the line that has fathomed it,
yet only the length of the line reveals the real depth of the abyss. The
sin shows the love, and the love reveals the sin. The Bible has few words
more touching, though seldom quoted, than those just preceding this
wonderful promise: 'The love of the Lord toward the children of Israel,
who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.' Put that into the
personal application which no doubt underlies it, and say, 'The love of
the Lord toward _me_, who have looked away from Him, with wandering,
faithless eyes, to other helps and hopes, and have loved earthly joys and
sought earthly gratifications,--the love of the Lord toward even me!' And
then hear Him saying in the next verse, 'So I bought her to Me;' stooping
to do _that_ in His unspeakable condescension of love, not with the
typical silver and barley, but with the precious blood of Christ. Then,
having thus loved us, and rescued us, and bought us with a price indeed,
He says, still under the same figure, 'Thou shalt abide for Me many
days.'

This is both a command and a pledge. But the very pledge implies our past
unfaithfulness, and the proved need of even our own part being undertaken
by the ever patient Lord. He Himself has to guarantee our faithfulness,
because there is no other hope of our continuing faithful. Well may such
love win our full and glad surrender, and such a promise win our happy
and confident trust!

But He says more. He says, 'So will I also be for thee!' And this seems
an even greater marvel of love, as we observe how He meets every detail
of our consecration with this wonderful word.[footnote: The remainder of
this chapter is printed in a little penny book, entitled, _I also for
Thee_, by F. R. H., published by Caswell, Birmingham, and by Nisbet &
Co.]

1. _His Life_ 'for thee!' 'The Good Shepherd giveth His life for the
sheep.' Oh, wonderful gift! not promised, but _given_; not to friends,
but to enemies. Given without condition, without reserve, without return.
Himself unknown and unloved, His gift unsought and unasked, He gave His
life for thee; a more than royal bounty--the greatest gift that Deity
could devise. Oh, grandeur of love! 'I lay down My life for the sheep!'
And we for whom He gave it have held back, and hesitated to give our
lives, not even _for_ Him (He has not asked us to do that), but _to_ Him!
But that is past, and He has tenderly pardoned the unloving, ungrateful
reserve, and has graciousl