of the parable posses from Eden to Shoo\, perished. The former mourn nnd shnke tho Hodes of the nations, and. the pl"Ophet with fear, for it is a warning to them tbllt gives the first stroke of the im1tgcry after- their turn nlso mo.y come. On the other wards more fully developed in eh. xxxii. 17 baud, the trees of Eden-the greo.t mo · -82. no.rohies that nre already in Sheol-shall Ver. 15.-1 covered the deep for him. The be "comforted" with the thought that yd face of the whole world of nature is painted another kingdom mightier tho.n they has by the prophet as sharing in the a.we and fallen o.s they fell ( corn p. Isa. xiv. 4- 20 ; terror of that tremendous fall. Lebanon eh. xxxii. 17-32, where the thought is was me.de to mourn (literally, to be black), elaborately expanded). the waters failed in their channels, the trees Ver. 17.-They that wore his arm. The (all thn.t drink water) shuddered. They words point to the e.llies, in the first instance formed part, as it were, of the pageantry of Assyria., and secondly of Egypt. 'fhe Inst of woe at the funeral of the fallen kingdom. words of the verse present e. striking parallel Jt is as if the prophet felt, in nil its intensity, to Lam. iv. 20. what we have learnt to call the sympathy of Ver. 18.-To whom art thou thus like, nature with the sorrows of humanity. It etc. ? As in 'l'er. 10, the prophet passes from would, perhaps, be over-literal to press the past to the present, from the third person details; but the picture, in one of its features to the second, and as it were se.ys to Hophr11, at least, suggests a failure of the inunda- "Thon art the man I all tbe.t I have said of tion of the Nile, like that indicated in oh. Assyria is true of thee." This is Pharaoh m.12. and all his multitude. In the midst of the Ver. 16.--Shall be comforted, etc. The u.nciroumoised (see note on oh. xxvili. 10). Dante-like imagination of the prophet points As e. matter of fact, the Egyptians practised the contrasts between the impression me.de circumcision, and ~J:i:ekiel must be thought by the fall of Assyria on the nations thnt of ns using the term e.s simply e.n epithet of yet llllrVived, and on those tho.t had already scorn.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-9.-.The great cedar. Assyria is compared to a cedar of Lebanon, which ii an emblem of earthly magnificence. L 'l'HE CEDA.B rs :MAGNIFICENT, It is the favourite tree in biblical imagery to express splendour. In this respect it could be taken as a symbol of a great triumphant empire such as that of Assyria. Thus it is plainly declared that there is a splendour of this world. We are not to be surprised when WCJ see the wicked flourishing like a green bay tree (Ps. mvii. 35). He may even attain to the proportions of the cedar of Lebanon. Note some of the characteristics of this magnificence, 1. Size, This is what first ~trikes one in viewing the cedar. Assyria was a big empire. Worldly success may be large. 2 . .Altitude. The cedar is not only broad-spreading. It towers high. There is an unchecked pride in worldly success. 3. Persistency. The cedar ls green in winter, By clever devices unscrupulous people may escape mliny of the troubles of the true servants of God. 4. Fragrance. It cannot.be denied that there is aoertain fascination in worldly splendour. II. THE CEDA.B OF LEDA.NON EXOELB ALL TIIE TREES OF EDEN, There are points in which worldly magnificence surpasses the visible excellence of spiritual goodnes~. "Nor any tree in the garden of the Lord was like unto him in his beauty." The reasons for this should be considered, lest we be disappointed and confounded. I. The impressiveness of the external. The cedar bulks largely before the eye of an observer, while the vine seems to creep feehly among the rocks or round its much-needed support. Yet it is the vine that yields refreshing fruit. TJ-.ere is a striking aspect in worldly success. Spiritual achievements do not arrest attention in the same way, because they are spiritual. Yet God looks not to worldly greatness, but to spiritual success. 2. Unscrupulo'U811ess. Men who trample on conscience take short cute to success. It is not surprising that they outbid the conscientious in the market of the world's wnres. 3. Want of restraint. The cedar is unprunecl. It grows in wild, rank luxuriance on the unfrequented slopes of Lebanon. But the trees in the garden of the Lord are care- fully pruned. "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth" (Heb. xii. 6), III. 'l'HE CEDAB 18 NOT INDEPENDENT OF SUPPLIEli OUTSIDE ITSELF. "The water!I made him great." If the waters were dried up, the proud tree would droop and die. OH. xxu. 1-18.] 'l'HE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 157