HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers, 4-1.-~postasy an anomalous and incalculable thing. I. THE ANALOGIES OJ' COMMON BENSE AND INSTINCT ABE ll'ALSIFIED. (Vers. 4-6.) If a man fall, he will rise again to bis feet; if he has made a mistake or gone in a wrong direction, an<l discovers it, he will turn again, unless he be absolutely bereft of his senses. One might expect similar behaviour in spiritual matters. But in the wickedness and defection of lsrael it was not so; their apostasy seemed perpetual. The migratory birds are tauaht by \n~tinct when to return. The season of their coming again is almost as calcul:ble as '.h~t of their going. But the departure of the sinner is incomprehensible, and his return cannot with certainty be expected. Nay, the likelihood is he will continue in his sin, and pursue his own destruction to the bitter end. In this, as in many other instances, the career of the sinner can only be explained on the score of infatuation. His moral sense is perverted or destroyed. In place of that quick response- which conscience ought to make to the voice of duty, there comes over his spirit a.n insensibility to moral considerations, and a growing ignore.nee of things Divine gradually deepening into outer darkness. II. IT IS UNMOVED BY THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT OUGHT TO AFFECT IT. (Ver. 5.) The growing misery and unhappiness which it occasions arc not strong enough to check the tendency to sin, if indeed their connection with it is clearly perceived or acknow- ledged. The cravings of the spiritual nature have to give place to" the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." By-and-by they are stilled, not by being satisfied, but by being stifled; and a curious heedlessness, which is deaf to all the voices of prophetic warning and entreaty, increasingly characterizes it. Under such circum- stances it is difficult to discover any common point of contact or argument that shall be valid to both parties. When reason is left behind, it is not to higher, but to lower, susceptibilities that appeal has to be made. Ill. THE CONCERN, THE 0LAIMB, AND THE GRACIOUS PROVISION OF Goo .AilE AS NOTHING. (Ver. G.) 'l'he saint in the times of his calamity calls upor, Gvd to incline his ear. In the fearful condition and moml insensibility of his people to their wickedness and danger God is represented as of himself inclining his ear ar.d listening 11ttentively for the lightest sigh of repentance. He calls, but no notice is taken. 'l'he means of salva- tion he has provided are neglected or abused. The form of godliness is cultivated when the spirit has fled and the exercises of religion are the chief foes to its reality. What can be the conclusion to all this? They are spiritually dead. Thero is neither power nor inclination to seek for better things. Nothing but supernaturo.l grace and long- suffering love can avail to save them.-M. Vers. 8-12.-" Peace, peace; when there is no peace." Tho present condition of the country, the evils that lowered upon the horizon,-these alike bore their message even to the natural conscience. If Israel was in the right way, and really understood the will of the Lord to do it, why these scandals, miseries, and impending ,1Vi]s? Again, the better to reach the perception of those who were thus unable to draw the inference for themselves, the condemnation was to be in kind-a sort of elementary lesson in the "correspondences" that marked the_ Divine govern1!1ent of the world was to be ~cad ~o them. The scribe who had prophesied" smooth thrngs" would be confronted with his own writinas and compelled to eat his own words. I. DIVINE ILLUMINATION ALONE CAN GIVE TRUE UNDERST.ANDING OF Goo's Wonv 222 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [oH. vw. 1-22.
The pries~ nnd scribes, because of familiarity with holy things, claimed to be wise. They were satisfied with the spiritual state of Israel. Had they been wise, they would have anticipated what took place. 'l'he Holy Spirit alone bestows Divine insight and foresight. IJ. THE DESPISERS OF DIVINE TRUTH, AND THOSE WHO FALSELY PRETEND TO ITS CUSTODY, WILL BE PUT TO SHAME. "Refuges of lies" will be swept away. The judg- men t., when it comes, will find them wholly un~repared and helpless. "Take heed thd.t ihe light that is in thee be not darkness.' "Blind leaders of the blind," the sorrowing comes to them in vain for comfort, or is deceived to his own hurt; at last the victim of a misplaced confidence, to find himself "of all men most miserable." The sinner meets with no true correction or instruction; and in his desperation he receives from them no help. Their judgment is that they will share the fate of their victims and dupes.-M.