therefore coming under the prophet's reproach. But man-trusting ie a oharaoterietio sin of ow· age ; and we also need to learn that there is- I. No TRUSTING IN MAN'S POWEil. That is within very narrow limits. "Let not your eye be t-0 the power of man, for it is finite ahd limited, derived and depending; it is n<1t from him your judgment proceeds. Let not him be your fear, let not him be your hope; but look up to the power of God, to which all the powers of men are sul~ect and subordinate." There is so much that man can do, ~ve fail to realize, as we should, that he fails us just at the points of our extremest need, at the times when trouble overwhelm~, heart fails, and fears are on every side. 'l'he man came to Christ with confidence that he could help, but doubting his will. We may seek ow· fellow- men in our troubles, confident of their good will, but full of fears as to their ability. II. No TRUSTING IN MA~·s KNOWLEDGE. That, indeed, is vast and wonderful; and it is ever-increasing. And yet it is uncertain; we cannot make any foundations of it. ,vha.t men call/acts of knmdedge are again and again disproved by thu discovery of other facts; :md what men call theories give place to new theories, as fresh minds work upon the old data, and gather new. Apart from revelation men have never found out reliable truth re~pecting God, man, sin, redemption, or the future. ill. No TRUST IN MAN's CHARACTER. The most humiliating thing in human life is the failure from righteousness of those \Vhom we have admired, trusted, and loved. Character, built on self, is uncertain, and in peril whenever temptation draws nigh. In middle life the honourable man so often fails from either (1) drink, (2) dishonesty, or (3) sensuality, that we have sometimes felt we could say, in a moment of excitement, as David did, "All men are liars." '· IV. No TRUST IN MAN'S EXAMPLE. It is always imperfect; it never can be an absolute model. Only one man set us an example that we should follow his steps, and he was the Divine man. We can follow no other man wholly. We can only follow one of our fellows so far as he follows Christ., and so we really only follow the Christ in him. . Wbere, then, are we to trust? "Trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." "None of tbem that trust in him shall' ):,e desolat~."-R. T.
EXPOSITION.
CHAPTER III. and •• staff" intended are certofoly n~t literal "breo.d" and "water," but the pci"".erful and· Vere.1-7.-Goo's Jt:DGMENT UPON JEBU- respectable classes enumerated in the two SALDI. The general denunciations against following verses. If the words are Isainh•~; Israel of the two preceding chapters are he must have intended them to be taken here turned especially against Jerusalem. metaphoric11lly. Ver. 2.-The mighty man, and the man of God will deprive her of all her superior and war; or, hero and warrior. The first rank more honourable classes (vere. 1-3); and is given to those disting11ished in war, a~ will give her" children" for herl'lllere (ver. being held in the highest est~em, an,! per-. 4). There will be oontinued oppression, and haps as actually, under the coming circum• the rise of an insolent and nndutiful spirit stances, the men of most importance to· the ooun try. It ~ thus implied, as later (ve1·s. (ver. 5). Those fit to bear rule will refuse 25, 26) it is expressly laugh t, that the illl-. to do so (vere. 6, 7). pending visitation will be a terrible invasion. Ver. 1.-The Lord, the Lord of hosts (see The judge, and the prophet i literally, judge not.e on eh- i. 24). The stay and the ata1f; and prophet. The judge holds hie place rather, /Jtay and /Jtajf. Neiiher word has the ae one of the highest officers of the state article. The latter is the feminine form of (see eh. i. 26) ; the prophet holds a lower the former; and the intention is to announce position than might have been expected, on tb.a t all support of every kind is about to be accollllt of the writer's humility. The pru• withdrawn. The whole stay of bread . .. of dent; rather, the diviner, as the wortl i11 water. Mr. Cheyne agr~ea with Hitzig and tranolated in Deut. xvi ii. H:; 1 Sam. vi. 2; Knobel that this clause is probaLly a gloss eh. xliv. 25; Jer. xxvii. D; xxix. 8; Ezek. on the text, subsequently introduced in to it, xiii. 9; Micah iii. 7; Zoch. x. 2; or soolli- o,nd a gloss wl,ich did uot proceed fro111 a sayer, as in Josh. xiii. 22. l~niah arranges very enlightened COD'.llllentator. TM' liay" the cla1111ea, not BO much e.ccording to tho OR, Ill, 1-26.] THE BOOK OF THE PUOPIIET ISAIAH.