III. FOR ALL THESE THINGS MEN WILL DE DROUGHT IN'l'O JODGMENT, 'l'he I\S6Uf• ance is very terrible: "I will yet plead with" (i.e. reckon with or plead against) "you, .. , and with your children's children will I plead." This is the same Jehovah who "keepeth mercy for thousands," but "visitcth the iniquity of the fathers upon the children." There is e. solidarity in Israel, Christendom, and the race, which will be brought to light in that day. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," and to bear our offences in the company of transgressors and the universal con- nection of the world's sin. " Ilut as in Adam all have died, so in Christ shaU 11ll be made alive." Jesus is set forth as the Road and Representative of the humanity he redeems. Let us seek oneness with him through faith.-M. Vers. 10-13.-The marvel, of unbelief. A magnificent apostrophe. Y:et this is no mere rhetoric. There is a terrible reality in the phenomenon to which attention is directed. Chittim, the general name of the islands and coast of the eastern Mediter- ranean, stands for the extreme west; and Kedar, the general name of tlie Arabs.of the desert for the extreme east of the "world," with which the prophet and his hearers were familiar. Our "from China to Peru" would represent its meaning to us. I. THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT MAKE IT MARVELLOUS. The people.t~ems!llves were but dimly conscious of the strangeness of their apostasy. The pro_phe.~ seeks_ to rouse their better nature by the most striking comparisons and illustrations. 1. He com- pares it with the general fixedness ef heathen systems. A tendency to subdivide and stereotype life in the family, society, and the state is shown by idolatry. Idolatries reflect and pamper human desires and ideas, and enter into the whole constitution of the people. They undermine the moral life and spiritual strength, and flourish upon the decay they have made. Their victims are helpless because they are moribund or dead. The words of Isaiah are justified in such a case; "from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it," etc. This is the.reason of the perpetuation of error and superstition; but the fact is there all the same, and it is in striking contrast to the vacillation and apostasy of God's people. That which only appears to be good is clung to with reverence and tenacity from age to age. That which is acknowledged to be best, and in part realized to be so, is cast aside repeatedly. 2. Look too at the character ef him who is forsaken. He has already told them a little e,f God's doings (vers. 5-7). Now it is sufficient to describe him as the "Glory" of Israel. The hea,vens, which look at everything all tbe world over, are to wonder and to be horror-struck at this unheard-of ingratitude and folly. 3. Disadvantage and dissatisfaction must evidently result. The action of the apostate is twofold-negative and positive. Describe, the figure. How great the labour of worldliness; and its disappointment! II. How SUCH CONDUCT CAN DE ACCOUNTED FOR. If it were the result of genuine and honest experience, it might be fatal to the claims of Jehovah.. But it is explained by: 1. The inft11,ence of the near and sensible. The physical side of our nature is more developed than the spiritual. Our need appeals to us first 11nd most strongly on that side. Abraham, who pleaded for Sodom, lied for Sarah. Jacob,_the dreamer of Bethel, is the craven at Penuel. How unaccountable the yielding of the man of Uod to the false prophet (1 Kings xiii.)! After David's signal escapes and deliverances, he yet said in his heart, " I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. _There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of_ the Philistines." Elijah, after all his miracles and testimonies, sighs out, "Let me die." Peter, upon whose witness Christ was to found his Church, is addressed as he is ready to sink at the vessel's side, "0 thou of little fa1th, wherefore didst thou doubt_?" Paul, who had withstood them "that seemed to be pillars," quails beneath the "tbom in the flesh." 2. The demands made by true religion. Self has to be denied. The whole carnal life is condemned. Diligence is insisted upon. We have to "pray without ceasing," to labour and not faint. We have to "press toward the mark for the prize." Patienca is demanded, and the Christian profession commits us to indrfinite sacrifi.ce.-M. Ver. 18.-Tlie unreasonableness of appealing to worldly assistance in spiritual enter- prises. This was the tendency oflsrael when her faith grew weak. It is ~hown even now by those who trust to the arm of flesh, and who seek worldly alliances for the Church, We ought to be deterred from this when we consider- u11. II, 1-37.J 'l'llE BOOK OF 'I.'llE l'ltOPilET JEREMIAH.
J. 'J.'HE OPPOSITION OF TH.E CHARACTER AND AIMS OP THE WORLD TO THOSE OF l!PlRITUAL REl,IGlON, JI. THE UNRELIADLENEBS OF THE WORLDLY, III, THE DISHONOOB AND SPIRITUAL PERIL OF SUCII ALLIANCEs,-M, Ver. 19,....,..God's method of pwnishing apostasy. I. ITS OWN SIN IS TO FIND IT OUT. II, THAT THE TRUE CHARACTER OF ITS ACTIONS AND TIIB DITTER FRUITS OF ITS sr:,; MAY Al'PEAR,-M,
Vers. 26-28.-The shameless shame '?I idolatry, I. lTs DEGRADING INFLUENCE. It violates all morality. Is repeatedly affronted by the discoveries which are made of its wickedness and folly. It affects the whole nation from the highest and the best, Tbe reason is debased and set at nought. II. CALAMITY IS THE TEST OF ITS PRETENSIONS, Whilst things go well with the i<l,olater he forgets God or consciously dishonours him. But when he is overtaken with the consequences of his evil deeds he is not ashamed to call upon God. The unreason- ableness and inconsistency of this conduct are no barrier to it. Beneath the unbelid and worldliness of men there is a tacit belief in the goodness and power of God. Jn prosperity they are idolaters, in adversity they find their way back to the Go<l they had despised. This is the universal and permanent inconsistency of the world life.-l\l.