history, that the "mischief" of a man "shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing sho.11 come clown upon his own pate" (Ps. vii. 16). The conduct of Joseph's brethren o.nd of Haman mo.y be cited as illustrations; but the conduct of the Jews townrcls the Messiah is an example for all times, most mighty and impressive. 'l'he blows which the old Jewish nation struck on him rebonnded on their own heads o.ud rnined them. "Whoso diggeth the pit," says Solomon, "shall fall therein ; and whoso rollelh the atone, it will return on him" (Prov. xxvi. 27). , . II. IT IS MANIFESTLY JUST. What man thus punished can complain of the righteousness of his sufferings? He must feel, and feel deeply, that he has deserved all and even more than he endures. Indeed, it is true that the punishment of the sinner is self-punishment; it is the fruit of his own doings. Witness Cain, Belshazzar, Judas, etc. . III. IT IS ESSENTIALLY BENEFICENT. It serves: 1. To guard men from the injuries of others. 2. To restrain the angry passions of men. CONCLUSION. Let us in all our conduct to our fellow-men practically recognize the principle that with what measure we mete it shall be measured to us again. "He that rolleth the stone, it shall return upon him." The stone of revenge and malice which you hav.e rolled at another shall come back upon the head of you that rolled it -come back with a terrible momentum, come back to crush you.-D. T.
Vers. 4-9.-..4 good time for good people. "In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will· smite every horse of the people with blindness," etc. These words, which are confessedly difficult if not impossible to interpret correctly (for some say they are to be taken literally, others spiritua.lly; some historically, others prophetically), may be fairly used to illustrate a good time for good people. In relation to this good time, I observe- I. IT IS A TIME WHEN THEIR ENEMIES SHALL BE VANQUISHED. "In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with mad- ness: and, I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness." Here the overthrow of the enemies of Jerusalem is threatened. "The Lord," says Keil, "will throw the mind and spirit of the military force·of the enemy into such confusion that, instead of injuring JerusaLem and Judah, it will rnsh forward to its own destruction. Horses and riders individualize the war- like forces of the enemy. The rider, smitten with madness, turns his sword against his own comrades in battle. On the other hand, Jehovah will open his eyes upo'l Judah for its protection (1 Kings viii. 29; Neh. i. 6; Ps. xx.xii. 8). This promise is strengthened by the repetition of the punishment to be inflicted upon the enemy. Not only with alarm, but with blindness, will the Lord smite their horses. We have an example of this in 2 Kings vi. 18, where the Lord smote the enemy with blindness in answer to Elisha's prayer, i.e. with mental blindness, so that, instead of seizing the prophet, they fell into the hands of Israel. The three plagues, timmahim, shiggii'on, and 'ivvariin, are those with which rebellious Israelites are threatened in Deut. x.xviii. 28. The house of Judah is the covenant nation, the population of Judah, including the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as we may see from what follows." Now, whether this conquest refers to the triumphs of the Me.ccabees, or to some wonderful victories of the Jews in some future times, one thing is clear to us, that the time will come for all good people when their enemies shall be entirely destroyed. To every good man this victory is promised. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." II. IT IS A TIME WHEN THEIR POWER SHALL BE AUGMENTED. The power here promised is: 1. The power of unity. "The governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabito.nts of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God." "Observe here," says Dr. Wardlaw," the confidence of the leaders in the people. Without the people's concurrent aid, their counsels and plans and directions could, of course, be of little avail. This the rulers should feel, and should exult in seeing what ground they had for full reliance on them in time of pressnre and danger, which implies unanimity and intrepid valour, combined with persevering effort, on the part of the inhabitants. This union and valour would be the 'strength' of their leaders, without which they must find themselves utterly powerless. A divided, dispirited. THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH. [orr. xn. 1-14,