spiritual thought. The same process should be observed in dealing with non-Christian religions.. Beneath a vast heap of ~he vile a few glitteri~g gems of pre1;ious merit may be found m the Talmud, and also m the Zend-Avesta, m the Koran, m the religiou9 writings of Greece, India, China, etc. 3. Apply the principle to life generally. Take the precious from the vile in literature, in conversation, in social usage, in recreation, in politics. Discriminate in all these things. Do not reject the whole of any of them, even if the larger part may be bad, but select the pure and good and reject the evil. IJ. WE SHOULD MAINTAIN A STOUT REFUSAL TO COMPDOMISE WITH THE EVIL IN ANY- TfilNG. Jeremiah is not to sacrifice principle for the sake of any advantage. He is not to embrace the vile for the sake of the precious, but to separate the two. He is not to yield his position of truth and right for the sake of winning the friendship of his neighbours, but patiently to expect them to come over to him. It is the very love of truth that should make us welcome it in the most unlikely quarters; but if we go on to receive the error that is closely associated with it, we at once become unfaithful to the very motive of our search. The silver is useless so long as the dross is preserved with it. The largest charity cannot sanction any compromise with evil. Compromise belongs to the region of expediency, not to that of truth and righteousness. It is a mistake to conciliate our enemies by yielding up our fortress. If we abandon the essential mysteries of Christianity for the sake of winning over our opponents, we are really only giving them the victory. Should we come to terms, this is at best on their grounds, and the peace we ratify is no record of a victory for Christ. In the end the policy of compromise fails. It indicates weakness and leaves no decided position about which to rally. We must dare to be firm to our principles, and we.it patiently till the world comes round to them. This was how Christ acted. If we eagerly recognize the good in everything and earnestly desire to take forth the precious from the vile, we shall find our uncompromising fidelity to principle resting on a firmer and safer basis than if we are narrowly jealous of all good outside our own little circle of notions and habits.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.-Sins for which saintly intercession cannot avail. Moses is spoken of as an intercessor in Exod. xvii. 11; xxxii. 11; Numb. xiv. 13; Ps. cvi. 23: Samuel in 1 Sam. vii. 8; viii. 6; xii. 16-23; xv. 11 ; Pa. xci.x. 6. Noah, Daniel, and Job are mentioned similarly (Ezek. xiv. 14). It is, then, in their special intercessory character that these fathers are referred to. At the time when their intercessions took place they were the leaders and representatives of Israel, aud because of their saintliness they had favour with God. But the sins for which Judah and Jerusalem are now to be punished are by this reference declared of a more heinous description~than any that took place in those days. It is a mere supposition which is made, evidently no description of the normal relation of glorified saints to Jehovah, hut simply a hypothetical statement as to what they, in their earthly capacity, would have failed to do. I. '!'HE mTERCESSIONS OF RIGHTEOUS MEN AVAIL MUCH. Many a time in the wilder- ness had Moses stayed the impending wrath of God because of murmuring nnd disobe- dience; and this not simply because he was the civil leader of the peoplo, but through his own saintly, high-priestly character. 'fhis is n principle of God's dealings with men. "The e!Iectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much;" and one of the chief occupations of the Church is represented o.s praying for the so.lvation of the world and the coming of the kingdom of God. It is because such men represent the future hope of the race, being a kind of firstfruits of them that shall be saved, that they have this power. In themselves too, because of what they are, they are pleasing to God, who delights in their prayers and praises. '!'here is something very striking and touching in this spectacle of one standing for many, and we have to think of how great has been the blessing which has been thus secured to the world through its sair.ts. But they all appear trifling compared with that which Christ has secured through the intercession of his prayers, obedience, and sacrifice. In his case (what could scarcely be said of any saint) his intercession has a solid objective worth because of what it is in itself, and avails as a consideration with God for the clcansin~ of all who idontify themscl,·es with him through faith. 382 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [ oH. :xv. 1-21.