The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 481

blind she.II be brought out of gloom and darkness into new epiritual perception, the lowly hearted shall receive e. fresh e.ccess of joy in Jehovah, e.ud the poor shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. Notice everywhere the loving spirit of tho gospel. Ever it is good news to those who need that news the most-the ignorant) tho humble, e.nd the poor. And correspon,lingly, the proud and the self-sufficient are to be brought low, The terrible foe without, and the scornful foes within, will have vanished e.nd be brought to nought. The prophetic message iu every age is vehement, burning against oppression and treachery. There are men that watch for iniquity, that swear away others' lives by fe.lse testimony, or seek to ruin those who plead iu the gato or judicial court, and wrest the just verdict from the righteous by frivolous pretences. (For the expression, "turning aside the right" of the weak, etc., cf. Exod. xxiii. 6; Amos v. 12; Mai. iii. 5.) Traitors, conspirators, false witnesses, and false men of every kiad will be rooted out of the new kingdom; and all that is incorrigiblo will be given up to destruction, that there may be room for the plants of Jehovah's planting to flourish. ID. THE HOLY AND HAPPY CONSUMMATION. No moro shall Jacob he ashamed and his face turn pale. His oppressors will have been swept away. He will see" his sons, the work of Jehovah's hands, within him." In presence of the judgments of Jehovah there will be a. true conversion; they will become holy even as he is holy-a. Church sanctifying him, the Holy One of Israel. A sound intelligence will displace the former spirit of error, and former murmuring will give way to a. willingness to receive instruc- tion. This is the state of things for which we pray when we say, "Hallowed be thy Na.me." " They shall hallow thy Name," says the prophet; " TheJI shall fear the God of Israel." Pure reverence, united with bright clear inte\ligence, and applied in every department of thought and practice, will be the spirit of the future kingdom, must be the spirit in all who sincerely pray for the coming of that kingdom in their hearts now.-J. • Ver. 13.-Insincerity. "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me." Sincerity is the life of devotion. Eloquence in prayer is execrable if the heart be worldly and vain. Here we have Divine insight into man's soul. L HERE IS THE BENDED Kl-'EE WITHOUT THE PROSTRATE HEART. Reverential manner and sacred solemnities of speech may deceive others, but with God all hearts are open, all desires known. It is mere mouth-worship. It is the tl'ick of the muscles, not the tone of the heart. We resent the false man. Nothing offends the better instincts of humanity so much as deceitful mannerism.·. Better the "drawn sword" than the disguised enemy with fawning friendship on his lips. lL HERE 18 THE HONOU.R OF THE LIPS WITHOUT THE DEVOTION OF THE LIFE, To give a place of "honour" to religion is common to the worldliest men. It is like the com- pliment that vice pays to virtue by imitation of its manner, and hiding of itself. What should we think of men who did not honour religion? They would be losers. Men would not trust them. They would be suspected of indifference to those bonds which bold society together. So they pay outward honour to the Almighty, they join in the Church anthem, and in the public confession of the great Christian Creeds. But iu their life there is no honour paid to religion, inasmuch as they serve and worship other gods. Ill. HERE IS THE TRUE BENDING OF THE HEART, WHICH IS THE MIOROCOSM OF THE MAN. The heart is removed far from God. It does not thrill with his love, nor beat in sympathy with his claims. This is the loa.dstone that leads us everywhere. We can prophesy where the footsteps will be if we know the longings of the spirit. The heart that he made capable of so much endurance and affection is far from him. Then it must be somewhere else. It will find some object. 'l'he ivy torn down from the old church tower will cling to the nearest object in its path. Cling it must, "0 Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me."-W, M. 8. Yers.1-8.-The city of God. "The city. where David dwelt" was undoubtedly Jerusalem, the "city .of God." It is here called Ariel; i.e., according to some, the hearth or altar of God. Thi~ fact, taken with the prophecy itself, may .remind us- I. THAT THE CITY OF GoD IS THE PLACE WHERE GoD DWELLS. It is where hia Mf>rl'lt, is~t,he " place of his ab\>de " w:Pere lie is at 4ome with l\i.1 \lllll~~J 111 b~rll they are OH, x.t.Ili:, 1-24-.J 'fHE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 481