Ver. 20.-Man's fll'laMJ,ity to order his own life. This verse is very p~ssibly a popular proverb, which suggested a condition of painful uneasiness. Matthew Henry gives, briefly a.nd suggestively, its meaning as used here by Isaiah, and as applicable to us : " Those that do not build upon Christ as their Foundation, but rest in a ri1tht- eousness of their own, will prove in the end thus to have deceived themselves; they never can be easy, safe, or warm; the hed is too short, the covering is too na1Tow." This line of thought may be followed out, and duly illustrated.. First make a; fair and true picture of a human life fashioned· by the man himself. Let him win good measures of success; and let him stand forth the envy of his fellows. Let us see the bed he makes for himself to lie on; and the coverlet with which he, proposes to wrap himself up-a fine bed, a beautiful coverlet. But all life-creations have to be tested; they must be "tried so as by fire." Let us see this human life tested.. Time tests; success tests; trouble tests; the true Man, Christ Jesus, as our standard, tests; the future tests. How does the self-ordered life stand these testings? lt is plain- . I. 'I'lliT THE SELP'-OBDEBED LIFE ONLY MEETS THE BODILY. NEEDS, AND PROVES SHORT FOB THESE, Il. lT ONLY :M:EETS THE ME1-'TAL NEEDSr A1-TD IS SHORT FOB THESE. Ill IT ONLY MEETS THE SOCIAL NEEDS, AND IS SHORT FOB THESE. IV. IT JLAXES NO PnOVISIONS FOR THE SPIRITUAL AND ETERNAL NEEDS, and every advancing year ma.kes these more and more the supremely. important ones. Verily " it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Tben what can he do? What should he do? (see eh. xxvii. 5).-R. T.
Ver. 27.-God in material things illustrates God in, moral things. The preci.se purpose for which this illustration from agricultural customs is introduced by the prophet is much disputed. We note that Isaiah declares the skill which the farmer shows in choosing his times and adapting his methods, comes directly from God; and this suggests two points for treatment. I. MAN PLAINLY WANTS GoD FOR THE GETTING OF BIB DAILY DREAD. 11 How HUCH ll!OBE, THEN, DOES HE WANT GOD FOB THAT :BREAD WBICB SHALL FEED THE SOUL UllTO EVERLASTING LIFE 1-R. T. •
Ver. 29.-Gocl's WO'l'k in men'a minda and wills. The literal translation of the last clause of thi11 verse is," He makes counsel wonderful, he makes wisdom great." The husbandman's treatment of bis crop, no less than his preparation of the soil, ill a dic-- tate of experience under Divine teaching. But these things are not chiefly matters of hand and arm; they are matters of thought, mind, judgment, wW, decision. The handi- craft in a farm is the carrying ont of decisions of mind and resolves of will. This is true of all the business life of men; the bodily activities follow upon mental activities, and we are reminded that God is at the very beginnings, the secret sources of things, presiding over movement of thought and impulse of will. The consideration of this topic may be used to correct our constant disposition to close up parta of our being and our life from God, giving him access only to some of them. We may consider- L THE MAKER OF lllAN's MIND AND WILL SURELY KNOWS THEM. The thought of our bodies, set by their five senses in relation to the material world, was altogether the thought of God. But it ie harder to realize that the endowment of a mental nature is also a thought of God. It is harder because our mental nature is subject to growth ; and we can separate tbe idea of growth from God. And it is yet harde_r f?r us to realize that the partial independence of the creature, in the trust of free-will, 1s also a thought of God, because that very independence leads us to shake off all sense of God. , Yet the fa.et remains that hr. made us, and he knows us altogether. on. txix. 1-24,] THE BOOK OF 'rHE PROPHET ISAIAH. 471
IL Tmi MAKEn OP MAN'S MIND AND WILL BUREl,Y CONTROLS TIIF.M. We must recognize that both mind and will are under strict limitations. Men think and think on, but at length the brain-agent breaks down, or they get beyond themselves, and talk vngue folly. And to the most strong-willed, the authoritative voice presently comes, saying," Thus for shalt thou go, but no further." Constantly man cries, "I would, bot I cannot, for God holds me in." III. THE MAKER OF MAN'S MIND AND WILL SURELY INSPIRES THF.M. This is bis gracious and helpful relation to them; and this depends on the attitude in which men place themselves towards him. In conclusion, show what the ri 6 ht attitude is; anrl what hinders us from taking it; and how the hindrance may be overcome. This will lead to a declaration of the gospel message.-R. T,