round me knew my heart and all my secret thoughts? What sort of
show, then, do I already make, in the sight of Almighty God, who sees
every man exactly as he is?'

I say, such texts as this ought to terrify us. It is good to be
terrified now and then; to be startled, and called to account, and
set thinking, and sobered, as it were, now and then, that we may look
at ourselves honestly anti bravely, and see, if we can, what sort of
men we are.

And therefore, perhaps, it is that this chapter is chosen for the
first Advent Lesson; to prepare us for Christmas; to frighten us
somewhat; at least to set us thinking seriously, and to make us fit
to keep Christmas in spirit and in truth.

For whom does this text speak of?

It speaks of religious people, and of a religious nation; and of a
fearful mistake which they were making, and a fearful danger into
which they had fallen. Now we are religious people, and England is a
religious nation; and therefore we may possibly make the same
mistake, and fall into the same danger, as these old Jews.

I do not say that we have done so; but we may; for human nature is
just the same now as it was then; and therefore it is as well for us
to look round--at least once now and then, and see whether we too are
in danger of falling, while we think that we are standing safe.

What does Isaiah, then, tell the religious Jews of his day?