HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-15.-Thefall of ancient states a warning to modern ones. History has been defined as "philosophy teaching by examples." It is only on the supposition that there a.re lessons to be learnt from them that historical inquiries or historical records can be regarded as of any value or importance. In a certain sense it is no doubt true to say that "history never repeats itself." The exact circumstances, even of those historical events which most nearly resemble each other, are always iu many respects dissimilar. But the value and use of history lies in the fact that, speaking broadly, history does repeat itself. Its events, as Thucydides observes, recur-" the same, or nearly the same "-and will do so "while human nature remains what it is" (Thucyd., i. 22). Hence history teaches lessons, and among its most important lessons are those that it teaches to existing states or communities, by the example which it sets before them of the careers and ultimate fates of former states and com- munities, which existed under more or less similar circumstances. In most cases we have to speculate on the causes which produced the decline and fall of empires, king- doms, countries; and thus our conclusions can seldom he more than probable conjectures on the subject. Still, they are often of a high value. But a very much higher value attaches to the instances when an inspired writer delivers to us the Divine view of the causes which brought about the fall of a nation; for here we stand on firm ground-we have a solid and assured basis upon which to rest; and we may drnw out the lesson which the writer's words convey with a certainty that we shall not mislead or cause an unfounded alarm. Now, according to Isaiah, the downfall of Babylon was produced by four principal causes; and the lesson to be learnt from her fall is avoidance of foar vices. 'fhe fall of Babylon warns states- I. AaAINST LUXURY. Babylon was "given to pleasure" (ver. 8), was "tender and delicate" (ver. 1), or "delicate and luxurious." It is generally allowed that luxury saps the vigour of states, destroying the severer virtues of courage, manliness, and endurance, and at the same time producing a degeneracy of the physical nature, a loss of muscle, of tone, of fibre. It is, no doubt, difficult to draw the line, and to say what exactly constitutes luxury; but certain practices, common in most modern as well as in many ancient states, may be distinctly regarded as " luxurious." The worst and most fatal of these is unchastity. If the manhood of a nation indulges generally, or widely, in licentiousness, if purity in man is a rare thing, we may be sure that the naiional character and the national strength are being undermined. The vice of unchastity gnaws at the roots of a nation's vigour, aad brings a premature decay. States should take such measures against it as they take against a pestilence. They should strive to keep it out. Having once admitted it, they should seek to stamp it out. If they canuot do this, if the vice is too deeply ingrained to be got rid of, then they must look out for speedy disaster, culminating in ruin. Another dangerous vice, likewise to be carefully guarded against, is intemperance. This, too, affects both body and soul, inflames and so exhausts the one, degrades and enfeebles the other. Of less account, but still coming under the head of luxury, and therefore to be avoided, are gluttony, sloth, effeminacy, over-refinement, Of such it may be said, " Hoe nigrum est; hoe tu, Romane, caveto,n II. AGAINST ORUELTY. Babylon "showed no mercy" (ver. 6); "upon the a~ed, very heavily she laid her yoke" (ver. 6). Cruelty bas le~s direct tendency to weaken 208 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET IS.A.I.A.H. [oH. XLVII. 1-15,
a nation tha.n luxury; but still it weakens in certain ways. It alienates the subjeot races towards whom it is shown. It exasperates foreign enemies, and causes e. people to be hated even by those who have not themselves suffered at their hands. But its deleterious effect is probably, in the main, due to God's hatred of it. God abominates oppressors (cb. i. 21-24; iii. 12; v. 23, etc.), and to.kes care to punish them. "Woo to the oppressing city!" says God by Zephaniah (iii. 1); and acre.in by Nahum (iii. 1) "~oe to the bloo_dy city!" "Behold, I am against thee, 0 de;troyiilg mounto.in; s&1t~ the Lord, which destroyest all ~he earth" (Jer. Ii. 26). God pours out his anger against the cruel and truculent, ma~mg them experience in their turn the sufferings they have caused to others (Jer. h. 2-i, 35, 36, etc.), and thus bringin<> them to destruction. b