that God takes our life-rule into his hands; we go where he sends, we do what he bids. Come to the simpliciUes of life. How does a wearied child roll his burden on his mother? How does the husband lighten his life-care by rolling it upon a loving wife? Verily, the liUle things of man will help us to understand the great things of God.-R. 'I'. Vera. 15, 16.-Going softly aftff1' sickness. We usually notice in persons who have passed through serious illness which has brought them to the" border-land," and marle tho things of the other and eternal world familiar, a gracious loosening from this worlrl, a -maturing of character, a mellowness, a sacred seriousness, which may well gain poetical form in the expression of Hezekiah, "going softly." We ought to regard all lifo as a gift, a trust, from God; but in a very special sense it comes home to us that the years of renewed life, after a severe illness, are a gracious permission, a special favour, of our God. His hand bas been upon us; we have felt it, and the touch makes us other men, new men. 'l'he Rev. James Hervey wrote to a friend shortly before his death in this way: " Were I to enjoy Hezekiah's grant, and had fifteen years added to my life, I would be most frequent in my application to the throne of ~race; for we sustaiu a mighty loss by reading too much, and praying too little: were I to renew my studies, I would take my leave of those accomplished triflers, the historians, the orators, the poets of antiquity, and devote my attention to the Scriptures of truth; I would sit with much greater assiduity at my Divine Master's feet, and desire to know nothing but • Jesus Christ and him crucified.' To have this wisdom, whose fruit is everlasting salva- tion, after death, I would explore through the spacious and delightful field of the Old and New Testaments." The verse may be more precisely read," That I should walk at ease in spite of the trouble of my soul." It implies that Hezekiah was resolved to walk the rest of the journey of life with calm and cousiderate steps. The several meanings that can attach to " going softly" may be illustrated. I. I WILL GO SOFTLY, AS ONE WHO REMEMBEIIS THE DISTRUST AND SINFUL REPININGS OF MY TIME OF AFFI.ICTION. It must always be a regret to the good m11n, a shadow on his life, that even suffering made him doubt God. II. I WILL GO SOFTLY, AS ONE WHO CHERISHES THE MEMOIIY OF Goo's RESTORING MERCIY. God's special grace to the good man deepens his humility. Ill. l WILL GO SOFTLY, AS ONE WHO HAS LEARNT A NEW LESSON OF THE BREVITY AND SERIOUSNESS OF LIFE. Hezekiah's sickness was a warning. IV. I WILL GO SOFTLY, OR PLEASANTLY, AS ONE WHO HAS DEEN BROUGHT SO NEAII TO Goo THAT HE CIANNO'l' FIND REST AWAY FIIOM HIM. Walking with God in all holy conversation, ns having tasted that he is grncious. V. I WILL GO SOFTLY, AS ONE WHO, AFTER A TIME OF TIIOUDLE, STRIVES TO RETAIN THE IMPRESSION OF IT, AND TO CIARRY OUT THE RESOLVES THEN MADE, AND snow THAT lllll HAS WELL LEARNED THI!: LESSONS OF AFFLICTION. Compare "Before I was afilictcd I went astrny, but now will I keep thy Word."-R. T. Ver. 17.-God's way with Rin. "For thou hast cnst all my sins behind thy back." To cast behind one's back, in Hebrew and Arabic, is a figure of speech meaning" to forget, to lose sight of, to exclude from view.'' Roberti, writing of Hindoo life, says, "'l'hi~ metaphor is in common use, and has sometimes a very offensive signification. Tbo expression is used to denote the most complete and contemptuous rejection of a person or thing. 'The king has cast bis minister behind his back,' that i~, fully removed him, treated him with sovereign contempt. 'Yes, man, I have forgiven you; all your crimes are behind my back; but take care not to offend me agaiu.'" What Hezekiah realized was that, in responding to his prayer for renewed life, God had graciously removed from consideration the just _iudgments for which tmusgressions called. He put them aside, out of sight. Matthew Henry sententiously says," When we cast our sins behind our back, and take no care to repent of them, God sets them before his face, and is ready to reckon for them; but when we set them before our face, in true repent,rnce, a~ David did when his sin was ever before him, Go<l casls them behin<l his back." Two other very striking figures of God's ways with sin may be recalled. 1. He casts them into the depths of the sea, where they are lost, out of sight, and out of reach, for ever. Lost, as a. jewel dropped in mid-ocean. 2. lie puts them from us far as east is from 56 THE DO0K OF 'l'HE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oil. ux..rx. 1-8
west-a figure whose fulness of suggestion only unfolds to meditation. There is o north pole and a south pole, giving limits to our conception of north and south. There is no east pole or west pole. East is on everywhere one way, and west is on every- where the other way. God's way with sin is- I. To KEEP STRICTEST AOCOUNT OF IT. God " besets us behind and before." "Ali things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." There is a record. Illustrate by the idea that all our actions are photugraphcd on the wnvc~ of air, and wafted on to God's keeping, against the judgment-day. 'l'his is sure-God is never indifferent to sin. He is strict to behold iniquity. II. To APPORTION DUE, OORRECTIVE PUNISHME:--Ts OF IT. Some coming in the way of ordinary and naturnl results, and some as special Divine judgments. Thank God, his jadgments wait close on our sins. Ill. To PARDON. In a royal, gracious way, whensoever the sinner humbles himself, and with penitence and confession seeks grace. "Though your sins be as .•. crimson, the, shall be whiter than snow." IV. To PUT IT FROM CONSIDERATION IN MEETING THE DESIRES AND PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE. This is the case before us. This is the marvel of grace. God treats his people as if they were not sinners. He treats them as if staading in the goodness and the rights of his ever-obedient and acceptable Son, Christ Jesus.-.R. T.