comparison, "And the voice of thy messengers shall no more be beard" (ver. 13); "Debold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth pence I" (eh. i. 15). Messengers, differing very materially in their character and mission, are referrod to in these words. The messengers of Nineveh and the messengers of Zion nre alluded to in these passages. A comparison of these respective messengers may prove suggestive e.nd useful in its application to certain developments in these modern times. From the Second Book of Kings and the Second Book of Chronicles we learn that the heralds or messengers of Nineveh cherished the spirit of blasphemy ,vith reference to the God of heaven. The faith of the pious Hebrews consisted in the recog- nition of the one living and true God, and of his providential care over all his creature~; and it was against this bulwark that the emissaries of .A.ssyrfa. constantly directed their assaults in words foul and filthy (see Rabsbakeh's appeal to the Jews, 2 Kings xviii. 33-35; and his letter, 2 Cbron. xxxii. 17). The great and distinguishing charac- teristic of the messengers of Zion was loyalty to the God of heaven. Their feet stood ~on the mountains, and their voice proclaimed to the people, " Behold your God ! " (lsa. xl. 9) ; "Thy God reigneth I " (Isa. Iii. 7). In the present age there are messengerd who boldly declare tlieir non-acceptance of the teaching that recognizes the Divine Being and his working, and who seek to disseminate their views, and in doing so are not particular if they blaspheme the God of heaven. And whilst there are such. messengers in the 'World doing their injurious work, there are also those who are, thoroughly loyal to the King of kings, who delight to show forth his praise, to tell the, story of his love in the gift and work of Christ, and to seek to draw men in loving obedience to his authority and will. Note certain contrasts, then, suggested; thus- I. CAPTIVITY IN CONTRAST WITH FREEDOM. The messengers of Nineveh approached Jerusalem, to which Sennacherib was laying siege, but they bore no tidings of liberty. They claimed full submission, and declared that even this must be followed by captivity in a strange land (2 Kings xviii. 31, 32). The assurance of ultimate deliverance came from the messengers of the Lord (eh. i. 12, 13). Sin is bondage. Evil passions, habits, desires, are fetters; a life of a.lienation from the true and the right is a life of hard bondage. Transgressors are slaves. And scepticism has nothing to offer such by way of helping them to escape. The messengers may expatiate to such a one upon the nobleness of virtue, may sound in his ears some wise sayings of sages 'llld philo- sophers, may remind him of the injury he is inflicting upon himself, and bid him "be a man," and "turn over a new leaf." But he is down ; he is conscious of moral inability; he lacks inward strength. Lo! the messengers of Zion come. They tell him of the great Father's unwearying love, the Saviour's obedience unto the death. of the cross, the energizing and sanctifying Spirit ready to gird him with all-sufficient strength, the elder Brother who has proved his trials and his tears, and who is prepared to be near him in every season of need as hie "strong siding Champion." He feels the tidings to be "good;" is bowed low in penitence; his eye of faith turns to the hill called Calvary, and rises to the everlasting hills whence cometh help; the fettered soul is released, is free, for the messengers on the mountains have proclaimed deliver- ance to the captive, and the opening of the prison to the bound (Isa. lxi. 1). II. STRIFE IN CONTRAST TO PEACE. The messengers of Nineveh to Judah had nothing conciliatory to convey; they told only of contention and strife. The assurancs that peace should ultimately be enjoyed came to the anxious King of Judah from God's messengers, who published peace. The messengers of scepticism have no proclamation of peace to make; their work is altogether destructive; contumely is their delight; to seek to unsettle the minds of men and to shake their faith is their poor mission. It is the privilege, however, of the messengers of Zion to proclaim those spiritual and eternal verities in whioh the heart may securely and tranquilly repcse, and to point to him who can quell every storm and give rest unto the soul. III. GLOOM IN CONTRAST TO GLADNESS. Hezekiah and his people were in extremity; it was to them a time of "trouble;" but not a ray of hope came to them through the messengers of Nineveh. '!'heir worst fears were confirmed; the foe was unrelenting. Their hope was in God, and in the words spoken by his holy prophets. So in the extremities of life-in sickness and sorrow, and specially at life's close, hope springs not from unbelief, but from the words God has addressed to us through his servants. The i;ospcl bas no rival in such seasons. Scopticism has no voice then, or, if it speaks, it 36 THE BOOK OF NARUM. [on. n. 1-13.
but deepens the prevailing gloom; but the good tidings God has revealed dispels our sndneRs and fills the soul with immortal hopes. Happy messenge,·s, who are thus enabled to "comfort all that mourn," eto. (Isa. Jxi. 2) I IV. SHAME IN CONTRAST TO no1wuR. The voice of all messengers who blaspheme the holy Name of G0d " shall be no more heard," for God will put them to silence; but ""ices 1_,ublishing hi~ love and grace shall go sounding on through the ages-the bright sncces-ion of proclaimers shall not cease. Growing numbers shall be raised up who shall find their way to all nations and kindreds and tribes, until the glad tidings sl!n 11 reach every shore, and the knowledge of the Lord ahl\ll fill the earth (Isa. x1. ll).-S. D. E.