they require a large fund of "the wisdom which is from above," a large experience of human life and of the human heart, and a deep acquaintance with the written Word, wherein treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid away. "Blind guides" constitute a te1Tible danger. "If the blind lead the blind, shall they not both fall into the pit?" (Matt, xv. 14). What havoc may not be wrought by a" blind guide," who undertakes to be the director of thousands or even hundreds of souls! And yet how lightly do young men, after no more than a year or two of experience, seek to obtain "sole charges" I "Sole charges'' should be reserved for those who have been t-horoughly tl"!ed and tested, and have shown themselves able ministers of the Word n.nd wise directors of men's consciences. II. Dur.rn DOGS. If we are without knowledge, it is better to be "dumb" than to speak. But to have knowledge, to be able to direct and improve others, and, having undertaken the ministerial office, then to draw back and remain silent, through sloth and laziness, because we would fain "lie down, and dream, and slumber," and pass our life without care, or anxiety, or trouble,-this is a most "dangerous downfall," a shirking of our responsibilities, a "drawing back unto perdition of the soul" (Heb. x. 39). 'l'here are ministers even now, in this latter part of the nineteenth century, whose object in their ministerial life seems to be to do as little as possible, who preach little, visit less, reprove and rebuke vice least of all, whose desire seems to be always for "a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to sleep" (Prov. vi. 10). Such persons will one day experience a terrible awakening! III. GREEDY DOGB. Ministers are bound to be patterns to the flock. If they preach the doctrines of the gospel-self-sacrifice, spirituality, unworldliness-and are them- selves greedy of gain, conspicuous examples of the worldly and covetous spirit which they denounce, what possible effect for good can their preaching have? Such men do more harm than infidels. They dishonour their Master, bring scorn and contempt upon religion, do their best to create the impression that Christianity is a sham, a make-believe, a device for bolstering up a rotten state of society anrl repressing revolutionary effort. "The labourer is worthy of his hire" (Luke x. 7), and they that preach the gospel are entitled to" live of the gospel" (1 Cor. ix. 14); but a hard, grasping, or even niggardly spirit in a Christian minister is a disgrace to his profession, a scandal to the Church whereto he belongs, and a danger to society. Such as "look to their own way," and seek their own gain, "to the uttermost," as did the pseudo- prophets of Isaiah's day, are wholly unfit to bear the messa~e of him who, "though rich, for man's sake became poor" (2 Cor. viii. 9), and chose "the poor of this world" for his ministers (Jas. ii. 5). IV. WINE-BIBBERS. Intemperate habits are, if possible, more unbecoming to the minister of Christ than even covetousness. Covetousness may be secret, and escape detection; intemperance is a public scandal. The man of intemperate habits cau scarcely have the face to rebuke any vice in others, seeing that his own vice is so open and patent to all. He is thus utterly disqualified for the ministerial office, which be degrades and disgraces so long as he bears it. Fortunately, at the present day, intemperance is recognized as incompatible with the cure or souls; and the intemperate minister, in modern Churches, can scarcely remain a minister for many months.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AU'l'HORS. Vers. 1-8.-The true observance of the sabbath. Foreign converts are commended for their observance of the sabbath, and promised an appropriate reward. The day was more strictly observed during the Babylonian and Persian periods (Jer. xvii. 19-27; Ezek, xx. 11-21; xxii. 8, 26; Neh. xiii. 15-22; cf. 2 Kings xi. 1-16 with 1 Mace. ii. 32-38). Its estimation rose with the estimation of prayer (Cheyne). I. THE DUTY OF OBEDIENCE. The Law is "the objective rule of life, the Law of Jehovah." Or, with others," equity, justice." And the" practice of righteousness" is ever a necessity with him. The more so as every serious crisis draws on. My salvation is near-the kingdom of heaven is at hand. A crisis means a time of ,rifting and separation. "God's salvation is not indiscriminate. And the grounds on which he distinguishes his people from his enemies are not external, but internal. It is tba 348 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [on. LVI. 1-12,