The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 74

luxury as Judnh bad been. The hollowness consists in the reference of everything to· a low _standa~ 0t value.. Not until a great preacher, prophet, or writer-a Savonarola, a Latimer, a Carl)·lc-anses to shed the splendour of eternal truth upon our ways, do we discover how false and mean they have been. 2. We find we have "provoked the eyes of God's majesty" by our way of life. What hard-heartedness and .brazen defiance of humanity and morality is brouff~t to light from time to time, when some reformer directs attention to an abuse! Men cynically "make fortunes" out of the flesh and blood of their fellow--<:reatures. Have not in our time the cries of factory children, and over-toiled seamstresses, and drowning sailors, and" gutter children" gone up into the ears of the Lord of hosts ? Isaiah is modern as well as ancient, for the Word he delivers is et~rnal. II. Tm: NEMESIS OF EVIL, THE BEOOMPENSE OF GOOD. 1. Wicke.iness is suicidal. " ,, oe to their soul, for to themselves they did evil ! " Here lights the deepest curse, here rankles at last the arrow ; in the soul ! Dante sees in hell ( c. xii.), in::thr.ee circles, those who have wronged their neighbour, their God, and themselves. But every species of wrong works out its woe in self. "Man can do violence To himself and his own blessings ; e.nd for thia He in the seoond round muBt aye deplore • With unavailing penitence his crim·e. Whoe'er deprives himself of life and light, In reckless banishment his te.len t we.stea, And sorrows there where he should dwell in joy." Men me.y afford the loss of property, of a limb, of health ; but not of love, not of the soul. The denial of love, or the waste of it, means the loss of the soul. 2. Goodness .u self-rewarding. Often is the good man compared to a. tree, bringing forth fruit by a le.w of nature, according to its kind and in its seas1:m. There is strict and beautiful sequence in life and character. No curse, no blessing," causeless comes." The -bitter fruit we bring forth comes from interference with the Divine nature ,God has given us. It is said that wanton Arabs sometimes • "Foil e. dwarf po.Im . ,_. Of bee.ring its own proper wine e.nd oil, By grafting into it the stranger-vine, Which sucke its hee.rt out, sly and serpentine, Till forth one vine-palm fe.stens to the root, And red drops moisten the insipid fruit." (R. Browning, ' Sordello,' p. 131;) Such is sin and sin's result on the being ; a parody and mockery of that sound and true life so beautifully presented under the image of a tree in the first psalm. IIL MISRULE. There has been weakness and effeminacy in high places., Aud· this is often more miseliievous than strong and open violence. A vast growth of vicious and interested passions springs up in the neighbourhood of a. weak court, It is the opportunity for many bad men to exert their ambition. A powerful will, gene~ally works some good at the head of affairs, even though its wield_er be not 'It _good man. But feebleness is always baneful in public life. Everything -is uncertain ,·when the purpose is vacillating, and no settled principle exists. The feeble ruler will be swayed by every gust of caprice, by every personal influence that attacks hie ear, every passion that enslaves his heart. Several <•f our kings-John, Richard II., the Charleses-have been examples of this. The country may be compared to _a beautiful vineyal'd which the rulers have been appointed to l:eep (eh. v. 1-7). They have trampled it down and despoiled it, and have" ground the sufferers' faces." The image is taken from the _mill, where a substance is worn down until -nothina is left. 'l'he contemporary prophet Micah uses still stronger language (iii. 2, 3). '11ie rulers flay the people,:and cutting them in pieces, cast them, a.s it were, into a caldron. Unhappily this picture -has its counterpart to-de.y in many Ea.stern lands. 'l'he women of the ha.rem practically rule and devour the people in their greed. Peraona.lly, the description may be applied. God has entrusted to <ach of us a garden or vineyard to keep. Diligence and faithfulneBB on. m. 1-26.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 59