Thus far our attention has been almost exclusively turned to Jonah: but, that we may bring the matter home more directly to our own business and bosoms, we would suggest a REFLECTION or two, arising out of the subject:

1. What selfishness is there in the heart of man!

[One would be ready to account this record a libel upon human nature, if we did not know assuredly that it is a true history, without any exaggeration or mistake. It appears incredible, that such inhumanity should exist in the heart of man, as that he should wish for the destruction of a million of souls, only that his own word might be verified; and that he should be so vexed by his disappointment, as to wish for death, and pray to God to terminate his life. Nor would one conceive it possible that a temporary inconvenience, which had in fact originated solely in his own absurd and impious conduct, should so irritate and inflame his mind, as to make him insult, to his very face, his almighty and all-gracious Reprover. But we know little of ourselves, if we do not recognize much of our own character in that of Jonah. We have had reported to us, time after time, the calamities of others, and have felt no more than if the most trifling occurrences had been related: or if we have felt at all, it has been only for a moment, and the tale has soon become as if it had passed before the flood. But, on the other hand, if any thing has arisen to thwart our own interests or inclinations, though it has been of less consequence than Jonah's gourd, we have laid it to heart, and been so irritated or grieved by it, that our very sleep has gone from us. Particularly if any thing has occurred that was likely to lower our reputation in the world, how keenly have we felt it, so as almost to be weary even of life! Or if any thing wherein we promised ourselves much happiness have been withdrawn from us, as wife or child, how little have we been able to say, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!" Alas! we have more resembled Jonah, than Job: our every thought has been swallowed up in self: and neither God nor man have been regarded by us, any farther than they might subserve our selfish and carnal ends. Let us then in Jonah see our own character as in a glass, and let this view of it humble us in the dust.]

2. What mercy is there in the heart of God!

[This is the improvement which God himself makes of the subject. Jonah had complained of God for exercising mercy towards the repentant Ninevites; and God vindicates himself against the accusations of Jonah. In doing this, he touches with exquisite tenderness the sin of Jonah; and represents him not

as actuated by selfishness and impiety, but as merely "having pity on the gourd." What a beautiful example does this afford us, who ought to extenuate, rather than to aggravate, the faults of our bitterest enemies! His argument on the occasion is this: If you have had pity on a poor worthless gourd, for which you never laboured, and in which you have only a slight and transient interest, how much more am I justified in having pity on a million of the human race, (six-score thousand of whom have never done good or evil,) and on multitudes of cattle also, which must have been involved in any calamity inflicted on that large city!' This argument is similar to one used in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and says in effect,' If you were right in pitying a thing of no value, how much more am I in sparing what is of more value than ten thousand worlds!' This argument, especially as addressed to the self-justifying Jonah, was unanswerable: and the truth contained in it is consolatory to every child of man. God is a God of infinite mercy: he may, he will, spare all who truly repent. Whatever judgments he has denounced against sin and sinners, the execution of them depends solely on the sinners themselves: if they repent, sooner shall God cease to exist, than cease to exercise mercy towards them. Let this encourage transgressors of every class: let it encourage the abandoned to repent; and those who profess godliness to repent also: for all need this consoling truth, that "God willeth not the death of any sinner, but rather that he turn from his wickedness and live." Know then, both from his dealings with the Ninevites, and his forbearance towards his perverse prophet, that He is abundant in goodness and truth, and that where sin has abounded, his grace shall much more abound.]

MICA H.

MCCIV.

BENEFITS ARISING FROM THE WORD of God.

Micah ii. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

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GREAT and bitter prejudices are often entertained against the word of God; as though its only tendency was to pervert the judgments of men, and to disturb their repose. Hence, when the word is faithfully administered, many are offended at it; and say, as it were, to the messengers of heaven, "Prophesy not unto us right things; prophesy unto us smooth things; prophesy deceits." But the real reason of their disgust is, that they will not part with those sins which the word condemns, or practise those duties which the word enjoins: they love darkness rather than light: they hate the light, and will not come to it, lest their deeds should be reproved"." If they were willing to renounce their sins, they would find the word precious and delightful to them; for it is as full of consolation to the upright, as it is of terror to the hypocritical. To this effect God speaks in the passage before us. He represents the people as saying to the prophets, " Prophesy not." Then addressing himself to them, he asks, Whether the messages which he sent them proceeded from any want of love and mercy in himself; or whether they did not arise solely from their obstinacy in sin? "O thou that art named the House of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings?" Then a John iii. 19, 20.

he appeals to them, whether his word would not be a source of unspeakable comfort to them, if they would turn to him aright? "Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?"

We propose to shew,

I. Who they are whom the word benefits

Certain it is, that all are not benefited by the word. When it was dispensed by Him who "spake as never man spake," many made no other use of it than to cavil at it, and to form it into a ground of accusation against him. And when St. Paul laboured at Ephesus for three months successively to establish the truth, many were only hardened the more in their prejudices and infidelity. While in every age it has been " some a savour of life unto life, it has proved to others a savour of death unto death." Those who alone are benefited by it, are "the people who walk uprightly," or, in other words,

1. The unprejudiced—

"to

[If we come to the word of God with prejudices against any of the doctrines which it is supposed to contain, it is scarcely probable that we should receive any material good from it: for as soon as the truths which we hate are brought to light, we shall set ourselves against them, and exert all our endeavours to invalidate their force. The plainest and most fundamental doctrines of our religion are very commonly treated in this way. Men like not to hear of the depravity of the heart, the insufficiency of our best works to recommend us to God, the necessity of divine influences, and the impossibility of being saved without an entire dependence on the merits of Christ, and an unreserved surrender of ourselves to his service. But if, instead of reprobating these things as enthusiasm, we would lay our minds open to conviction, and submit to receive instruction from God, we should find a reality in these things which we never imagined, and an importance which we were not aware of. God has promised that "the meek he will guide in judgment, the meek he will teach his way."]

2. The diligent-

[Nothing is to be attained without diligence, in spiritual any more than in temporal concerns. If we read a portion of the Scripture in a superficial way, or hear it explained to us d Ps. xxv. 9.

b Acts xix. 8, 9.

c 2 Cor. ii. 16.

without ever reflecting on what we have heard, we cannot expect to get any good unto our souls. Our Lord has illustrated this by a man sowing seed by the way-side. Can any one doubt whether the birds will come and take it away? Thus will Satan take the word out of our hearts, if it be not harrowed in by meditation and prayer. Our Lord directs us to "search the Scriptures:" and St. Luke tells us, that saving benefit accrued to the Bereans from their diligence in this respect; "they were more noble than those of Thessalonica, because they searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so:" and then he adds, "Therefore many of them believed." This indeed is agreeable to the established order of things throughout the world: for God has ordained, that while "the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing, the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."]

3. The humble

[Pride and self-sufficiency are insurmountable obstacles to religious instruction. If the knowledge of divine truth were to be acquired merely by mental application, then indeed we might become proficients in it, notwithstanding our dependence were on our own exertions. But we are blind, and must have "the eyes of our understanding enlightened," before we can comprehend the mysterious truths of God: consequently, if we have not humility to pray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit, we must remain in darkness, with respect to the spiritual import of the word, however carefully we may investigate its literal meaning. We must pray with David, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy lawi." We must confess ourselves fools, if we would be truly wise. When we are willing to learn with the docility of little children, then, and then only, shall "the things that are hid from the wise and prudent be revealed unto us'."]

4. The obedient

[We must have a disposition, yea, a determination, through grace, to obey the word, if we would receive any substantial good from it. If we have any secret lust which we will not part with, it is in vain to hope that the word, whether read or preached, can ever profit us. Our bosom sin will necessarily warp our judgment, and dispose us to reject whatever militates against the indulgence of it. Being determined not to obey its dictates, we shall be always ready to dispute its meaning or deny its authority. Hence our Lord lays so great a stress

e Matt. xiii. 4, 19. h1 Cor. ii. 10-14. k 1 Cor. iii. 18.

f Acts xvii. 11, 12. See also Prov. ii. 1—6. Matt. xi. 25.

g Prov. xiii. 4. i Ps. cxix. 18.