ir<)J] 1:iands, He draws us by rational means, nddressing himself to our intelligence and nppenling to our 11ffections. Thus Paul says," I speak as to wise men· jt1d<Te ye what 1 sny.'' He clraws us by persuasion and argument. He draws \\8 with' gentleness, nnd nc>t by force. He employs the mildest means a.nd tho tenderest motives, He draws us in a mnnner ~1iitable to th<1 dignity of our nature. Ma.de in the image of God, orialnally c-r,'fl ted in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, and still possessed of great su":ioepti- J,i lities, stron:;:: affections, Wll.rm emotions, and tender 8ensibilities, wee.re treated by God with a considernte regard to the high qualities with which he ho.a endowed us. Accordingly he draws us with human cords and Divine love, The instrumentality ernpl,•red is humRn, and the love that employs it is Divine. YIU. GoD's LO,E 1s ALLEVIATING LOVE. As the humane husb&ndman liahtens the lnbour of the wear.I' beasts, and lifts up the yoke on its jaws in order to ease it and give it some respite, so God lifts up the weight that presses on the back of poor humanity. He sustains us under our burdens, or even shares with us the load. Sometimes he removes the yoke entirely ; oftener he gives respite and refreshment; always he sanctifies the lnnd of labour, or care, or trouble, or suffering, or sorrow of whatever kind which his own hand ba.s laid on the back of his people, and never does he loy more on them than he enables them by his gre.oe a.nd strength to bear. IX. GoD's LOVE xs SA.TISFYmG LOVE. The figure is continued in the words," And laid meat unto them." The sa.me kind ba.nd that lifts up the yoke, by wny of respite and relief, supplies provender for the purpose of refreshment. God laid meat before his people in the desert, when he rained down manna and sent them quails. The same bountiful Benefactor spreads a table bP.fore us daily, and makes our cup run over. P.etter Etill, and surer token of his love, is the abundant spiritual provision he has ma.de fur the souls of his people, in giving them the bread that cometh down from heaven, " "'e are satisfied. with the goodness of his house, even of his holy temple."
Vers. 5-12.-The ingratitud,e of Israel and ita punishment. Both are remarkably manifested in these verses. After all God's loving-kindness they refuse to tum to God. I. THEm PEBVERSE1'~SS. History repeats itself. This is true ecclesiastica.lly as well as civilly, under the Jewish economy as in the Christia.n dispensation. Once before, at an early period in Hebrew history and on a remarkable occasion, the Israelites, dis- couraged by the teachings of the spies, debased by previous servitude, deficient in moral courage, anci, worst of all, distrustful of Divine providence, refused to march into Canaan. They murmured against God and against Moses. "Back to Egypt," was their cry. And back they went, not to Egypt, but to wander in.the wildern,ess for eight and thirty years longer, as a justly merited punishment for their unthankfulness and rebellion against God. Similarly on the occasion to which the prophet here refers. They had grievously sinned against God, yet they fancied they: would find refuge in Egypt ; they had rebelled. and resisted a.11 the means employed to. bring ~hem .back to God, but they would not return to him. And now they cry, like their fqrefathers, " To Egypt," as if shelter and safety could be obtained there. But God frustrates their silly, sinful purpose. A worse than the bondage of Egypt awa.its them; they were destined to ao into captivity to Assyria. 2. So with stubborn and stout-hearted sinners still. They° will go anywhere, or resort to any expedient, even returning to Egypt, rather than return to God. For a time the prodigal would rather be a swineherd, and share the hu~ks on which the swine fed, than return to the abundance of his father's house. "Some stubborn children care not what miseries they eufft,r rather than return and humble themsdves to their parents;" so some stubborn spirits seem disposed, in their folly a.nd despera.tion, to return to their former state of bonda.ge and mi11ery rather than repent and submit themselves to God. Let such beware lest, owing to their impatience and impenitence, a worse thing befall them. II. THEIR PUNISHMENT. 'l'he three chief scourges by which God chastises a dis- obedient people are famine, pestilence, and the sword. 1. Of the three, the sword is, perhaps, the worst. At all events David thought it so. When he was called to make chc,ice between seven years of famine, three days' pestilence, and three months' flight hfore the pursuing: sword of the enemy, he preferred falling into the hand of God rather than into the band of man, choosing the pestilence rather than the sword, 2. And yet tLe sword al.so has its commission from God, as we learn from the exclamation of the OH. XI. 1-12,] THE BOOK OF HOSEA. 339