J. THE OOUNBELLOBB OF' A NATION OWE THEIR POSITION AND mFLUENOE TO GIFTS AND ACQUIREMENTS F'OR WHIOH THEY ARE INDEBTED TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE. II. Suen POSITION AND INFLUENCE ARE NEOEBBARILY ACCOMPANIED BY GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY, HI. THE COUNSELLORS OF' A NATION ABUSE THEIR TRUST WHEN THEY SEEK TO DIRECT PUDLIO POLIOY BO AS TO BEOURE PERSONAL AND PRIVATE ENDS. That this is often dona no student of political philosophy and history, no observer of contemporary politics in any nation, can doubt. Men profess zeal for the public good, and upon such profession are exalted, by the favour of a prince or of the public, to positions of eminence and power. No sooner are they securely in office than they make use of their newly acquired power to gain some ends dear to their own interests, passions, or prejudices. Some by oppression or peculation amass great wealth; some find means to revenge themselves upon their enemies and rivals ; some seek to get into their own hands the reins of supreme power; some regard office as the opportunity for advancing their family or their friends to posts of consideration and emolument. In public such persons speak of patriotism, of popular rights, of disinterested devotion to the public good. But in reality they are always scheming to secure some advantage to themselves. So much is this the case in certain communities that among them the "politician" .is loathed and despised by all men of integrity and honour. IV. Ehl. COUNSELLORS ARE ACTUATED BY BASE MOTIVES. Politicians are sometimes in the pay of their country's enemies; they are sometimes the instruments of a despot who seeks to rob the people of their rights, and to establish a tyranny; they are some- times indifferent to their fellow-countrymen's sufferings, if only they themselves may profit by their nation's fall. Self is their rule, their impulse, their one consideration. What they do they do not as unto the Lord, but unto men. V. Evn. COUNSELLORS LEAD A COMMUNlTY Il!TO ERROR AND RUIN. The multitude ever follows the guidance of the few. The uninstructed and ill-informed are at the mercy of their superiors. Old Testament history abounds with instances of misleading by unprincipled rulers. It is mentioned to the condemnation of one and another of tbe kings that they "caused Israel to sin." And what was true of the "chosen nation" is true of every people; at some epoch or other the pride, the vanity, the ambition, the meanness, or the selfish sloth of those in authority has led the nations into some course of in Fatuated folly, and the people have suffered for the offences of their leaders. 1
VJ. RETRIBUTION WILL SURELY OVERTAKE BUCH AB BY WICKED COUNSEL LEAD THE PEOPLE ASTRAY. The time must come when the secret purposes of wicked rulers will be brought to light and exposed. Some are hurled by the indignation of the people from the lofty position to which they have been allowed to climb. Some retain thrir position whilst they live, but their memory is accursed. But of all we are assur6d upon the highest authority that they shall be brought into judgment, and that their deeds shall not be unpunished.-T.
Ver. 3.-Judgment deferred. The evil counsellors of Jerusalem did their worst to counteract the effect of the message which the Lord's prophets were commissioned to communicate. Thus it came to pass that the inhabitants of the city were encouraged to neglect the obvious duties of repentance and supplication; and, when the time of judgment came, were found unprepn.red. The means by which the devisers of mischief brought about this result are described in this passage. They induced the citizens to believe that, if the threatened judgment were ever to come, it would not be yet, not probably in their time; and encouraged the citizens to build houses, and to live as if no catastrophe were about to befall them. If the ruin of Jerusalem were appointed, at all events that ruin was "not near." I. Trm WAY IN WHICH SINNERS TREAT THE THREATS OF Goo's AUTHORIZED MINISTERS. 1. It is often the bounden duty of faithful messengers of God to foretell the approach of chastisement and judgmcnt. A painful duty it always is; and it is to be Jen.red that on this account many shrink from discharging it. Even the tender a~~ gracious Jesus now and again denounced the sins of the self-righteous and hypo- cnt1cal, and warned such that condemnn.tion awaited them. No one can carry out the office of a minister of righteousness who does not remind the unbelieving and impeni- tent that "the Wl\ges of sin is dcl\th.". 2. It is observable that such admonitions are_ 198 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [en. xr.1-20.