The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 398

and scorned shall acknowledge its heavenly origin, and their lips shall utter the redeeming trut.h; their own hands shall build the walls of Zion. V. 'l'RE mooMING OF THE REMOTEST. (Vers. 6, 8, 9.) 1. Those most distant in space. They shall seek entrance who come from furthest latitudes, whose language, laws, customs, are most strange. 2. Those most distant in spirit-they who have been farthest from God, d11·clling in the thickest and grossest darkness with which the land has been covered (ver. 2). VI. LAYING ALL THINGS Ul\'l)ER TRIBUTE. Not only the glory of nature (ver. 13), but also the greatness of mankind (ver. 16); fairest and finest fruits of the field, and the proudest products of society, shall minister to its strength and promote its cause. VII. SPECIAL OO!s"TRIBUTIONS TO THE KINGDOM AND GLORY OF CHRIST. (Ver. 7.) As the flocks and herds of Kedar and Nabathea would add something, by their novelty and peculiarity, to the glories of the temple; eo will the especial characteristics of Christian converts, of the Englishman, of the Italian, of the Indian, of the Chinaman, etc., contribute to the glories of the Church : eo will "the imagination of .the East, the passion of the South, the vigour of the North, and the enterprise of the West," bring their own tribute to the glory of Christ. VIII. THE PREVALENCE OF PEACE. (Vers. 17, 18.) IX. THE REIGN OF RIGHTEOUSKESS. (Vers. 17, 21.) X. EVER-Els"LARGING PROSPERITY. (Vers. 17, 22.) The special lessons to be learnt from this description of the Church triumphant are : 1. That in all matters pertaining to the kingdom of God, it is his glory that should be sedulously kept in view. 2. That the Church of Christ must expect to prove an attractive power in the midst of encompassing evil. 3. That it must address itself to the restoration and acquisition of those that seem least lilcely to be gained. 4. That each co=unity should consider what is the particular contribution it can bring to adorn the doctrine and strengthen the cause of its Master. 5. That the Church should be incessantly active in its holy mission. 6. That it should take care that moral and spiritual excdlency marks it course as well as numerical growth and the brilliancy of its conquests. 7. That it must maintain the attitude of devout ewpectancy and holy gratitude, remembering that all it.s strength and hope are in "the Lord, its Saviour and its Redeemer."-O. Ver. 1.-The call to shine if we have light; or, the duty of doing as well as 'knowing. Our first response to God is the reception of bis light; but the second is the giving forth of that light. We read this truth and duty in its Christian phases, and urge it by the use of Christian persuasions. Our Lord made very much of the connection between knowing and doing, profession and practice. His disciples must be salt, that savours something or somebody; light, that shines forth on somebody. See the parables of the ten talents, the husbandmen, the sower and the seed, and the barren fig-tree. God always looks for firting signs and expressions wherever there is life. See the direct teachings of Christ. " He that heareth these sayiDgs of mine, and doeth them ; n "He that doeth the will ... the same is my brother;" "Yea, blessed are they that hear the Word, and do it." This union of doing with professing is necessary: 1. To satisfy us of the reality of our own piety. Illnstrate from the seed-if there ia life in it, that life will sho~ itself to the light. Men expect to see religion influencing conduct. We expect this_ mothers. Others expect it in us. They look for our shining if we profess to have received God's light. No excellence of creed can excuse unsubdued tempers, unrestrained habits, indifference to the welfare of others, and silence concerning what we have tasted and handled and felt of the Word of life. We must test ourselves if we would be assured of our own vitality. No breath, no life. No shining, no light. 2. To prove the truth of Christianity. It makes great pretensions. How shall it support and prove them? Only Ly living-examples. Experiment tests everything, and constantly fresh experi- ments are needed. After all argument and evidence are exhausted, we oug~t to be able to ~ay, "See what C'hristianity has done: the demon-possessed, the blind, the lame, the drunken, the strong-tempered, the selfish, are changed, and now they shine." Then, if we would offer to the men around us the best plea for Christianity, we ~ust just shine. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come." 3. To extend the work of the L1g~t- bm:.ger, the Redeemer. Christian living is the supreme persuasion. Men may reB1Bt CH, LX, 1-22.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 411