'CT1''IVERSA.L CHURCH. The ultimate victory and glory of the Ohurch of God is assured. Such is God's eternal purpose, and which by his sovereign power he will eventually accomplish. Obstacles to the fulfilment of this purpose are continually arising. Impedi- ments are placed m the way. Active opposition has been offered to the advancement of the kingdom of truth and rightcousnes.~. "The kings of the earth set themselves," etc. (Ps. ii. 2). Or when not thus actively engaged against the truth they have often taken such measures in the interests of their own worldly policy ae have seriously impeded the progress of truth. Hoary systems of idolatry also have long held sway over millions of the human race, and the glory due unto the Lord has been given to "graven images." Y<>t" the counsel of the Lord standeth sure," and the purpose he has purposed shall be accomplished. And with respect to its accomplishment the Messiah is " the Bre,aker-through." He, " the Leader and Commander of his people," shall go before them, casting down the imaginations and frustrating the designs of the evil, "opening the blind eyes, bringing out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house." Every mountain shall become a plain before him. He shall go on conquering and to conquer, until at last there shall rise the cry of victory, "The kingdoms of this world," etc. (Rev. xi. 16). ll Tfils TITLE HA.S ITS A.PPLICA.TION TO THE MEBSIA.H ALSO IN THE RELA.TIONSHIP HE BUSTA.INS TO HIS SERVANTS INDIVIDUALLY. It is a title which may be accounted precious, not only to the Church of God as a whole, but also to each servant of the Lord. It is interesting to notice how that Christ, in one of bis memorable discourses, associated this thought, of his going before his servants with a 'riew to their being brought through every difficulty, with bis references to himself as "the good Shep- herd;" so that in the recorded words of Jesus (John x. 3, 4) we find the very same association of fi~ures of speech which were here employed by Micah; for Christ said of _himself as the Shepherd, " He ca.lleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them oo.t;" : .. He goeth before them, and they follow him." And may not the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews have had the words Micah here ,employed, and the words of Christ alluded to, in mind when he wrote of the Saviour as being " the l<'orerunner" of his people (Heb. vi. 20)? Christ bas gone before his servants, and has gained the victory over their spiritual foes. He has conquered the evi'l one. In his life he conquered, for not once did the adversary gain the ascendancy over him; and in his death he conquered. for then "be spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them," etc. (Col. ii 15). He has conquered the world, and could say to his disciples," I have overcome the world." And be has conquered death and the grave, fulfilling the triumphant declaration, "0 death ! I will be thy plagues 1 0 grave! I will be thy destruction" (Hos. xiii. 14; Isa. xxv. 8). Thus he is, in the interests of each of his servants, "the Bre,aker." By his victory he has so weakened the strength of our spiritual adversaries as to render the conflict comparatively easy to us. We have to encounter foes already defeated by our Lord. We have to face enemies already dispirited by failure, and who know assuredly that the time of their triumphing is short. Beautiful representation of the Messiah this I "The Bre,aker," who removes all difficulty out of the way of his servants; who has gone before them to clear the ground, to cast down every obstruction, to make "the crooked things straight, and the rough places plain," that "the glory c,f the Lord may be revealed." Let us hear his voice saying to us, as he thus leads us on, "Follow me; " and be it ours (1) cheerfully, (2) trustingly, (3) and courageously to obey the great Captain's call, and to enter through him into honour, glory, and immortality I
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-3.-Deliberate sins bringing predestined punishments. We see here- I. THE GENESIS OF CRIME. Three stages are described. 1. Sinful desires are cl,erished in tl,.e he,art. These sinners "devise iniquity," think over it (Ps. vii. 14), imagine it (the same word as in 1 Sam. xviii. 25, referring to Saul's thought and plan to secure David's death), dwell on it; for wickedness is "sweet_in their mouth" (Job xx.10-12). 11lustrate from the licentious thoughts of David (2 Sam. xi. 2, 3) or Amnon (2 Sam. xiii. 1, 2), the covetous thought& of Ahab (1 Kings xxi.), or the Oli, tt, 1-13.J THE BOOK OF MICAH. 27