of
faith, the hand in the clouds from which he receives everything, which
guides him, and upon which everything--even that which is apparently
the most independent and powerful--depends. As soon as, through
unbelief, he has lost this communion with God, and heaven is shut
against him, he allows his eye to wander over every visible object,
looks out for everything in the world which appears to manifest
independence and superior power, makes this an object to which he shows
his love, soliciting its favour, and making it his god. In thus looking
around, the Israelites would, necessarily and chiefly, have their eyes
attracted by the idols. For they saw the neighbouring nations wealthy
and powerful; and these nations themselves derived their power and
wealth from the idols. To these also the Israelites now ascribed the
gifts which they had hitherto received; and this so much the rather,
because it was easier to satisfy the demands of these idols, than those
of the true God, who requires just that which it is most difficult to
give--the heart, and nothing else. And, being determined not to give it
to Him, they felt deeply that they could expect no good from Him.
Whatever good He had still left to them, they could consider as only a
gift of unmerited mercy, and destined to lead them to repentance,--a
consideration which makes a natural man recoil and draw back, inasmuch
as, in his relation to God, he always thinks only of merit. That which
we thus perceive in them is even now repeated daily. We need only put
in the place of idols, the abstract God of the Rationalists and Deists,
man's own power, or the power of other men, and many other things
besides, and it will at once be seen that the words, "I will go after
my lovers that give me my [Pg 239] bread," etc., are, up to the present
moment, the watch-word of the world.--"Bread and water" signify the
necessaries of life; "oil and (strong) drink," those things which serve
rather for luxuries.--"My bread," etc., is an expression of affection,
indicating that she regards these as most necessary, and to be sought
after, in preference to everything else.

Ver. 8. "_Therefore, behold, I hedge up thy way with thorns, and I wall
her wall, and her paths she shall not find._"

The apostate woman is first addressed: "_thy_ way;" but the discourse
then passes to the third person,--"her wall, her paths." We must not
conceive of this, as if the wife were to be shut up in a two-fold
way:--f