the lowest passions. Hatred and bloodthirsty vengeance are engendered, and men are brought down to the level of wild brutes. Too often savage lust follows, and the viltist outrages are committed. 11. THI!l SWORD OF WAB MAY BE UBED AS A DIVINE CHASTISEMENT. 1. Slwrpened by sin. Nntional misconduct lays a people open to the ravages of war. The curse may be earned immediately by insolent and unrighteous dealings with other nations; or it may be brought leas directly and not as we could anticipate. Yet the awful fact remains-National sin necessitates national judgrnent, and the most awful and yet the most common national judgment is war. 2. Directed by God. This was the case with the wars of judgment that visited Israel. Israel's sin sharpened the sword, but God's hand guided it. For the providence of God cannot be excluded, even from so lawless and monstrous a thing as war. (1) This adds to its terror. It is fearful to know that God wills us to suffer from so dire a calamity. Then there can be no escaping it. (2) This suggests hope of final rescue. Wherever God is, love is. The God of battles is the God of Bethlehem. He who sends the war to scourge also sends the gospel to save. Ver. 17.-The satisfaction of God's /wry. This is a most awful subject. Gladly would we leave it alone. Oh for a fresh sight of God's eternal Jove, instead of this horror of great darkness, this vision of wrath and judgment unrestrained and fully satisfied I Yet the fearful words are before us and they invite our earnest regard. I. Goo's FUBY IS FEARFULLY PROVOKED BY BIN. It is only against sinners that these dreadful words are written. The righteous may share the temporal calamities that smite the wicked (ver. 4), but they incur none of the wrath of God that lies behind those calamities. Nevertheless, as we are all sinners, there is little comfort in this thought. Consider how greatly sin provokes wrath. 1. It is committed in full daylight. 'fhe J ewe possessed the land. We know Christ. We cannot plead ignorance. Even the heathen have accusing consciences. 2. It is committed against l011e. We sin against our Father, to whom we owe everything, and who has been infinitely gracious to us. 3. It is committed in spite qf warnings. Israel had her grand procession of minatory prophets from Elijah to Ezekiel. We have the warnings of the Bible. 4. It is committed without necessity. There is a better way and a happier. Nothing but the most wilful perversity can make us choose the evil path. A saving hand has been held out to protect ue. When we sin we reject that help. 5. It is committed afte:r God's long-suffering lws been tried. He has Jong refrained from punishing. Yet men have made his long-suffering an excuse for greater sin. Thus they have " treasured up wrath for the day of wrath." IL Gon's FURY CANNOT DE BESISTED. 1. It cannot be opposed by man's pO'IDers. The sinner has to contend with the Almighty and the All-wise. The stoutest must fall in such a contest, and the most cunning must fail in the foolish attempt to outwit God. 2. It cannot be opposed by any e:xcuses. Unhappily, there is no doubt as to the guilt of the sinner. He had opportunities of return, and he rejected them. Conscience must paralyze resistance. 3. It cannot be opposed by God's love. There is no schism in the nature of God. Love itself must approve of wrath directed against hardened impenitence. III. Goo's FURY WILL BE SATISFIED. 1. It will not fai1. Nothing that God attempts can fail. This we may infer as a conclusion from the observations under the previous head. 2. It will not endure for ever. When it has accomplished its work i~ will rest. It may be that some of the results of it will endure for ever. The slain man will not arise again on earth, but he is not being killed continuously. The ruined city may never be rebuilt, and yet the earthquake that overthrew temples and palaces has long subsided, aud all is now still and calm. 3. It will be satisfied when it has accom- plished its end. God's fury is not like his love. It does not spring unprovoked from his own heart. It is roused by sin, aud when it has punished sin, it is satisfied. But this is the most awful satisfaction of it. There is another satisfaction, viz. : 4. It W1,1i be satisfied when it is propitiated. This is not stated in the verse before us. Bnt it is the burden of the gospel. Christ our .Advocate propitiates the wrath of God (1 John ii. 1, 2). Then if we have confessed our sin, and sought the saving help of Christ, we need fear the wrath of God no longer. It is satisfied.
Ver. 24.-Transgressions dilicovered. I. TBANSGBEBBIONS ARE DISCOVERED BY Go]) THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [on. xxr.1-32,