out the shopkeepers who defiled the temple (see Matt. xxi. 13). The prophet deola.res that the "prayers and praises (those spiritual sacrifices) of devout Gentiles shall be as pleasing to God as those of the pious Jews, and no difference shall be made between them; for, though they are Gentiles by birth, yet through grace they shall be looked upon as the believing seed of faithful Abraham, and the praying seed of wrestling Jacob, for in Christ Jesns there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircum- cision." God's house, the old temple, had been thought of as a place of sacrifices. The new temple, and above all the spiritual temple, the Christian temple, must be thought of as a place of prayer. This contrast gi"es the following topics. I. THE OLD_ IDEA OF G_oo's _HOUSE WAS A HO~SB OF SACRIFICE. The old worship was one of multiplied and vaned ntes and cerernomes. It was a round of bodily services• it wa, honouring God by tho devotion to him of the things that men posse~sed. It had its deeper spiritual meanings, but the prominent things were exact obediences minute services, gorgeous and impressive spectacles. The "shadow of good things t~ come." II. THE NEW IDEA OF Goo's HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF PR.A.YER. Prayer comprehensively indicates all forms of spiritual worship, of communion with the Divine Being. Illustrate by the essential differences between the Jewish temple and the Christian Church. Even the ,Jewish worship, when a synagogue could not be built, was held in aproseuche, or place of prayer. It was the work of the prophets to lift men's minds away from the more formal to the more spiritual associations of God's house. Explain the senses in which prayer may stand for the whole of Christian worship. III. THE OLD IDEA FITTED Goo's HOUSE FOR A LIMITED FEW, Just those to whom his 1,articular directions about ritual and sacrifice had been given. If God has to be served by formal acts, they must be such as he requires and has duly explained to us. So God's house was of old exclusively for Jews. IV. THE NEW IDEA FITS Goo's HOUSE FOR EVERYBODY. Because prayer is just the great human commO'llplace. Man has been satirically, yet truthfully, called "a pray- ing animal." Prayer is characteristic of him. He has uplooking eyes and a yearning heart. When men know the unutterable value of prayer, " then shall the nations from the east and from the west build the last great temple of all-the temple of an eternal religion-whose foundations shall be wide as the whole nature of man, and whose dome, reaching np to heaven, shall shelter and overshadow the world."-R. T. Vers. 10--12.- Worthless shepherds. "Dumb doge;" "Greedy dogs;" " Shepherds that caunot understand." The prophet's messages are in the main addressed to the pious and believing among the exiles. But he knows well how many of them were living in self-indulgence and sin, and were not in the least likely to heed his words, and prepare themselves for the coming deliverance. The evils were especially manifest in the leading people, who ought to have been leaders in goodness to the people. Instead c,f this, they were neglecting their duty, and presenting a debasing example of self-indulgence, and even of covetousness. The term "watchmen" is used for chief men, princes, priests, prophets. These were utterly uuable to comprehend or to meet the spiritual wants of the nation at this time, when Gotl was so near, for carrying out hie redeeming purpose. "The language here employed strikingly depicts the feelings of the volupt-uou.e in every age." I. THE RELPLEBSNESS OF THE LEADERS AND TEACHERS OF THAT AGE. Observe the blending of figures suitable to the shepherd and to the shepherd's dog. Such a blending of figures ls common in poetry and in Scripture. Inefficiency and sinful neglect a.re suggested in the terms (1) blind; (2) ignorant; (3) dumb; (4) loving to slumber; (6) greedy; (6) void of understanding; (7) drunken. IL THE REAL SECRET OF THEIR HELPLEBSNESB. They thought of self. They di~ not live for their charge, but for themselves. "They all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." And this is the root of evil in all who are placed in positions of responsibility, authority, and influence-all who are in any sense leaders and teachers. They must serve others, not get for self. 'l'herefore the Apostle Paul pleads, saying," We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jeslll!' sake." Compare the plea of the noble Samuel, on giving up his life-ministry," Whose E>X have I ta.ken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have OH. LVII. 1-21.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH.
I defrauded? whom he.ve I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyee therewith?" (1 Sam. xii. o). In this way St. Paul counsels the _you~g teacher Timothy, "Be thou an example of the believers, in wore!, in con ver,at111n, m charity, in epirit, in faith, in puri1y." And a bi~bop is thus described," Not _dven to wine, no striker, not gretdy of filthy lncre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous_" (1 Tim. iv. 12; iii. 3). St. Paul complains of the ttachers of his time," All seek their own, not the thiugs that are Jesus Christ's" (Phil. ii. 21).-R. 'f.