Pentecostal plenty, men shall, as at the first Pentecost, when they were a886mbled from many lands, join them8elves to God's people. They shall not only come hastily, but swiftly. Their hasty arrival is compared to a flight resembling that or the dove, which flios swiftly, as implied in the psalmist's words, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! " 'l'hoy shall, moreover, arrive in great numbers, as doves fly in flocks, as implied in the words of the prophet, " Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?" 4. A place of rest is promised them. When men walk after the Lord and nnite themselves lovingly with his people, they are assnred both of rest and refreshment. Whether this may havo had a literal fulfilment, in the return of members of the ten tribes from Assyria with their brethren of Judah from Babylon, and others of the same people from Egypt, we do not know for certain; but this much is sore, that such a return of Gml's people to him shall actnally take place in the day of the restitution of all things; whilo its figurative application repeats itself in every real revival of religion, when sinners, truly penitent like the prodigal, shall return from many a far country of sin and shame and sorrow to their Father's house and home, rei::.ouncing the swineherd's husks for that rich spiritual abundance of bread enough and to spare. VII. THE PBETENOEB OF !SBA.EL. 'rhe people of Israel, or the ten tribes with Ephraim at their head, that is, rulers and ruled, are here charged with lies and deceit. Their professions of worship were nothing better than lying pretences; their political scheme& were little less than deceitful manceuvres. Their piety and their policy were alike hollow and futile. With such false worship and carefully devised strokes of policy, which were but deceitful tricks, they compassed God as though they could deceive the omniscient One himself. The following illustration from an old divine seems apt, though homely: "I am, in respect of their sins, as a man beset round, who would have egress, but when he goes one way there he is stopped, and another way he is stopped there too. God wmpares himself to such a man, as if, in going on in the ways of mercy, he is there .stopped by some course of sin, and entering on another part he is there stopped again." How many there are whose acts of worship are so many solemn lies! Their pro- fessions of piety are wre pretences; their prayers may be eloquent and comprehensive, but they do not proceed from the heart; their presence in the sanctuary is only bodily, their thoughts being away about their worldly business, or roaming over mountains of vanity. Many there are who are ready to acknowledge God, his greatness and glory, his glorious majesty, his almighty power, his infinite wisdom, and his sovereign disposal of all human affairs; but they do not realize the august nature of the Divine attributes, nor the wondrous workings of his providence. Many, too, confess their great sinfulness, and profess deep humiliation on account of it; but their confession is not accompanied by contrition, nor is their professed humiliation either provable by facts or practical in its effects. 3. Strange, passing strange, it is that men thus impose on themselves, or attempt to deceive God I "They did flatter him with their mouth,'' says the psalmist, "and they lied unto him with their tongues." And if this is the conduct men venture on in relation to God, how much more likely they are to compass their fellow-men with lies, or overreach them by deceit I If they carry their deceit into the sacred exercises of religion and the solemn serviceM of the sanctuary, how much more may we expect to find fraudulent transactions and deceitful dealings in their intercourse with fellow-men! VIII. THE PRE-EMINENCE OF JUDAH. While Israel or the ten tribes were besetting God with their lies and provoking him by deceit, their worship being idolatrous a.nd their service false, Judah for so far continued in the true worship. With not a few drawbacks and many defects, they had hitherto adhered to the ordinances he had prescribed, the place he had chosen, and the mode and ministers of religion he had appointed. Such is the drift of the verse accordiag to the Authorized Version. Assumiug this to be the right rendering, we find Israel left without excuse. They could not plead the examp!,3 of Judah. It' an evil eirnmple had been set them by J udab, it might have in some sort extenuated, but could not have excused, sin in Israel. 'l'he absence of such example was no small acrgravatiou of their guilt. 3. It redoundeJ. to the honour of Judah that in the day of Is~ael's defection they persevered in the way of truth, and maintained the trne worship of Jehovah. It is recorded to the credit of those Sn.rdians who remained faithful in a corrupt place and a degeuernte u;;e, " 'l'hou hast a few names even in S,\rdis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall wi.lk with mu iu whito: f,,r they are worthy." 4. ,vhuu we serve God we rei11;u with 342 'l'l:lE noolt OF HOSEA. [en. xt, 1-!~.
him. It is righteousness that exalts a nation and elevates B.n individual. To serve Go<! is our highest glory, and to enjoy him our greatest happiness. To serve God is the most honourable service; hence our blessed Lord has made us king11 as well as priests unto God. Luther, commenting on this verse, speaks of certain errorista" not venturing to embrace the trne doctrine for fea.r their rule should be lost. So ls it with many people ; they are afraid of the loss of their rule if they should entertain tho true ways of God's worship; they think that tlie true ways of God's worship ce.unot consist with their rule and power, and therefore they had rather retain them and let the true worship of God go."