honourable and faithful. He was known t.o be a devout man, a man of prayer. What other explanation, therefore, could men put upon his earnest, heart-stirring appeals than that God spake by him? If his reproof of sin was true, then God spake throuo-h l1im. If he made known the might and righteousness of Jehovah, Jehovah spake through him. If his purpose was to deter from sin and induce repentance, it was evident to every honest mind that it was true, as Ezekiel said, "I the Lord have spoken it I" II. THE PARTIOULARIZATION OF COMING JUDGMENTS PROVED THAT THE MESSENGER SPAKE IN Goo's NAME. 'fhe retribution was not announced in vague, general terms. '.!.'here was revealed a wise discrimination in dealing out judgment to wrong-doers. "A third part shall die with the pestilence;" "A third part shall fall by the sword;" "I will scatter a third part iato all the winds." Severe as the threatening was, there was nothing improbable or unnatural in it. Pestilence was a common disaster, and if a hundred families, now and again, were carried off by its virulence, why may not a third of the nation? So with famine; so with the sword. In a time of severe drought, famine and pestilence often went hand-in-hand. The flower of the nation being destroyed, some martial neighbour would gladly seize the opportunity for inva- sion. Resistance would end in terrible defeat; and, for the residue, banishment was decreed. Both man and nature are the servants of God; often are they combined to execute his will. If we escape one minister of vengeance, it is only to be overtaken by another. III. THE REVEALED PURPOSE OF THE RETRIBUTION WAS TO SATISFY Goo's RJGHTEOUS- NESS. "Then shall mine anger be comforted." God accommodates himself, iu his speech, to the manners of men. There can be no rest for him so long as guilt stalks abroad unpunished. '.!.'here is disturbance in his moral universe. There is pain in every loyal angel's breast. Fallen spirits are encouraged in their rebellion. The moral force of law is weakened. His own veracity is at stake while sin is unpunished. Therefore, to maintain the interests of universal justice, to maintain in tranquillity his own throne, to uphold order everywhere, sin must be stamped out. There is disease in the system, and no rest can be enjoyed until health be restored. The principles and attributes of God's nature can only then settle into complete harmony wheu sin is chastised. IV. THE EVIDENT INTENTION OF THE REMONSTRANCE PROVED THAT IT WAS FROM Goo. "I the Lord have spoken it." No sane mind could doubt that the motive of such repeated remonstrance was love-wise and far-reaching love. The ancient Greeks had a proverb, "The gods have feet of wool." They were supposed to overtake men noiselessly and without warning. Not so Jehovah. In his most severe retribu- tions kindness is yet manifest. Faithful expostulation and tearful warning precede final destruction. The good of his creatures is a. superlative motive in his bosom-a. motive that reigns side by side with the maintenance of law. If the good of the sinner himself be hopeless, then the good of others is sought. These earnest pleadings with men declare most emphatically his condescension, his patience, his self-sacrificing love. This is not after the manner of men. If offenders against God would ouly reflect, they would confess that such remonstrance was a. remonstrance of eternal Love -the counsel of the living God.-D.
Vars. 1-4.-The sword of the Divine ;'udgment. " And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor," etc. In this paragraph the prophet repre- sents both Jehovah and the people. In taking the sharp sword he represents the former; and in having his hair shaved off, the latter. Notice- I. 'l'HE EXERCISE OF THE DIVINE JUDGMENT. "And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp sword, as a barber's razor thou shalt take it, and cause it to pass upon thy head and upon thy beard." Here is a picture of the judgment of God upon his sinful people (cf. Deut. xxxii. 41, "If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold ou judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me"). When God's will has long been set at nought by any people, and his forbearance has long been exercised towards them, and they still persist in rebellion against him, he will a.rise to the exercise of judgment upon them. There are stern aspects of the Divine character, which we a.re sometimes in danger of overlooking. EZEKIEL, Ii 98 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [OH, V, 1-17,