3.-This peace is perfect. Not absolutely so at first. But it is perfect comparatively, for what peace is like it? The delusion of the Pharisee? The callousness of the sinner? The entertainments of the worldly? It is so moreover in relation to man's confidence. Peace rises and falls in proportion to our faith. It is not from outward things, but from our hearts that it is diminished.

Application.

1.-How safe and happy are real believers! The world mistakes them, and imagines their life to be sad, heavy, and gloomy, whereas it is safe, cheerful, and calm. While others are struggling about their own concerns in their own strength, fretful, dissatisfied, the Christian casts his burden on the Lord, and He sustains him. He is careful of nothing, and shall not be afraid of evil tidings.

2.-Let us, therefore, seek after this blessed condition. Till the mind is stayed on God, it has no resting-place, no solidity. It is carried about like the down of a thistle. There is only one anchor of the soul sure and steadfast which will enable us to look the danger, vicissitudes, and terrors of life and death in the face, and fill him with holy confidence and joy,

EXTERNAL REPENTANCE AND OBEDIENCE REWARDED.

J.

I. Kings xxi. 29-"Because Ahab humbleth before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days."

II. Kings x. 20-"And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in Mine eyes, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of David."

BOTH of these were bad men. Ahab was probably unequalled in wickedness; Jehu sinned against light, against reason, and against privilege.

And yet by an outwardly moral act they obtained the favour of God, notwithstanding their sin. Consider these two characters and their reward, and learn the lessons they teach.

I.-Ahab. He had fearfully sinned in reference to Naboth's vineyard. He wished for it. There was no harm in this. It was natural to desire to enlarge his garden. But when the desire was not gratified, his evil nature manifested itself. He vented his disappointment on

himself, and permitted his infamous wife to commit murder without a word of remonstrance.

But when Elijah denounced on him God's judgments, he rent his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, stating that the evil should not come upon the king, but upon his son.

This was indeed only an outward repentance, but it acknowledged the justice of God and his own sin. And so the Lord acknowledged his outward repentance by an appropriate recompense. The day of judgment was postponed, not removed, in order to give an opportunity for full amendment.

But this was all. Ahab fell at RamothGilead. His wife was trampled under foot at Jezreel, and his seventy sons were all slain.

II.-Jehu. This man was employed by God for the accomplishment of His purposes concerning Ahab, and the time came for their fulfilment. He faithfully carried out his instructions, and boasted of his zeal for the Lord. But having performed his mission he lapsed into idolatry, and although he destroyed the prophets of Baal, he seemed like the other kings of Israel. Nevertheless, on account of his faithfulness in executing the task committed to his care, God promised that his "children to the fourth generation should sit upon the throne,' thus rewarding a bad man for a good action, in the same manner as Ahab's transitory repentance was acknowledged, although it led to no permanent result.

OBSERVATION OF GOD'S

PROVIDENCE.

Hab. ii. 1-"I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved."

FEW things are more important than that we should note and regard the dispensations of Providence. The observer of nature is careful to trace natural phenomena. The observer of grace should be equally careful to note the working of spiritual affairs. Men of science should afford us an example in their patience and their energy. The words of the text suggest to us a right and proper course of action. We have

I. An attitude of observation. It is as in a time of war. The enemy was expected at the gate. Sentinels are placed to watch the progress of affairs. With what anxiety do they watch for any event of importance, for the arrival of an expected messenger, or for anticipated help! His vigilance is unceasing.

And these feelings will also be felt by him who desires to mark the dealings of Almighty God with regard to himself, and purposes to regard the message which comes to him from heaven. He is in anxiety about the warfare which is to determine his eternal condition." instead of being indifferent as to the action of God with regard to himself, he notes the most trifling intimation of the Divine will.

me.

And

II. An attitude of resigned attention "To see what He will say unto The Almighty speaks to His people. He speaks in various ways. Oftentimes the sayings are dark, and not easily understood. Hence it is necessary to consider attentively, in order to realize the true meaning of His message and commands. And when the message comes, it may be unpleasant or disagreeable or hard to bear. But notwithstanding, it is the Christian's duty to listen to what He shall say; to see the import of the message before He draws hasty conclusions.

III. An attitude of circumspection— "And what I shall answer when I am reproved." The great end of religion is to know ourselves and our true condition. Hence we watch on the tower. The embassage arrives. But all depends upon the answer which is returned to the king who sends.

What answer are we giving to the messengers God is sending to us? He has addressed us, both in judgment and mercy, both publicly and privately. Has the reproof wrought reformation, and have we replied to the message that we are fully determined to amend our faults and to transgress no more?

ISAIAH AND HEZEKIAH.

Isaiah xxxviii. 5-"Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; behold I will add unto thy days fifteen years."

I. In the unexpected and appalling prospect of death, a godly man turns at once and unreservedly to God. In "the day of visitation," there is no uncertainty, no pitiful vacillation of will; Prayer is his immediate resource. Hezekiah may weep, but he will also pray. He complies with the injunction-"Set thy house in order," by setting his heart to seek the Lord.

II. God often exceeds in giving the petitions sent up by His children. He is "able to do exceeding abundantly, above all we ask or think." Hezekiah did not ask for added years-God gave them.

tears.

Hezekiah thought little of his

God saw them, and stoops to tell His servant that they are not forgotten. How the Divine and human twine and intertwine themselves here! the gold thread ever revealing itself among the gray homespun! Do we know anything of praying, of such weeping, and of such fruition to our prayers?

III. A Christian rightly exercised under affliction receives great enriching of soul, and is able to teach others also. He will call an experience meeting speedily, saying, "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul." He will tell all how, after wallowing in the mire of his own infirmities and calamities for a while, he groaned out his weariness and despair on his Father's bosom, and cried, "O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me." How, from that moment, he was able to recognise God's hand, to hear God's voice, and was at rest (v. 15-18).

IV. He who has truly prayed shall surely praise, and discover, moreover, with Hezekiah, what he hardly believed before, that "The Lord was ready to save so soon as His child should be ready for the salvation.

FRUITFUL AFFLICTIONS (Heb, xii. 11). In one of the grandest regions of Switzerland, there is a magnificent waterfall known as the Staubbach. The mountain torrent plunges headlong from a precipice nearly nine hundred feet perpendicular, threatening destruction to the cottages below. But long before this deluge of water strikes the bottom of the cliff, the very force of its fall splits it in fragments in the air, and diffuses it in the softest mist, so that it falls like fertilizing dew, refreshing the fields it threatened to destroy.

INFLUENCE OF RELIGION (Tit. ii. 12). Henry Clay once replied to some sneering allusion to Evangelical Christianity. "I do not know practically what the Churches call religion. I wish I did. But I do know what it effects." And then reciting the case of a bitter feud between two families in Kentucky, which had at last been settled by the conversion of both parties, he said, "I tell you, whatever will change a Kentucky feud into a fellowship so soon and effectively is of God. power short of His could do it."

No

CHRIST'S KNOCKING (Rev. iii. 20). -When Dr. Arnot was preaching in Glasgow, a woman was in great distress about her rent. She could not pay it, so he took some money and went to her door and knocked. He thought he heard the footsteps of someone inside, so he knocked louder. No one came, and he knocked still louder, but after waiting some time he went away disappointed. A few days afterwards he met her, and told her he had heard of her distress, and had been to help her. She exclaimed, "Why, Doctor, was that you? I was in the house all the time, and I thought it was the landlord coming around to get the rent, so I kept the door bolted." So Christ

comes to bless. He don't come to demand, yet we keep Him out.

THE PENETRATING WORD (Ps. xix. 6). There may be no outward sign at the time of spiritual impression, yet sometimes how deeply the truth penetrates! It is like the lightning entering the ground, but leaving results to prove its power. Mr. Darwin, when in America, found a group of vitrified, siliceous tubes formed by electric currents entering loose sand. Dr. Priestly once found some similar ones under a tree where a man had been killed by lightning. Some were five feet, others as much as thirty feet, in depth, and from half-an-inch to an inch and a-half in bore. So the truth enters unseen, but burning and melting into our natures. We are pierced by its power, and prove that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

SATAN'S OFFERS (Matt. iv. 8, 9).A story is told of Rowland Hill, the great preacher. Lady Erskine was passing, and asked her coachman who it was that drew such a crowd. He replied that it was Rowland Hill. Mr. Hill soon saw her, and at once stopped in his discourse, and said,

My friends, I have something for sale." This astonished his hearers. "Yes, I have something for sale; it is the soul of Lady Ann Erskine. Is there anyone here that will bid for her soul? Ah, do I hear a bid? Who bid? Satan bids. Satan, what will you give for her soul? 'I will give riches, honour. and pleasure.' But stop. Do I hear another bid? Yes, Jesus Christ bids. Jesus, what will you give for her soul? "I will give eternal life.' Lady Ann Erskine, you have heard the two bids. Which will you take?" She fell on her knees, and cried, "I will have Jesus. The devil lies when he promises; Christ will keep His word.