affinity with the heaven, the beauty and brightness whereof they resemble: so here. It is Chrysostom's comparison."-TRAPP.

It is folly for the world to cry out against the distinctions and differences made between them and Christians. It cannot be otherwise. Does not the tradesman make a difference between the good and bad articles in his shop? If he does not, the customer will, if he knows the difference. Does not the gardener act on the same principle, and the farmer, and the artist, and the politician? Lines of difference, selection, classification, run throughout universal existences, whether of human or of Divine creation. Is not iron distinct from wood, water from earth, birds from fishes, and insects from beasts? &c.

Christ's people were typified by Israel, selected and kept separate from other peoples, in customs, laws, religion, ritual, priesthood, revelations, and government. Hence, they are

a "peculiar people."

The various names and figures, by which Christ's people are called, show how they are distinct from the world. They are "light," and so distinct from darkness, which is figurative of the condition of the world. They are "wheat," and so distinct from "tares." They are "saints," and so distinct from "sinners." They are "jewels," and so distinct from "refuse." They are "trees that bear fruit," and so distinct from "trees which bear only leaves." They are "sheep," and so distinct from "goats." The occupation which a man follows generally gives him his own peculiar appearance in person and clothing. For instance, a soldier, a sailor, a miller, a blacksmith, &c. Each one in his own way is recognised as not belonging to the other. Thus a Christian, by his own peculiar spirit, conversation, conduct, is seen not to be of the world.

"I don't like so much talk about religion," said a rude stranger in a city boarding-house, to a lady opposite, who had been answering some questions with regard to a sermon to which she had been listening. "I don't like it. It's something that nobody likes. It's opposed to everything pleasant in the world. It ties a man up hand and foot. It takes away his liberty, and it isn't natural."

"Oh, no!" answered the lady, "it isn't natural. We have the best of authority for saying so. 'The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned.' We are all by nature children of wrath even as others, and nothing but grace can make us to differ. True religion is rowing up stream; it is sailing against wind and tide."

A pause for a few moments followed; then the stranger began again: "People who speak and think so much about religion are queer, anyhow. They are always out of the fashion, and seem set upon being odd and particular. I wish they could

only know how people speak and think about them: nobody likes them, for they are like nobody, they are so very peculiar.

"Allow me to interrupt you again, sir," said the lady; "but I am so impressed with the manner in which your language accords with Bible language, that I shall have to introduce another quotation from that blessed Book. 'Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people.'

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"Does the Bible say they are peculiar, then? That's odd. That Book, somehow, has got a dose for everybody. Yet, ma'am, you must allow that the commands that Book lays on us poor sinners are hard. It is thou shalt not,' and 'thou shalt not,' all the time. Why, its precepts and views of things are not only systematic tyranny, but they are narrow, very narrow."

"Yes," replied the lady, "they are narrow, for the Bible says they are. 'Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life.' We have to struggle hard to keep in this narrow way, if we once get in it. It is too narrow for pride, worldliness, selfishness, and sloth. It is too narrow for the service of two masters. It is too narrow for covetousness, envy, and all other evil passions. Hatred can find no place for so much as the sole of its foot, in the narrow way. Good deeds, kind words, faith, hope, and charity, occupy all the ground, and will continue to hold it to the end."

The stranger listened, surprised and annoyed, and at last arose and left the room, apparently a more thoughtful, if not a better man. There are many around us who raise these objections, to whom the truths referred to need to be mentioned very plainly and yet, it is wonderful that they do not see them for themselves.

HIDINGS.

"I hid myself."—GEN. iii. 10.

"I flee unto Thee to hide me."-Ps. cxliii. 9.

BRIEFLY consider the connection of the two texts.

I. The first text is suggestive of

THE ATTEMpts of the SINNER TO HIDE HIMSELF FROM GOD.

The words as used by Adam, imply a consciousness of his guilt, shame, ignorance of God, and fear of Him. They imply the same in everyone who tries to hide himself from God.

1. Plunging into further sin is one hiding that sinners seek. 2. Thoughtlessness of God is another. They cast Him out of their minds, and think thereby they are hid from Him.

3. Excuses and apologies. Under these the sinner tries to hide himself. What have I done?" "Not so bad as others."

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Adam and Eve.

4. Busy occupations. Throw themselves into the rush, hurry, and thick of business; and so, while thus engaged, they think they hide themselves from God.

5. Beautiful moralities, amiable, charitable, kind, &c.

6. Religious performances. Perhaps read the Bible, or go to a place of worship; render all the parts according to ritual. Pharisees. (See Luke xviii. 9-14; Rom. x. 1-2.)

But all these hidings, self-created, are superficial-shortenduring, unsatisfactory-followed by discovery and shelterless

exposure.

II. The second text suggests what is

THE CONDUCT OF A TRUE GODLY MAN WHO HAS

GIVEN UP HIDING HIMself.

"I flee unto Thee to hide me." I find I cannot hide myself; or, if I can, it is of no use.

1. "I flee unto Thee to hide me," from the terrors of a violated laze.

2. "I flee unto Thee to hide me," from myself.

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3. 'I flee unto Thee to hide me," from my sins; their guilt, misery, consequences; as my Father, to forgive me; as my Saviour, to save me.

4. "I flee unto Thee to hide me," from my failings, &c.; as my Friend, my High Priest, my Propitiation.

5. "I flee unto Thee to hide me," from the power of the cares, troubles, &c. of life; as my Succour, my Comfort, my Help, my Deliverer.

6. "I flee unto Thee to hide me," from my enemies, human and spiritual; as my Shield, my Fortress, my Tower, my Captain, &c. 7. "I flee unto Thee to hide me,' "in the hour of death, as my Rod and Staff, as my Resurrection and Life, &c.

This is language of conscious helplessness, of hope, of trust, of assurance.

The good man is encouraged to flee unto God by His character, His invitation, His promises, the examples of others.

God as a Hiding-place, is everywhere, is impenetrable, is adapted, is indestructible. Every other hiding-place is fragile, but of Him it is said, "Thou remainest."

Which hiding-place are you seeking?

Will you wander exposed, while you think you are hid; or will you rest secure in God? Every one may flee to Him. "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast him out.”

Parallel Texts.-"Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their

counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?" (Is. xxix. 15.) "There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves." (Job xxxiv. 22.) "Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people, and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." (Ps. xciv. 7-11.) "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord. Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord." (Jer. xxiii. 23-24.) (See also, Ps. cxxxix. 7—13.)

"My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee; and I am afraid of Thy judgments." (Ps. cxix. 120.) "Therefore am I troubled at His presence; when I consider I am afraid of Him." (Job xxiii. 15.) "If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things." (John iii. 20.) "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust; His truth shall be thy shield and buckler." (Ps. xci. 1-4.) "Thou art my hiding-place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble." (Ps. xxxii. 7.) "In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me." (Ps. xxvii. 5.) Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me under the shadow of Thy wings." (Ps. xvii. 8.) "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust." (Ps. xci. 2.) Your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. iii. 3.) "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe." (Prov. xviii. 10.)

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It is said that the ostrich, when pursued by the hunter, runs its head into the hole of a rock, and thinks itself safe. Thus the sinner in his ignorance imagines because he cannot see God, God cannot see him. A child will often hide itself behind a hedge to escape detection, when, perhaps, someone in the field, unseen by him, will observe his pilfering and expose it. So the sinner hides himself behind his own reasonings and fancies, but conscience exposes him, and God lays bare all his misdoing. A sore may be hid by a plaster, but not cured by it. Leprosy in the body may be covered by the clothing, but the leprosy is still there. An old ship may be painted so as to make it appear a new one; but it is only the paint that is new. In similar ways a sinner may, by reformation, by pretensions, by self-righteousness, hide himself from others, but he is for all that a sinner in his guilt and sins.

It is natural to man to try to do without God in everything; to sustain himself, to pardon himself, to make himself holy and

happy, to wrap himself in his own righteousness, to put God out of his thoughts, his faith, his love, and his practice.

Some years ago the skeleton of a man was found in one of the caves that are on the coast of the Isle of Wight. He had doubtless, hid himself there, and was drowned by the waters of the sea. Thus every sinner that hides himself is ultimately overwhelmed with his own guilt and the wrath of God.

The manslayer fled to the city of refuge; the ship in storm is steered to the harbour, the child in trouble goes to its mother, the traveller in tempest runs for shelter, the chicken flies to the wings of the hen in time of danger.

"We must fly to the Lord for shelter, not to an arm of flesh. The bird flies away to the thicket, and the fox hastens to its hole; every creature uses its refuge in the hour of danger, and even so in all peril or fear of peril, let us flee unto Jehovah, the Eternal Protector of His own. No moat, portcullis, drawbridge, wall, battlement, and dungeon, could make us so secure as we are when the Lord of Hosts environs around. Our ramparts defy the leaguered hosts of hell. Foes in flesh, and foes in ghostly guise are alike baulked of their prey when the Lord of Hosts stands between us and their fury, and all other evil forces are turned aside."-SPURgeon.

We have read of a stag that roamed about in greatest safety through having a label on its neck, with the following inscription: "Touch me not, I belong to Cæsar." Thus the man of God is safe wherever he goes, within the protecting presence of God. An infant nestling in its mother's bosom, how peaceful, how happy, how secure! So is every child of God, resting in God.

"A hiding place implies secrecy. He who can say unto God, 'Thou art my hiding place,' may go abroad about his affairs, may pass through a thousand dangers, and yet, at the same time, have such a hiding place in the favour and protection of God, that, when he seems to be exposed on every side, still he is secure and hidden from every evil."-CECIL.

DRAWBACKS IN LIFE.

"Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew sitting at the king's gate."-ESTHER V. 13.

As to the honours, riches, and pleasures which Haman had attained, and how he speaks of them to his friends and family, read the previous verses. Yet all these are counterbalanced by something else, which is and is not-Mordecai sitting at the king's gate and refusing to render him that homage which others did, and which he thought he ought to receive from him. He either wanted Mordecai removed, or to receive Mordecai's