nation, a." burden" espccinlly to be felt by the kingdom of the ten tribes (cl. Zech, ix, 1). It has been made tributary to the Assyrians, yet imagines it will recover its former power by violence and predatory raids, la their bravado they exclaim, "Thongh the bricks fall down, we will build with freestone; and though sycomores are felled, we will make cedars spring up instead I" 1'o punish this insolence, Jehovah has armed its smaller enemies against it-Syrians in the north-east, Philistines in the south-west; nnd severer judgments are to follow, The cup is not yet full; the avenging hand is still stretched out. 1'he strophe gives us a picture of infat=ti()TI,, leading to obstinate resistance and incurring accumulation of punishment. We may be reminded of that fine picture in Homer of Ate, the spirit of error or bewildennent, who with soft feet walks a.hove men's heads, and who would lead all astray to their ruin (' Iliad,' :xix. !ll, sqq.). Yet neither the nation nor the individual falls a prey to such tempta- tions without guilt, though where the guilt begins it may be difficult to trace. 1'he temper of insolence and bravado is a. symptom of this aberration creeping on. What need have we to pray that the " eyes of our mind may be opened," that we may never have the light of discPrnment between the "spirit of truth and the spirit of error" put out in our bosom I II. CONCERNING ITS OBSTINATE IMPENITENCE, The nation "turns not to him that smote it." ~t hears not the rod and who bath appointP.d it. Suffering either changes the disposition and bends the will upon new objects, or it rouses the temper to deter- mined perseverance in the evil course. Men must know the time to retreat and tum back no less than to go forward in a given course. For, as patient continuance iu well- doing is blessed with highest promises, the harshness of the impenitent heart treasures up against itself a. store of wrath. la this case a visible destruction has come upon Israel, A day of battle has taken place; "head and tail, palm and rush," officers and privates- in the army alike, have been cut off. For the leaders of Israel have proved misleaders, and their blind followers have perished. And_ the prophet represents Jehovah as looking sternly on, neither rejoicing in the youth of the nation, nor pity- ing its disa.i;ters. Suffering unrelieved by pity, woes over which Heaven frowns rather than expands with infinite smiles of hope,-such things follow impenitence and wilfulness. , III. CONCERNING ITB FLAGRANT INIQUITIES. We say flagrant, and this word exactly fitljl the prophet's-description: "Wrong burning like fire, devouring thorn and thistle, and kindling the thickets of the forest, so that they curl up in columns of smoke." Covetousness devours and ravages like a. famine or a pest. Every one begins to devour his own arm in. insatiate greed; that is, one tribe its brother-tribe. Not content with mutual rapacity, .Manasseh agail\st Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, the two turn against Ju~ah. And so again and again the deep warning reverberates: "His anger is not turned away; his hand is stretched out still." IV. CONCERNING JUDICIAL WICKEDNESS AND THE FINAL ISSUE. Here the prophet seems to turn to Judah. As one of Jehovah's noblest attributes is lhat of Father of the fatherless, and as justice is his delight, so nothing can more darkly designate offence against him than the spoliation of the wid,ow and the orphan. Here, then, the climax. of denunciation is reached. And the prophet has now only to hint the future judgment and overthrow. What will they do in the day of visitation? What refuge will be open ? What , retreat in which a false glory may be hidden ? They will cringe as prisoners, and as slain they will fall. Better to have the troubled heart, which never- theless :finds its refuge in God, than the reckless self-confidence which invit.es his auger. Poverty of spirit-against this no prophetic doom is hurled ; and adversity with honesty is no real adversity, for the hand of Jehov11.h is here stretched out, not to smite, but to help.-J. Ver. 2.-T/ie dawn of gospel day. "'l'he people that walked in darkness have seen a. great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them bath the light shined." '!'he glory which God revealed then through the prophet was but a prelude to that greater glory which the Incarnation made manifest. So much S() that these words are used in Matt. iv. 16, and relate to Jesus leaving Nazareth and coming to Capemaum, upon the sea. coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim, that so the prophecy might be fullilled, 174 THE BOOK OF ".l'.'HE PROPHET ISAIAH. [<lH, llt, 1-21,
I. THB GREAT 'DA'Rlt.NEss. History attests that of which propheoy foretella; There W&s moral darkness. Look at Corinth-so much so th1tt to Corillthhmize·was to play the wanton. Look &t Ephesus. Look at Rome, with its lust and licence; itll tertible 1'81llism in the ernel sports of the amphithelltr<', stained with the massa.cre of hea:sts and with the gladiators' blood. Think of the intellectual darkness, when even the city of philosophy, proud Athens, erected an altitr-which was a monument of 'itil failure in the search after wisdom-" t-0 the unknown God." II. THE SOMBRE SHADOW. •• The laud of the shadow of death." This language does not apply alone t-0 the article of death itself. Every hopeless sorrow is a sh&dow of the grave. Death reigned supreme over human thought. There was no "looking for- ward" which could comfort the wear_,, heart of man in its bereavements and_ griefs, Over city and throne, over the groves of philosophy and the gardens of pleasure,·the·same sh&dow brooded. So that the gloom came not alone when life drew near to its close, but the long dark shadow fell over all the pursuits and hopes of human life.· · As we think of all this we shall understand what· the prophet means by a " great" light. ' For the wondrous glory of the Saviour's revelation -0f "life and immortality" none of us can overestimate. It changed the fuce of society, and turned the weeping eyes· of a we!l,ry world t,o glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life. ' • . ' III. THE WELCOME LIGRT, Light makes all thin~s beantif\tl. And light from "above" transfigures the lot of man. lt turns his afflictions into momentary .tribu- lations, and makes him to look, not on; the things which are seen and temporal, but on those which are unseen and eternal. It is related, therefore, to .human life as well as spiritual life. Heaven is not only "the rest that remaineth;" it.s spirit pervades the entire sphere of our earthly history. Everywhere that bless~d light shines; and whils.t it makes us patient and hopeful in adversity, it gives cheerfuhiess · to 'our pursuits and sacredness to our friendships-inasmuch as we al'e his disciples who said,•• Let not your heart be troubled .•. I go to prepare a place fo~ you."-W. M. ·8. ,,