I. WE LIVE ll'OB THE FUTURE, Few live in the present hour alone. Some amass property, looking forward to days of retirement and ease; eome go to far-away fields uf wnr to gather the laurels or victory, and to win what the world calls fame; and some lleo~' iitores'o( iillcllcctual wealth, so a.s to secure the far-off coronet of scholarship and leaili6d"tcdo'wb. But the harvest fails. Jealousy and envy do their work; and the nmbds~nd'ot is recalled; or the u1ind becomes feeble; through wearinese or weaknees the anticipated victory becomes a defeat. Sumchow or other, either through events 'IIJith- otit or experience within, when God does not live in the heart and his glory is for, gotten; the vintage fails. II. WE LOOK· FOR JOY IN HARVEST, 'fha.t is the time for music and joy, or, a.s the prophet says, _for singi'ng and shouting. It is a. tirl:le of stretched-out branches and purple groves. .A'.nd God intended us to have joy·in harvest. All innocent pursuits end in blessfrig, if we.seek first lhe kingdom of God and his rigbteoi:Jsness. But if not, then there is dulness and gloom and failure·; for the Lord of harvest is not there. The vintage fails, because he is thetrue"Vine; and we are the branches; arid every branch separated from hirh·is'cut do'wn ·and withered. III! _WE WOK F'oR_FRUiT' As_ w~LL_AB LEAFAGE. That is a remarkable sentence, "'l'be treaders'shall tread·out no wine in their presses." Nothing but leaves I What a significant sentence! Everything seemed to promise well. There was the tender green of spring.and the_richfoliage of summer, but no blossoms hide under the luxuriantfoliage. So it is wi~h all mere convictions and resolves, with all passing sensations and excited feelings. We need ever to remember that the end of religion is fruit. Fruitfal service, fruitful sacrifice. , And without these, w_hatever else there be, the vintage fails.- W. M. S•.. , • • -· , • Vere, 1-4.-The wisdom of tl1e weake1'. The prophet counsels Moab to "make ~ubmission meet" to Judah (ver. 1), and to show her such kindness in the day of her distress (vers. 3, 4) as will be .remembeted in the day when prosperity and power will be again her portion. . I. 'l'HE'WISDOM OF THE WEAKER COMMUNITY. 1. Submission to the gt"eater power under its lawful cla,im. '' Send ye the lamb to the 'ruler of the land "-pay the tribute which is_ due, ·and \vhich_ will ~e accepted as an offering appropriate for the weaker to presrn t and •for the stronger 'to claim. In those <lays it was generally aclrnowledged that "might was right;" a.11d that the strong·er potentate might properly exact tribute from the weaker, rendering: a certain protectorate in return. Even in these days, when there have peen happ\ly established ·so.me ideas of international righteousness, it is ge~eraJ\y acknowledged that a strong nation cannot afford to have a small province in its i'm'me~jafo nciglibourhood in a. condition of absolute independence of it. It considifrs •tb'at it bas· I!, right to claim its submission, receiving protection in return. It is undoubtedly the wisdotp, of the weaker community, in every realm, to submit itself to the sti:origer, to make terms with it, to give what it demands and accept what it offers. 2. ·Kfodness to the greater power in the day of its trial. (Vers. 3, 4.) A. short- sighted policy would advise r_ebellion, would recommend that the hour of its neighbo~_r's depression should be used to strike a mortal blow and throw off the yoke; btit very often a deeper wisdom and a truer sagacity will perceive that the strong ~wer will bend, but cannot be broken-that the day will come (ver. 4) when it will __s)iake off its oppressors aad regain its supremacy, and that, therefore, the right course to pursue is to render every possible kindness in its dark and distressing hour, being a'ebadow' from the 'heat, a refuge for the outcast, a home for the exile. Be quite suro that you~, rival or your enemy is attacked with a mortal sickness before you defy him', e'yen ·on the lbw ground of policy; on: the higher ground of rectitude, render aid to the n'obler pqwer:w~en it i~ stricken down, and your magaanimity shall not be forgotten in the day ·o'r its tovival. • II. 'l'm~ WISDOM OF THE WEAB;EB MAN. This corresponds closely with that of the community. i. Meet at once every claim tliat is honestly preferred. It is, no doubt, right to resist claims •that •are unjuslly ma.de. Tho judge, the magistrate, is an authority ordained <:Jf God, and to his tribunal we may apeea.l. But if we cannot dis- pute ,a.,qlaim that is 111ado, re do well _to " ~cud the lamb, to pay the _tribute at onc_e. Otherwise we open tho sluices through wli1ch many waters of sulfonng will Bow J.Q THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET tSAIAH. [on. xvr.1-14-.
upon us (see Matt. v. 25). 2. Gain thifavoui· of the strong in the day of her distrua. A foolish m1m will rejoice over the great when he falls-will say, "He ie become one of ourselves," aud will treat him with indignity, A wise roan will only welcome ~uch a day of discomfiture because it enables him to offer succour to the unfortunate, to open wide the door of his hospitality, to be a shadow from the heat to him on whom 1 he scorching rays are falling; and the time will come when he who is thus helped will he able to offer welcome recompense, and in return for the temporary shelter will " receive to e,·erlasting habitations" (Luke xvi. 9). Ill. THE '\\'ISDOM OF THE HUMAN SOUL rn ITS IlELATION TO CHRIST. This is: 1. To meet h~~ 7:igldeous daim; not, indeed, to send a lamb to Zion, as in ancient days, for such oflenngs he nsks not of us. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit." Humility of heart; faith in the Son of God, the Divine Redeemer; the presentation of our heart and life to his holy service; the offering of the obedient and submissive spirit ;-this is the tribut.e to bring to his feet. And also: 2. To show kindness to his people. Our Lord is nrgent with us that we should show kindness to all them that bear his Name especially to the weak, the poor, and the despised, the downcast and the outcast th~ "little ones" of his flock. Any deed of love we may do for any one of them' will be acwunted as an act of kindness shown direct to the Lord himself (Matt. uv. Bi-40).-C.