stain of guilt are gone. Still the sin is not undone. The restored penitent must feel that his was an evil past. God forgets his sin, but he cannot forget it himself. II. THE MEMORY OF PAST sm SHOULD NOT BECOME A HAMPERING BUBDE:i. It jg possible that it may be so in a morbid conscience. But if God has forgiven our Rin, we need not feel continuous distress at the thought of it. It is hard for the penitent ever to forgive himself. Yet he may do dishonour to the grace of God by dwelling too painfully on the memory of sin, so that he even forgets the wealth of pardoning love with which it has been covered. We need courage to take the grace of God, and to dare to go on our way rejoicing in the gladness which it is meant to afford us. III. SAD JIIEMOBIES MAY DE TURNED TO WHOLESOME USES, 1. They may '/cup U6 1humble. Though restored now, we cannot forget the pit from which we have been digged. Let us, then, beware of falling back into it. "The burnt child dreads the fire." The soul that has fallen once should fear temptation for the future. 2. They shoold makt us grateful. Every time we remember past sins we should also recollect the grace of God that has delivered us from them. The memory of the disease should call up the picture of the good Physician. Christ's love never shines so brightly as when it is seen against the background of man's sin. 3. They shwld drive us to <Jhri8t. Still do we need him. Away from him our souls are saddened with dark shadows of the horrible past. A gloom hangs over the earth when the light of Christ is withdrawn from it. Thus we are kept back from too much earthly elation that tends to frivolity. It may not be bad for us at times to be subdued to a sober sadness. Through the experi- ence of it there may steal over the soul a sense of deep pee.col in God. Then we can see that Christ is our Light and the Light of the world. Life may be sunny still, but its light is from Christ. IV. WE SHOULD BEWARE OF BOWING THE BEED OP SAD MEMORIES. This is a lesson for the young. During youth the memories that will cheer or sadden age are created and stored up for use in years to come. It is impossible to unwrite a soul's history. Then let those who are engaged on its early pages take heed what they set down upon them. It is possible to sow very carelessly seeds that will spring up in a most bitter harvest. If we would not have a gloomy old age of sad memories, let us spend our early years wisely and purely. Though God may forgive the follies of youth, old age will not forget them. In this sense, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Ver. 35.-A neu, Eden. The new heart (ver. 26) is to be followed by a new Eden. The outer world is to be changed when the inner world is renewed, and that sweet, fair Paradise, the dream of which hovers on the distant horizon of history, is to be once more seen on earth, when men are renewed in nature. The new Adam brings the new Eden. Consider some of its features. I. LIFE. The desolau land becomes like the garden of Eden. It was desolate in death. Parched up and neglected, unwatered and untilled, the ruined country resembles the wilderness. Sin reduces the world to a wilderness. But Isaiah had prophesied that the wilderness should blossom like the rose (Isa. xxxv. 1). Heathenism is charac- terized by deadness of civilization. The vitality and energy of the world are found in .Christendom. The life of the earthly paradise of culture, art, science, invention, manufacture, and commerce is concentrated in Christian lands. It is by no means all in the lands of Christian men. But it flourishes in an atmosphere of Christianity-some Clf the essential elements of which are (1) justice, (2) truth, (3) liberty, (4) human brotherhood, and (6) hopefulness. Without these five things progress languishes. They constitute the very air it breathes. II. ORDER, The desolate place is in confusion; the garden is a well-ordered scene -of life and growth. Its perfection is largely dependent on its perfect culture-well- kept paths, smooth lawns, flower-beds without weeds, trees pruned and trim. Christ brings order to a world of confusion. St. Ja.mes wrote of the "perfect law of liberty" -for Christian freedom observes its own lofty law. The great secret of disorder is selfishness. Hence spring war and all strife and confusion. The great secret .of order is love; for love involves sympathy, and sympathy inspires harmony, and harmony secures order. If human society is ever to become like an orderly garden, it will not be by means of the fierce contests of competition; nor owing to the .rankling jealousy of class-differences between rich and poor, landlord and teno.nt, 250 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [ea. xxxvt, 1-38.
employer and workpeople; it will be through the spread of the spirit of Christian brotherhood. Thus Christ will bring "on earth peace." III. FRUITFULNESS. The fruit-trees covering the walls of II rich and fertile old English garden give to it great value. In the East II garden is often just an orchard, 'l'he garden _of E1en is described as a fruit-growing place. The wilderness is barren, the garden ~s frmtful. Now, there are various fruits that grow out of the redeeming: work of_ Christ. The best and choicest a.re spiritual-i.e. "the fruits of the Spirit." But society also reaps external good in the activities and charities of the Christian life. A living Church must be a boon to a neighbourhood-like a fruit-crarden planted among weary men who sadly need its refreshing products. " IV. BEAUTY, Whenever the name of Eden is mentioned, we think of a picture of exceeding beauty. There are few more lovely sights than a cottage garden, with its q_uaint old-fashioned flowers-its airy columbines-its still, tall, white lilies-its sweet, nch roses. "How the rose or orient glow Mingles with the lily's snow In Alas l for the scenes of city life contrasted with this fresh vision of beauty I But Christ will plant a new Eden. He will bring beauty into faded lives, and joy to -the old, weary earth. Christ does not only give grace; he adds glory. The beauty of the- Lord is on his people. And this joy is not reserved for a future heaven of departed souls. The new Eden, like the old one, is to flourish on earth. Here Christ converts the wilderness into a garden.