much might be expected, lie .becoming nn- the sin which is a shame to either princes or tirincipled, nn,l ne being addicted to immo- people, causes shame, an,! ends in ehamP.. mlity or iclolo.try, or probobly both (ltazneh Isaiah expounds the tlaou;!;ht (in i. 2;!), biz11u): " whoring they have commiU.od 11, comparison of which confirms the ahov" whoredom." (1) Her rulers (margin, ,ldeld•) exposition. (1) The wind bath bonnd her with shame do love, Give ye; or rather, (2) up in her wings j or, (2) ihe hath bounrl up Iler ,hielda love, love ,hame. Tlie firat takes the wind with her in her akfrt,. In the 0ne 1:i;:i for 1:i;:i, e.s impere.tive of ::i~, to give, case the wind is the strong storm-wind of nnd should rather be, "Her shields love, Divine wrath that will seize on Ephraim, •Give,ye'-eh11me;'' as there is no preposi- wrap her np with its wings, and carry her tion before the word " shame; " even tlrng away. In the other, Ephraim wraps up it is awkward. Most modern expositors the wind, that is, disappointment, the result take 1:in as a contraction of , :imt and so a of her sin, in the fold of her skirt. The (1) repetiti~n of part of the full ~c;b preced- translation of tile first clause of ver. 19 is supported by Raahi: "The storm takes her ing; thui!: 1:IQ 1::1_11~, equivalent to "loved, in its wings, as that bird which the wind loved." Ewald, Delitzsch, and Pnsoy nn- does not let rest until it makes him go far derdt11nd it so; the latter says this "is away ; so the enemies will come upon them probably one of the earliest forms of the ancl carry them into exile." Translation (2) intensive verb, repeating a part of the verb ie favoured by Aben Ezra and Kimchi ; the itself with its inflection." And Keil coils former says, "As the man who binds the wind it "a construction resembling tho pealal in the folds of hie robe without finding any- form." Among the ,,birin, or coujectural thing therein." And they sllall be ashamed readings, we find both words ·united into because of their aaor:i.fi.ces. Frustrated in her one; thus: 'OQ::lr!~, equivalent to "mightily hopes, and disappointed by the idols, fro1n love." The shields e.te the princes, or which she hoped so much and got so little, natural protectors of the state, us in Ps. xlvti. she is oshamed of the sacrifices she offered 9, "The princes of the people are gathered them; not .of the altars (LXX.), for the together . . . for the shields of the earth be- preposition min is indispensable. long unto God." 'fhe she.me they loved was
HOMILE'l'ICS. 'Ver's.' 1-5.-Israel's sin and consequent suffering. The prophet is Jehovah'; mouthlpiece, and as such he calls·on his fellow-men to hear the word of the Lord; Le thus speaks by· commission and with authority. Having thus claimed an attentive hearing in his Master's Name, lie denounces· Israel's sins, and declares the jnJgment~ that await them. In this discharge of bis duty the prophet bas a twofold object in view. By his timely and truthful warning he hopes to reclaim some, at least, of his couritryri1en, and in any case he means to leave all Without excuse. Goo by his ambassador displays in this way both his mercy and his justice. His mercy in that he speaks to them before he ·strikes them-he warns them of their danger while it is yet impending, and before they are actually involved in it; his justice-for he condescends to debate the matter with his people, and convince them of the reasonableness of his dealings, that they may see that he does not contend with them without cause, e.0<.l that when he is forced to execute sentence for their sins, that sentence has been well deserved, I. RELIGION IS THE BURE FOU~DATION OF MOR.\LlTY, True religion begins with asaving knowledge of God. '!'his is the fountain-head; moral duties are the salutary ijlreams that issue from it. Godliness is the source of uprightness ;- piety towards Guel produces propriety of 'Conduct in demeaning ourselves and iii 'dealing with others; where the right knowledge of God is nbsent, we need not expect truth or mercy amuu g men. On the contmry, a profession of piety without the performance of duty to our follows God will disown; without truth and mercy religion is only a pretence, a painful hypocrisy. Religion, then, is the rich llOi! in which virtue strikes rout and its grnwth is maintained. . 11. '111m JIELATION OP THE VIRTUES HERE SPECIFIED. With regard to mercy and truth, Kimchi has well remarked that "uo truth" import:! that there is "no one 1loi11~ the truth, and no one speaking the truth;" while on the words "nor mercy," ho adds, "How much [does it follow thence] that thero is no mercy, for mercy is the 108 THE BOOK OF HOSEA, [OH, IV, 1-11},
eupersbund1moe of goodness over Rnd above what is meet; and as to him who does not maintain either truth or justice, bow much lees will he show mercy?" '1.'he com• bination of truth, mercy, and knowledge of God may be compared with the triple duties specified by Micah, as doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God; and with the apostolic triad of living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. In each of these our duty to ourselves, to our neighbour, and to our God is expressed ; so, too, in the verse before us. While mercy mainly respects the duty we owe our fellow-man, and knowledge of God our relation to him, truth has to do with a man himself as well as with hie neighbour. We are to be true to con- science, seeking to have it enlightened, striving to keep it clear, and having the courage of our convictions. We are to be true to ourselves, in our strangely composite person- ality; true to the soul by seeking its sah•ation, for '' what shall it profit a man, should he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" true to the body by preserving its purity, maintaining its sobriety, and securing its health, that we may possess a sound mind in a sound body. Of course, truth has large scope in our intercourse with others. We are required to be truthful in our utterances, true to our promises, true in all our engagements, true and just in all our dealings. The duty of mercy, in a world where sin bas wrought such ruin and caused such misery, is ti;bvious. As sinful creatures, we need the mercy of our Creator; as suffering, sorrowful beings, we are strongly obligated to the exercise of mercy towards each other. "The quality of mercy is not strain'd; It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blese'd ; It blesseth him that gives, e.ud him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; ..•" whila "In the course of justi,~o, none of 111 E!honld see salvation."