righteousness like the waves of the sea." According to the Divine idea, a man's life should be deep, and wide, and clear, and voluminous, and refreshing, and fertilising, and progressive-like a river; and, like the waves of the sea, possessed of a righteousness that cannot be measured, and that can never end. God has not forgotten the ideal, which is ever-present to Him; and at sight of the actual, so unlike these grand images, Jehovah laments. Natural goodness, without the special help and grace of God, is, at best, a sorry sight to Him.

III. THE DIVINE PROPOSAL FOR RESTORATION.

Can the Divine lamentation be turned into Divine song and rejoicing Are there any who are rising up from their fall? We know the answers to such questions, and how they touch the very core and substance of the Gospel (Eph. ii. 10; 2 Cor. v. 17; Phil. ii. 13). We are God's husbandmen; we are God's building (ver. 20). In the text God stands as with uplifted hands, pathetically lamenting over a great loss, a great disappointment, a great ruin; the might have been has not been realised. But what means the next word in the next verse, "Go ye forth of Babylon?" &c.; God will continue His work, He will restore the ruins of it, and carry it on to ultimate success. "Go ye forth of Babylon ;" that means when interpreted, just begin where you are, do the nearest thing, forsake the sin that is strongest, rectify the wrong that is nearest, take the path that is open, make room in your heart for all that God will give you, and especially for the renewing Spirit. And in all this, look unto Jesus, and press towards Him as you look, and you are a new creature in Him; the ruin is restored, Eden blooms again, the dead is alive, the long-lost self is found.

"Have we not all, amid life's petty strife,
Some ideal of a noble life,
That once seemed possible?

hear

Did we not

The flutter of its wings, and feel it near? And just within our reach it was; and yet We lost it in this daily jar and fret;

And now live idly, in a vain regret.
But still our place is kept, and it will wait
Ready for us to fill it, soon or late.
No star is ever lost we once have seen;
We always may be what we might have
been."

-Alexander Raleigh, D.D.: Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiv. pp. 269–371.

These words would be sad from the lips of man, but coming from God they are inexpressibly touching and solemn. They are the cry of a wounded heart. They tell not of the wrath of justice, but of the sorrows of love. There is, indeed, mystery, as there must be whenever we have to do with the Infinite, but that very mystery makes the lament the more affecting and impressive. In this pathetic verse

there is a threefold lament :

I. A LAMENT OVER LOST HOPES. Once there was hope and fair promise. God's beautiful ideal might be realised. But that is all gone. God only knows what has been lost. He is, so to speak, alone with His sorrow. Think of Aaron's grief for his sons (Lev. x. 3); of David's lament for Absalom (2 Sam. xviii. 33); of the tears of Jesus over Jerusalem (Luke xix. 41). In these we may see reflected the sorrows of disappointed love. How dreadful must be the cause that produces such effects (Ps. lxxxi. 13-16; Jer. xliv. 4)

"Of all sad words of tongue or pen,

The saddest are these, It might have been."

II. A LAMENT OVER NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITIES. God is speaking here in the character of "the Redeemerthe Holy One of Israel." He recalls what He had done, and what might and ought to have been the happy results. But the precious opportunities had been abused. 1. Gracious instruction, "I am the Lord which teacheth thee to profit." 2. Infallible guidance, "Which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go." 3. Holy blessedness, "Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." How beautiful are these emblems! Deep and tranquil as the Euphrates, the noblest of the rivers of

Asia, is the peace of the believer. Noble and majestic as the waves of the great sea, ever moving in harmony with law, and ever manifesting new forms of loveliness, is the righteousness of God's saints. All this, and more, might have been realised, if only God's commandments had been regarded. But the time is past. The glorious vision has faded away for ever. Neglected opportunities bring sure and terrible retribution. O man, consider thou hast been God's enemy. He has made thee gracious offers of peace. He has called thee to place thyself under the leadership of His Son, when all shall be well. And what has been the result? Reconciliation a failure. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. ii. 3; cf. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15-17.)

III. A LAMENT OVER NEEDLESS RUIN. Sometimes evil comes in spite of us. It is a calamity, and not a crime. Borne aright, it turns to good. We see in it the chastisement of a loving Father, and learn to be content. But, alas rarely can we hold ourselves blameless. If we suffer, it is because we have sinned. If we perish, it is our own fault. Reason, conscience, and the Holy Scriptures combine in testifying that man's ruin is not of chance or fate, far less of God, but exclusively of himself. The sinner feels, and must feel for ever, that if he had only hearkened to God's commandments, ruin would have been impossible. God's commandments in the law are all good. To keep them is life and blessedness. But we have sinned. Righteousness by the law is no more possible. God's commands in the Gospel are also good (1 Tim. i. 15; John vi. 29, iii. 16). When we consider who and what Jesus is, and how great things He has done for us, is it not the most reasonable thing in the world that we should love and trust Him? If we have not eyes to see His beauty, we are blind. If we have not the heart to commit ourselves to Him and to choose His service, as the most free and rightful and blessed of all services, it must be because we wilfully prefer evil

to good, and the pleasures of sin for a season, to the love of God for ever (cf. Isa. v. 1-7; Ezek. xxxiii. 11; Prov. i. 24-33; Matt. xxiii. 37).-W. Forsyth.

When God smites men on account of sin, it gives Him no pleasure. The voice which speaks here is not that of the seraphic prophet, but the voice of the Lord God of the prophets. The manner is not merely the majestic formula, "Thus saith Jehovah," but it is supplemented with words intended to remind us of His graciousness and His goodwill (ver. 17). Nor is this the only lesson which lies on the surface of the text. Observe, the Lord addresses words of poignant regret over the prize the sinner has lost, as well as the penalty he has incurred. So did Jesus Christ look upon Jerusalem. Musing on the desolation to which she should shortly come, He reflected on the preservation in which she might have safely stood, &c. God looks upon the "peace" you might enjoy, and the "righteousness" that would enrich you, did you hearken to His commandments, and obey His great mandate, "Believe, and live." Sinner! the infinite heart of my Divine Master yearns over you.

What loss is that which God bewails on thy account? "Peace like a river," and "righteousness like the waves of the sea," are not within the limits of thy comprehension. There is a privation which you unconsciously

suffer.

1. You are a stranger to peace. "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." There are two kinds of peace into the secret satisfaction of which no unconverted person can enterpeace with God, and peace in the heart. Yet both of these are the inalienable right of the believer; for the peace which our Lord Jesus Christ made by the blood of His cross has sealed his acceptance with the Father; and the peace which is produced in his conscience as the fruit of the Spirit, calms the troubled passions of

his breast. This is a peace which no man can attain unto except the man who hearkens to the commandment, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ." But if you hearken to it, you shall have peace, and that peace shall be like a river. The metaphor is full of beauty, and not wanting in instructiveness either, by which peace is compared to a river. What does this mean? Several things. Peace like a river, for (1.) continuance. For ever, throughout all generations, the river speedeth to its destined place. Such is the peace of the Christian. He is always at peace. (2.) Freshness. The peace which a Christian has is always fresh, always receiving fresh supplies. (3.) A river. increases in breadth, and its waters augment their volume. Such is the Christian's peace. It will go on increasing till it melts into the infinite peace of the beatific vision, where

"Not a wave of trouble rolls

Across the peaceful breast."

(4.) Its joyful independence of man. Habakkuk's song: "Although the fig tree," &c. The devil cannot rob us of the peace which comes from God, neither can the world take it away. What would some of you give to have such a peace as this? Such peace you shall have if you hearken to God's commands.

2. Thou hast not the righteousness which

is 66

as the waves of the sea!" Notice how this metaphor surpasses the previous one in dignity, if not in delicacy. We can all see a sort of comparison, and yet at the same time a strong contrast, between the water of an inland river and the collection of waters which make up the wide expanse of the sea. One, for the most part, is tranquil, the other always heaving and surging to and fro. So I suppose, as the words were originally addressed to the Jewish

nation, and referred to their temporal welfare, the river would represent the beauty and happiness of their own land, like the garden of Eden, watered by the river of God's pleasure; and the sea, with its waves rolling in majestically one after another in unbroken succession, would set forth that progress which is the renown of righte ousness. Generation after generation would witness the rising tide of prosperity. Oh! what did that rebellious seed of Jacob lose by forsaking the Lord! Apply this metaphor of the waves of the sea, like that of the flowing of the river, to the happiness of the believer. Look at this precious doctrine of the Gospel through the glass of that Old Testament symbol. The man who believes in Jesus Christ has the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, that is to say, the obedience of Christ is considered by God as his obedience. So, if I believe in Christ, I am as much beloved and as much accepted as if I had been perfect in a rectitude of my own; for the righteousness of Christ becomes mine. But how is this righteousness like the waves of the sea? It is like the waves of the sea (1.), for multitude. (2.) For majesty. What an illustration of overwhelming power! Who can withstand the power of Christ's righteousness? "Who shall lay anything to God's elect?" &c. Then it is majestic because it is profound, and because of its ceaseless energy. (3.) For sufficiency. (4.) For origin. That some of you have not got this righteousness is owing to this, that you have not hearkened to God. When the Gospel has been preached, have you listened attentively? &c. I know how some of you hear; it is always with procrastination. Even now, hear ye the voice of the Lord! -C. H. Spurgeon: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, No. 609-610.

history of this island, if Cæsar had not invaded it? if the Stuart kings

had been inspired by different ideas? if the first Napoleon had not arisen? Similarly, we reflect on our own life. What would have been our career, if we had not, at some time, made such a mistake, or committed such a fault-Thus also we think of some one whom we have known. With his talents and opportunities, what he might have become, if he had not spoiled everything by his folly or misconduct! Many a father laments over the son who has thrown away all his chances.

Thus God lamented over Israel. He had dealt with them as with sons; had bestowed upon them counsel and culture; but they had followed their own devices. And the consequences had overtaken them in diminished resources, a weakened empire, and eventual subjection to a foreign yoke. Had they hearkened to His commandments their state would have been different (vers. 18, 19).

There are multitudes over whom He is pouring this lamentation to-day. He has not left them without instruction and direction. He has given them His word, His commandments, His Gospel. He has surrounded them with gracious influences. But they have been regardless of Him and of His efforts to save them. They have indulged their natural disposition to sin. Confident of themselves, and heedless of warning, like children ignorant of themselves and of the world, they have fallen over the rocks into moral ruin.

There may be some here over whom He thus laments. As you look back on your "wasted lives," your "sins indulged while conscience slept, your Vows and promises unkept," you see that He has good reasons to do so. We invite you to consider what might have been, if you had hearkened to the calls of the Gospel and formed your life according to the Word of God; what it might have been in contrast with what it is

I. IN RELATION YOUR CHARACTER. Disregard of God's commandments has led to many sins which need not

One by one

have stained your life. they have grown beyond all power of computation, as when debts grow until the position is irretrievable. After all allowances for the weaknesses of human nature, and the sins which would have been committed in spite of your endeavours, how many of them could have been prevented if you had hearkened to God's commandments! Moreover, these sins and the habit of mind which led to them have exerted a deteriorating influence on your character. Every wilful sin weakens the power of conscience and lowers the moral tone, so that the more sins a man commits the more likely is it that he will commit sin. It is a gradual descent towards the lowest point of moral being (H. E. I. 1527, 1528, 4500, 4501). Multitudes have become so degraded in conscience that they are living lives, the future of which, if shown to them some years ago, would have shocked them and called forth the indignant protest of Hazael, "Is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing?" Contrast this with what might have been. The habit of obedience, associated with love to the commander and approbation of the command, exerts a gradually formative influence on the character. Good principles become more firmly rooted, the conscience is trained to a quicker perception of moral differences, the inclinations are more completely engaged on the side of goodness, the holy life becomes natural, the entire moral tone is elevated. Like a tree which was at first only a slip, but has grown (Ps. xcii. 12-14).

II. IN RELATION TO YOUR HAPPINESS.

All seek for happiness. Have you really found it in disregard of God's commands? Has not sin often involved you in trouble? Has it not left the stinging conscience? Are you not often conscious of dissatisfaction and disappointment with the world?— It might have been so different! You might have been enjoying "the peace of God." The troubles of life might

have been to you channels of superior consolation. The blessedness of a conscience at rest through the pardoning and renewing grace might have been yours. Your heart might have been at rest, fixed, settled, centred in God, instead of being storm-driven. You might have had the happiness of friendship and fellowship with God. Instead of the gloom of the future, the thought of which is unwelcome, your future might have been radiant with the glorious Christian hope.

III. IN RELATION TO INFLUENCE. For all have influence over others. If you have not hitherto hearkened to God's commandments, your spirit and example has fallen on some one as an evil shadow. Within the circle of your influence, you have sown the seeds of evil and prevented good to an extent you can never calculate. You will never, at least in this world, know how many sins have been committed through you, and how many persons are morally worse than they would have been had they never known you. Some may have been irretrievably ruined. They have exceeded their exemplar.

Instead of this, had you been a Christian, consistent, earnest, your influence on these persons would have been quite different. It would have been a recognised and valued, as well.

as

unconscious influence for good. Your own children. Not they alone. Some Christian work. The Church of Christ. The young. Society around you. You might have had the satisfaction of knowing that you had plucked some brand from the burning, and that you would be welcomed on the eternal shore by some who had passed through the golden gates because of your influence upon them. All this, and more, might have been if you had hearkened to God's commandments.

Would it not have been unspeakably better if you had? Better for God to give us His Gospel and require obedience, rather than leave us to ourselves. Better for the gardener to train the plant than leave it wild. Better that the elder brother remained

It is one of the simplest and most impressive laws of the Divine government to render to every man according to his works. The operation of this law is strikingly illustrated in the history of God's dealings with the Israelites, to which reference is made in this chapter. But He has infinitely more pleasure in dispensing mercy than in executing judgment. When, through the impenitent obstinacy of the sinner, He arises to judgment, it is with reluctance and regret-a regret which finds expression in words of profound and tenderest pathos-"O that thou hadst hearkened to commandmy ments!" Consider

I. DISOBEDIENCE IN ITS HUMAN ASPECT.

1. It involves a serious loss. A man may lose a sum of money, and, by a simple process of arithmetic, be able to tell the exact amount. But there are losses which no figures can adequately report, or words describe; they are all the more keenly felt because of the reeling, bewildering sense of indefiniteness that surrounds them. More especially is this the case when we reflect upon the spiritual loss occasioned by a by a course of disobedience to the Divine commandments. We are con scious of a loss of something, though in what form, or to what extent, we cannot precisely say. Not only is there