The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 179

Shame at error, and triumphant, boastful gladness in the new-fonnd truth, shall go together. Such II communion of spirits in God and with one another is the object of faith, of aspiration now, and shall be a glorious realization hereafter.-J. Ver. 5.-God in our past life. "I girded thee, though thou bast not k.nown"me." When the soul of man is renewed, and his rebellion against God ceases, wonder- ment often arises in the heart that life has not been altogether a ruin. S,, many times we have been near the precipice; the crumbling stones fell down into the plain ; our feet well-nigh slipped. Here is the open secret. I. U NCONBOIOUs HELP. "I girded thee." We have not seen a face nor even beard a voice, but an invisible arm has been around us. "It is of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed." Our folly was sufficient to ruin us. Our obstinacy was wild and wilful. We cannot take credit to ourselves for deliverances from moral danger. We can look back and see that often there was but a step betwixt us and moral death. "Great deliverances," as the prophet says, hath God wrought. II. HUMAN IGNORANCE. " Though thou hast not known me." The life has been destitute of fellowship with God and likeness to God. We have not retained the knowledge of God. There has been all through our life: 1. God's care without our cognizance. 2. God's love without our gratitude. 3. God's wisdom without our skill. Verily the apostle was right: "By the grace of God I am what I am."-W. M. S. Ver. 22.-The eye of the soul. Look unto me, and be ye saved." Faith can look! We have the spiritual vision and the spiritual object. " Blessed are your eyes, for they see." We look, and are saved! Yes; and we look in hours of sorrow and unrest, and our burdens are lightened. This is no dream of the quietist; no meditati0n of the mystic. We do not look into infinity, and feel awe. We do not merely set religious imagination to work. We have a loving Lord and Saviour, to whom we look. "Sir, we would see Jesus." When our eyes are filled with worldly visions; when we are active in the warehouse, the office, the street, the home ;-then we have experience of time-visions. When our souls are awake we gaze on the unseen Lord, who has been about our path all the day, and who is always waiting to be gracious. What is the exact word, do you say? I see I You are accustomed to a close exegesis of the Scripture. It is well ! The Hebrew means, "flowed together." Is not that beautiful? " They looked unto him, and flowed together." We are lightened by oneness with our Lord. I. LOOKING UNTO JESUS LIGHTENS us BY CONSCIOUS SYMPATHY. This always lightens. In a human sense it does. We can enter into each other's lives, and bear each other's burdens. We want not more strength, but more cheer. He does not give new faculty, but the Holy Spirit quickens faith; faculty we already have. Think of the one Divine life. Obrist knew what it was to go to his Father in prayer, to be alone, to be misunderstood, to be solitary and forsaken. He was tempted, too, in :di poiuts as we are, yet without sin. He suffered, being tempted. We look to the Brother as well as the Saviour. Sympathy I Is it not precious? We get hardened by habits, where each has to struggle for himself or herself. Yes, herself! The womanly life is often a heroism of endeavour in the sense of seeking sometimes a livelihood; and the world to a widow does seem a very selfish place at times. Christ was poor. He was, in a human sense, needy. But, you say, even in these lives of struggle an,\ difficulty, the spiritual anxieties are the deepest: to maintain a pure heart, a faithful love, a true conscience, a gracioUB progress in heavenward affection. Then remember he knows your inner history. Look to him. Seek oneness. Let your life and his " flow together." II. LooKmG UNTO JESUBLIGHTENB UBBYOONBOIOUBPOWER. Heis able to keep-able to save. Have you ever been in a gale at sea, and been nervous and timorous? Ilut there, on the bridge, is the calm, keen-eyed, well-trained captain. You feel that there is confidence coming to your heart as you look at him. What waves cannot Christ calm? What coast of life does not he know the soundin!(S of? What can surprise his vigilance, or blind his knowledge, or hinder his commands? Even when the earthly )'hysician came to your sick child, you watched his face and were lightened; he hope,\, and you renewed your strength. A Christ less than Divine is no real refuge for sudi  18' TRE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [err. nv. 1-25.