His voice of terror is like the scream of the mother-bird when the hawk is in the sky. She alarms her brood, that they may run and hide beneath her feathers; and as I believe that God hath left that mother dumb unless He had given her wings to cover them, I am sure that He, who is very "pitiful," and has no pleasure in any creature's pain, had never turned our eyes to the horrible gulf unless for the voice that cries, "Deliver from going down to the pit, for I have found a ransom." We had never heard of sin had there been no Saviour. We had never heard of hell had there been no heaven. "Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof." And never had Bible light flashed before the eyes of the sleeping felon, to wake him from his happy dream, but that he might see the smiling form of Mercy, and hear her as she says, with finger pointing the way, "Behold I have set before thee an open door."--_Guthrie._ MORAL DECLENSION. i. 21-23. _How is the faithful city become an harlot![1] It was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.[2] Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them._ +I. Moral declensions may take place in the best of men.+ "The faithful city--silver--wine--princes," the very best things depraved. +II. There are no limits to the moral declensions that may take place in the best of men.+ "The faithful city is become an _harlot_," &c. We have here an argument--1. For universal _humility_ (1 Cor. x. 12; Gal. vi. 1). 2. For universal _watchfulness_ (Mark xiv. 38). 3. For universal _prayer_ (Ps. xix. 12, 13; cxxxix. 23, 24). FOOTNOTES: