heaven. Nothing can disturb it. He who humbly walks with God, has the joyous presence of God in the water, in the fire. He glories in tribulation. He triumphs in death. See your duty. If you would go on your way rejoicing, it must be by resting your whole soul on Christ, and giving yourself up to the service of God. There are, indeed, religious triflers. Their conscience is awake, and they cannot joy in earth; yet for want of unreserved submission, of spirituality, of self-denial, the Hope of Israel, the Saviour in time. of trouble, is only as a stranger with them,—a wayfaring man that turneth aside but for a night. Such we call to seek for pardon. No longer halt between two opinions. Be for Baal, or for God. Such as you bring evil report on the good way. As seen in you, religion has no attraction; it is repulsive. But yours is not religion: and, therefore, the rule is unbroken,—true religion is true happiness.

Devoted Christian, go on thy way rejoicing; for thy God is with thee. Thou art not without tribulations; but thou gloriest in them. Thou mayest be in heaviness through manifold temptations; but thou still rejoicest in Christ with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. The days of thy mourning are not ended; but the days of thy joy are begun. There are the clouds, but there is the sun too. Be it your care to maintain a close walk with God. Follow him wholly. Keep the atonement and intercession of Christ always before you; and take the revealed will of God as your rule. Walk according to it in simplicity and godly sincerity: so shall you go on your way rejoicing, and the joy of your life be perpetuated in the joys of eternity.

THE YOKE DESTROYED.

"And the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."ISAIAH X. 27.

PRIMARILY and literally, the passage refers to the yoke which the Assyrian oppressor laid upon Israel. But here, as in many other passages of Scripture, in the midst of a plain

reference to temporal circumstances of deliverance and calamity, a not less plain reference occurs to spiritual circumstances, their calamities and their deliverances. This interspersion is too common to be casual. Nor are we without a key to guide us in the interpretation of these prophetic references. "No prophecy is of its own interpretation." As the book of God has but one Author, so it has but one ultimate, comprehensive abject, the spiritual and eternal salvation of men. Hence, whatever lower subject may be, for the time and occasion descanted upon, an allusion-sometimes arising from the feelings of the speaker, as Jacob's dying exclamation, “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord," or sometimes from some peculiar circumstance which the subject presents-will be found introduced, referring to some branch of the higher subject, which belongs rather to all time than to any particular season.

Applying this principle to the words read as the text, we shall see that they suggest some most instructive reflections. They bring before us three separate topics, yet united in one grand truth, to which the whole Scripture bears testimony. There is, first, A YOKE; secondly, AN ANOINTING; and, thirdly, THE INFLUENCE OF THE ONE UPON THE OTHER,“The yoke

shall be destroyed because of the anointing."

I. THE YOKE. This is a significant expression for bondage; generally, for usurped and oppressive bondage. Man naturally loves what he calls liberty; and so prides himself upon it as to be most unwilling to confess that there is anything in his natural condition which both makes and marks it as one of bondage. This was illustrated by the Jews in a conversation they had with our Lord, John viii. 31, &c.; and brought out the solemn declaration, "He that committeth sin, is the servant of sin."

Here, then, is "the yoke:" man's nature altered, and disposed to the love and practice of sin. This, indeed, varies in its forms. It does not operate in the same way in each. In some it is more sensual,-in some more passionate,—in some more intellectual. These are only modifications of the same principle and temper.

By this, in Scripture, Satan is represented as ruling over

man; working in the children of disobedience, leading them captive at his will.

The effect is to hinder man from serving God. Christ's redemption is expressly described as having for its object to deliver man from the hands of his enemies, that so he might acceptably serve God.

It is to this that the conflict between conscience and passion, right and wrong, of which even heathens have written, is to be referred. This St. Paul most accurately describes: "I am carnal; sold under sin." The bondage impels to evil; restrains from good.

It is therefore degrading; for man's highest honour consists in his holy and happy walk with God. And it is ruinous; for it is connected with guilt, and leads to fearful punishment.

No question, then, can be more important than this: By what means can it be broken and removed?

II. We prepare for this by dwelling upon THE ANOINTING here mentioned.

Coming to the New Testament, we can have no difficulty. Under the law, anointing was a sacred and consecrating act. Sacred oil was poured on the head. Isaiah himself tells us that this is typical of the outpouring of the Spirit: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me," &c. Anointing, as thus foreshadowed, is the actual bestowment of the Holy Spirit. This is brought before us in Scripture under two grand divisions. 1. To Christ, as Mediator, and for the sake of his church: and to him the gift was unlimited. The Father "giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." 2. The gift of the Spirit to all true believers in Christ. This St. John distinctly and emphatically calls "the anointing."

On

To this the anointing in the text is to be referred. the exercise of a true and trusting faith in Christ, for the forgiveness of sins, forgiveness is vouchsafed. All who thus flee to Christ are said to be "justified by faith:" and, connected with this, to have "the Holy Ghost given unto them," -given unto them in a peculiar sense. As Comforter, the world cannot receive him: so said our Lord most explicitly.

He enlightens, awakens, brings to penitence, but as Comforter he is neither received nor given. Faith is immediately connected with pardon; and that with the gift of the Spirit: "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth into your hearts the Spirit of his Son." And this is "the anointing" of which every penitent believer in Christ is made a partaker.

III. We now come to the IMPORTANT INFLUENCE of the anointing upon the yoke.

If you examine the immediate, the intentional effect of the anointing, you will see that "the yoke" must "be destroyed" by it.

Recollect, the same Spirit, as reproving men because of sin, has shown them its evil, its bitterness, its guilt. The application of the law to the conscience, the disclosure of the purity and breadth of the law, the discovery of the sinfulness of the life, and of the very depths of the heart,all this is the work of the Spirit. Sin, misery, guilt, helplessness,—all that renders redemption necessary,- -are shown by him to the soul. "The commandment came," said the Apostle most significantly. And, mark the consequences: -"Sin revived, and I died." I felt the yoke, and lost all hope of breaking it by my own power.

To the soul thus penitent, thus hating sin, thus struggling with it, and earnestly desiring deliverance, “the anointing is vouchsafed. The Spirit of adoption renews the heart, and imparts a real sanctification. God is loved; and where God is loved, his law is loved; and power is now given to do the will of God. They who are in this state, being delivered from the hands of their enemies, can now serve God in righteousness and holiness before him all the days of their life. They walk at liberty, seeking the precepts of God.

And the liberty is complete. The yoke is destroyed. The effect of the anointing, so long as it continues, is power over sin. “Work out your salvation," said Paul: but why? “It is God that worketh in you:" the anointing gives the power.

The gift of pardon, and the anointing Spirit, therefore, open a new era in the life. Henceforward, holiness is loved. The yoke of sin, so degrading, so ruinous, so galling, is removed. Christ's gracious and light yoke is taken in its

place. The slaves of sin, in some form or other, are now the Lord's freed men. And their liberty is the full submission of their soul to Him whose service is perfect freedom; who only restrains from what would injure, and places before them an interminable, unobstructed path of happiness and holy improvement.

Forget not that this subject concerns us all, and always. Recollect, the great end of your being was to glorify God. This "the yoke" prevents. Your state and conduct, as far as the creature can do it, dishonour God: nor can you be what God would have you to be,-truly happy. "There is no peace to the wicked." And if we cleave to the yoke, its guilt will cleave to us for ever.

Ask, then,-Is the yoke destroyed? Has this blessed change taken place? If you experience this holy power, it is thus that you experience it. The sprinkling of the blood of atonement saves you from guilt; the anointing of the Spirit frees you from the yoke of sin. You may feel its remains. Temptations may assail you. But through the "anointing" yours will be the victory. See your duty. Continually seek for a renewal of "the anointing." Ask for larger measures of divine light and love, for divine life more abundantly. And give full effect to these anointings. Your privilege, your duty is to live to God; conquering your enemies," doing all things through Christ strengthening you." The anointing which sanctifies, consecrates you. God watches over you; guards you as his own; will place you in his heavenly temple for ever.

THE COMING OF SHILOH.

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come: and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."-GENESIS xlix. 10.

THIS is a very distinct and remarkable instance of prophecy in its highest sense. It refers not merely to the