ia fit for a greo.ter position who makes the best use of his present position. "A mnn proves himself fit to go higher who shows that he is faithful where he is. A man that will not do well in his present place, because he longs to be hic,her, 0 is fit neither to be where he is nor yet above it; he is iLlready too high, aud should be put lower." "Hence it wo.s," as Bushnell says, "that an apostle required his con- verts to abide each one in that calling wherein he was called; to fill his place till he o~ens a way, by filling it, to some other; the bondman to fill his house of bondage with love and duty, the labourer to labour, the woman to be a woman, the men to shc,w themselves men, a.II to acknowledge God's hand in their lot, and seek to co-operate with that good design which he most assuredly cherishes for them.'' Ill. WHEN MAN IS NOT CONTENT WITH THE CONDITION ALLOTTED TO HI)[ BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE, BE IS PRONE TO UBE UNLAWFUL MEASURES TO ALTER THAT OONDlTION. Thus did Zedekia.h in seeking an alliance with Egypt. "There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers," etc. (ver. 7). He had solemnly sworn fealty to Nebuchadnezzar for himself and the people under him. If there was anything in his circumstances or condition which he wished to be altered, he should have applied to Nebuchadnezzar, not to Pharaoh. Yet in his discontent, and incited by his princes, he sought an alliance with the King of Egypt, violated the sacred oath which he had sworn unto the King of Babylon, and rebelled against him. Sup- posing that rebellion had been successful, instead of the ruinous failure that it was, it would still have been a great wrong, because it would have been achieved by dishonour- able and sinful means. Should discontent ever prompt us to use ways and instruments that are not upright and honourable for the altering of our condition, we may be quite sure that that discontent is wicked . \Vben discontent becomes strong and active, we grow impatient of the evolution of the Divine purposes concerning us, and are tempted to break from our submission to the guidance and control of God's providence, and to take the ordering of our life into our own hands. Aud if we will take the helm of our life out of God's hands into our own, he will not compel us to yield to his guidance. Moreover, if we will employ questionable means to accomplish our desires when we cannot realize those desires otherwise, we may do so; but it will be to onr own injury. IV. THE USE OF UNLAWFUL MEASURES TO ALTER OUB CONDITION WILL ONLY BE~'DEB THAT CONDITION WOBBE. So it was with Zedekia.h. "Thus saith the Lord God; Shall it prosper?" etc. (vers. 9, 10). Zedekia.h entered into alliance with Egypt, rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, who ea.me and besieged Jerusalem, and after the people had suffered unutterable miseries by famine and pestilence, the city was taken, the temple was destroyed; Zedekiab, who attempted escape hy flight, was captured and brought before the King of Babylon at Riblah, where bis sons were slain before his eyes; then his eyes were put out, he was carried captive into Baby- lon, and died in prison in that land (Jer. Iii. 1-11). Such was the disastrous development of his discontent. And still, if unchecked, discontent leads to ruinous issues, robbing the life of peace and progress, and conducting it to darkness and failure. If we will take the management of our life out of God's hands into our own, we shall certainly come into difficulties and trials, and perhaps even into ruin. We have neither knowledge nor wisdom enough to order our lives aright. "The way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that wa.lketh to direct his steps ; " "'!'rust in the Lord with all thine heart, and not upon thine own understanding: in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." "Be not ambitious to do the highest work, tho grandest work, but the work God gives you to do-be it the meanest service, be it what others call drudgery. You may make it beautiful by the spirit in which you perform it. Strive not after the 'many things,' but after the 'one thing needful;' and remember, every pa.rt assigned you by God is a good part-be it the scrvo.nt's part or the mistress's, the teacher's part or the scholar's, the wife's part or the maid's,-the part of action or of suffering, of toil or of tears, of speech or of silence." " And be content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee."-W. J.
Vars. 22-24.-The planting and progress of the kingd<nn of Christ. "Thus sruth the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar," etc. lntro- dU,Ction, The delightful transition from stern threatenings to gracious promises; from /'120 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL, [oH. xvn. 1-24,