is represented as having now arrived at womanhood. The easting of the skirt over her is an action indicative of ta.king her under one'B protection with a. view to betrothal (cf. Ruth iii. 9), And keeping up the figure, the espousals are indicated by the words, "Yea., I aware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, . . . and thou becamest mine." Thie covenant was entered into at Mount Sinai (cf. Exod. xix. 3--8; xxxiv. 27). "What grace when the Holy and Almighty One condescends to enter into covenant with so sinful and miserable a. people! " And still God graciously enters into covenant with all who heartily believe on his Son Jesus Christ (cf. Ileb. viii. 6-13). In tbis covenant we give ourselves to him as loyal subjects and servants; and in addition to many other blessings, he gives himself to us as the crowning blessing of the covenant. And if we a.re in this covenant, we may without presumption address him as our Father and our God (cf. John xx. 17). "The Lord is my Portion, sa.ith my soul; therefore will I hope in him." 5. He swmptuously clothed and adorned them. "Then washed I thee with water; yea., I througbly washed a.way thy blood from thee," etc. (vers. 9-14). The washing and anointing (ver. 9) are suggested by the custom in the East of purifying the bride for her royal husband (cf. Esth. ii. 12). Israel is represented as having been thoroughly cleansed and anointed a.s the bride of the Lord. Then the prophet speaks of the dress and jewellery of the bride. (1) The clothing a.nd a.doming were glorious. "I clothed thee also with broidered work," etc. The reference is to the condition of the people during the reigns of Da.vid and Solomon, before the kingdom was divided, when they were at the height of prosperity and power. God clothes his people with "the beauty of holiness." They have "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit." "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he ha.th clothed me with the garments of salvation," etc. (Isa.lxi. 10; and cf. Luke xv. 22). (2) The clothing and adorning were admired. " Thy renown we,nt forth among the nations for thy beauty." The renown of the Israelites and their king is mentioned in 1 Chron. xvii. 8, 21. When men a.re clothed with the beauties of moral excellence they a.waken the admiration of the world. Men respect genuine religion when they see it embodied in human lives. (3) The clothing and adorning were of God. "It wa.s perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, sa.iih the Lord God." The prosperity, power, and glory of Israel ea.me from him. And Christians have not a. righteousness of their" own, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." He arrays them in ii:lories like his own. "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us." Spiritual, unfading, a.nd eternal a.re the garments and glories in which God invests his people.-W. J.
Ver. 2.-Leading sinners to a knowledge of their sins. "Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations." I. THAT BIN 1B ESSENTIALLY VILE IN ITS CHARA0TEB, The sins of the inhabitants of J ernsa.lem were "abominations." in the sight of God. David says of the wicked, "They a.re corrupt, they have done abominable works;" "Corrupt a.re they, and have done abominable iniquity." And Jehovah said to the Jews," Oh, do not this abomin- able thing that I hate!" In its own nature sin "is a.n evil thing a.nd a. bitter." It is a polluting thing, defiling the soul; it is a. degrading thing, dishonouring the soul. It is an infraction of the order of God's universe, a.nd is inimical to its true interests. Sin is evil "in every respect-hateful to God, hurtful to ma.n, darkening the heavens, burdening the earth." II. THAT SINNERS OFTEN FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THEIR OWN SIN. The inhabitants of Jerusalem at this time were sadly corrupted by sin, but were so oblivious to the fact that the prophet is summoned to bring them to a knowledge of their abominations. David did not recognize as his own the foul crimes which he had committed when they were set before him pa.ra.bolica.lly. It was not until the Prophet Nathan said unto him, "Thou a.rt the man!" that he saw himself to be the sinner he really was (2 Sam. xii. 1-14). The Pharisees in the time of our Lord's ministry were really great sinners, but they regarded themselves as the excellent of the earth. We a.re quick to behold the mote that is in our brother's eye, but we take no notice of the beam that is in our own eye. This failure of sinners to recognize their own sin may arise: 1. From the subtlety of sin. Sin approaches the soul iu dangerous disi;ui~c-3. " Were the vision of sin seen in a full light, undressed a.nd unpainted, it we1·e impossible, while it so THE BOOK OF THE l>ROPtlET EZEKIEL. ton. xv1. 1-63.
appeared, that any one soul could be in love with it, but all would rather flea from it as hideous and abominable." Wickedness veils itself in the garb of wha.t is harmless, respectable, or excellent. Avarice hides its hard and hungry features under the name of economy. Harsh censoriousness wears the cloak of honest plain-spokenness, etc. 2. From the proneness qf men to ea;cu.se sin in them,selves. Until man is brought to seG and feel his sins aright, he is ready to palliate or to extenuate them. Men are cruolly indulgent to themselves in this respect. And in some cases pride and self-flattery blind men to their own offences. !II. 'l'HAT THE MINISTERS OF GoD SHOULD ENDEAVOUR TO BRING SINNERS TO A KNOWLEDGE OF TBEm srns. To this duty Ezekiel was summoned in our text. And this is incumbent on the ministers of Jesus Christ. 1. For the conversion ef the sinners. "Without the knowledge of sin, repentance and couversion a.re not to be thought of." "As a physician, when he wishes to heal a wound thorouohly, must probe it to the bottom, so a teacher, when he wishes to convert men thorou.;'hly, must first seek to bring them to a knowledge of their sins." 2. For the delivera;,ce of their own souls. (Of. eh. iii. 17-21; xxxiii. 7-9.) 3. For the vindication of the Law and government of God. Sin is an outrage of his holy La.w, and it should be exhibited as such. Persistence in sin calls down Divine punishment, and the sin should be set forth unto men, that they will recognize the righteousness of the punishment. If sin be not properly estimated by men, how shall the Divine dealings in the punishment of it be justified unto them? Therefore the ministers of Jesus Christ should endeavour to cause sinners to know their sins.-W. J.