must agnin paes through a still more doleful Achor. The destruction of Samaria ,u,<l the desolation of J crusalem would mark a defeat greatly more disastrous than t h,, ropulse nt Ai. But through " the valley of trouble" she shall come again to peace and rest. Does not the expression before us furnish a valuable watchword for the Christian ·~ It reminds him that he must pnss through "the great tribulation" (Rev. vii. 14) before h~ can reach the heavenly Canaan. Every ungodly lust is an Achan in the camp of the soul, which must be convicted and stoned and burned. 2. Youthful joy. (Ver.15.) Israel, when restored to the Divine favour, shall recover the sprightliness and joy of youth. "She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth;" and in those days she could indeed sing. Is not the song of Moses a masterpiece both of poetry and praise'> In conception it is. sublime. In execution it must have been thrilling. That old Reel Sea ode is the first song of redemption. But, in the days of her restoration, Isra.el shall resume it, and with a fuller appreciation of its meaning. For the song of salvation which returning penitents now sing is," the song of_ Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" (Rev. xv. 3). 3. Renewed con;ugal love. (Vers.16, 17.) In the rapture of her recovered love, Israel shall call Jehovah" Ishi "-" my Husband." She shall no longer use the name "Baali." In itself, of course, ''Baal" is a good enough word. In Hebrew it is a common noun, meaning" master,"" possessor,"" owner;" and it bad beeu used as a designation of Jehovah. But, alaa ! the word had at length been prostituted to base purposes, and defiled by wicked aasociations. Its purity was now hopelessly gone. So, in the good time coming, it shall be used no more. God will not be called Baal, lest the word should tempt Israel to think of her old idols. 4. Paradisaical peace. (Ver.18.) The picture here suggests a return to the garden of Eden. The forces of nature, once so hostile (vers. 9, 12), shall be brought into harmony with Israel. Wars shall cease for ever. The face of the world shall be changed. How different this picture from the state of matters tbnt is still thought necessary in order to the preservation of the peace of Europe I The favourite maxim just now is that the best security for peace is to be well prepared for war. The Baal-spirit professes to see the basis of peace in our arsenals and ironclads; but Jehovah's plan is to "break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth." 6. An everlasting marriage union. (Vers. 19, 20.) The Lord will forget all Israel's past infidelity, and treat her again as if she were innocent and pure. He will espouse her, as if she were a chaste virgin, to himself. He will bestow upon her, as bridal gifts, every Divine and spiritual blessing-" righteousness," "judgmeut," "loving-kindness," "mercies," "faithfulness." And the new marriage-covenant shall be "for eternity" (ver.19). The former one, alas! had been sadly broken; but the renewal of the conjugal relationship shall be enduring as J ehova.h's invincible, nnchangeable love. CONCLUSION. How important for the sinner to "know and believe the love that God hath to him" I The eternal love of God is a fact. Every pure human attachment is but a rill from the infinite fountain of the Divine tenderness. Love, no less than holi- ness and justice, lies at the root of the Divine wrath against sin. Jehovah our God is "a jealous God;" but he would not trouble himself to cherish holy jealousy about the affections of our poor hearts, if he did not love us with an ardent and a quenchless love. Oh for grace to love him in return as we ought !-C. J.
Vers. 21, 22.-The golden chain of causation. This promise is a parable in miniature, and has been much admired for its poetic beauty. It completes the prophetic picture of Israel's restoration in the Messianic era. Doubtless, also, it refers in its fulness of meaning, not merely to Israel after the flesh, but to the entire Christian Church duri □ g the time of the latter-day glory. I. JEHOVAH IB THE FmsT CAUSE OF ALL THINGS. "I will hear, saith the Lord." According to Scripture, from its opening utterance (Gen. i. 1) onwards, the all-pervading power of God is the mainspring of the universe, and his all-controlling superintendence is its balance-wheel. Jehovah is the First Cause: 1. In the WOTld of nature. He gives •• the corn, 11nd the wine, and the oil" (Ps. civ. 13-15). The order of the year is in his hand. No sunbeam gla □ ces, no raindrop falls, but at his bidding. Therefore he says with emphasis and iteration, "I will hear, I will hear the heavens." From this we should learn the s11credness of nature. The heavens are holy: they are " the work of God's fingers." The sea is holy : he" bath measured the waters in the hollow of hi~ hand." The flowers are holy: each of tht>m "shows some touch of his unrivalled 66 THE IlOOK OF ROSEA. [on. n. 1-23.