their own craftiness," their wisdom is seen to be but folly, "In quietness and in confi• dence shall be your strength;" "The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." The enemy may devise; but he will not be suffered to execute his devices.-T. Vers. 14-22.-The invader discomfited. .Although it woulcl be presumptuous to apply the language of this prophetic passa.ge to any particular political event in the history of Israel, there were many occasions upon which invasion was permitted and the soil of Palestine was trodden by hostile armies; many occasions upon which the invader retreated, overwhelmed with disaster and ignominy. It is therefore allowable to interpret great political incidences and occurrences in the light of the principles here propounded upon the highest authority. At the sa.me time, it is just to observe that there is truth here which has a wider range, and that the final confusion and destruction of the enemies of the Lord and of his Ohurch are intimated in terms which cannot be mistaken. I. INVASION WAS PERMITTED BY THE GoD OF NATIONS. The language which Jehovah is here represented as using, "I will bring thee against my land," is very remarkable, and must be interpreted, in conformity with the common usage of Hebrew literature, as implying that all events happened by.Divine permission, and may in a sense in this universe, which is under Divine control, be attributed to the Supreme. But this not in such a sense as to charge God with men's iniquity, or to relieve men of their proper responsibility. II. THE INVADER WAS YET THE OBJECT OF DIVINE DIBPLEABUBE, The lust of aggrandizement and of political power WB.'I the usual motive of the invader; and a knowledge of the Divine character assures us that action prompted by such motives cannot be other than disapproved and condemned. III. THE INTEBPOSITION OF THE MIGHTIEST CONFOUNDED THE MIGHTY. The terms employed to give expression to the judicial and retributive action of the Lord of all are most emphatic and unqualified: "My fury shall come up in my nostrils; for in my jralousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken. . . . I will call for a sword against him," etc. The means by which the invader is put to flight, and the people whom he has attacked are delivered, are described: "Every man's sword shall he against his brother; and I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood," etc. IV. GREAT AS WAS THE CONFIDENCE OF THE AGGRESSOR, GREATER STILL WAS HIS HUMILIATION. The defeat and consternation of the invader are forcibly depicted. He came in pride; he departed in dishonour and disgrace. He came i11 numbers; he departed a mere remnant. He came amidst the terror of all beholders; he departed amidst hatred and contempt. V. GoD !3!.0BIFIED HIMSELF IN THE DEl:lTBUCTION OF HIS FOES AND IN THE DELIVER• ANCE OF ms FRIE!."'DS. God magnified and sanctified himself before many nations; and this he did by openly fulfilling his own predictions, by saving his own people, and by confounding all the selfish and rapacious plans of his enemies. APPLICATION. The principle contained in the prediction is one which is always applicable to all God's people, and which has an especial reference to those a~ful cris~s through which, it may be, the Church of Christ has yet to pass. Mysterious as 1t seems to us, it is yet a fact that the Omnipotent suffers the powers of error and of sin to gather themselves together against his people. But this shoulcl not strike dismay into the breasts of Christians, however they may feel themselves powerless and defence- less. When they gaze upon the hosts of their adversaries, let them remember that "he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derisio11."-'l'.
Vers. 1-13.-.77ie stability of God's lcingdom. The lengthened subjection of the Hebrews had sapped their courage and their hope. The promises of a return. to Cana.an fell upon hearts full of apathy and self-diffidence. A latent fear was growmg up tbat, even should they regain their old possession, they would soon be exposed to fresh invasion from some grasping monarch. 'l'hey felt their lack of org1mizat1on, their lack of military prowess, and men devoid of energy felt that it was better to remain in exile than to be more completely crushed alter a temporary restoration. Henc:e Ezekiel was commissioned to deal with this form of indifference before it grew lnto active opposition. A vision respecting a .a;rcat confederacy against Israel is <lit. xxxvm. 1-28.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 297