three and four times happy; or, with three and four, that is, with seven transgressions,- -a number of perfection, intimating that they have filled up the measure of their iniquities, and are ripe for ruin; or, with three (that is, a variety of sins), and with a fourth especially, which is specified concerning each of them, though the other three are not, as Prov. xxx. 15, 18, 21, 29. Where we read of three things, yea, four, generally one seems to be more especially intended."-Henry.

Now the sin especially referred to here as the "fourth,' is generally supposed to be that of persecution, that is the sin of inflicting suffering upon others because of their peculiar religious convictions and doings. Other sins innumerable, varied and heinous, they had committed, but this fourth seems to be the crowning of their evil. Persecution has been called the measurefilling sin of any people, the sin that will be taken into account on the last great day. "I was hungry and ye gave me no meat," etc.

I. Persecution is a most ARROGANT crime. The religious persecutor acts upon the assumption that his ideas of religion are absolutely true, that his theological knowledge is the test by which all other opinions are to be tried. Such a man is represented by the apostle as one that sitteth in the temple of God showing himself that he is God." Presumptuous mortal! The proud tyrant who has won his way through seas of blood to the throne, and claims authority over men's bodily movements,

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shows an arrogance before which servile spirits bow, but from which all thoughtful and noble men recoil with disgust and indignation. But his arrogance is shadowy and harmless compared with the arrogance of him who enters the temple of human conscience and claims dominion over the moral workings of the soul. Yes, such arrogant men abound in all ages and are by no means rare even in this age and land of what is called civil and religious liberty. The most arrogant title that mortal man can wear is, "Vicar of Christ," or "Lord Primate."

II. Persecution is a most ABSURD crime. Far wiser is the fool who would legislate for the winds or the waves, and like Canute give commands to the billows, than he who attempts to legislate for human thoughts and moral convictions. Still more foolish to attempt to crush men's religious beliefs by inflicting civil disabilities or corporeal suffering. In sooth, the way to give life, power, and influence to religious errors, is to persecute. And truth never seems to rise in greater power and majesty than under the bloody hand of cruel persecution. It has been well said, that "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." "A blameless faith was all the crime the Christian martyr knew ;

And where the crimson current flowed upon that barren sand, Up sprang a tree, whose vigorous boughs soon overspread the land; O'er distant isles its shadow fell,

nor knew its roots decay, E'en when the Roman Cæsar's throne and empire passed away."

III. Persecution is a most CRUEL crime. What ruthless inhumanities are in these verses charged against the various peoples mentioned— those of Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, etc. It has often been observed, that no anger is so savage as the anger which springs up between relations of blood. A brotherly hate is the chief of hates; and it may be truly said that there is no animosity that burns with a more hellish heat than that connected with religion.

Gibbon, referring to the cruelties inflicted upon the early Christians, says, "They died in tor. ments, and their torments were embittered by insult and derision. Some were nailed on crosses, others sewn up in the skins of wild beasts and exposed to the fury of dogs; others, again, smeared over with combustible material, were used as torches to illuminate the darkness of the night. The gardens of Nero were destined for the melancholy spectacle, which was accompanied by a horse-race and honoured with the presence of the emperor, who mingled with the populace in the dress and attitude of a charioteer."

No. LXXVII.

Subject: GOD AND NATIONS.

"Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to

possess the land of the Amorite. And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord. But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not. Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves."-AMOS ii. 9-13.

These verses suggest a few remarks in relation to God and nations.

I. He reminds nations of the GREATNESS OF HIS KINDNESS TOWARDS THEM. In these verses He reminds Israel of two great merciful interpositions of His on their behalf. (1) The destruction of the Amoritethe original inhabitant of Canaan. Amorite here stands for all the old Canaanites. He drove out the Canaanites that Israel might possess and enjoy the goodly land in which they then lived (Exod. xxiii. 27). (2) Their emancipation from Egypt and their conduct into the Holy Land. "Also I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the promised land." These two great acts of kindness are only mentioned as specimens of millions of others. The language in which these acts are represented suggest three great truths in relation to God's conduct toward the world.

First: He often sacrifices one people in order to advance the interests of another. The old Canaanites he sacrificed for the good of Israel. In the history of the world this is often done; one country ruined for the advantage of another. is marvellous; it clashes with our primitive ideas of justice and divine goodness. But we

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cease to murmur when we remember that there is a great explaining day, and that the peoples that have been ruined for the interests of others have never suffered more from the hands of God than they have justly deserved.

The

Secondly: That the mightiest human powers cannot obstruct Him in His procedure. Amorites, the original inhabitants of Canaan, were a great people. It is said their "height was like the height of cedars," and they were "strong as oaks." They were in the great field of mankind, not like the tender sapling or the stunted shrub, they were tall as the cedars and mighty as the oak (Num. xiii. 32, 33). Then Egypt, too, from which He delivered them, was a mighty power. Pharaoh was the greatest despot of the old world. But what was all this human power before the march of Omnipotence? The mighty Canaanite and the powerful Egyptian were mere stubble under His feet. God will not be hindered.

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Thirdly: That He fulfils His great purposes with nations by the agency of men. He crushed the Canaanites and He crushed the Egyptians, not by hurling directly from His hand the thunderbolts. No; but by the agency of Joshua and Moses. God works with men by men. By men He blesses and by men He punishes. He allows man to be the devil of man, and He makes man the Saviour of man.

II. He reminds nations of THE ABUSE OF THE MERCIES HE HAD CONFERRED ON THEM. He specifies here two special mercies which He had bestowed upon Israel:

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First A spiritual ministry. "And I raised up your sons as prophets." He gave them men whom He duly qualified to indoctrinate and inspire them with the highest truths of duty and of destiny. The greatest blessing which God bestows upon a people is a true ministry. He bestowed

men.

Secondly: Virtuous young "Your young men for Nazarites." "These were young men who," to use the language of another, "bound themselves by a vow to God and His service, and, in pursuance of that, denied themselves many of the lawful delights of sense, as drinking wine and eating grapes. There were some of their young men that were in their prime for the enjoyment of the pleasures of this life, and yet voluntarily abridged themselves of them; these God raised up by the power of His grace to be monuments of His grace, to His glory, and to be His witnesses against the impieties of that degenerate age." Virtuous and high-minded young men are amongst the chief ornaments and brightest hopes of a people.