HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 4.-Recompense. All earthly government presumes the ideas of responsibility and retribution. Human nature itself contains what may be regarded as their condi- tions and elements. The welfare, and indeed in certain stages the very existence, of society renders recompense a. necessity. What is true of human relations has truth also in reference to those that a.re Divine. The parallel, indeed, is not complete, but it is reel.: I. RECOMPENSE IMPLIES A FREE AND RESPONSIBLE NATURE ON THE PART OF MAN., There can he no recompense where there is no accountability; and there can be no' accountability where there is no intelligence, no freedom. Natura.I objects, Kant tells us, act according to laws; spiritual beings, according to representation of laws. Man is capable of apprehending e.nd approving moral ordinances prescribed for his guidance and control; he can recognize moral authority. And he is distinguished from unin- telligent and involuntary natures in that he can obey or disobey the laws which he apprehends. If this were not so, consequences might indeed ensue from action; but recompense would be an impossibility. II. RECOMPENSE PRESUMES THAT THERE 1B ON THE PART OF GoD NO INDIFFERENCE, BUT DEEP CONCERN, WITH REGARD TO MAN'S MORAL CHARACTER AND CONDUCT. If we think chiefly of lo.w, or uniformity of action, we cannot but remember that le.w does not account for itself; if we think of the Lawgiver, we are constrained to recognize purpose in all his proceedings and provisions. It cannot be imagined that the great Ruler of a.II inflicts suffering for any delight in seeing his creatures suffer, or even that he regards their sufferings with perfect indifference. There must he a governmental, a moral end to be secured. The Lawgiver and Judge has what, in the case of a man, we should call a deep interest in the condition and action of the children of men. III. RECOMPENSE IMPLIES THE POSSESSION BY THE SUPREME GOVERNOR OF THE ATTRIBUTES WHICH QUALIFY FOR THE EXERCISE OF JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS. None but an omniscient Ruler can be acquainted with all the secret springs of action, as well as with all the varied circumstances of !ife; yet without such knowledge, how can recompense be other than imperfect and uncertain? None but a perfectly impartial Ruler can administer justice which shall be undisputed and indisputable: who but 128 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [CH, VIL 1-27,
G0d is stainlessly and conspicuously just? All earthly retribution is open to suspicion for the simple reason that every human judge acts upon partial knowledO'e, and i~ liable to be influenced by prejudice. But as from the Divine tribunal there is no appeal, so with the Divine decisions can no fault be found. The Judge of all the earth will surely and in every case do right. IV. RECOMPE!':SE AS A PRACTICAL PRINCIPLE OPERATING IN HIS LIFE WAS EXEMPLI• FIED IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. The Old Testament has been written to little purpose for those who do not recognize the action of retributive Providence. the narrntive would be meaningless apart from this moral significance. 'rhe positio~ of Ezekiel compelled him to trace the hand of God in the life and fortunes of his nation. For the Captivity in the East was an unmistakable instance of God's judicial interposition. And if this was the most striking instance, others occur in abundance witnessing to the fact tha~ this earthly state is a scene of moral government, incomplete: indeed, yet not to be demed as real. V. RECOMPENSE IS A P:!lINCIPLE OF UNIVERSAL PREVALENCE IN Gon's ADMINISTRATION OF THE AFFAIRS OF MANKIND. Doubtless the history of the children of Israel is intended to teach, among other lessons, in a very especial manner, the lesson of Divine go,ernment and human responsibility. Not only is the story told, but its moral significance is expressly set forth. Yet the great principles which are explicit in Old Testament history are implied in all history-in the history of every nation which exists upon earth. Go where we may, we do not and cannot go beyond the sphere of Divine retribution. Everywhere "the way of transgressors is hard," and "the waO"es 0 of sin is death." VI. RECOMPE'SSE IS A PRINCIPLE OF THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT WHICH, WHEN ITS ENDS .rnE ANSWERED, ADMITS OF BEING TEMPERED WITH MERCY. It is observable that, in the prophetic writings, we find no unqualified denunciation. Threats of severe punishment are met with; but they are followed by offers of mercy and promises of pardon to aie penitent. The gates of hope are not closed upon the sinner. And if the most complete and glorious manifestation of God's character is to be found in the gospel of Christ, it must be remembered that, whilst that gospel was occasioned by man's ruin by sin and his liability to punishment, it was intended to secure man's salvation and deliverance "from the wrath to come."-T.
Ver. 16.-Mourning. This chapter has justly been termed rather a dirge than a prophecy. Whilst its language is in some respects special to the experience of the children of Israel, such represeI)tations as this may well be applied to all those who have forsaken God, and have turned ~very man to his own way. l. THERE IS AnUNDANT OCCASION FOB MOURNING ON THE PART OF THOSE WHO HAVE SINl,"ED AND WHO E1''"DUllE THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN. II. 1T IS O:'SLY A· NATURE IN SOME MEASURE SENSITIVE AND SUSCEPTIBLE OF BETTER FEELINQ wmcH IS CAPABLE OF MOURNING. How truly has it been said that "the worst of feeling is to feel all feeling die" I "They that lack time to mourn lack time to mend." Ill. MoUBNI:'SG FOB SIN 1B MINGLED WITH SELF-REPROACH AND HORROR. They who mourn because they have lost what was precious to them, especially because they havo been bereaved of such as they held dear, may mourn tranquilly and holily, and with a patient submission to the will of God. But they who "mourn, every one for his iniquity," cannot but feel conscience-stricken because of their personal participation in sin, and their persoml guilt for sin; they cannot but accuse themselves, and pass judgment, as it were, upon their O\Yil wrong-doing and folly. IY. SucH MOURNING IS AGGRAVATED BY THE NUMBER OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN IT. The prophet compares the conscience-stricken remnant, distressed and weeping because of their own and their nation's iniquities, to a flight of doves uttering their <loleful lamentations. It is no exceptional, singular case; multitudes are involved in tl,e common fate, the common trouble. 'l'he feeling is heightened by sympathy. "\Vhen all heads are bowed in confession, when the utterance of contrition rises from many aillicted hearts, when a contagion of sorrow and distress passes through a vast congregation of humble and penitent worshippers, each is the better able to realize hill o,1·u aud the common distress, and to unburdeu t.he over-la.den heart. on. vu. 1-27.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 129