Vera. 40-42.-.Approaching God in sincerity. I. THE ASCERTAINING OF OUR TRUE BTATE. Such is the exhortation of ver. 40. 'fhe talk of complaining people is generally the hasty outbreak of superficial thought-if, indeed, such loose operations of the mind are worthy to be called thought at all. Searching is above all things needful_ Beneath the surface with which we are only too easily contented there are deep possibilities of good and evil. Note the figure here employed. We are in a way-furtber advanced to-day than we were yesterday. There is no standing still. This way we are urged to search and try-asking whither it goes, who are our predecessors, our leaders, our com- panions. Then note the result of all our searching and testing. The way is one in which God is not. He walks in quite another way, and therefore we must turn to him. Only one result of a real searching is deemed possible. The man without God who yet concludes that all is right, has in truth left the most important matters unexplored. II. THE RETURN TO Goo MUST BE A BEAL RETURN_ There had, perhaps, been abundant lifting up of the hands on the part of many, with no lifting of the heart. But many more had not even lifted up the hands. We must not say that posture and gesture are mere trifles. To God, of course, the mere gesture in itself can matter nothing, but from its associations it may matter a great deal. Prayer to the unseen and spiritual One is such a difficult thing that we may welcome every aid. Still, the great matter is to lift up the heart. Lift it up-filled with gratitude, humility, repent- ance, submissiveness. III. A SUGGESTION OF THE GREAT DIFFICULTY YET TO BE OVERCOME. God has not pardoned. On one side there is transgression and rebellion ; on the other side, God angry with all this. And what is wanted is that Israel should see transgression as transgression, rebellion as rebellion. Here we are amid the confusion of life, and we do not see that for all the worst way in which that confusion affects us we are ourselves responsible. With a humble and repentant heart, taking continual cognizance of God's righteous will, we could ride as in an ark: over that deluge which overwhelms others. But with pride and selfishness in our hearts we are strong against all ameliorating forces. We will not come to God that in him we may have first pardon and then safety, peace, and blessing.-Y.
Ver. 51.-The eye and tbe life. "Mine eye affecteth mine heart." More correctly, "Mine eye paineth my soul, or my life ; " that is, what I see, ~o melancholy is it, that it preys on my mind and undermines my health. Note- I. THE EFFEOT OF THE SENSES ON THE LIFE. The eye is more than an optical instrument. The effect produced by the image on the retina depends upon who it is that sees and what it is that he sees. Age, education, peculiarities of experience, will make all the difference. The very exercising of the senses was evidently intended to give pleasure. There is correspondence between the eye and the beautiful and sublime in nature ; between the ear and melodious and harmonious sounds ; and yet some peculiar experience me.y interpose, so that there shall no longer be beauty in the beautiful, melody in the melodious. What we get from the exercise of our senses will depend upon what we "bring. The prophet saw desolation all aroun<.l him where once there had been crowded e.nd prosperous life. What could he do but feel as if a broken heart would be the ond of his thoughts? But the spoilers woul<l look at the sceno differently, for to them it was the place of enrichment anJ triumph. 62 THE LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH. [en. m. 1-GG.
II. CoMPEN8ATIONS FOR THE LOSS OF BENSE. Loss of vision is 8. serious m1ttter to one whose int.ellect is full of life a.nd activity. So Milton seems to have felt, judging from his touching references to his blindness in his poetry. But this makes it all the more needful to recollect the other side. The blind have exemptions from somo pains. They do not see the p1tinful sights of the streets : the drunkard, tho r1tgged becr~Rrs, the weRry faces-weary with incessant struggling for a position or a livelihood. 91hey can guess much of the trouble of the world, but many of tho manifestations of th1tt trouble they only know when they are told. We do well to keep in mind and rightly estimate the compensations for natural losses. III. RESPONSIIHLITY FOR THE RIGHT USE OF OUR NATURAL POWERS. The expression of the prophet here indicates that he was in the right way. 'l'o have looked on such a scene wit.h indifference or only mild regret would have argued a very wrong state of mind indeed. Surely in the judgment the question to many will be," What use did ~·ou make of your eyesight? Did you gather up impressions which made· you feel how deep is the spiritual sickness of the world, how certain it is that only Christ can make the world better ? And further, did you lend practical help to bring men within rench of the saving power of Christ?" To this extent it will be better in the day of judgment for many blind than for those who have gone through the smitten world with both eyes open and yet as if they did not see.-Y.