nnme, tried to get Bt the roots of the eoriety evils of his day. He found them In thP. Relf-indul~euce of the priesthood, and the self-seeking of the people. He prophesied that Meesmh would do the same work. III, MEBBIAH ENRI0HES THE BOIL TO BEAR GOOD GROWTHS. we should never see Christ's work only on the negative side. It has two sides. To remove society sins is to give a chance for the nourishment of Christly-toned society virtues.-R. T. Ver, 6.-Man's hope lies in God's 1J111,cha,ngeableness. "I am the Lord, I change not." Man had changed toward God, not in mere relations, but in Rpirit a.nd purpose. God had been therefore compelled to alter bis relations towards men ; and his ways of dealing with them; but this must never be assumed to involve any change on the part of God's feeling towards them. Those whom he loves he loves with an ever- lasting love. In the motive of his dealings he is" the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Reference here is directly to the purpose to save Israel. No matter what the appearances of things might be, that purpose had never been changed, and never would be. "Because it is the Eternal's unchangeable will that the sons of Jacob, bis chosen ones, should not perish as a nation, he will purify them by the eradication of the wicked among them, that the remnant may return to their allegiance." I. MAN'S HOPE IN THE 0HANGEABLENESS OF Goo's ADAPTATIONS. Changeableness is not altogether the appropriate term, but it is required for the sake of contrast. If God's ways with us were ordered by Cast and unvariable rules, we should lose all sense of personal feeling, personal relations, and personal adaptations. Adjustment to individuals upon exact knowledge of individuals, and adjustment to circumstances upon exact knowledge of circumstances, are the very glory of God. It is because of this Divine cha.racteristic that we would rather fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men. If set rules had been worked without qualification or exception, then many a time IRrael must have been abandoned or destroyed. Men make so much of being under the "reign of law ; " but that is precisely what we had better not be. It is a truly awful regime, There is no considerateness, no pity, no adaptation, in it. Far better that we are in the personal rule of a Divine and infinitely loving Lawgiver. II. MAN'S HOPE IN THE UN0HANGEABLENESS OF Goo's PBIN0IPLES. The Divine adaptations are always within the limitations of the Divine principles. We can never be sure that our fellow-man does not change through weakness, and risk principles in making change. We may have perfect confidence that God never does. " Rath he said, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" True to his word; but only speaking words that express eternal principles. The point of the text is, that God's unchangeablenesa guarantees Israel's security, and God's changeable- ness guarantees Israel's disciplining and refiniDg.-R. T. Ver. 7.-.A twofold return. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts." And Zechariah has a similar expression (i. 3), "Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts." The direction to turn from the evil way is very familiar in the books of the prophets, and should be read in the light of their work as social and moral reformers. Some evil custom is indicated, which the people were turned to, and this the prophets anxiously endeavoured to get them turned from. This turning is the root-idea of the term "conversion," which should always be associated with conviction, or the sense of sin, and contrition, or sorrow for sin, Then properly comes conversion, or turning from sin. This is met by the remission of sin, and acceptance as free from sin. The word "conversion" is generally used for the whole process, but this use is apt to produce confusion of ideas. Special significance may properly attach to the turning from sin, becau~e it is the recognized sign and expression of sincerity and earnestness. If a man gives up things he loves that are evil, there is good evidence that he is sincere. Reference in this passage is to the national loyalty to the Mosaic ordinances. By it the national piety could be tested. But they were manifestly turned from anything like a loving, hearty, spiritual obedience of those ordinances, such as God could approve and accept. Consequently his favour and blessing wero manifestly turned from them. L MAN oANNOT BETUBN TO Goo UNTIL GoD BlllTUl\lllB TO Blll. While God holdi 54 THE BOOK OF MALACHI.
aloof from the sinner, that sinner may fool remorse and misery. "His bones may wax old through his roaring all the day long;" but he will feel no penitenctl, no element of hope can enter into his distress. 'l'he first move always comes from God. Z&cchmus does not know that he is really seeking Jesus, until he discovers that Jesus is seek- ing him. Our Lord put this truth into his familiar expression, "No man can come 1rnt-0 me <'Xcept the FaU1er which bath sent me draw him." It is the testimony of uniwrsal experi<'nce that God is always beforehand with us. Aud, rightly viewed, this shows us to be without excuse if we keep on in sin. • 11. Gon OANNOT RETURN TO MAN UNTIL MAN RETURNS TO HIM, This puts tho truth in paradoxical form; and yet it is precisely the statement of the text. God speaks. But he says he will not turn till man does. God is first in opening necrotia- tion, and yet he says he must come second. Explain that God cannot do his gr;oioue work in the man until the man is in that right moral state represented by penitence and turning to God.-R. T.