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Rh 29. Grey hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not, (see Hos. vii. 9,) is a striking rebuke, applicable to many at this day, as well as to Ephraim of old. Few appear to be rightly acquainted with the infirmities and mixtures which have place in their intellectual faculties.

30. The effect of purging physic appears to be to increase the powers of ejection;—the like seems true of spiritual physic, or those evil principles which are permitted to assault man in the progress of regeneration;—if the state of the mind be such as to hate the evil, every infernal ejection in such case operates, like natural physic, to increase the ejecting power. (See Mark vii. 18, 19.)

31. It is in seeking goodly pearls that the heavenly merchantman findeth the one pearl of great price; but the goodly pearls must be sought before the one pearl can be found, and the one pearl must be bought, as well as found, before it can be possessed, (see the parable, Matt. xiii. 45, 46.)

32. The Lord saith to the Jews, Where is the bill [or book] of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? (Isa. i. 1,) to teach them that their rejection did not come from Him, but from themselves; and therefore it follows, For your transgressions is your mother put away. Yes; God writes no book of divorcement; His book is a book of marriage, or holy conjunctions.

33. Jesus walketh on the sea, to comfort and succour His disciples tossed with the tempest, (Matt. xiv. 25,) and He is still seen by the eye of faith walking on the sea of every human trouble, for the same blessed purpose.