Ver. 13.-Sin a tyrannous and exhaustive service. L THAT WHICH WAS AT FIBST A "REE CHOICE WILL IN TIME BECOME A COMPULSORY SERVICE, 'fhe waywardness anrl capricious eclecticism of the idolatrous Jews was to be sternly visited upon thew. They had toyed and compromised with idols; soon it would be discovered that that dalliance could not be prolonged. 1. Jehovah will not continue to accept a half-hearted service. It was only his forbearance thnt had suffered it so long. Whilst it might appear possible that Judah would repent, the imperfection of its service was overlooked; but wLen that imperfection seemed likely to be stereotyped, or when it was increasing with the growlh of idolatrous practices, it was no longer to be endured. .A mixed worship is dishonouring to God. He refuses to accept half a heart. It is impossible to serve him aright with divided attention and interest. Permission to worship and know him even in part is a privilege which may be withdrawn. The" idolater" would not always be able to walk on the heights of critical spiritual eclecticism. The time would come when what he thought so irksome would be taken away. God would send upon him "strong delusion to believe a lie." .And this is rather to be looked upon as a repudiation of Judah by God than as a departur~ from Jehovah permitted by him to his own hurt. Spiritual power and hallowed circumstance would alike.be for- feited, and God would cast off the idolaters. For: 2. Sinful tendency, when let alone, confirms and JJlrengthens itself. Daily contact with the obligations and influence of the Law and the temple was a real benefit to the Israelites. It kept them from settling down utterly into idolatrous habits. '!'hat religious obs13rvance which is so wearisome to the sinner is his safeguard; it keeps him from complete abandonment to the inner depravity of his nature. He is alarmed, warned, disturbed, whenever he is inclined to more than ordinary licence; and even bis ordinary lax and sinful life is constantly judged and corrected by the truth which he hears. 'l'he Spirit of God continue8 to plead and wrestle with him, and although he does not wholly yield himself to its influence, he is preventad from wandering quite beyond recall. Ilnt let thi,g restraining influence of grace once be withdrawn, the natural impulse to evil, all unchecked, will begin to develop and gradually overmaste_r the entire nature. 'l'hiM is the explanation of many a life that seems to linger long upon the debatable line between duty and sinful inclination-it is the Spirit of God that has not ceased to strive with it, and not the mere power of the man over his own desires and habits. 3. The circumstance, and opportunities of Divine worship, if persistently neglected anrl ~bused, will be withdrawn. Palestine under the theocracy waij a breathing-space for the spiritual aepiratioll8 of man. It was a school of purest affection ond the most exalted righleousness. Divine power outside of, and also workin1t within, Israel had 4cfond13d i~ a,;:iinst tpe tpost ireµi~odoqs inv~ding forc9s, l,et th11t powl)r ue wi~h- cli. s.v1. 1-21.1 'l'HE BOOk OE' TI-IB PROPHET JEllE~lIAit. 405
drawn, tho possibility of every man worshipping God under his own vine and fig tree would be taken away. The Jews would be overpowered by the laws and customs of the idolatrous nations amongst whom they would be dispersed. How much do we owe to the political, social, and personal influences that make for ri 6hteousness around us I How slowlv and at what infinite cost have they been acquired! And they depeilll upon uncea•ing effort for their support and advancement. Civilization is the product of long, manifold, and harmonious effort and growth. It is a gossamer fabric which a day might destroy. Yet is H bat an outwork and coarse expression of religion. The latter is the b.eath and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Let that breath be withdrawn, and it ceases to live; and its most characteristic and essential institutions gradually become obsolete and sink into a mockery and a snare. We shall probably never know how much we o ,ve to the n1ere circumstance of religion that surrounds us. Freedom to worship God, encouragement to obey him, and sustaining power to give effect to our spiritual desires, 'lll result from the favourable position in which we are placed. Let us, therefore, seek to foster the institutions and increase tbe social and political influence of Chris ianity in the world. Without its presence amongst men, and the hallowed institutions, customs, and observances that embody its spirit, we should find it infinitely more d fficult to serve God with conscientious and honest service. II. THIS SERVICE WILL AFFORD NO REAL SATISFACTION OB PEACE. The exhaustive and absorbing devotion which idolatry entails is not the sign of spontaneous enthu- siasm. It arises from the nature of the idols, as senseless, helpless blocks. They, indeed, must cry lotdly who would be heard by such gods. In proportion as ritual i~ more laborious than righteousness, so is idolatry more exacting than true religion. But "tho idol is nothing," only tho representative of the lusts and ignorance of its wor- shippers. It is in reality the latter that receive and demand the service. All sin is idolatry in some form or other, and will prove as exacting of the attention and labour of the sinner. Who is not willing to admit that sin is a hard taskmaster? And yet, what arc its rewards? The poor soul, hurried and driven by its own overmastering lusts and passions, has no rest, and no solid residuum of comfort is secured; nay, rather a sense of deepening gloom, indefinite, unquenchable craving, and a forebodiug of the final wrath of him whom it has insulted and disobeyed. To the victims of wicked habit, etc., as to the devotees of a false religion, tho words of Christ are addressed, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden," etc,-M.