Yer. 6.-D·ivine restraints. • " Ther~fore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wa.11, that she shall not find her paths." "There is a. twofold hedge," says Burroughs, ." .that God .makes .about his people. There is the hedge of protection to keep evil from them, a.nd thero i~ the hedge of af!liction to keep them from evil. 'fhe hedge of protection you-have in Isa. v. 5, where God threatens that he will take away. the hedge from his vineyard, that is, he will take away his protection; a.nd it is sai<i of Job, that God had hedged him a.bout. But the hedge her<:: meant is the hedge of aflliction. l will hedge up thy way, that is, I will bring sore and heavy afllictions upon you, but yet in a.way of mercy:. these afflictions shall be but as a. hedge to keep you from evil, they shall not•do evil to you or bring evil upon you." God puts restraints on the sinner here ... L THESE REST!lAINTB ARE MANIFOLD. "I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a. wall." The first metaphor is taken from a husba.ndman who, to prevent the cattle from .breaking a.way from the field, pla.o.ts a prickly hedge. The other figure is taken from architecture-" a wall." If the. thorns a;e insufficient, high and massive walls must be built. What are the restraints? . 1. There is the restraint of aiftictiO'll. When the wicked ,purpose some great crime, alHiction comes, breaks their pl..ns, and strikes them down. 2. There is the restraint of public sentiment. Public opinion, a.s it gets enlightened and strong. is a tremcuuous check to the wicked. The most daring cower before the. public voice. 3. There is the restraint of conscience. Conscience is a. Divine officer holding the sinner in. H .. THESE RESTRAINTS ARE NECESSARY•. It is necessary that God should plant thorny hedges and build. massive walls arouud the sinner. 1. It is necessary for the ainne,· himself. Wero it not for these ho would go galloping to perdition. "0 unhappy rncn," says Luther," when God leaves them to themselves a.nd does .not resist them in their. lusts I You bless yourselves many times that in the way of. sin you find no difficulty. Bless thyself I 'l'hou hast cause to howl and wring thy hands; thou ha:,t the ourse, of God on, thee. A dreadful, curse to make ·pleasant. the way of &in I " 2. lt is necessary for th13 world . . What would become of the world if the wicked were not reined in? Wero it uot for restraints, the C8lsars, the Alexanders, .and the N apolcons would soon turn it into a. Pandemonium. 3. It is necessary for the Church. Ha.d wicked men their full fling, how Jong would the Church last! 'l'ho flames of mattyrdom would soon blaze to hcaveu and consumo Zion to ashes. Thank God for thorny hedges a,«1 massive walls-for nil the restraiuts ho puts on sinful men.-D. T. 7e THE :BOOK OF HOSEA. ton, n. 1-23.
Ver. 11.-The oonjunction of ,,n and mirtk. "I will a.lso cause a.II her mirth to c~." Mirth is not ha~piness. It is_ but t.he mimic_ry of rea.l joy. Happiness ie a nver_ deep_ and clear; mirth at beet 1s but a sparkling bubble. There is but little happmess m the world, but there is much mirth, much noisy frolic and hilarious glee. The text speaks of mirth in connection with sinfulness. Israel, who had grown corrupt had, notwithst.11.nding, much mirth. In relation to the conjunction of sin and mirth we may remark- I. THAT THE CONJUNCTION IS 0011i::110N. The notes of jollity and fun are heard every- where through society. At theatres, taverns, divans, and social festivities it flares and rattles. The drunkard has his mirth, the liar his mirth, the debauchee his mirth the blasphemer his mirth, the sabbath-breaker his mirth. The union of sin and mirth is alas! very common. We meet it everywhere, in the de.nee and in the song in the jok~ and in the gibe. ' II. THAT THE CONJUNCTION IS INOONGRUOUS, Gaiety and laughter in a sinner are most revolting when rightly regarded. The condition of a sinner is_ one of awful sol~mnity; a cond)tion upon which. God and his h?IY universe look with deepest senonsness. The sighs of moral anguish and tears of bitter remorse become the sinner. Fun and. laughter are more unbeseeming to him than jests and jollities in a dying chamber. " Mirth," says Dr. Young, "at a. funeral is scarce more indecent or unnatural than a perpetual flight of gaiety and burst of e11:ultation in a world like this· a world which may seem a. paradise to fools, but is a hospital with the wise." ' " The ground is hollow in the path of mirth : Oh I fa.r too daring seems the joy of earth, So darkly pressed and girdled in by death." (Mrs. F. Hemans.)