HOMILETICS. Ver. 3.-Evil parentage. The Jews boasted of their descent from Abral1am, but Ezekiel told them that they were children of the Canaanite aborigines of their land, because it was from those people that they drew their present character. I. ORIGINAL PARENTAGE MAY BE LOST. A man may inherit the throne of a great king, but if he has a mean and servile disposition, and inherits no kincrly nature, he is not a true son of his father. Titles and estates may pass from me; of high powers to imbeciles. The good name of a worthy Christian man may be borne by a worthless descendant. We cannot entail character. No man can be certain that his children will follow his example, however good and attractive that may be, and when it is not followed the true man is not represented by his children. Thus Christ would not permit his contemporaries to call themselves Abraham's children (John viii. 39-41). This does not mean tha.t he disputed their genealogical records. Apart from those prosaic tests of pure blood were the more serious signs of apostasy and disin- heritance. In like manner, it is possible to lose the status of Divine sonship, although by nature we are all God's children. It may even be surmised that Ezekiel had lost the recollection of the true origin of the Israelites, and had come to regard them as descendants of the Canaanites. II. A J>'"EW PARENTAGE MAY BE ACQUIRED. The Jews were not Amorites and Hittites by natural descent. But though on their entering Canaan there was an express under- standing that they were to drive out the inhabitants of the land and form no league with them, they failed in that enterprise, leaving many of the original inhabitants in their midst, from whom they contracted habits of idolatry. We are all more or less influenced by our surroundings, and it is therefore of great importance that we should not choose hurtful companions. But there is a way of resisting e. bad example when we cannot escape from its physical proximity. To yield to it is a sign of weakness and Bin. ']'he result is to make us spiritually the children of those we follow. 'fhe most vital iuheritance is that of character. Though the blood of Abraham flowed in the veins of the apostate Jews, the spirit of Amorites and Hittites had possession of their mindq and hearts. Therefore the chief part of tbeir lives was derived from the adopted anet'stors. A natural Christian parentage is of little account if a spiritual parentage of sin has been accepted by the degenerate children. liL THE EXCHANGE OF AN ORIGINAL WORTHY PARENTAGE FOil A NEW EVIL PARENTAGE 1s AN UNSPEAKABLE DISGRACE. Israel had been accustomed to despise the Canaanites. To have to own a father and mother among those effete subject-races was a shame for tl,e proud conquerors of Canaan. But a worse disgrace lay in the abandonment of the lofty spirit of the patriarchs and the adoption of the degraded character of the heathen. 1t is a shame when the children of Christian parents sink into the condition of children of this world. They know better; they have seen worthy examples; they have been trained under good influences; they have received high privileges. We expect the sow to wallow in the mir~, but when a person of higl,er ori;.':in follows her example ha d,,graJ.es himself far below the 8ham.,ful state of tile unclean anirnaL on. xvr. 1-G3.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 279
Vern. 9-13.-Tlze glory of redemplion. Under the similitude of a wretched chil<l cast off by its mother and picked up by a passer-by, Israel is shown to have been found by God in fl miserable condition nnd cared for and blessed by him. This idea may be carried further as a symbol of the redemption of the Church by Christ. I. Tim FIBBT OONDITION IS ONE OF POLLUTION AND NEGLECT. Israel was in a miser- able condition in Egypt when God had pity on his people. But the spiritual Rtate of souls in sin is more wretched and forlorn. 1. It is a condition of pollution. Sinners lie in the defilement of their own sinfulness, and their wretched plight is the direct consequence of their own moral corruption. 2. It is a condition of neglect. Until God interfered, Israel in Egypt w:is friendless. No kindred Semitic tribe cared or dared to rescue the nation of slaves, No being came to save the world before God made bare his arm. II. THE FIRST BTEP TO RECOVERY SPRINGS FROM THE PITY OF Goo. The good Samaritan is a type of our great Father. There is no beauty in sinful man to attract the attention of God. It is not our claim, but bis pity, that moves God to save the world. The love of Christ, not the worth of man, brought our redemption. Pity- commiseration for the wretched-lies at the root of the gospel. God is Jove, and there- fore be comes to the miserable in supreme compassion. ill. THE REDEMPTION BEGINS IN OLEANSING. Sin must be washed away before the soul can be received into the privileges of the family of God. Even this early process is preceded by God's adoption of the wretched castaway, and the cleansing is done by God himself. It is as when a miserable child of the street bas been taken by a charit- able person into his own home. 'fhe child cannot make itself clean. But the first act of the kind rescuer is to wash it. Christ cleanses from sin with bis own blood. IV. THE REDEMPTION IS CROWNED WITH SPLENDOUR. The poor wastling is not treated as a workhouse child or put to low drudgery. She is clothed in purest apparel and decked with rarest ornaments. So the prodigal is to wear the best robe and to have a ring on bis band. God does not save grudgingly or by halves. He does not content himself with plucking the brand from the burning. He gives royally of his best to the miserable sinners whom he has redeemed. The gospel promises glory as well as grace. V. THE RESCUE AND REDEMPTION ESTABLISH A NEW RELATION WITH Goo. Accord- ing to the richly illustrative picture of Ezekiel, when the poor abandoned infant is grown up, her rescuer makes her his bride. God is often regarded as the Husband of his people. But here the picture is not of God marrying any human soul, but of bis marrying the most abandoned. This illustrates his marvellous condescension. At the ~a.me time, it shows the supreme duty of fidelity to God on the part of the Church that has been rescued from so dire a fate and then raised to so great an honour.