HOMILIES BY VA RIO US AUTHORS. Ver. 4.-..d call to the young. We need not hesitate so far to turn these words a.si,lo from t'tieir original meaning as to regard them as a Divine appeal to the young; especi- ally if we understand that the prophet is here calling on Judah to return to the fresh- ness of her" youth;" that" at this time," this hopeful reign of the good King Josiah, she should renew her cove11.int with Jehovah and the" love of her espousals" (eh. ii. 2). In the days of youth the heart is most freely open to Divine influences, and it may be expected to respond readily to such an appeal as this. Note- L TIIE DEEPEST TRUTH OF UELIGION IS TIIE FATHERHOOD OF Gov. That he is the Father of our spirits is the basis of his claims upon us. The quality of our religious thought, the drift of our religious opinions, the tone of our religious life, depend very greatly on our faith in this truth. Fatherhood is our highest conception of God, awl includes within it all aspects of his being, and all the relations he sustains towards us. 'l'his crowns them all, embraces all. V.le cannot rise above and beyond it. Our ideas are essentially defective if we fall short of it. Not that the actual human fatherhood worthily represents it; that, at its best, is but a marred and broken copy-a feeble, distant reflection-of the Divine. And yet the essential elements remain in spite of accidental faults. Power, wisdom, love, judicial authority, kingly rule, protective tenderness,-these are the attributes of its ideal. And from the human, with all its imperfections and perversions, we rise to the Divine. J.l. T!IE APPREHENSION OF TilIS SACRED RELATIONSHIP 18 SPECIALLY DEFITTING THE SEASON OF YOUTH. What more natural thau that young people should think of God as their Father; that this idea of him should give shape and colouring to all their other religious ideas, and blend with all their views of lifo, and all their impressions of per- sonal duty? Those who have grown old-old in the habit of frivolous thought., iu the carnalizi:ig ways of the world, in the debasing service of sin, aro often deall to the im- GO 'TIIE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [err. m 1-21,,
prc~sion of it. 'l'heir lw,ll'ls are loo much esira,nged to feel its cha,rm. llut 8hall 1100 they who still haYe the dew of their youth up,ni them, the bloom of its quick 8Cnsi- bility and pure affection, love to hear a J,ather's voice? Ill. Nevertheless, THE FULL DISCOVERY OF THIS RELATION MARKS A en.ISIS IN TIIE HISTORY OF ANY SOUL, It is generally connected with the painful discovery of sin and need. "I write unto you, little children, because your sins arc forgiven you for his Name's sake, ... because ye l1ave known the Father" (1 John ii. 12, 13)..How sug- gestive is this of the hidden causes, the secret springs, the earliest realizations of Divine life in the soul! One of its nrst evidences is the recognition of the Father. The cry, "Abba, Father!" is the first that it breathes forth. But this comes with and tbrouuh the reco.s:nition of Christ, the Son, the Saviour. "No man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whom~oever the Son shall reveal him" (Matt, :x:i. 27). And it is a rel'elation that brings the assurance of" forgiveness for his Name's sake." The sense of dreary distance from God-guilt, shame, hunger, degradation,-this is the prelude to the sweet satisfactions of the life of sonship. It is the prodigal "coming to himself." When we are thus painfully feeling our way back to him, God comes forth in Christ to meet us, embracing us in the arms of his great love, breathing, weeping out upon us the infinite tenderness of his fatherly heart. Then we feel that we can dare to take that sacred name "Father" on our lips. It has a deep and blessed meaning in it never known before. And fear and shame and sorrow give place to the joy· of eternal reconciliation. • IV. THE NATURAL RESULT OF TIIIS DISCOVERY WILL BE FULL PERSONAL SURRENDER TO THE FA 'l'HEB's GUIDANCE L"ID CONTROL. "Guide," literally, Husband; and the word" husband" is suggestive of all thoughtful and kindly guardianship, the wisdom· that directs, and the strength that sustains. Youth needs such guardians)lip: 1. Because of its special moral dangers, worldly fascinations, Satanic temptations, acting on quick natural susceptibility. 2. Because of its iner1;perience. Experience is the growth of years. It is not of itself always the parent of the highest practical wisdom, but the want of it calls for the help of a superior power. 3. Because of its wealcness of moro.l principle. There may be excellent natural dispositions, germs of Christian virtue in the soul, but they are not yet developed. They are but latent possibilities of good. Vvhen put to the test, they may be found wanting. God's grace alone can ripen them into mature and steadfast principles. 4. Because beneath its fairest promise there may be hidden seeds of evil, which only need the outward incentive to bring forth deadiy fruit. 5. Because the after-destiny depends so much on how the steps of youth are guided. Let the young gi~e heed to the Father's voice, and yield themselves to his loving con- trol, if they would tread the path of honour and safety and blessedness,-W,