observed fact. Let us see how it is caused. 1. As wn attempt to ea:cuse the sinner. Thie, of course, is the moat obvious and palpable reason why many people try to minimize their own sin. The prisoner pleads" Not guilty" simply to save himseli. 'l'he same is done even before the private bar of a man's own conscience; for we wish to excuse ourselves to ourselves. Thus there may be no cor 3Cious deception, no hypocrisy. We may really persuade ourselves that we are not so baJ as we seem to be. The wish is father to the thought. 2. By the force of habit. We grow accustomed to the worst companions if we are much with them, as we scarcely notice the ugliness of what is constantly with ue, though strangers would be struck with their first sight of it. So while we become familiar with our sins, their supreme and most dreadful wickedness ceases to affect us, as the fearful sight of mutilated bodies ceases to affect hospital surgeons. The horror dies out of the aspect of wickedness, and a look of familiarity takes its place. 3. Through the influence of example. If a man stood alone in his sin, he would be appalled at the singular horror of it. But he sees it reflected in the lives of his neighbours, and, judging himself by the average standard of society, instead of taking the Law of God for his measure, he passes an easy sentence. 4. In the deadening of conscience. This is the worst and the most dangerous effect of sin. The sense for perceiving its •guilt is blunted, Until conscience is reawakened by the Spirit of God, no man truly appreciates his own guilt. II. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR Goo TO MAKE LIGHT OF BIN. 1. He sees it as it truly is. God is not deceived by our excuses, He sees into the true nature of our thought and conduct with an all-searching eye, and he is perfectly true and just to judge according to fact. 2. God measures it by the law of holiness. He knows our weakness, our ignorance, our temptation; and he does not judge men as he would judge angels-of that we may be sure; for" shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" But accord- ing as we have light he will estimate our conduct, measuring it against that light, and not against the darkness of our neighbours. God cannot endure iniquity. In his sight it is hideous and hateful and utterly deserving of condemnation. Let us remember that we shall not be judged by man's standards of conventionality, but by God's pure law of righteousness. 3. J/ God forgives sin, he does not make light of it. Forgiveness is not excusing evil. It recognizes the whole black guilt of it. Jesus who brought free forgiveness denounced sin itself as no stem Hebrew prophet had ventured to denounce it. In pardoning the penitent he carefully noted that her sins were "many" (Luke vii. 47). The publican is commended for his humiliation in the confession of sin (Luke xviii. 13). We can only judge of God's horror of sin by the darkness and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary. God forgives sin at the cost of his own Son. The great atonement of Christ was rendered necessary because God could not make light of sin, though he desired to save the sinner. We can be saved from our sin, not by making light of it, but when we fully confess its whole guilt and shame.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 4, 5.-The glory of God and the image of jealousy. In prophetic vision Ezekiel was transported from the place of exile to his country's metropolis, and to the temple which was the very centre of his people's religious observances. It may not be certain whether what in this vision he discerned actually took place, or whether the vision was representative and symbolical of what was occurring elsewhere in Judah and even in Jerusalem. But what an extraordinary juxtaposition and contrast is that described in thes., vr,rses 1 One observer in one spot is brought face to face both with the splendour of the Divine manifestation and with the horror of idolatrous rites! I. THE GLORY OF THE Goo OF ISRAEL. The prophet beheld an appearance of splendour, such as he had previously beheld in the plain, and had described in an earlier passage of his prophecies. 1. This appearance was emble~atical of the Divine attributes· alike of God's power to punish and to save, and of his moral excellences, justice and truth, mercy and love. 2. This appearance was peculiarly suitable to the place where it was discerned: the temple of Jehovah W881his dwelling-place, and the scene of his peculiar presence, who giveth not his glory to another. 3. 'l'his appear- ance was a reminder that for the Jewish people there was one, and only one, proper Object of adoration and worship. 152 TIIE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [err. vm. l-18.
II. TrrE IDOLATROUS IMAGE. 1. This was doubtless a figure of one of the false gods worshipped by one of the nations in the neighbourhood of Palestine, by whom Judah had been corrupted and seduced. Wh~ch of the ~everal idols ~as _at that time worshipped by the Jews we are not told; and, m<leed, this does not s1gmfy. 2. Whatever this imaginary deity may ha'<'e hem, it is certain that the attributes assigned to it were opposed to those belonging to Jehovah. Cruelty and impurity were certainly qualities attributed to this false god. 3. Thus moral degradation was involved in the worship of this image; degradation all the more signal because the Jews forsook a God of righteousness and clemency, and fashioned or accepted an imaginary deity embodying their own worst faults and vices. III. THE Th"DIGNATION WITH WRICH JEHOVAH REGARDED JUDAH's PREFERENCE. The image was an" image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy." The reasons why the idol should be so designated, why such should be the way in which it was regarded, are obnous enough. 1. Jehovah had enjoined upon the posterity of Abraham abstinence from the idolatries from which the great forefather of the chosen people had been delivered. Monotheism was the very stamp and seal of their election. 2. The very first and second commandments of the first table of the moral Law prohibited idolatry. 3. The history of Israel had been one long rebuke of idolatry, and one long warning against falling into this seductive snare. 4. The ordinances and institutions of the nation were expressly designed to act as a check and dissuasive against the sin of the surrounding and heathen nations. APPLICATION. Apostasy from the service of the one living and true God is rendered inexcusable, and is worthy of severe condemnation, when, as in the case of Judah, and in wr case, light is clear, privileges are many, and opportunities and inducements abound to be faithful and diligent in the practice of pure religion.-T.