wickedness, and recourse to vain excuses to palliate it. An evil course cannot long be pursued without some plea which justifies it to the sinner's mind. These fictions are the very food on which his sin lives. Tear them away, and you strip him of those defences behind which he fortifies himself in the practice of iniquity. This is what God's prophet is trying to do; not only denouncing sin, but exposing the worthlessness of the pleas by which it is encouraged. These fancies he characterises as "spiders' webs" (ver. 5); and, continuing the metaphor (ver. 6), he declares-"Their webs shall not become garments." It is a kindness to undeceive one who labours under a fatal mistake, however unpleasant the task. Some of you are the victims of soul-destroying delusions; but soon you will pass into a world of reality, where every dark subterfuge in which you try to hide yourselves, will be illumined in all its corners by the fierce and searching light of eternity. You are weaving your subtle webs of fancy and practice now, bestowing pains upon them, thinking well of them, and gaining the approval of others; but they are mere shoddy, which, though it pass from the loom, is worthless for wear. Let us visit some of the looms in the great factory of human life, and see what sort of fabrics the weavers are turning out.

I. There is one who is weaving the web of a respectable life. Living for appearances, squaring his opinions and behaviour by the maxims of the world; pleasant and accommodating whatever company he may enter, and putting up even with Christian society, if they are not too decided. No strong principles has he to bring him into collision with other people. His principle is to have no principles, but to fall in with those of others. If ever he offered a real prayer it would be-"O God, keep me on good terms with the world; save me from anything that would incur its censure, or draw down upon me its frown.” He worships the goddess of respectability. It would never do for him to be any

thing but sober, honest, and industrious. He cannot throw into his web the dark threads which they use who have sunk so low as to have no regard even for public opinion. It has attractive colours and a glossy surface. Such goods are in demand in the world's market; but with no higher purpose, his web shall not be come a garment. He has lived without the thought of God, and tried to do as others do, not what conscience and Scripture command.

II. At another loom sits a busy worker weaving the web of formalism. The formalist sees something good in religion, but is mistaken as to the way in which its blessedness is secured. His trust is in the outward observance of religious ceremonies, forgetting that the Kingdom of God is a thing of the heart. Precise and regular in his church attendance and Sabbath ob servance, he is yet cold and heartless, No warm, loving impulse stirs his soul. He has made a god of religious routine (Job viii. 13, 14). It is hard to undeceive such a man, just because of his familiarity with sacred things (Matt. xxi. 31). He who weaves such a web, is only preparing a windingsheet for his dead soul.

III. There is another weaving the web of self-righteousness. Not blindly trusting in ceremonies, but relying on an upright life. Without a change of heart he tries to obey the law (Rom. x. 3), but his view of sin is defective. So long as the Divine law is regarded as an outward rule, you may think you render a tolerably perfect obedience, but let its light shine into the heart and it reveals the sinner's guilt (Rom vii. 7-9). Self-righteousness may a web, but it never shall become a garment (ch. lvii. 12; lxiv. 6). We are to work not for but from accep tance and pardon. Never can we fulfil the law until the heart has been changed by the experience of God's mercy (Phil. iii. 9).

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IV. Further on we encounter another who is weaving the web of reliance on the future. A young man who promises himself long life and abundant oppor

tunity. He is bent on trying some experiments in weaving before he settles down to serious work. He means to attend to religious matters, but not just now. Can he count upon the uncertain future? can he promise himself inclination and opportunity? That is the web which the young are prone to weave. How is it with those more advanced in life?

V. Here is an old man busily weaving the web of amendment, thinking thus to atone for the vices and follies of an ill-spent youth. But can any resolution for the future wipe out the guilt of the erring past? If he wishes to begin life anew he must go to the cross, and make that his startingpoint, but he blindly imagines that reformation of life will supply the garment which he needs.

VI. Have I exhausted the various classes of weavers? Alas for our race if I have! Many find the requisite garment provided for them in the righteousness of Christ (Rom. iii. 2126; iv. 5). It fits us, becomes us, protects us, will never grow old, and will never be out of fashion. How can you appear before God in the flimsy dress of your own manufacture? (Matt. xxii. 11-13). But do we cease to be weavers when we "put on the Lord Jesus Christ?" The weaving of the right sort can only then begin; for, the righteousness wrought out for us and imputed becomes a righteous

ness wrought in us and imparted. Christ takes the web of our life into his own hands (1 Cor. i. 30; Gal. ii. 20). Instead of leading to licentiousness a free justification alone can sanctify the life (Rom. vi. 1-4).

To which class of weavers do you belong? Look at your life-how profitless, purposeless, and polluted! Can that web clothe you for standing before God, when it is finished and removed from the beam? Throw it away, tear it to shreds, abandon alike your good and bad works, and listen to the Redeemer's voice (Rev. iii. 18). You pity the poorly-clad amid the biting frosts and snows of winter, but more to be pitied are they who advance into the winter of declining years, the chill region of death, and the storms of judgment, with no sufficient clothing for their defenceless souls!-William Guthrie, M.A.

Ver. 7. Depravity. I. Has its seat in the heart. II. Its expression in the conduct. III. Its issue in misery and ruin.-J. Lyth, D.D.

Ver. 8. I. The characters described. Those who make crooked paths-1. From the line of duty prescribed by the law. 2. By the Gospel. 3. By conscience. II. Their awful condition. Cannot know peace. In life-death-eternal world.-C. Simeon, M.A.

The path of transgressors is one-I. Of contention. II. Of injustice. III. Of perverseness. IV. Of misery.

Vers. 9-15. I. The misery of sinners. No light, comfort, certainty, security, relief, salvation. II. The cause. Transgression multiplied, ing justly the displeasure of God.-Dr. Lyth. acknowledged, aggravated, open, wilful, excit

light. They are not content with their obscurity, they are waiting for brightness. They discover in their nature much of evil, they would fain be rid of it; they find in their understanding much ignorance, and they would fain be illuminated. They pant to escape from this ignorance, they desire to know the truth which saves the soul; and their desire is not only to know it in theory, but to know it by its practical power upon the inner man. 2. They have a high idea of

what the light is. In the text they call it "brightness." They wait for it, and are grieved because it comes not. 3. They have some hope that they may yet obtain this light; in fact, they are waiting for it, hopefully waiting, and are somewhat disappointed that after waiting for the light, behold, obscurity has come. They are evidently astonished at the failure of their hopes. 4. They have learned to plead their case with God, for our text is a complaint addressed to the Lord Himself. is a declaration of inward feelings, a laying bare of the heart's agonies to the Most High.

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II. It shall now be my happy task to endeavour to assist into the light those who would fain flee from the darkness, by trying to answer the query, "How is it that I, being desirous of light, have not found it yet? Why has not the Lord revealed Himself to me?" 1. You may have been seeking the light in the wrong place. Many, like Mary, seek the living amongst the dead. You may have been the victim of the false doctrine that peace with God can be found in the use of ceremonies, &c. You may have been looking for salvation in the mere belief of a certain creed. 2. You may have sought it in the wrong spirit. When we ask for pardon, reconciliation, salvation, we must remember to whom we speak, and who we are who ask the favour. Some appear to deal with God as if He were bound to give salvation; as if salvation indeed were the inevitable result of a round of performances (H. E. I. 3431, 3432), or the deserved reward of a certain amount of virtue. You must come down from such vainglorious notions; you must sue out your pardon, as our law courts put it, in forma pauperis; you must come before God as a humble petitioner, pleading the promises of mercy, abhorring all idea of merit, confessing that if the Lord condemn, He has a right to do it; and that if He save, it will be an act of pure, gratuitous mercy. 3. Others have not obtained peace because they have not yet a clear idea of

the true way of finding it. The way of peace with God is seen through a haze by most men, so that if you put it ever so plainly, they will, if it be possible, misunderstand you. They will not give a simple look to the Saviour, and rely alone on Him. The waters of Abana and Pharpar are preferred by proud human nature, but the waters of Jordan alone can take away the leprosy. 4. Perhaps you have not found light because you have sought it in a halfhearted manner. None enter heaven who are but half inclined to go there. Cold prayers ask God to refuse them (H. E I. 3831-3835). 5. There may

be some sin within thee which thou art harbouring to thy soul's peril. Art thou willing to give sin up? If not, it is all lost time for me to preach Christ to thee, for He is not meant to be a Saviour of those who persevere in sin. He came to save His people from their sins, not in them; and if thou still must needs cling to a darling sin, be not deceived, for within the gates of heaven thou canst never enter (H. E. I. 2823, 2856, 4597– 4602). 6. It may be that you have only sought peace with God occasionally. After an earnest sermon you have been awakened, but when the sermon has been concluded, you have gone back to your slumber like the sluggard who turns again upon his bed. After a sickness, or when there has been a death in the family, you have then zealously bestirred yourself; but anon you have declined into the same carelessness as before. Oh! fool that you are, remember he wins not the race who runs by spurts, but he who continues running to the end.-C. H. Spurgeon: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, No. 884.

Ver. 12. Conviction of sin. I. Our transgressions are revealed in the light of God's countenance. II. Testify against us. III. Produce condemnation in the conscience. IV. Cannot be evaded-we know them.

Confession of sin. Includes-I. A percep tion of its guilt- committed against Godmultiplied. II. An acknowledgment of its guilt "They testify," &c. Justly awaken God's displeasure. III. A sense of its misery. Condemnation-compensation. IV. A full con. viction of our own demerit and helplessness. -Dr. Lyth.

Ver. 13. Sin and its aggravation. I. In its