The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 214

Holy Ghost can call forth, whereby we walk in a new world of wonder and hope and joy in God. \Ve have latent faculties of energy in us which, once awakened, will make us emulate t-be earnest of every age; and wbeu religion sets a man to work he finds that there is a joy in service which he was unconscious of before; he disc:ms that, whilst_ by_ lov~ he serves others, he is also with each service opening up new joy- fountarns m his own heart. II. \\'E HAYE HIDDEN FOROES OF PAIN IN us. Weknownotwhattheyare,itmay be, at present; _but "!e are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we shall be a surprise unto ourselves m this respect also. 1. There is the sorrow that hides in love. We know not the measure of love save by loss! Then we know. We aro tempted to think in our you1 h that our older friends are too pensive sometimes, too little open to the 1111-gladdening influences around them. Alas I we know not the bread thev eat. There are forces of memory in their hearts that we cannot see. 2. There is th; sorrow that l,ide,s in sin. It is so bright-presenced at first, so fascinating, so attractive; speaks in such dulcet tones; no memory at work yet; no consciousness of shame yet; no sense yet of the disturbance that sin works in God's beautifully ordered universe. To-morrow the serpent that hides at the bottom of the cup will have stung! 3. 1.'he sorrow that hide., in 1crong or negl~t in relation to others. While they were with us here we did not feel it so much; but now! Oh, the curtain that hides! the silence in which there is no ,oice ! the quivering heart that puts out the untouched hand! Eternal F'ather, we were not what we wished, or all we wished, to them. But they are gone, and the phce which knew them once shall know them no more. Death is not a tidal river; its waters never return. III. WE HAVE RIDDEN FORCES OF !!:VIL mus. Power to sin! Forces which temp- tation may set fire to, as a spark to the tow! We see this illustrated in nature. The officer who played with his beautiful glossy pair of cub-tigers did not understand his danger till they tasted blood as they licked a little cut in his band; and then came the surly growl, and with the officer a sword for them or death for himself. We see this in the history of the disciples. How ignorant they were of their own hearts l What latent scx·pticism in Thomas! what cowardice beneath Peter's enthusiasm! what pride in those who wanted chief places in Christ's kingdom! Ah I yes ; but they recovered from their folly. But think of Judas; think of D~mas; think of llymenreus and Philetus. 'iVe see this in the warnings of our Saviour. " Watch and pray." Yes; Mark you, Ghrist does not say, "Watch and pray in youth," or" in manhood." He says it to us all. He knows the potency of evil, and that there are tempt.able places in our nature e,cn unto the end. For instance, "When every oLher passion is old, covetous- ness is young," says the proverb. We must be on our guard till the last hour. Then will come release and victory. IV. WE HAVE HIDDEN FORCES OF IMMORTALITY WITHIN us. Christ revealed these. He " brought life and immortality to light by the goMpel." All men do not equally feel these; but there ill a "power of the world to come," which more or less affrcts everybody. When outward life pleases, and we have vivacities of friendship, extensive and elaborate functions of duty to fulfil; when we are absorbed in the out- ward life ;-we do not al ways feel the great beatings of the pulses of immortality within us. But in silent meditative hours there comes over ue all the consciousness alike of sin and immortality. "How abject, how august, is man!" The great conservative power of religion is the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. Let that be ignored or denied, and materialism will make very rapid strides. 1. The sen.~e of immortality alters our e,stimate of the world. Makes us feel the "tent-like" character of our homes. "We have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come." We know that there remaineth a rest, and that affliction is but for a moment. 2. The sense of immortality alters our estimate of friendship. We long, even in that, to lay hold of the everlasting, to link our love with the immortal years-to feel that it is of such a character as to survive in glory. Hidden the force may be, but it is real, and the strongrst of all the bulwarks against atheism and materialism. When Christ speaks we feel that he spake with authority. Men trembled before a vision of themselves so searching and severe. K,,t only the" bidden things" of darkness, however, did he reveal ; the bright diamond or tbe mind flashed forth its beauty in the light of hie all-revealing words, " Honour all me11," says St. Peter. A beautiful commandment, for the gospel has show11 the c11. x1,vm. 1-22.J 'l'HE IlOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 223