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concerning it? Can you claim it as belonging to yourselves, or is it a Scripture with which you have nothing to do? If you would be safe in this matter, you must lay aside vain thoughts and conjectures, and trust only to evidences, and the most deceitful heart will hardly create evidences where there are none. Remember that the bride has duties to perform of the most sacred kind; she must have her affections closely bound up with those of the King's Son; she must put on her beautiful garments when she goes forth to meet him, and make her boast in his glory then will the Lord comfort all her waste places, and in her heart gladness shall be found, thanksgiving and the voice of melody; even in poverty her wealth shall be more abundant than that of princes: in battle, "no weapon that shall be formed against her shall prosper;" she shall not only have a home in Zion, but a crown; and her delight will be in the Lord of Hosts, not merely as a Maker of the body, but as a Husband of the soul.

35

SERMON III.

CHRIST BY HIS SPIRIT THE TEACHER OF
HIS CHURCH.

JOB XXXIV. 32.

"That which I see not teach thou me; if I have done iniquity I will do no more.”

ALTHOUGH there is but one way in which the sinner can get any effectual encouragement from the throne of grace, many are the by-ways that the deceitfulness of the heart has contrived as approaches to it: one man will come to it without even a show of reverence or godly fear, as if it were accessible to all who named the name of Christ, but did not depart from iniquity; another will be halting between two opinions, now treating religion as a shadow, and now as a reality; and in this variable and unsteady frame will make an effort to reach it. But he who is dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God, knows that his purpose is not to be attained in such a spirit as this; he trembles at the confidence of

those who are still yielding their members as instruments of unrighteousness, presuming to cast anchor near the rock of ages, and in all their natural uncleanness, thinking to have a part in the blessed estate of the godly; and he cannot but wonder at the unscriptural hopes of the half Christian, who puts up his petitions at that throne, rather with the idea of performing a duty, than of bringing down from thence any thing in the way of mercy. In what a different path does he himself travel; he is clothed with humility, because this is the garment his Lord has provided for him; he is diligent, because he is in haste to get a sight of his Father's countenance; he walks lightly under the cross, because he is moving homewards; he is happy, because he sees "a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald ;" and he has learnt that this is a gracious pledge of the covenant mercies of his God; and in the same child-like temper he frames his secret addresses to his unseen but not unknown Benefactor; he does not endeavour to explain away his sins, or to excuse them under the name of infirmities; he does not attempt to judge whether he is a greater or a less audacious sinner than others; for he knows that the least in the catalogue of offences is quite enough to condemn him, but when he falls down in the presence of God, it is not to reason but to confess; not to act as a

disputer of this world, but to be taught the true way to the world to come his language, in effect, is that of the text, "That which I see not teach thou me; if I have done iniquity I will do no more.'

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Such a request, my dear brethren, sent up to heaven, out of a lowly and simple mind, will gain for you a higher wisdom than was vouchsafed to Solomon, and riches which in all his earthly kingdom he did not possess—the everlasting and unsearchable riches of Christ.

There are three points of instruction in the passage before us, that seem to call for consideration: First, how and by whom man is to be taught knowledge; secondly, wherein it will essentially consist; and, lastly, what the effects of such teaching must be.

The world abounds with teachers, but none of them profess to do more than qualify mankind for the several situations they are to occupy in life. It is not the most brilliant imagination that can by searching find out God; it is not the deepest philosopher that can say to the dumb stone, arise, neither is it multitude of years that can teach wisdom. David's experience in this matter is worth our attention, "O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day, thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies, for they are ever with me, I have more understanding than all

my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation." Now the sort of understanding that he possessed, may be determined by his own expression, "Thy testimonies are my meditation." It was his clear perception of these in their spirituality and fulness, that lifted him up so far above the level of those masters of Israel, who knew the letter of the law, but not the spirit of it. It is not left to the fanciful opinions of men, wise in their own conceits, to fix who or who is not the instructor of the ignorant, and a teacher of babes; this, amongst others, was a truth brought to light by Christ; for in the warning that he gave his disciples to publish his doctrines, without regard to the displeasure of men, he added this caution; "And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say, for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." And again, in that memorable chapter of John, where his love runs out in such a stream of tenderness, he leaves this consolation with them: "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." And to these strong de

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