of the Blessed and only Potentate. The redeemed family is under most binding obligations to obedience, love, &c. 5. The Lord of Hosts, the God of the whole earth-therefore trust Him. Infinite greatness is here com bined with infinite goodness; the supremacy of dominion with the divinity of kindness, &c.

II. THE PRACTICAL INFLUENCE OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS.

1. As a dissuasive from fear. If the frequency of this exhortation supposes there is much to fear in the estimation of nature, it also supposes that there is

more than enough to raise us above fear in the estimation of Grace. Coinfort to every real Christian is richly furnished from the mighty power of God. Goodness is sufficient to make a promise, but Power is necessary to perform a promise. In God there is no limit to His willingness, &c. Trust this power in the performance of duty, in the resistance of temptations, in the endurance of trial, &c.

2. As a persuasive to hope. 3. As an incentive to exertion. 4. As a plea to be constantly urged in prayer.—Samuel Thodey.

In exhibiting His wonderful grace to man, God stoops and assumes the most endearing relationship to him. How surprising that the Monarch of the skies should condescend to represent Himself the "husband" of His people. Yet He did so to wayward, rebellious Israel, and He does so to all who constitute His Church or people now. Each believer may consider the text as addressed to him.

I. THE UNION SPECIFIED. When rightly formed it is-1. Grounded in love, which is immeasurable-surpassing all created understanding.

2. Most intimate and endearing. There is a community of interests, and the connexion is one of the most close that can be formed. The apostle refers to this in several passages.

3. Most abiding. Believers yield themselves to be His for ever. God engages to be their present salvation, and everlasting portion and reward.

4. Entirely mutual. Personal interest. is lost, and the mutual interests of both is the professed end of this union. The husband careth for the things of his wife, and the wife for the things of her husband. Thus God manifests His sympathy, love, and care, for His Church. And the Church professes in all things to show forth the glory of God. She engages to hallow His name, to revere His laws, to maintain His

ordinances, and to show forth everywhere His praises, by devout and fervent thanksgiving to His name.

II. THE FORMATION OF THIS UNION. 1. It originated in God's amazing love. He purposed man's restoration to Himself. He determined to raise him to dignity and bliss, and this through the conjugal union with Himself.

2. It was rendered possible by the work of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. v. 19).

3. To this union God invites sinners in His blessed Gospel (Matt. xxii. 1-13). The great end of the Gospel is to bring men to a state of gracious and saving union with God.

4. This union is consummated on the day when the believer yields himself to God.

III. THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS UNION TO BELIEVERS.

1. It is their exaltation. This is rank and elevation above that of angels. Dignity which human language cannot express. 2. It is their unspeakable riches. The blessed God, in all His attributes and glories, is their portion, and present and eternal reward. "All are yours," &c. "Heirs of God." 3. It is their present blessedness. Brings comfort, peace, &c. 4. It will be their everlasting salvation. The very essence of that glory and happiness which the redeemed will enjoy for ever. This will annihilate all sources of evil.

APPLICATION,-1. From this union

various duties and obligations arise. Love, reverence, subjection, obedience, fidelity, confidence, and dependence. Zeal for His glory; jealousy for His honour; activity in His service; and entire devotedness to His cause.

2. Urge upon sinners immediate selfdedication to God. Every possible reason and motive should induce them so to do. This is the basis of all good.J. Burns, LL.D.: Sketches on Types, &c., pp. 122-126.

Both Testaments abound with striking metaphors, which exemplify the dear and intimate union which subsists between Christ and those who compose His Church. He calls them friends, children, brethren, &c. But no metaphor shows the tender and peculiar regard which Christ has to His Church, equal to this. How gracious the condescension, how endearing the appellation!

I. THE GLORIOUS DIGNITY OF THE BRIDEGROOM. He is-1. Thy Maker. 2. The Lord of Hosts. And who are these "hosts" (Ps. cxlviii.) 3. Thy Redeemer. He assumed flesh in order that He might be your near kinsman, that in that nature He might have a right to redeem you. But how did He redeem? "He gave Himself." 4. The Holy One of Israel. God of the whole earth.

5. The

II. THE NATURE OF THIS UNION. 1. It is a union which springs entirely from grace. What else can it be on His part? What can charm Him, to unite Himself to thee?

2. It is a union accomplished by Almighty power. Almighty power. One would suppose that it were enough for the Lord of all to present Himself to the heart, for that heart immediately to open. Yet, strange to say, the moment these propositions are made, the human heart is barred against all enjoyments of the kind: it will not receive this heavenly lover. But in some favoured happy day He passes by, and the time is a time of love: He speaks, and the heart opens. 3. It is a spiritual union (Eph. v. 32; 1 Cor. vi. 17). 4. A very blessed union. Think of (1.) The Dignity of those who are united to Hin. Their name; their inheritance; their prospects. To be united with Christ for ever, in holiness, &c. (2.) Their present privileges, communion, support, protection, &c.

III. THE TERMS OF THE UNION. 1. A total divorce from all other lords. If you are wedded to sin, or to the world, or to the law, until you are divorced there is no union with Christ. Are you ready to break your allegiance to the world and sin? If so, then, on these terms you may come to Christ.

2. The mutual consent of both parties. Christ is willing. His invitations, His appeals, His voluntary death on your behalf are proofs. Sinner, are you willing?

CONCLUSION.-Congratulate such as are already united to Him. What a blessed people are you !—J. Sherman : The Pulpit, vol. i. pp. 465–474.

impurity (Hab. i. 13). If we could conceive of God in any other character than this, we should revolt at the very idea of His existence and character, and our minds would be in perpetual anxiety and apprehension respecting His dealings toward us. But He always does right, and is always opposed to wrong. He is perfectly just and true-these are the

two great branches of this attribute (Deut. xxxii. 4). (3.) It is the glory of His nature (Ex. xv. 11; 2 Chron. xx. 21; 2 Kings xix. 22; Isa. iv. 4; Eph. iv. 18). He represents Himself more frequently in this character than in any other. (4.) It is the basis of His blessedness.

2. The demonstration of the Divine holiness. It appears-(1.) In creating man holy (Eccles. vii. 29; Col. iii. 10). (2.) In the law by which He governs humanity (Rom. vii. 12). (3.) In the infliction of punishment upon man when he sinned. (4.) In the restoration of man (2 Cor. iii. 18; Heb. vii. 26). The economy of grace is devised that polluted man may be restored to holiness. The cross of Christ is the highest possible expression of God's love of holiness. Our justification is not by the imperfect works of creatures, but by an exact and infinite righteousness (Rom. iii. 25, 26). See p. 295.

What a foundation for the trust and confidence of His people! How great is the sin of unbelief and pride. How earnestly we should long to be ever growing in likeness to Him, for His holiness is the reason and the standard of ours (1 Pet. i. 16). How terrible is God's infinite holiness to the ungodly!" "Who can stand before this Holy Lord God?"

II. THE UNITY OF GOD. Contrary to the many gods of the heathen. Polytheism has been far more common than Atheism. How deplorable is the blindness of the heathen, who, instead of the one true God, worship innumerable deities. Some of the heathens had better notions-Epictetus, Plato, &c.

1. The nature of the Divine unity. (1.) It is simple or uncompounded. He has no parts-His perfect nature admits of no composition. (2.) It is (2.) It is singular and unshared unity. He is not one of a genus or kind. He admits of no rival-no partner of His peculiar nature: it is an absolutely exclusive unity.

2. The scriptural proof of the Divine unity.

3. The corroborative evidence of the

Divine unity. (1.) The self-existence of God. Two prime and original causes of all things are unimaginable. "If there is not one only God, there is no God." (2.) The infinite perfections of Gol. An absolutely perfect being must be one, &c. (3.) The supreme dominion of God: there can only be one supreme governor of the world. (4.) The analogy of nature. Everywhere signs of a monarchy. The unity of design observable in all the works of God.

The practical application of this subject is found in Deut vi. 5, compared with Mark xii. 29, 30.

III. THE GRACIOUS RELATION WHICH THIS GLORIOUS BEING SUSTAINS TOWARD HIS PEOPLE. "Thy redeemer" vindicator or deliverer.

1. The need of redemption. The Babylonians had taken Israel into captivity, and oppressed them, &c. Man is enslaved by sin, led captive by the devil; his spiritual enemies. are numerous, and subtle, and powerful; and he is unable to overcome them, &c. He needs an emancipator -a redeemer.

2. The nature of redemption. May be considered both negatively and positively - what we are redeemed from, and what we are redeemed to. The spiritual Israel are redeemed, from the love and practice of sin, to the love and practice of holiness; from death to life; from the service of Satan to the service of God; from misery to bliss; from hell to heaven, &c.

3. The author of redemption. The doctrine of redemption is often underestimated and undervalued, from an inadequate conception of the majesty of its author. In the heart of God our redemption took its rise. Effected by the sacrifice of THE SON of God (see p. 438). Redemption was made possible for all Israel, but it was open to any to reject the privileges it involved. So Christ has died for all, yet the benefits of His death will be secured only to those who believe.

No other way of deliverance from the deadly evils in which sin has involved you (H. E. I. 443).—A. Tucker.