4). 2. Heavenly guidance. "I sent berore thee Moses" (ver. 4}-the dislinguisherl leacler and lawgiver. 3. Sacred fellowship. "Aaron" (ver. 4)-their high priest and intercessor, who led them in thought into "the holiest of all." 4. Grateful adoration. "Miriam" (ver. 4), with timbrel and <lance inspiring them to celebrate in rapturous praise God's redeeming mercy. 5. O(Yfl,tinuous interposition. "From Shittim unto Gilgal" (var. 5), i.e. from the desert unto the promised land; by miracle, type, prophecy, and promise, they were continually experiencing Divine help and encouragement. So with us; mercies temporal and spiritual have been bestowed upon us in infinite variety; whilst in number they have been more than could be counted. II. 'fHEm INTENDED INFLUKNCE, These remembrances and memories of God's great goodness are designed to lead men to '' know the righteousness of the Lord" ( ver. 5), and to give him the unswerving confidence of their hearts. Through all his deal- ings with the children of men he has been calling them to repentance, faith, newness of life, the putting away of cherished sin, the detaching themselves from ungodly associations, the breaking away from habits of evil, the experience of the most satisfy- ing good, and to the purest and noblest service. III. THEIR EMPHATI0 TESTIMONY. The Most High, in deigning to expostulate W1th erring men, makes his appeal to these (ver, 3). He asks, "0 my people, what have I done unto thee?" And must not this be our answer," Nothing but goocl; good, only good"? "Wherein have I wearied thee?" he asks. And must we not reply, "Thy commandments ,are not grievous ; yet surely we have wearied thee by the way in which we have slighted and neglected them, and have failed to yield to them the true obedience of our hearts and lives?" "Testify against me," says God. "Nay, we can only testiry against ourselves. 'To thee, 0 Lord, belongeth mercy, but unto us shame and confusion of face'" (Dan. ix. 7). "'l beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God," etc. (Rom. xii. 1). 'l'hen all must be well with us here, and at last we shall enter the land of light and rest and fulness of joy, where, with memory never failing, and with gratitude rising ever higher, we shall reflect upon the entire course along which we have been guided l\nd upheld by him whose mercy and love endure for evermore. Vers. 6-S.-Man's spiritual need, and its supply. These verses form one of the most striking passages in the Old Testament Scriptures. Let any one inquire as to the nature of true religion,' and he may find the exposition of it expressed here W1th marvellous vigour and terseness of speech, and with a completeness leaving nothing to be supplied. The false conception respecting true religion aa consisting in that which is external is swept clean away as with a besom, and the loftiest view concerning it is set before us in diction so simple that it cannot be misunderstood and in tone so earnest that it cannot fail to come home to the conscience and the heart. J. THERE UNDERLIES THESE WORDS THE THOUGHT OF MAN'S DEEP l!l"EED OF GOD. To "come _before the Lord". ::,.nd to "bow before the most high God " is a necessity of humanity. Uncentred from God, the children of men are ever craving after some unattained good, and which alor.e consists in the Divine favour and blessing. They turn to objects that are unworthJ and that can never meet the wants of their higher nature. They seek satisfaction iv that which is material, in cherishing attachment to the outward, the fleeting, the unre'll; even as these people of Judah turned to luxury, ease, and seH-indulgence; and tb, result is and ever must be miserable disappoint- ment. Or they turn to objects suoh as are really worthy-wealth, scholarship, oratory. political and civic honours; but anticipating getting more out of these than they had any right to expect, there _is failure and consequent disquietude. "He hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good." God has declared that true heart-rest can alone be found. in }jimself. , "Thou hast formed us for thyself, and our heart is disquieted till it resteth in thee''. (Augustine). Consider- II. THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF FINDING THE SATISFACTION OF THIS DEEP NEED OF THE SOUL IN A MERELY. FORMAL AND EXTERNAL SERVICE. It is a great thing when a true reformer succeeds in making an impression. When evils have become cleep-rooted, when men have become accustomed to perverted w11ys, there is an indifference and callous- ness about them which it is difficult indeed to overcome. And the distinction of this Hebrew seer is seen in th,, success he achieved where so mauy have signally faile,.l. Dy the force of his own personal charncter, combined with the simplicity and vivid.Jless. <12 THE DOOK OF MICAH. [cu. v1. 1-10.
the mingled severity, tenderness, and the intense earnestness of his language, he succeeded in rousing many to a sense of their sinfulness, and in awakening within them desires and aspirations after a truer life, and impelling them to cry, "Wherewith shall I come," etc.? (ver. 6). But mark what followed. Micah prophesied in the reign of Hezekiah, and the history shows that the people rested in outward reformation and external forms. They cried," Shall I come before him with burnt offerings ... rivers of oil l' "(vers. 6, 7); i.e. shall I bring the costliest and choicest sacrifices, and cause the oil which accompanies the offerings to flow plenteously? "Shall I" (following the practice of the heathen) "give my firstborn," etc.? (ver. 7). And they acted in the spirit of these inquiries. The interest in the temple and its services became revived, the Law was read, the sacrifices renewed, the fasts and feasts once more observed, and the threatened judgments were delayed. But all this was only temporary, there was out- ward reformation, but unaccompanied by inward renewal; the observance of external forms and the resting in these instead of in God ; so that the spiriLual unrest continued, and the process of national decay went on, whilst the voice of God was heard uttering the strongest denunciations, saying, "To what purpose," etc.? (Isa. i. 11-15). Beware of cherishing a merely formal piety, of honouring God with your lips whilst your hearts are far from him, of resting in outward reformation and external worship (Ps. li. 16, 17 ; John iv. 23, 24). III. Tms NEED OF THE HEABT IS lllET m THE POSSESSION OF SINCERE AND GD-"UD."'E PIETY. Such piety is described (ver. 8) as consisting in doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. It is spiritual in its nature, and has its seat in the heart. Possessing a heart renewed, trustful, and obedient to the Divine will, God will dwell with ns, will be our chief joy, and in all places and at all seasons will manifest himself to us. So shall we at all times and under all circumstances find tranquillity and peace. So shall we sing- 61 Without thee life and time are sadness,