earth, and often supplies the want of rain. The shortlived character of the form of godliness, without the power, is compared to early dew exhaled soon by the sun, Hos. 6. 4. The love of brethren is compared to the dew, Ps. 133. 3. God's Word is said to drop as rain, and distil as dew, Deut. 32. 2. God's influences are likened to a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest, Isa. 18. 4. The refreshing, vivifying influence of God's spirit is in this text compared to the silent but powerful dew as the dew of herbs, Isa. 26. 19.

Providence like the dew in seven points:

1. Dew comes from above, from the air, not from the clouds; "drops down;" so Christ promised to send from above the Comforter, John 14. 16. Every good gift is from above, Jas. I. 17.

2. Dew is the result of the sun's influence. The sun evaporates the water which the cold makes to descend, hence the brighter the sky the more dewy the night; so Christ shed down the Spirit. The sun must withdraw for the dew to fall; so Christ said he must go, but the Spirit will abide, John 14. 16.

3. Dew falls from a calm unclouded sky. Wind or a cloud will dissipate it; Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, dispels the clouds of unbelief. If we walk in the light we have fellowship with God; when the mind is so clouded by passion, the dew of the Holy Spirit does not fall.

4. The dew's descent is silent and imperceptible; rain falls in torrents. Dew is seen only by its crystal drops, Job 38. 28; 2 Sam. 17. 12. The dew like gravitation is known by its effects. The Kingdom of God cometh not by observation. The still small voice alone is heard, Conversion is a change taking place

I Kings 19. II, 12.

in the mind; hence the Spirit's influence is compared to the wind, John 3. 2; we cannot see it or tell whence it comes, but we know it by its effects.

5. The dew's influence is all pervading. Where dashing rain will not enter dew will; it rests on blades of grass; the traveller's head is filled with dew; so under Christ's influence. All partake, it pervades each. All things are become new; the dry bones live, Ezek. 37. 3. 6. Dew often copious, always seasonable. In Israel once for 3 years there were no dews-how lamentable were things, 2 Sam. 1. 21. The Spirit in the latter day is to be poured on young and old. When the weather is hottest, the dew is heaviest; so Stephen, when stoned, saw heaven opened, Acts 7. 55; so John, banished to Patmos, was in the Spirit and saw wonderful visions, Rev. I. IO. Innumerable are the drops of dew; such are God's graces.

7. The dew's effects are most obvious and salutary. Egypt would be almost uninhabitable, were it not for the dews; the dew of heaven was promised to Ishmael. When the ground is parched the dew gives new life; so the letter killeth, but the Spirit gives life, 2 Cor. 3. 6. The sun hardens the soil. The growth of plants from the dew is often wonderful; so the believer strikes his roots deep in the Rock of Ages, and in humility bends towards the dust, but the refreshing, sheltering branches shoot up in beauty, the flowers and leaves from the dewdrops look as pearls, so beautiful are they-so the robes of righteousness. A fragrant smell arises in the morning from the dew on flowers; so Christ is the savour of sweet ointment, "Awake, O north wind;" dead souls are Fruitfulness and moisture are necessary to the growth of plants, the dew of heaven, and fatness of the earth are conjoined to the fruits of the Spirit; the righteous bring forth fruit, in old age; are we withered, God is no niggard with gifts. God will open the windows of heaven, Mal. 3. 11.

nauseous.

The Spiritual Life mounting on Eagle's Wings.
Is. 40. 30, 31.

Spiritual life like the eagle in eight points :

1. The eagle is the king of birds as the lion is of beasts, so the saints are the excellent in the earth, Ps. 16. 2, 3, more excellent than their neighbours, of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. II. 38. Believers are sons of God and of royal blood, Rev. 1. 6; while the wicked feed on the wind, or husks, Hos. 12. 1, the righteous have spiritual manna and angels as attendants.

2. Long and quick sighted, Job 39. 29, hence a man is called eagle-eyed. The eagle can look at the sun, or see from above fish in the water, so believers behold the glory of God with open face, 2 Cor. 3. 18; and as the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, Ps. 25. 14, Gen. 18. 17, they see the end of the wicked, 2 Sam. 14. 20.

3. Swift, they have long wings; hence Solomon says, "Riches make themselves wings, and fly away like an eagle," Ps. 23. 5. David, lamenting the death of Saul and Jonathan, says, "They, as friends, were stronger than lions and swifter than eagles," 2 Sam. 1. 23. Nebuchadnezzar came as an eagle against the temple. Job compares life to an eagle, 9. 26, Ez. 17. 2-10, Rev. 14.6; hence, Nebuchadnezzar is represented as a great eagle, with great wings and long feathers-i.e., having various nations. in his empire, and took the highest branch of a cedar. The Romans are called eagles, Deut. 28. 49. 49. The The prayer of the righteous swiftly reaches heaven.

4. Mount high, out of sight; lost in the clouds, above the tempest and lightning, trees appear as shrubs, a city as a village; worldlings are moles or worms which grovel in the earth, but believers have their conversation in heaven, Phil. 3. 20, mounting up on the wings of faith and prayer, Col. 3. 3, not like Nebuchadnezzar, who built his nest on high for purposes of pride, Dan. 4. 30.

5. Not tired in their flight. Believers do not faint, Is. 40. 31; though the flight to heaven be long, yet the wings of faith and love bear them up.

6. Aim at high things, not at flies or worms. A Russian proverb says, "Eagles catch no flies," Ph. 3. 8; not like the crow, who goes out early for this purpose, Job 39. 27, 28.

7. Nestle on high, Ez. 17. 37, amid lofty rocks above the clouds, where no enemy can come.

8. Lively in old age, by moulting the eagle's youth is renewed, Ps. 103. 5. On getting new feathers his power of flight is renewed. The eagle is so strong as to be able to carry away a lamb or a child. Believers put on the new man, the old is cast off. Angels have immortal youth. The young are borne on the mother's wings, Deut. 32. II-14, so the Jews, Ex. 19. 4.

Aitareya Veda.-Though a hundred bodies like iron chains hold me down, yet like a falcon I quickly rise. Persian. The lion does not eat the dog's leavings.

The Earnest of the Spirit.—2 COR. 1. 22.

In various parts of India at the ceremony of betrothal the bride's father offers to the bridegroom's father, as an earnest, betel-nut, turmeric, and flowers; betel-nut, clothes, and flowers are offered on a similar occasion.

An earnest is something of value which one person gives to another to bind a bargain. If one has a house to sell, and any one is disposed to buy it, it might not be quite the proper time for the seller to give him immediate possession, or for him to settle all the terms; but to make sure of the house, the buyer would give a part of the payment, and this would show that he was in earnest, and engaged to have it, and that the seller was quite in earnest, and engaged to sell it. Then, to have the Spirit of God in. us, is to have God's earnest that he will give us heaven. And how shall we know that God's Spirit is acting in us? Why, when he is acting by us. If we are "led by the Spirit" we shall "walk in the Spirit," Rom. 8. 14. We cannot have the Holy Spirit if we lead unholy lives.

The Angelic Encampment.-Ps. 34. 7.

Angels are said to be full of eyes, before and behind, Rev. 4. 6, to denote their knowledge of the past and future, I Pet. I. 12. Angels are called a host, Gen. 32. I; commanded by Christ, the Captain of Salvation; they protect the saints; they slumber not like some watchmen, are called holy watchers, Dan. 4. 13; the figure of Cherubim, an order of angels, had four faces-that of a man, representing their majesty, prudence, and beauty; that of a lion, their strength and courage; that of an ox, their patience and diligence; and that of an eagle, their quick vision and continued vigour.

The great Mogul at Agra used to have an encampment several miles in circumference, accommodating many thousand soldiers; it was soon broken up, and removed to another place. The angels' encampment has many millions of troops in number, Dan. 7. 5-14. Christ on the Cross said he could call to his aid twelve legions of angels, or 80,000. Those angels are encamped, and are powerful; they broke the iron gates, Acts 12. 10; caused earthquakes, Mat. 28. 2; destroyed 185,000 Assyrians in one night; killed all the first-born in Egypt in one night; they are orderly; Michael and his angels fought with the devil, Rev. 12. 7-9. They smote Herod for his pride, Acts 12. 23, Balaam for his covetousness, Sodom for its sin, Gen. 19. II.

Example.-I PET. 2. 21.

China. The best cure for drunkenness is when sober to observe the drunken man.

Arab.-The mistakes of a learned man are like a shipwreck, which wrecks many others with it. Basque-Corruption begins from the head-i.e., from the chiefs.