HOMILIES BY V A.RIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 3-10.-Picturea of idolatry. The idolaters are summoned to hear the judg- ment upon them. They are characterized as "sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer:n The source of all idolatry is unfaithfulness to God regarded as the Husband of his people (Ezek. xvi. 44, 45). Yet, in their pride, these idolaters make sport of and scoff at the true servants of God. . I. THE RITES OF IDOLATRY. There were enthusiastic orgies in the sacred groves of oak and 1 in the gardens (eh. i. 29; Ezek. vi. 13; Hos. iv. 13). There were sacrifices of children to Moloch. There were fetish-stones, which were anointed with oil, and these continued to be devoted to heathen uses. .And Israel, having by covenant a "portion," or property, so to speak, in God, bas exchanged this for the senseless stones; and ui these food-offerings are made. The pictures of Phamician, Israelitish, and Greek super- stitions are in this respect much the same. Jehovah, in that jealousy which la the expreasion of a holy love, is deeply grieved by these things. II. THE PROFLIGACY OF IDOLATRY, On the high hills shrines were erected, and tombs are ■till aeen upon them, onrsbadowed by the tree on which votive offeringa (J&, L'Vlr. 1-21.) THE BOOK OF THE Pn~.PTIE'r ISAIAH. 361
bang. Saints or prophets have replaced the old gods. Here idolatrous symbols were &et up. And idolatry polluting politics, the people negotiated and coquetted with heathen powers, and humbled themselves to the lowest servility. And yet these negotiations and journeys had been in vain. For all that, the attempts had been renewed. "It is a. striking illustration of men seeking happiness away from God. They wander from object to object; become weary in the pursuit, yet do not renounce it; still cling to hope, though often repulsed; though the world gives them no permanent comfort, though wealth, ambition, and gaiety, all fail of imparting happiness,-yet they do not give up the pursuit in despair. The world is still pursued with just as little success, with continually augmenting evidence that it cannot satisfy the desires of the immortal soul, with just as much reluctance to seek permanent bliss in God." III. DIVINE REMONSTRANCE. The tone is one of gentlenesa and softness. "Who is there so strong and so terrible as to justify thee in thy infidelity to Jehovah? None.'' Yet there may be some excuse for them in his long silence. Passed over again and again, it might seem tbat God had forgotten to be gracious-that they were hidden from him. But now he will draw near again: "The speech of mingled mercy and judgment shall work more effectually on the heart" (cf. eh. xlvi. 13; Ps. xxii. 31; xcviii. 2). Or the words may be ta.ken ironically-it depends on whether we read "my righteousness" or "thy righteousness." In the coming trial, no help but Jehovah's will avail thee. "Her medley of gods" will not deliver her-the Pantheon of various divinatioos set up by her (cf. Micah i. 7). The wind shall carry them off like all dwellings and defences of merely human structure (cf. Matt. vii. 26, 27). IV. ETERNAL ASSURANCE. "To take refuge in Jehovah," in the Eternal, is the only safety, the only guarantee of stability and possession, a.midst the flux and change of ~ things. To say that they shall" possess the land" is to say, accor<ling to the manner of the Hebrew, everything that denotes favour for this life (eh. xlix. 8; Ps. xxn-ii. 11, 29; cf. Matt. v. 5; Ps. lxix. 35, 36). And to" inherit the holy mountain" is to enter upon all spiritual privileges and joys-" as great as if they had possession of a. portion of the mount on which the temple was built, and were permitted to dwell there." And then mysterious voices are heard, hinting that all obstacles shall be removed from the path of those who trust in God. The language is suitable to the return from exile, as if persons should go before them, crying, "Cast up l " So before a pacha. the labourers go and remove stones out of the way, with the cry," Cast up the way; remove the stones 1" (cf. eh. xxvi. 7; xxxv. 8; xl. 3, 4; lxii. 10). He who places obstacles in the path (Jer. vi 21) is he who gives command in his own time for their removal. War and peace, welfare and hindrances to welfare, a.re from the same hand.-J.
Vere. 15-21.-The character of Jehovah. I. His EXALTATION. "High and holy:" high because holy, exalted far above the meanness of human thoughts and the impurity of human ways. Far above creatures of all species and all ranks, it is needless further to designate him. He is the Incomparable One. He dwells in eternity (cf. eh. ix. 6). His Na.me is "the Holy One" (eh. i. 4; xxx. 11; xl. 25; xli. 14; xliiL 3, 8; xlvii. 4); his place the high and holy place, or temple (eh. vi. 1). II. RIB CONDEBCENS:::ON. "Wherever the Scripture bears witness to the Divine mightiness, it brings out side by side with it the Divine humbleness (Deut. x. 17, 18; eh. lviL 16; Ps. lxviii. 4, 6)." It is not an Epicurean view of God (Acts xvii. 18), nor the Gnostic view that God had left the world to the management of inferior beings, by himself created. Though illimitable and unapproachable, he delights to ruake his abode with men. "He cannot direct the affairs of his people from without.. He desires to be enthroned in their hearts." He is with them that a.re of a contrite, or crushed, spirit- souls bowed down with a. sense of sin and unworthiness (Ps. xxx.iv. 18; cxxxviii. 6), to make alive their spirit, to impart strength and comfort, even as genial rains and dews fall upon the drooping plant. Such a lowly state of mind can only have been produced by affliction (eh. lxi. 1; lxv. 14; !xvi. 2; Ps. xxxiv. 18; cxlvii. 2, 3). III. His FAITHFULNESS AND LOVE. He will not be angry with his peopie for ever (Pe. ciii. 9). The soul could not hold out in a prolonged contention with its Maker. 1ts power must fail; it must sink into destruction. "If we are God's chilu.ren, we are Ba.fe. We may suffer much and long. We may suffer so much, it may seem scarce poasible we should endure more. But he knows how much we cau bear, and will lighteu 362 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [ou. r..vn. 1-21,