giving. On the other hand, there can be no doubt that the feeling of triumph 18 one which ought to be very carefully watched and kept under control, since it is-- III. LIADLE TO DEGENERATE INTO BELF-GLORIFI0ATI0N. When Assyria was vic- torioue, her song of triumph wae BB followe: "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prndent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: and my band bath found as a nest the riches of the people ; and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped'' (eh. x. 13, 14). There is some- thing or the same epirit in the song of Deborah and Barak : "The inbabitante or the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel n (Judg. v. 7). "Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song; arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abiuoam '' (Ju<lg. v. 12). Weak human nature is· apt to have its head turned l>y success, and to attribute the result to its own prowess, instead of the mercy and goodness of God. IV. LIABLE TO DEGENERATE INTO BC0BN 011', AND INSULTATION OVER, THE ENEMY. Scorn and insult are utterly unchristian, and a Christian "song of triumph" should most carefully avoid them ; but they are very dear to the "natural man," and very apt to show themselves in the outpourings of a human heart on the occasion of a triumph. The closing passage of the song of Deborah is of the nature of insult, and so is• a considerable portion of Isaiah's "taunt-song." The " evangelical prophet" was not himself fully possessed of the evangelical spirit. In his time the precept had not yet gone forth," Love your enemies" (Matt. v. 44), and men believed it to be natural and right to hate them (see Ps. cxxxix. 22). Insult and scorn were but indications of hate, or of hate mingled with contempt for those who had been proved weak, and so seemed to be legitimately bestowed on beaten foes. But the Christian may hate no man, may despise no man, knowing that each human soul is in God's sight of price- less value. Consequently, although he may rejoice in victory, and even compose songs of triumph, he is ·bound to avoid anything like insultation over the defeated. They are his brethren, they are souls for whom Christ died ; they may be among those with whom he will hold sweet converse in the world to come. Ver, 24.-God's condescension in confirming promises by oath. It is a weakness on the part of man to need any confirmation of a promise which God makes. "God cannot lie" (Titus ii. 18); "He keepeth his promise for ever" (Ps. cxlvi. 6). When he condescends to swear that his promise shall bold good, it does not really add to the certainty of the thing promised, since the certainty was absolute from the first. But man is so accustomed to misdoubt his fellows that he will even misdoubt God, as though with him were "variableness or shadow of turning." And God, knowing man's heart and oornpassionating his weakness, does sometimes, though but rarely, add to his promises, for man•~ greater contentment, the confirmation of an oath. After the Flood God covenanted with mankind that he would never again destroy the earth by water (Gen. ix. 11), and confirmed the covenant by oath (eh. !xv. 9). On the call of Abraham, he swore that he would give the land of Canaan to his posterity (Gen. xxiv. 7), and afterwards that in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed. With David he made a covenant, and swore to it, that he would "establish his seed for ever, and build up his throne to all generations" (Ps. lxxxix. 3, 4). 'l'o his own Son he swore, at what time we know not, "Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek " (Ps. ex. 4). And here we find that he condescended to swear t-i Israel that the Assyrians should "be broken," and their yoke "depart off them." ·wonderful condescension of him whose word is truth! Not merely not to punish those who doubt him, but to compassionate them, to make allowance for them, to yield compliance to their weakness, and give them such au assurance as compels their belief. "God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, they might have a strong consolation ''-a hope on which to anchor their soul (Heb. vi. 17-19).
Ver. 32,-No eur, refuge but Zion, When danger threatens men commonly invoke 250 THE BOOK OF TII:El PROPllET ISAIAI1. [on. uv. 1-32,