Maker; for he says of them, and especially of such as say to their fellow-sinners: "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou" "These are a smoke in my nostrils (Is. 65. 5), a fire that burneth all the day”—that is, not a quick and pleasant flame, but a mere smouldering fire; such as lingers in flax when too damp for any flame to break out, and emitting only a noxious smoke. God will not rashly snap asunder the last thread by which a spiritual life keeps its hold on the soul of one who has fallen. It is far better to be as a bruised reed (of a contrite and humble spirit), than to be as the cedars of Lebanon that are exalted and lifted up, or as the oaks of Bashan, on which the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be, Isa. 2. 13. God a Refuge and Shield.-Ps. 17. I; GEN. 12. 1-4; God is a hiding place, Is. 32. 2, and a strong tower—i.e.,. a refuge in time of war, Prov. 18. 10. But the name "refuge" has a very particular meaning. If any Israelite killed a man by accident, God told Moses that he must not be treated as a murderer, because he did not design to murder, Num. 35. But, lest the kinsman or relation of the person killed should take away the life of the manslayer, which was allowed to be done in the case of murder, he was to hurry off with all speed out of his way, and to take refuge in one of the six cities appointed for the protection of such persons. These cities were well supplied with water, and plenty of provisions, so that there was no occasion to go out of them to buy, which would endanger the manslayer. The roads to these places were all plain and easy of access, kept in good order, and provided, wherever it was necessary, with bridges to cross streams of water, and wherever two roads met, there were hand-posts pointing to the proper direction, on which was written in large characters, so that it might easily be read, " Refuge, Refuge." So God is our refuge, to whom we may flee in distress, as the manslayer did to the city of refuge. Rend the Heart, not the Garment.-JOEL 2. 13. Rending the garment was a sign of grief, as Jacob did, Gen. 37. 34, Job. 1. 20. The Russians have a proverb "People sometimes sin like David, but do not sorrow like him," 2 Sam. 12. 13. Repentance is compared to awakening, Eph. 5. 14, a pricking at the heart, Acts 2. 37, smiting, Luke 18. 13, coming to oneself, Luke 15. 17. The tear of repentance is dropped from the eye of faith; repentance consists in attrition, as when a rock is broken in pieces, and in contrition, as when ice is melted in water; the former is the work of the law, the latter of the Gospel-the one is like a hammer, the other like dew. Ice must not only be broken, but melted, so the coldness must be taken out of the heart. False repentance is the sudden torrent after rain in the mountains; or like people who throw their goods over in a storm, and wish for them again in a calm. False repentance is also compared to the sow returning to wallowing in the mire, 2 Pet. 2. 22. See parable of Prodigal Son, Luke 15. 11-32. The true is the stream flowing from a living fountain. Divinely applied to our heart, the Gospel is not only a net but a plough, breaks up the fallow ground, tears up the roots of corruption, and prepares us for receiving the good seed of grace. How proper for its operation, the winter of adversity and spring-tide of youth! How necessary that every application be attended with the dewy influence of the Holy Spirit ! The hypocrite's repentance is like Jonah's gourd, which came up in a night and perished in a night, Jonah 4. 10, or a deceitful bow, Hos. 7. 16. Examples of true repentance in rending the heart are met in Manasseh, 2 Chr. 33. 12-13, Nineveh, Jonah 3. 5–8, Peter, Mat. 26. 75, the thief on the cross, Luke 23. 4041, Ahab rent his clothes and his heart, 1 Kings 21. 27-29. Examples of false repentance in Pharaoh, Ex. 9. 27-34, Saul, 1 Sam. 15. 24-30, Judas, Mat. 27. 3-5, Jews pricked to the heart, Acts 2. 37. The furrow will be crooked if the eye looks back. The plough of repentance breaks the hard stony soil of the heart, kills the weeds; Luke 9. 62. Arab. The fasting of desires after worldly pleasures the best fasting. Afghan.-Paradise is a good place, but the getting there is by lacerating the heart. Arab.—It is more useful to fly from yourself than from a lion, Rom. 7. 24. Arab. The best part of repentance is little sinning. Why shave the head and mow the chin And heed not how deformed the rest: The heart of pride and passion weed, And then the man is pure indeed, Mat. 23. 25. Resignation. See Job's case, Job 1. 20-22; Moses, Ex. 3. 23-27; David, 2 Sam. 23. 25. 16. 10-12; Jacob, Gen. 43. 14. Persian. God rights him that keeps silence. Talmud. Be as strong as a leopard, light as an eagle, quick as a goat, and brave as a lion, to do the will of thy heavenly father. God's Grace a River.-REV. 22. I. The river of God's grace differs from earthly rivers in nine points: In this text, as in various others in the Bible, there is an allusion to the flowing rivers, on the banks of or near which the eastern gardens were planted and cities were erected; and the church of God is called a city, because like a city it is composed of many individuals living together, having the same common privileges; which is refreshed and delighted by this river common to all-i.e., by the spiritual blessings which God bestows upon it, regaling all its spiritual senses, and supplying all its spiritual need. A flowing river is often spoken of in Scripture, when it is intended to describe the abundance of anything, Job 29. 6. "The rock poured me out rivers of oil"—i.e., great plenty and abundance of oil, Ps. 36. 8; "Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures;" that is, thou shalt make them partake of that abundant pleasure, delight, and satisfaction which thou didst not only enjoy thyself, but bestowest upon thy people. In Job 40. 23, it is said of the hippopotamus, " He drinketh up a river"-i.e., a great quantity of water. "Thou waterest the earth with the river of God," Ps. 65.9; that is, with plentiful showers of rain from the clouds; and “river” may denote the constancy and perpetuity of these pleasures as well as their plenty, John 7. 38. 'He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water"-i.e., he shall be endued with the gifts and graces of the Spirit in a plentiful measure, which shall not only refresh himself, but shall break forth and be communicated to others also for their refreshing. In Psalm 46. 4, the words mean the gracious presence of God, and the blessings following thence, which shall make Zion, or the Church of God, glad. God is compared to a place of broad rivers, Is. 33. 21; by him saints, in their situation and blessings, are adorned and beautified; by him the air-i.e., the soul's breathing, is rendered pure and wholesome; by him they are completely defended from every foe; by him they have full access to the profitable commerce of the celestial country; in him how wide their prospect into eternity, into things in heaven and on earth! How inexhaustible his fulness to quench their thirst; to satisfy their desires, refresh their souls, and purge away their filth. A river, however large, like the Amazon, which is 180 miles wide, springs from a small fountain, scarcely seen, like the founts of the Ganges at Gangautri; the river of grace rises far away in heaven from the throne of God. A river, not like a tank, has much water constantly flowing; all may come to it, Is. 55. I;-it sometimes overflows, so at Pentecost, and in the time when God's knowledge shall cover the earth. In its course it is impetuous, carries away impediments; so Paul went out a lion, came in a lamb, Acts 9. 6; it fertilizes, the righteous are compared to willows by the watercourses, Is. 44. 4; the banks of Indian rivers are very fertile; its waters are carried to the ocean, so all grace ends in God; the water is always new and fresh, hence grace compared to a tree of life bearing twelve manner of fruits every month. The river of God's grace differs from earthly rivers in these points-it never dries up; is never frozen up; breeds no noxious animals; its channel is not shifted; never muddy; cleanses the soul; its fountain-the Holy Spirit is eternal; its waters as clear as crystal; no trail of the serpent; no tigers near this river; no gold alloyed; no blighted flowers. The Sacrifices of the Body and of Praise.-ROM. 12. I. Paul wished to be delivered from his body of death, referring to the custom of fastening a living body to a dead one until the criminal so fastened died from the stench of the putrefying corpse; and yet this vile body, which will be glorified, is to be used in God's service,— but the sacrifices to God are a broken spirit. Sacrifice was the immediate commerce of a creature with its God, in which the Lord of all condescended to receive offerings at our hands. Paul in this view offered his body as a |