excellency. The citizens of the holy kingdom will be found walking in the King's highway, but there will remain a tendency to "turn to the right hand or to the left," to go off into by-paths of error, or mistake, or unwisdom, if not of actual transgression. In this case there will be the faithful monitor, the Christian teacher, who will be ready with the timely intervention, "'l'bis is the way, walk ye in it." This readiness to intervene at the moment of digression ought to characterize our own times; it should be the holy habit, the careful acquirement, of the ChriBtian pastor. On the other band, a readiness to be admonished is one of the graces of a godly character. V. THAT THE TIME OF TBUE PBOSPEBITY WILL DE MARKED DY TllE DECISIVE INTOLERANCE OF EVIL. (Ver. 22.) They that name the Name of Christ will not only "depart from all iniquity," but they will reprobate it; they will thrust it away; they will not like even to allude to shameful things (Eph. v. 3)-these will be hateful, intolerable to them. We may measure our nearness to God by the degree of our abhorrence of evil (Heh. i. 13; Hom. xii. B). VL THAT THE TIME OF CHillS'l'IAN PRIVILEGE WILL BE ONE OF ABOUNDING JOY, (Vers. 23-25.) This language is clearly figurative; it is the utterance of exultation. Everything contributes to joyous prosperity-the timely rain, the large increase of seed, the rich pastures, abundance of food for cattle as well as for man, unfailing " brook11 that make the meadows green." The land will laugh with exuberance, the Illltion will exult in overflowing wealth. In the days of unfettered liberty and universal privilege the Christian Church will de! ight itself in God; its aongs of peace and of hope will arise irom every valley ; its life will be touched and lighted with the sunshine of a holy gladness. 'l'he light of God's countenance will rest upon it, and it will rejoice greatly ill l1is aalvation.--C, . 011. xJ x. 1~33.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THIB PROPilET ISAIAH. 1105