is so with sinners. They that are bent on the practice of sin will not long listen to faithful preaching. They say, substantially, with Ahab, "I will not listen to him. He prophesies evil concerning me."

Still less do debtors like to meet their creditors. This is emphatically the case of sinners in reference to God. Depart from us; we are sinful men," is their language : "no God," is their practical creed. Like Adam, the consciousness of sin makes them run from God.

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Let us rejoice to know that God, the great Creditor, forgives freely, fully, and frankly all that come to him. The source and fountain of mercy is in God. This love was not created by the atonement, but is the cause out of which the atonement came. Jesus is the expression and the channel of God's love, not the creator of it. His mercy, however, must reach us in a way consistent with the justice and the holiness of God. If no sin were pardoned, there would be no evidence of the mercy of God. If all sin were forgiven without an atonement, there would be no evidence of the holiness and justice of God. In Christ we have redemption through his blood; and God is there seen to be faithful and just, while he justifies them that believe in Jesus.

The very first characteristic of this love is, that it is worthy of God. Man is irritable, revengeful, and stands out against forgiving those that have offended him, unable to forget the greatness or the aggravation of the sin: but God alike forgives the greatest and the least sins: for "my ways are not your ways, neither are my thoughts your thoughts." "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." God's forgiveness extends to all sin: "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities." "The blood of

Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin." Again, "Having forgiven you all your trespasses." And so truly is this the characteristic of the forgiveness of God, that the sinner may plead with the Psalmist, "Pardon my iniquity; for it is great." Sin may rise to the height of the everlasting hills, but mercy surmounts it; or it may sink to the depths of the fathomless sea, but mercy pursues and overtakes and pardons there.

This forgiveness of God is unchangeable and irreversible. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. He blots out our sins, and lest they should be seen, he covers them. And to show how completely he does so, it is said, "He casts them behind his back;" and, lest this should not be expressive enough, he is said to fling them into the depths of the sea; and, lest this should not be expressive enough, he says, "Their sins shall be sought, and shall not be found."

And lastly, this mercy is free and unmerited. We can neither merit it before we receive it, nor pay for it after we have received it. It is sovereign, worthy of God, and the only mercy that can reach the hearts and carry away the guilt of his sinful family.

The fruit of this forgiveness is love in us. The appeal is made to the experience of human nature, when it is stated, "We love him, because he first loved us." Love to us on the part of God creates responsive love to God on our part. This is just the great process of the gospel, on which reliance is placed for reclaiming, regenerating, and saving multitudes of sinners. And when this love is fixed in the heart by the Holy Spirit of God, responsive to the love that God has manifested to us, it becomes the life and strength of all obedience. Love is the fulfilling of the law. The law is love in its outward development,

and love is the law in its inward life and principle. Wherever, therefore, the love of God in Christ Jesus is preached. in its greatest fulness, there we may expect that there will be the truest allegiance, and the most lasting obedience to God. The air of the future glory is the love that results from forgiveness of sin. Love within us is the germ of glory. Our happiest moments are prefigurations of the future.

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LECTURE VIII.

CERTAIN PROGRESS.

And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.-LUKE xiii. 20, 21.

THERE are different aspects in which the kingdom of heaven is set before us. In one parable it has a mixed character, as a visible body made up of tares and wheat, bad and good fishes. In another we are presented with the aspect of its outward development, as the mustardtree. In the present, its inward, penetrating, and secret action in the world, under the representation of leaven, is set before us. The only difficulty in this parable is the use of leaven in its figurative character. Generally it is used in a bad sense, as in 1 Cor. v. 7: «Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened." The Israelites were to put away all leaven during the passover. It has been interpreted by some in an evil sense; and under the name of leaven, it is thought by such interpreters that the Romish element secretly infecting the early church, and spreading with pestiferous power till the whole church was contaminated and corrupted by it, is the master idea of this parable. Were this interpretation correct, it would imply a universal apostasy, the utter extinction of the church of Christ, and the evidence that the gates of hell, contrary to the promise of our Lord, had actually prevailed against it. Besides, the representation implies on the part of our Lord

satisfaction, and not sorrow, at the progress of the leaven. We think there is yet a satisfactory solution. In the Scripture, and in parables, every minor quality of the symbol is not necessarily implied: its great and prominent characteristic is that which is seized, and made the eloquent and expressive vehicle of a great truth. Thus, the mustard-tree rising from a small beginning to a great size, is the only feature that is laid hold of in the parable in which it occurs, while the pungency, or acrid properties of the mustard are entirely excluded. The lion is applied to Satan, and also to Jesus, but in distinctive senses. So, the leaven may be applied to that which is evil, and also in its place to that which is good; but in its good application, its penetrative, assimilating, and spreading energies are alone regarded, while its souring and disturbing effects are utterly excluded, or superseded. The manifest scope and tendency of the parable should always guide us in the interpretation of it.

The leaven is used, probably, as a symbol of missionary and aggressive action. Hence, the true church, called "the Bride," and "the Lamb's wife," and "the woman driven into the wilderness," never failed to spread around her some degree of holy influence. This at least is certain, it is Christians alone who are the only missionaries, who propagate with silent, but penetrating force, the holy influence of the gospel of Christ. It is the saints alone that are the servants of God. It is they who are leavened themselves with the great principles of life and light and truth, who go forth and successfully leaven others, and will not cease till the whole earth shall be penetrated with the sanctifying and sweetening power of the gospel of Christ. This is beautifully exhibited in Psalm lxvii.: "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy