received?" Every endowment of mind, every organ of body, every item of materiai substance, belongs to God by right inalienable. 'l'hey are bis by right of creation, by right of sustentation, by right of purchase. They are "redeemed by precious blood." Every coin of silver or of gold bas God's image impressed on it. To use any such treasure in the service of idols is basest sacrilege, is wanton felony. 3. Foul murder. " Thou hast slain my children." Idolatry of every sort is cruel in its spirit and desolating in its effects. Religion is the truest philanthropy. In proportion as we love God we love our children, love our fellow-men. Idolatry reverses all the machinery of human nature and poisons all its springs of affection, It changes life to death. 4. Utter shamele.ssne8s. "Thou hast made thee a high place in every street." Every eminence, yea, every shady grove, they had consecrated to some stupid idol. Not content to have a whorish heart, Israel had a whore's forehead. She did not blush for her sin. Worse, she gloried in her depravities. Stupor of conscience is a foul branch in this upas tree. III. 'l'HE FRUITS OF THIS SIN. 1. Unprofitableness. "Thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee." As a rule, men yield to sin because they think it will bring them some temporary advantage. But idolatry brings no gain. It is imbecile to expect: any boon from a senseless idol. It is expenditure with no return ; hard ploughing and no reaping. 2. Discontent. "Thou couldst not be satisfied." The more gods they had, the more they wanted. Idolatry excites desire; it does not appease the craving. ' Discontent is incipient hell. 3. Famine. "I have diminished thine ordinary food." God tried lesser chastisements before he employed the greater. A good physician will ' cut off a limb if thereby he can save a life. If the people had had a ray of li5ht in. their understanding, they would have discovered that Jehovah alone had the power to bestow good or to inflict evil. 4. Thraldom. " I have delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee." Here is the culmination of disgrace and sorrow and ruin. To; fall into the power of a malicious foe is slavery, which sends its fetters into the soul. Better death than this; for this is perpetual crucifixion. Under this brand of righteous indignation the land of Israel still continues.-D. Vers. 35--43.-Judicial verdict. It is a great kindness done by any one if he disclose to us the real nature of our sin. Light from any quarter should be welcomed_ To demonstrate to the Hebrews that their idolatry was the worst form of adultery: was an act of condescension on the part of God. By their own state law they knew , that this sin incurred the penalty of death. With all the circumstance of judicial\ solemnity, the Supreme Judge summons the attention of the culprit : "0 harlot, bear the word of the Lord! " I. THE JUDICIAL BUMMING-UP. 'l'he accusations against Israel were twofold. I. Conjugal infidelity. The covenant made between Jehovah and Israel-the covenant; more sacred than between bridegroom and bride-had been wantonly broken. Of this , proof was furnished in abundance. It was openly displayed. Shameless publicity marked the deed, 2. Murder of children, The children created by God, and on whom he had set peculiar affection, were cruelly sacrificed unto the insatiable idols. It was murder of the worst sort-murder of innocent and helpless victims. No language of man could exaggerate or over-colour the crime. II. THE RIGHTEOUS SE:t-."TENCE, "I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and that shed blood are judged." 1. The criminal is condemned to public shame. She had openly boasted of her sin; she shall be openly exposed. She shall be made a. spectacle to the world. Care shall be taken to bring her companions and paramours to the sight. The most secret intrigue shall be sot in the clear light of day. Friends and foes alike shall witness the disgrace. 2. Forfeiture qf all possessions. " They shall take thy fair jewels." All the instruments of sin shall be sequestered. The illicit gains of iniquity soon turn to loss. "The wages of sin is death." 3. Summary death. "'l'hev shall stone thee with stones." This was the penalty assigned to adultery in the Jewish code. '!'his was the penalty for an individual culprit. But for a. community, the punishment ordained was the sword. Therefore it is added, "They shall thrust thee through with their swords." In God's world neither adultery n.or idolatry shall long be tolerated. 4. It was an equitable recompense. "I will recompense thy way upon thy head." 'l'he entire punishment proceeded in the most natural way; ay, it proceeded in the way of nature. No strange portent appeared in heaven or earth. 292 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [oR. xvr. 1-63.
To the carnal eye no hand nor sword of God was manifest; yet full execution of the sentence was done. As at the creation every plant had the latent power to propagate itself, equally e'\"ery sin carries in itself suitable and adequate punishment. Death is only ripe sin. 6. It was a sati'.sfaction to eternal i·ighteousness. "I will be quiet and will be no more angry." 'l'he righteousness of God is a force of tremendous energy and can only be quieted by adequate repentance or adequate retribution. As the sea c;nnot be calm while a tempest of wind sweeps over its surface, no more can the justice of God be complacent while sin is rampant. But when sin is atoned for, there is pro• foundest peace-an eternal calm.-D.