heathen, not 1_nonotheietic heathen like the Persians ; they were the heathen of Syria, whose worship WIIB fouled with lust and blood. The term " abominations" as applied to their customs, ie no mere outburst of Jewish arrogance; the tol~rant modern spirit is revolted by the record. Intermarriage with them meant sharing in their festiv_ale, and exposed the Jews to the utmost peril (cf: Neh .. xiii. 26). The past suff~rmgs of t?e people should have warned them ag~mst this new folly ; it seemed hke provokmg God, eo soon to forget the past (1x. 6-15). The inter- marriage of the people, and especially of the priests, with irlolatrous women was unfaithfulness to the purpose for which they had been restored from Babylon ; a betrayal of the confidence reposed in them by Cyrus and his successors; a denial of the testimony of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (iv. 3) ; it argued indifference to their national position, contempt of their Divine calling. 2. The demand for divorce seems inconsisttnt with Paul's counsel (1 Cor. vii. 14), and the hopeful charity on which it is based ; with many of Christ's words, and the spirit of Christ's life ; it seems to argue the terror of the separatist rather than the confidence of the strong believer. We must not, however, argue the question from a Christian, but from a Jewish, stand- point; it is as foolish to look into the Old Testament for modern ethics as for modem science. The immense moral force of the· gospel renders possible a genial and tolerant spirit which was not possible to an earnest Jew. As a matter of fact, the seductions of idolatry had always proved stronger than the attraction of Judaism; the heathen corrupted the Hebrew, the Hebrew did not convert the heathen. Judaism, with all its signal merits, was not a missionary faith; its office was protest, not evangelisation ; the spiritual power of the gospel was not in it-the cross, and resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The presence of these forces in Christianity is the reason of its tolerant spirit ; it moves freely in a world which it has power to change and sanctify ; its work is not to protest, but to reclaim ; the Son of man came not to judge the world, but to save the world. Some practical lessons :-1. .A lesson of wisdom. Force of character is needed as well as a pure religious faith to render Christian intercourse with the world a safe thing. The stronger will draw the weaker; and it is not always the Christian who is the stronger. 11 .All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful, but all things edify not. .All things are lawful, but I will not be brought under the power of any." 2. No sacrifice is too great which is needed that we may preserve our spiritual integrity. Natural tastes and faculties-the eye, and hand, and foot ; the tenderest ties-father and mother, sister and brother, wife and husband. 3. The true object of toleration. It is that the noblest, holiest influence may prevail. Christian tolerance is not indifference to truth and falsehood, evil and good ; it is not a passive grace, a mere easy disposition ; it is an intensely active, a missionary grace. It is bent on overcoming evil with good. If it were otherwise, it would neither be fidelity to God nor charitv to man.-M.
EXPOSITION. TUE DEOREE 011' .o.RTAXERXES WITH of Jews und others resident in Babylonia RESPECT TO EZRA (vers. 11-26). The pre- (ver. 16) ; 4. permission to Ezra to draw on sent decree was of the nature of e. firman the royal treasury to the a.mount of a. granted to e.n individual. It embodied, in hundred talents of silver, a·hunclred measures the first place, o. certain number of provisions of wheat, e. hundred "be.ths" of wine, a which were tempore.ry. Of this character hundred ff baths" of oil, u.nd salt to any were-1. the permission e.ccorded to all a.mount (ver. 22) ; e.nd, 6. e.n indefinite com- Persie.n subjects of Israelite descent to mission to ff inquire" (ver. 14). Besides e.ccompe.ny Ezra. to Jerusalem (ver. 13); 2. these temporary enactments, the decree con- the commission to Ezra to convey to Jeru- te.ined certe.in provisions of e. more perme.nen t salem eerte.in offerings ma.de by the king ne.ture. 1. Ezra was invested with the chief e.nd his chief courtiers to the God of Israel authority over the whole district ff beyond (vers. 16, 19); 3. the permission given him the river," e.nd was commissioned to e.ppoint to convey to J eruealem the free-will offerings all the subordinate ff magistrates e.nd judges" 110 THE BOOK OF EZRA. [OH, VII, 11-28,