ways. 1. In pushing forward. God thus keeps his servants to the front. While he is with them he will allow of no cowardice or indolence. 2. In support. This hand of God is a helping hand, a holding hand, a supporting hand. God sustains those whom he sends. 3. In ,·estraint. While pushing his servants on in the right way, God is ready to hold them back fr0m peril, error, and ruin. 4. In uplifting. The servants of God may Elip and even fall. 'fhen they are not deserted. The s!l.me strong hand which sent them forth lifts them up and Rats them on their feet again. Thus the mighty ever-present God stands.by to help his feeblest servants and lead them on to victory. Ver. 15.-Silence. When Ezekiel came upon a settlement of captives he sat down with them in silent amazement for seven days. At the end of that time a Divine message roused him, and sent him forth on his mission. We have now to consider the lessons of the week of silence. They may be the more valuable for us because we seem to have lost the faculty of keeping quiet. The rush and roar of modern life have killed that ancient power, and its depth and spiritual range are lost to us. No doubt much of the superficiality and unreality of modern life may be traced to the habit of ceaseless chatter. It would be well if we could rediscover silence. Silence has many shades according to the varying circumstances in which it arises and the diverse moods in which it is cherished. Some of the characteristics of silence are illustrated in the case of Ezekiel. L THE SILENCE OF GRIEF. Ezekiel grieved to see the sorrowful state of his fellow- captives, and to think that it was his mission at first even to add to their distress by words of rebuke and warning. Like a true patriot, he found the troubles of his countrymen occasions of personal mourning. As a tender-hearted man, he could not fail to be pained at their moral shame and peril. Their grief silenced his voice. The greatest sorrow lies too deep for words. 'l'he widow of Tennyson's " warrior" was stricken into a fearful silence. Referring to a season of extreme trouble, David said, •• I was dumb with silence, I held my peace" (Ps. xxxix. 2). Thus terrible blows stun the sufferer. IL THE SILEXCE OF WONDER. The prophet was astonished. The fearful spectacle of his lrindred in distress overwhelmed him with amazement. A great surprise pro duces a shock of silence, by throwing us off the familiar lines of thought, so that wo know not what to think or say. It is fortunate for us that this is the case, or we might b!11I1der into some very rash expressions. We may well be silent before "the burden and the mystery of all this unintelligible world." IIL THE SILENCE OF SYMPATHY. Job's three friends "sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great" (Job ii. 13). In the deepest trouble the kindest words sound harsh. You cannot handle an open wound in the most tender manner without giving pain. A look of sympathy is more helpful than a speech of most choice phrases. To weep with those who weep is better than to preach to them. IV. THE SILENCE oF ANTICIPATION. Ezekiel has not received the message which he is to give to the captives. So he waits for it in silence. Having as yet no utterance to give, he is wise in keeping his lips closed. It has been truly remarked that we should not attempt to speak because we have to say something, but only because we have something to say. Macaulay delighted his companions by "flashes of silence " in the torrent of his conversation. It would be well if some of us kept longer silence, that when we did open our mouths some words of weight mi~ht come forth. It_ ~s good to understand the feeling of 'II Penseroso,' and to be able to welcome the "spmt of contemplation"- " Come, pensive nun, devout and pure, Sober, steadfast, and demure."
Ver. 17.-77ie watchman. (See on eh. xxxiii. 1-9.) Vers. 17-21.- Varieties of judgment. The duties o.nd responsibilities of the prophet o.s a watchman which are here first described, receive more elaborat.e attention later in the book, whe;e therefore they can be best studied. The other side of the subject- du. tu. 1-27.J 'l'HE BOO:K or 'rHE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 65