tlie circumstance that Neoptolemus was punished in the same way in which he hnd sinned. He had murdered at the altar, and at the altar he was murdered." Show bo,v natural thfl' retaliatory idea seems to children. 'l'he old sentiment still lingers in men's minds, so that we have great satisfaction in hearing of cases wherein Providence deals the blow to men which they have dealt to others. II. RETALIATION DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER '11r AVENGERS. It would be a safe working principle if men were goorl, and not subject to unworthy passions. 'l'hese make men do more than retaliate. Ilf. RETALIATION AB A PART OF DIVINE DEALING. He has a "year of recompenses" '-a time when he will make a man's violent doing fall upon his own pate. All sin is wrong done to him; it calls for due recompense. It must be precisely shown how far the idea of retaliation may be applied to God. , IV. RETALIATION llY Goo IS GUARANTEED BY THE CHARACTER OF Goo. It can never be the expression of personal feeling. It can never be unqualified or excessive. It can never be without its own aim to secure the final good of those on whom it must fall.-R. T. Vers. 13-15.-Tlte witness of desolate lands. In every age there have been such. In the forefront of the world's history there was desolated Sodom and Gomorrah, witnessing to Israelites, and witnessing to all the world. Our Lord, as a Teacher, called attention to its message. Attention may be directed to Babylon, Tyre, Palestine; and for modem times, to the decay of the commercial cities of Italy, to Holland, etc.---{)oun- tries which may be spoken of as" desolate" when compared with former prosperities. Edom, or Idumea, is the country alluded to- by- the prophet, and travellers describe very forcibly the completeness of its desolation. "Captains Irby and Mangles tell us that the Arabs about Akaba are,a very bad people, notorious robbers, and at war with all others. '!'he de_solation of the land is utter and perpetual-a terrible monument of the Divine displeasure against wickedness and idolatry. The whole land lies under a curse; t_he ruins of its cities of roclc, an,d the remains of architectural skill.and ingenuity, attest its fomier greatness, while they set forth the solemn fact that it is a fearfol thing to fall into the hands of'the living God." Dr. Robinson says," A more frightful desert it had hardly been_ our _fot to behold. Now and .then a lone shrub of the Gbudah was nlmos~ the only trace of, :veg~tation. The mountains beyond presented a most uninviting and hideous aspect_;: precipices and naked conical peaks of chalky and gravelly formation rising one above another without o, sign of life or vegetation." Dr. Olin speaks of it as in "a state of desolation and ruin 'the most absolute and irretrievable, such as probably -no portion of the globe once populous and fertile now exhibits." What, then, is the message which such a desolate land bears for all the world and for us? This may be ,vorked out and illustrated under the following divisions. I. IT WITNESSES FOR Goo. "He is known by the judgments which he executeth." '!'here is evidently more than a mere operation of natural forces-there is Divine direction of natural forces to effect Divine ends. This may gtit more familiar illustration from Palestine, which is a country with God's curse on it. II. IT WITNESSES FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 11 Righteousness exalteth a nation." Right- eousness is, sure defence, security, stability. If a land is desolate, it calls to all other lnnds, saying, "Hold_ fast by l'ighteousness." Lands fall through the iniquity of the peoples. - 11!., IT WITNESSES FOB JUDGMENT. "Though hand join in band, the wicked shall not go unpunished." Sooner or later every kingdom, every nation, will find that God will urise an~ vindkate himself, and render a reward to the proud.-R._ T. Ver. 16,-AP,Pet:il to the Word. "Seek ye out_ of the book of the Lord, and read." Literally, the word is "from upon the book," meaning, "Search it from the top to the bottom; and in so_ doing you will find abundant illustrations of Divine threatenings faithfully executed." 11 Be sure that the desolation which is here preannounccd to the literal Edom, and which is foretold in other parts of Scripture, as the doom of God's enemies, will be exactly fulfilled in all those who imitate their _temper, in rebellion against God, and in cruelty nnd trenchery to Israel." i I. ALL Goo's WRITTEN WonD WILL DE FOUND TO AGREE TOGETHER. It is tho li68 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [CH. i.xxv. 1-10.
exceeding marvel of it, the best evidence of Divine inspiration, the.t, though written by different men, at different times, and in different lands, on all main points of revelation it is at &b~olute agreement; and oontradictions, which men may fancy they find, gain easy solution. Moral principles, religious teachings, representations of Divine dealings, :ire the same throughout. 'l'his tnay be illustrated in specific cases. Take the idea of God as One, and 88 a Spirit; or take the Divine relation to idolatry; or take the response of God to penitence; in each instance search the book, &nd you will surely find n uni- form and harmonious testimony. Or take the case of the text, a.nd show the certainty that judgment ,vill follow threatening, if penitence do not intervene. II. ALL Goo's WRITTEN WORD IS IN HARMONY WITH HIS SPOKEN WORD, This eeeme to be the point of Isaiah's appeal He spoke this denunciation of Edom by word of mouth ; it had not yet been written down, so he pleads thus : "Test it o.s much as you please by the written Word that you possess: it is all one; God spoke then; God 6peaks by me. The vision is true. The judgment is sure." The condition of listening • to any one who professes to have a message and revelation from God is that they shall speak in harmony with the Word of God which we possess. "If they speak not accord- ing to this Word, it is because there is no light in them." Distinction may wisely be me.de between the mere details of the Word, and the great truths and principles of the Word. These latter alone can be used as tests; and very much of the sect-separation of Christia.nity has oome through overvaluing, and unskilfully using, mere biblical details. All doctrine, all morals-but no science-can be, and should ever be, fully tested by scriptural principles.-R. T.