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and decided separation there must be, and ever will be, between the true believer, who adorned as a bride, and the pomps and vanities of this wicked world. The new character has brought with it new feelings, and the dove of an earthly and sensual bosom, which could once mingle with any of the streams it met with, now runs in that channel which has been opened and provided by God; the heart is separated from the fastenings by which it was held a prisoner to the earth; it required a vast power to get them asunder, but the Lord's Spirit took the work in hand, and it was done;s "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom." The affections are separated; they also are escaped out of the hands of the spoiler, and are risen; they not only served the world, and owned his authority as a master, but weres well-pleased with him as a friend; their obedience was the obedience of love.--The understanding is separated; it had the wisdom of men, and this was its boast and glory; but it has thrown it off as a filthy garment, and counted the loss gain; it has parted with nothing but dross; and, oh! what an acquisition in return does it obtain !-the void has been filled up with pure gold, for it has some definite "knowledge of him who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." The spiritual bride is

a new creature, and this separation of the soul from the familiar friends with whom, in other days, it could take counsel, is not merely a matter of principle, but of choice; the home of the husband, who has opened his everlasting arms to one of the ruined family of Adam, is the chosen home of the bride.

Again I must remark, that in every sancti fied union, that is established between two parties upon earth, there is a union of interests; the thoughts of the heart are interchanged, and unrevealed secrets make their way from one to the other: if there are tears on either side, there is a hand ready to dry them up; if clouds have wrapt themselves round one soul, there are the beamings of hope on the other; if there are afflictions, that press in like a flood, they are met by consolations, that beat them back again; and such a fellowship the believing soul enjoys, which has received, "out of Christ's fulness, grace for grace:" "Lo, there is not a word in my tongue, but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether." The delight of the saints is in their assurance of his special providence they have gone astray even as others, but perfect love has cast out fear; they find a sweetness in confession, because they have a sure trust that the Lord is gracious, that he inclines his ear unto them and hears them. "I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he

heard me out of his holy hill." It is not their presumption that creates this confidence-they are far more humble than those who are satisfied with a less frequent, or a less earnest appeal; it is not a sense of innocence ;-they know their deserts, as the guilty offspring of rebellious parents, but then they know their privileges also, as those who have been redeemed from slavery and truly espoused to Christ. In the season of rejoicing, when, like Stephen, they see, as it were, the heavens opened, and Jesus, their Saviour, standing at the right hand of God; they behold, not their Maker or their Saviour only, but their Husband, and they can rejoice in thinking, that it is his grace alone that has got them this foretaste of eternal peace. In the season of mourning, at the very first stroke of the rod, that has given some dear idol a wound unto death, when they are reminded that all flesh is grass, and all the goodness thereof as the flower of the field, they seek a refuge in that covenant promise,

Thy Maker is thy Husband." Here is the softener of a restless mind; here is the welcome visitor to the widowed heart; here is the prop, the stay, the best friend of the friendless: there is an inward witness to all this; and every converted heart can interpret his language, Fear thou not, I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee

with the right hand of my righteousness." Oh! what a charm there is in such holy communings as these! the world loses them through unbelief, but the true church, which is the bride of Christ, she has gloried in them from the beginning, and will continue to enjoy them unto the end. Such must we be, my friends, if we mean to see our interest in that name which God assumes in the text.

We have, in the second place, to consider the peculiar suitableness of it, as connected with the Lord of hosts; and here I shall be able to show you, that all the qualifications we can conceive necessary for a good husband, in their very highest degree, are centered in God. The bride is in weakness, and he strengthens her; the enemy is pursuing her, she asks for refuge, and she finds it under the shadow of his wings"In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me." If this be a controverted truth, it is easy to find out in what hearts the controversy is carried on. It cannot be in those who believe, for it was the very consciousness of their being weak and empty vessels that led to their acknowledgment of the gospel, "as the power of God unto salvation:" they fled from the God of this world because they saw they were deep in error, and they felt that it was not in man to direct his steps; and they gather

ed themselves together round the cross of Christ, because they viewed it as an anchor of great strength, because they were precisely in the right state to derive advantage from it, being in fear, and weakness, and much trembling.

There are a variety of ways in which God interposes, for the preservation of his church: sometimes it is done with a word, as in the case of the weeping Mary-" Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace :" sometimes it is done with a look, which pierces deep, and is even more expressive than the tongue; as in the case of Peter, when his heart was so melted that there ran out from it a stream of godly sorrow, that worked for him a repentance unto life. And sometimes he exerts a more sensible manifestation of power, as when he brought Paul in triumph from Damascus, bound with the soft chains of his love: each of these captive sinners were conquered with a different weapon, but the same effect was produced in them all; they were plucked as brands out of the burning; they were made strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; they were filled with the fruits of righteousness, and made a part of that church which was purchased with his own blood.

But our adorable Lord may be likened to a husband in another respect, inasmuch as it is he who, in a peculiar sense, clothes the bride.'