to suppol'EI that the state of things 'to which they are aC()ustomed will, a& 11 matter or course, remain unchanged. They have, a.s a general rule, less· historlce.l know)edae than men, and less acquaintance with the condition of the world whe1·ein theY" llv~. The self-oomplacency and unsuspiciousness of Marie .Antoinette and the ladiee of her court, when the French Revolutio~ was dmwing on, has been a matter of surprise to historians; but it is merely a striking instance of what is, in fact, the ordinarv condi.;. tion of things when great changes are imminent. Jezebel did not expect, or ap}lre- ciate, the revolution initiated by Jehu; nor Athaliah that carried out under the auspices of Jehoiada the high priest (2 Kings xi. 4-16). The instinctive belief in i• con- tinuance," of which Bishop Butler speaks(' Analogy,' part i. eh. i.), whereby we expect "all things to continue ru;i we experience they are, in all. respects,P and "to-morrow to be as t<H1ay," only perhaps "more abundant" (oh. lvi. 12),-is especially strona in women, and explains their inapprehensiveness. The result is: 1. That reverses c~me upon them suddenly a.ad unexpectedly, without their being prepared :to encounter them; and are thus sorer trials, under which they oRen fa.II into despair and reoklessness, fo their great hurt. 2. That the men, who are their associates, through the contagion of their security, are rendered themselves less apprehensive, and consequently less inclined to realize the coming danger and guard,a.gaiast it by wise measures of preoau.. tion. Under these circumstances, it becomes the preacher's duty. at euch,·times ·to address himself especially to the rousing of the women from their:'' carelessness·" and security, both for their own sakes, and still more for the sake of the community, whose prosperity or whose very existence they imperil. • ,. Vers. 15-:-u.-nefniits of the Spirit i1i a community. The first result of the effluence of the Holy Spirit on man is fruitfulness : " the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field a forest." The dry.ground of a stony heart is changed into a cultivated garden, which" brings forth much fruit." The heart which ·already bore some fruit is" purged, that it may bring forth more fruit •i (John xv. 2). Then, when indfriduals have been thus changed and "purged" and perfected one by one,. judg- ment and righteousness "dwell" in the land-the King," reigns in righteousness," and his" princes rule in judgment;" far and wide there is·a reign of justice, right, equity. Next comes a further consequence. "The work of righteousness is peace," peace sub- jective and objective, in the heart and in the lif~the peace of.quiet consciences assured of God's favour, knowing that their sins are atoned for, a.il.d feeling that they are at oue with God; and the peace of internal concord and agreement among .all members of the community, mutual respect of class towards class, and of man towards nian, general goqd will of a.II towards all, kindliness, courtesy, re.ady a.id, sympathy, consideration; The complete result has not been seen a.s yet, because men have resisted God's. Spirit, and the copious outpouring of it, which he is willing to give, has never yet been given, But if this impediment were removed, if·God'e Spirit had free course, and a kingdom or society of perfectly virtuoua men were once formed, then we should see such further consequences as a.re pointed out by Bishop Butler in his 'Analogy:' "In such a state there would be no such thing as faction; but men of. the greatest capacity would, of course, all along have the chief direction of affairs willingly yielded to them ; and they would share it among them.selves without envy. Each of these would have the part assigned him to which his genius was peculiarly· adapted; and others, who had not any distinguished genius, would be safe, and think themselves very happy, by being under the protection and guidance .of those who. had. Public determinations would really be the result of the united wisdom of the community; and they would be faith-- fully executed by the united strength of it. Some would in a. higher way contribute; but all would in some way contribute, to the public prosperity; and in it, each would enjoy the fruits of bis own virtue. And as injustice, whether by fraud or force, would be unknown among themselves, so they would be sufficiently secured from it in their neighbours. For cunning and false self-interest, confederacies in injustice, over· slight, and accompanied with faction and intestine treachery,-these, on one hand, would be· found mere childish folly and weakness, when set in opposition against .wisdom, public 6pirit, union inviolable, and fidelity on the other; allowing both a sufficient length of years to try their force. Add the general influence, which such a kingdom would have over the face of the earth, by way of example particularly, and the reverence which would. cnt, :xxxm 1-iu.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 527
.be paid It. It would plainly be superior to all others, and the world must gradually come under its empire; not by means of lawless violence, but partly by what must be allowed to be juet conquest, and partly by other kingdoms submittin" themselves voluntarily to it, throughout a course of ages, and claiming its protection one after another, in successive exigencies, The head of it would be a universal m'onarch, in another sense than any mortal has as yet been; and the Eastern style would be literally applicable to him, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him'· (part i. eh, iii: § 5).