in.:rease them by malting us conscious of them. It opens our eyes to our own conclition. The very light may serve to reveal the existence of the cleep mystery all around us which was not felt while the soul slumbered in darkness. Yet the light does not mak; the darkness that fringes its radiance. Revelation does not create the bnrclens of which it makes us conscious. It has rather the opposite effect. 1. All truth clears away some of the burden of superstition. Men people the unknown with horrors. Miclnight shadows shroud dread nightmares. Daylight dispels the shadows, and the evil dreams melt away. 2. Divine truth is expressly designed to liberate the soul from spiritual burdens. It is a light of blessing, not a message of death; an evangel promising consolation to the weary. Even the darker elements of truth have this object to attain, since the evil that they reveal is only made manifest that we may see how to escape it, or be prepared to endure it, or receive it so as to profit by it. On the whole and in the end the truth of God is revealed for the loosening of the weary weight of men's greatest burdens, the burden of unforgiven sin, the burden of impos- sible duty, the burden of unendurable sorrow, the burden of unintelligible mystery, !I. MEN WHO DO NOT RECEIVE 'l'HE REVELATION OF TRUTH MAY REGARD I'l' All A BURDEN. Thus these Jews derided Jeremiah by mocking his language with words, however, which expressed their own sentiments if not their deeper convictions. To them his word was a weariness, a very burden. Is it not so regarded by many? ·we should nc,te the causes of this sad mistake. 1. Ignorance. The word is heard, but it is not understood. On the outside it is harsh. This is the characteristic of much Divino truth. Far off it sounds like grating thunder, terrific and repellant. We must be near to hear its sweet but hidden music. 2. Want of sympathy. All truth is burdensome to those who have uot sympathy with it. Spiritual truth is a weariness to the unspiritual. 3. Parti,,l faith. Jeremiah's words produced enough conviction to rouse fear, but not enough to lead to confidence in the wisdom, righteousness, at:d goodness of God in his acts of discipline and chastisement. A weak faith always makes truth a burden. To be joyous and exultant we must be trustful. III. 'l'HE REJECTION OF TRUTH WILL BRING A BURDEN. The revelation is not a burden, but the neglect of it will make one (ver. 36). Men tum from God's truth for the trouble they think it thret\tens. 'l'hey will find that this very act will bring the greatest trouble upon their heads. 1. 'l'his involves the loss of the blessing that truth is designed to bestow upon us. If we reject the truth we must bear tho inevitable which the acceptance of it woul<l have lightened. We then go 011r own way to meet unaided the crosses and toils of life. 2. 'l'his in vulves the addition of a new burden of guilt for the sin of rejecting truth. A wilful rejection of light is, of courso, wicked and most culpable in the sight of God. It mnst bring trouble,
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1--4.-False shepherds and the true. The reference hero is to the kings or tho house of D,wid, as tho leaders of a theocratic people; an<l secondarily, to the spiritual purpose of nll true kingship. • I. 'l'HE MISCHIEF OF FALSE BHEPHERDIIIG. This is twofold, viz. scattcrin~ nnd destroying. 'l'be false shepherd bas no real interest in the sheep; being but a ~iroliag, his chief consideration is a selfish one. The kings of J udo.h ha<l sought to rcahzc then· own ambitions and to indul"e their own lusts. 'l'he moral and spiritual advancement of the people-the foundation of all real mnterial prosperity-was not sought. Thti royal example which ought to have been influential for rightcousllcss was directly opposed to this, and all classes of the people were infected with the licentiousness of prince and noble. The results appeared in crime, idolatry, and banishment. II. !Ts JUDGMENT. 'l'he calamity was to come chiefly upon those who hntl been unfaithful stewnrds of great responsibilities. Office which is thus abused will soon be ta.ken away. According t, responsibility will be punishment. He who causes to offend is worse than the offender, and will meet with corresponding severity of ju<lgment. ~.l'he nation outlives the dynasty. Unfaithful shepherds of the theocracy siuk in ignominy and ruin, but God preserves a scc<l to serve him, aml n generation to call him blessed, THE DOOK OF 'l'ITE PROPHET JERE:MIAU. [on. xxm. 1-40.