MORAL BIBLICAL GLEANINGS PEACTICAL TEACHINGS, ILLUSTRATED BY BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES DRAWN FROM THE SACKED VOLUME. I'S. XLV, 1, " MV HEART IS lNDITIN(i A GOOD MATTEK. BY I . L. MOCATTA. LONDON: TRUBNER & CO., PATERNOSTER ROW. 1872. T. EICHARDS, PRINTER, GREAT QUEEN STREET, W C. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION Pages i iv I. INDUSTRY. The Creation its Artificer. Essay. Greatly conduces to man's happi- ness cheerful reflections to gladden labour baneful influence of idleness considerations which should stimulate to exer- tion duties and man's moral responsibility. Precepts. Example, EZRA 510 II. OBSERVATION . The Creation the Governor of the Universe. Essay. Study of nature benefit therefrom endless source of delight to the ob- 'servant man duty to gather its golden fruits the glorious truths it reveals study of human nature, and of our inner selves con- clusion to which it leads. Precepts. Examples, DAVID, SOLOMON. 1116 III. MARRIAGE. The Creation the Gracious Overseer. Essay. Helpmate, Heaven's gift should be correspondingly valued obligation it imposes non-fulfilment source of much misery wise discretion essential in choice of wife responsibility of both sexes important reflection, without esteem there can be no permanent affection too often overlooked by tender-hearted women consequent misery import- ance of discernment before marriage a loving spirit after how to secure prize how retain happiness at family hearth affection an active principle, religion a powerful cement. Precepts. Examples. Several wives who influenced their husbands to evil, others to good HANNAH 1723 6 2082827 Ji OiNTKNTS. IV. TEMPTATION. /; w _her disobedience. Essay. Man's freewill thence responsibility- laws given for general good pleasures, two distinct kinds which we should choose how to resist evil sinful courses hollow and baneful power of prayer. Precepts. Examples, SAMSON, SOLOMON. 2430 V. ENVY. Cainhi* envious and wrathful disposition. Essay. Whence derives its birth its baneful influence works outwardly and inwardly- best method of curbing or uprooting it wilful permittance is sin- ful equality worth preferable to wealth true riches of this earth easy of attainment set heart on them and envy is no more. Pre- cepts. Examples, RACHEL, Miriam, Daniel's enemies, SAUL. 3136 VI. VIRTUE. Noah the just and pious man a corrupt people the deluge. Essay. To be just, as understood in its full comprehensive sense three paramount duties in what they consist how true virtue may be distinguished how attained benefit it confers to seek is to find. Precepts. Examples, HEZEKIAH, SAMUEL, JOB - 37 45 VII. AMBITION. Builders of Babel their presumption their sin their dispersion. Essay. Man's mission here duty to fulfil it, wherein lies man's true glory a boundary line and certain penalty on depassing it a power for good or ill proportion to be kept between desired end and means of attainment goodness far preferable to greatness, and is open to all. PreQpts. Examples, HAMAN, JOSEPH, DAVID, DANIEL, Jothan - 46 52 VIII. FAMILY AFFECTION. A braham his generous self-denial, true kindness, and devotion Lot his heartless behaviour. Essay. Home, school of the affections how best fostered nature's voice where to turn for love and sympathy necessary to our happiness, and its most desirable cement it tempers affliction and sorrow holy bonds. Precepts. Ex- amples, JOSEPH, Jacob, Esau, MOSES, Amnon, JOB 53 61 CONTENTS. Ill IX. FAITH. Abraham (biographical sketch continued). His obedience, resignation, and holy trust. Essay. How it may be made a fixed principle of action influence of the past on the future faith in ourselves, and belief in God's Gracious Providence benefits they confer despair sinful future sealed book gracious promises religious trust. Precepts. Examples, DAVID, DANIEL'S THREE COMPANIONS, DANIEL, Eli, Jonah - 6273 X. BENEVOLENCE. Abraham (biographical sketch continued). His hospitality and philan- thropy exemplified. Essay. Not enough to appreciate, we must practise in what it consists never to be separated from hope and piety its practice, a duty and prerogative neglect thereof sinful , self -conquest often necessary the true philanthropist. Precepts. Examples, NEHEMIAH, Rebecca, Boaz, ELISHA - 74 84 XI. PARENTAL DUTY. Abraham (biographical sketch continued) his love of truth and duty his teachings and their beneficial results Rebecca and Isaac. Essay. Duty incumbent on parents they hold the key to the heart of their child great and serious their responsibility in what their duty consists influence for good much to achieve fail through injudicious training the spoilt child partiality example better than precept dereliction of duty sinful and entails certain misery reverse picture. Precepts. Examples, SOLOMON, Reho- boam, Amaziah, DAVID, ELI, JOB 85 102 XII. INDIVIDUAL MERIT. Abraham (biographical sketch concluded) this noble-hearted patri- arch's character contrasted with that of Lot impotence of latter for good his selfishness in the one an example in the other a warning. Essay. Character is the great distinction between man and man it is his insignia force of principle, what it will accom- plish necessity of repeated endeavours without discouragement pride impediment to progress success greatly depends on indivi- dual qualities freewill man's birthright his responsibility sin of omission man's true greatness. Precepts. Examples, JOSIAH, Haunaniah, GIDEON, CALKB. JOSHUA. MOHDECAI 103 125 iv CONTENTS. XIII. MORAL COWARDICE. Lot (biographical sketch concluded) his defective character exemplified by additional proofs penalty we pay for errors, omissions, and neglect of positive duties. Essay. " I cannot" and " I will not", significant words the language of moral infirmity or moral cou- rage causes of irresolution how to combat them life has defini- tive objects sinful to disregard them belief in good and our power for good reflections which will encourage and strengthen hope no flatterer to the resolute power of religion. Precepts. Examples, Disobedient Prophet, HEZEKIAH, JOSEPH, Reuben 126141 XIV. MEDITATION. Isaac his calm reflective disposition, his truly pious spirit. Essay. Reflection should precede action life full of complexities success- ful issue of undertakings greatly depends thereon profitable direc- tion for our thoughts how to control thought self-interest a pow- erful auxiliary its teachings worldly and spiritual benefits dis- tinction between meditation and mere musing. Precepts. Examples, DAVID and JOTHAM 142155 XV. PRAYER. Isaac (biographical sketch concluded) his truly pious spirit further ex- emplified his fortitude his childlike faith. Essay. Alike a duty and a privilege none exempt from former none denied latter doubt this is to err consequent penalty cause of doubt and cer- tain cure of prayer, and firstly when we should pray, secondly for what we should pray, and thirdly how we may best pray import- ance of prayer should have first place among life's duties power of prayer a panacea for every ill a chain between earth and hea- ven. Precepts. Examples, HEZEKIAH, DANIEL 156 180 XVI. DISCRETION. Jacob his early training the spoilt child his character exalted by ad- versity. Essay. Of a compound nature necessary to enlist mind and heart what it requires of us all-powerful for good when uni- ted to religion though esteemed a high virtue is rarely attained causes thereof insidious foes and powerful antagonists its valuable teachings benefits it confers when united to piety. Precepts. Ex- amples, ABIGAIL, JEPHTHAH, SAUL 181 201 CONTENTS. V XVII. CONTENTMENT. Jacob. (Biographical sketch concluded) his pious spirit under adver- sity his unselfish conduct Israel, the loved servant of God. Essay. Temper of mind most conducive to happiness whence de- rived how maintained its direst foes not always those supposed to be such should be made a settled habit of mind an inestimable boon may be attained by all ever proportioned to moral character mind lends its colour to every object equality. Precepts. Ex- amples, SHUXAMMITE, JOB 202 224 XVIII. SELF-DISCIPLINE. Joseph his truly virtuous life his piety his fortitude contrasted with Joseph's brethren their conduct. Essay. High moral obligation what it has to effect practice makes easy temptation synonymous with danger its powerful auxiliaries its true province benefits it confers penalty to which its disregard exposes man. Precepts. Examples, DAVID, JONAH 225 244 XIX. FILIAL AFFECTION. I Joseph (biographical sketch concluded) his loving, generous disposi- tion additional proofs of other exalted and estimable qualities contrasted with Joseph's brethren their acts. Essay. A debt we should be ever discharging a paramount duty how most effec- tively fulfilled also prerogative should be valued its certain re- ward causes of filial defection home, what it should be parental obligation unfilial conduct entails certain misery and after regrets. Precepts. Examples, RUTH, MOSES, ABSOLOM, ELISHA 245265 XX. THE SABBATH. The Israelites under Moses and Joshua their frequent disregard of its observance their long apprenticeship to freedom, and their re- form. Essay. Its observance a sacred obligation to keep it holy a direct command from God may not be disregarded with impun- ity its chief characteristics its high purport imposes none but pleasurable duties prime causes of its infringement covetousness, religious indifference, thoughtlessness numerous benefits it confers negative as well as positive advantages. Precepts. Examples, The ISKAELITES under their Judges and Kings - . 266287 v j CONTEXTS. XXI. RELIGIOUS ZEAL. The Israelites under Moses (historical sketch continued) their moral progress instances where gratitude became an animating principle b es t exemplified by individuals, thus, PHINEIIAS, JOSHUA, CA- LEB reverse, KORAH. Essay. In what it consists co-operation with the Divine purpose prerogative demands some self-denial, self-sacrifice duty to our fellow- creatures why rather shunned than courted perverted zeal bigotry intolerance spiritual pride extremes injurious how to expound religion benefits which flow therefrom our reward. Precepts. Examples, the ISRAELITES under their Judges, Kings, and Prophets OTHNIEL, Asa, ELIJAH 288309 XXIL RESIGNATION. Aaron his character his trials and conduct his weakness detrimental to moral character of the nation of which he was the spiritual head defects to be accounted for sinfulness of his sous, and penalty thereof character strengthened and improved through trials and sorrows. Essay. Adversity, like life, has a high purpose gauges man's moral condition, also strengthens and improves it important to distinguish between those trials which are of our own making and afflictions sent from heaven not difficult, being generally well defined defects of character most common causes of trials, and trials in their turn the surest cure of defects of character their fur- ther beneficial and kindly effects sickness pain pity virtue Heavenly dispensations, blessings in disguise death trials never negative in their effects if not soften then harden the heart dis- content, its sinfulness affliction the medicine of life two classes of misfortunes important to distinguish between them most pow- erful auxiliaries to resignation God'sprovidence and justice kindle lamp of f^aith. Precepts. Examples, JEREMIAH, JOB, ESTHER 310343 XX1IL OBDURACY. The Israelites under Moses (historical sketch concluded) their stub- bornness of disposition cause thereof influence exercised by sur- rounding idolatrous nations their moral training after results. Essay* Not easily detected in what it consists is antagonistic to CONTENTS. vii lirmness, and should not be mistaken for it causes of it infirmity of purpose passion or principle defective training of the heart of youth prevention or cure repentance logic of vice disobedience and its certain penalty reform of conduct the fruits of virtue and piety. Precepts. Examples, The ISRAELITES under Joshua their Judges and their Kings - 344 370 XXIV. TEMPER. Moses the " meekest of men" his life divided into three distinct epochs the first rife with circumstances unfavourable to his moral training, and ending in an act of violence ; the second, passed in exile, subserved to a course of self -discipline, and prepared him for the important change which marked the third epoch, wherein he so ably and manfully, yet so meekly, discharged his high and glorious mission his self-control frequently and severely tested excep- tional instances of irritability and anger his numerous excellent qualities his holy temper of mind. Essay. The practical expres- sion of the inward disposition of the heart causes of good temper and ill temper their antagonism safeguard against the latter piety twin sister to gentleness and cheerfulness the beneficial ef- fects of good temper on ourselves and others ill temper a distem- per, and militates against our own and others' happiness the power of the individual to benefit the social community how to conquer ill temper how best acquire good temper of discontent of self- discipline religion and expediency speak to same effect important difference between good temper and easiness of disposition bene- fits conferred by piety. Precepts. Examples, Cain, Simeon, Nabal, Naaman, HAZAEL, SAUL, AHAB, Haman, BALAAM, JONAH 371405 XXV. -DEATH. Moses (biographical sketch concluded) his long life, embracing varied incidents and subjected to many severe trials the numerous perils he encountered when engaged in his strenuous and never-ceasing efforts to benefit his countrymen his loving, self-sacrificing spirit incidents which mark the close of his great life his life and death alike eloquent preparation for his final departure his death be- spoke immortality. Essay. An universal dispensation, therefore no evil a messenger from heaven state of our own minds with re- viii CONTENTS. gard to it viewed abstractedly will assuredly be recognised aa a blessing God's goodness and loving kindness to be traced through this mysterious agent reflections on it will work to practical good often set at defiance true fortitude at the final hour only possible to the virtuous and pious of death-bed repentance act while we have life before us our wilful blindness causes thereof belief in immortality benefits it confers spiritual joys it imparts how re- garded by the impenitent sinner and by the virtuous man last hour of the one and of the other the lesson each bequeathes to posterity. Examples, ELI, SAMUKL - - 406 437 XXVI. LETTER ON IMMORTALITY. 438443 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX ..... 445 INTBODUCTION. No known work has ever brought before the human mind such innumerable examples rife with instruction as the Bible. Plainly does it point out, through individual cha- racter, what is good for man, and what must prove to his detriment. Practical examples of high moral virtue and piety are presented to us in all their native simplicity, and highly should they be prized as models for imitation ; while vice is exhibited in all its natural deformity, so that it may scare and terrify those prone to err or sin. Humanity is written on all its pages. The portraits which adorn this ancestral chamber are little dissimilar in mental or in phy- sical features from those of the individuals who now are playing their part on this world's stage. The soul drew its inspirations from the same Divine fount, and the un- shackled mind was left, as now, free to choose the good and eschew the evil. We need not read its inspired pages by other lights than those of our daily experience, our rea- son, and our conscience. Nature, -or the outer world, the heart, or inner man, ever ringing changes on the dial of time, alike remain immutable in their laws, their essence, and their mutual relation. The human heart is ever guided ii INTRODUCTION. by the same feelings and impulses, the mind is coloured through like agencies, while Nature varies but to assimilate a<*ain. All this the Bible teaches while representing scenes o and actors by the light of that eternal truth which beams forth from its every page. This mirror is held up for the mental eye of all ages ; therefore it is the imperative duty of man to scan and compare, then regulate his life and shape his course thereby. From this faithful record may be drawn conclusions on every known subject in which man's interests are concerned, while precepts conjointly with examples stand in goodly array to guide and urge him onwards in that road which will most surely conduce to his well-being, his happiness here and hereafter. But as this moral lesson is spread over a broad surface, the unmeditative mind or casual reader finds it hard to dis- engage those precepts and examples which have an imme- diate reference to moral conduct, from other matters with which they are so largely interspersed and closely blended. Concentration may, therefore, be productive of good. By culling each important fact which bears on our duties and obligations as we proceed in our Biblical history, we secure an easy index to them ; and, by elucidating the subject- matter by traits of individual character, adding thereto apt quotations taken from Psalms, Proverbs, and the Prophets, a force is imparted which may greatly tend to stamp a vivid and durable impression on even the least susceptible mind or heart. To further this purposed object, a general view of each subject will be added, with such arguments as may INTRODUCTION. in help to urge us on in the pursuance of duty, and conduce to strengthen our bias or partial belief into profound con- viction ; for the mind once imbued with sound practical truths, a firm, unflinching, and vigorous course of action in the path of all that is good and noble will naturally ensue. Among numberless important conclusions which suggest themselves as we span the Sacred Volume, and bring into a focus its high moral inculcations^ practical as preceptive, the following are worthy of the deepest consideration; viz., that the heart of man, as well as his mental organism, ever retains the same attributes ; that the Holy Volume answers to every sentiment, every emotion that can arise in the human breast ; and that it leaves no one failing unreproved, no one virtue unenjoined : thus should ever be resorted to and made the test of our moral conduct, while chosen as our infallible adviser and guide. Then by its light is clearly shown that man is a free agent, and that there is no thral- dom in vice but what the will sanctions, no obstacle to virtue but that we ourselves have helped to raise and will not conjure down ; that if exhortation and reproof fail to awaken the sleeping conscience, trials and sorrows will surely come to sting the sinner into repentance ; while the good and holy, who bow at the shrine of duty, find present reward in the consciousness of well-doing, with the glori- ous certainty of ineffable bliss hereafter. Next, that we should never suffer our energies to lie dormant, but exert our best faculties with earnest zeal in the cause of the general good, thereby compassing that of the individual ; iv INTRODUCTION. that it is not for finite man to do evil that good may come from it. Finally, that in all our doings we must consider the end, as few actions fail to bring forth either sweet or bitter fruits ; while the grand fundamental rule of life runs like a silken thread through all the broad pages of the Bible, oft impressed by glorious examples, ever urged in all the felicity of language, but summed up thus concisely for the generation of man, "Fear God, and keep his command- ments." To illustrate these and other principles of action is the object of these MORAL BIBLICAL GLEANINGS. MOEAL BIBLICAL GLEANINGS. INDUSTRY. Genesis, chap, i, v. 1, " God created the heaven and the earth" GOD is here portrayed as the Framer and Artificer of those stupendous Works which are known to us by the word " Creation". The first character in which the Sovereign Ruler has allowed Himself to be represented to us in His Holy Volume is as the " Worker". What an ennobling moral lesson is here unfolded. Nowhere is to be found a more potent argument in favour of labour, speaking alike to high and low. Thus all, all should earnestly aid in the cause of progress, and strive with head, hand, and heart, to further the development of good. Would we make life the boon which the Gracious Ruler intended it to be, we must quicken every right feeling into action, make each useful thought subserve some practical good, and, above all, marshal before us those duties which our situation in life demands, and unceasingly labour in their fulfilment. And it is well to bear in mind that Industry in no way implies negation of pleasure ; on the contrary, it is its great- est promoter. A brisk sense of delight never fails to attend such vigorous action as is prompted by a desire to work out some laudable end. Each fresh endeavour but serves as a stimulus and incentive to persevere and accomplish ; the 6 INDUSTRY. goal kept steadily in view, no spur is necessary to urge us on, the very nearing carries pleasure in its train, while the object of desire once attained is the more prized when felt to be the just reward of past labour and exertion. Assuredly labour fulfils a most beneficent office in the arena of life ; and, far from being regarded as mere drudgery, should be considered as a profitable state of discipline and moral train- ing. It is, indeed, every way calculated to develope our energies and strengthen our virtues, while it possesses the additional advantage of greatly swelling the sum of human enjoyment. Not only do we rarely prize those blessings which have cost neither mental nor bodily fatigue, but also the hidden springs of plenty are seldom opened to us with- out exertion. God has concealed innumerable beauties from the unobservant eye of the sluggard, whilst many are the gratifications and blessings He concedes to diligence and honest labour. But would we have a yet further stimulus to Industry, let us for a moment consider ourselves incapa- citated therefrom. How truly deplorable should we then deem our position ; to be willing yet powerless ; solely to possess a nerveless arm or effete mind instead of the vigour of manhood, the prolific brain ! Then, if not before, but then perhaps too late, should we appreciate labour itself as well as the numerous advantages which accrue therefrom. But Industry, apart from its own intrinsic merit, must yet be rated high, if only as antagonistic to that giant Idleness, the scorned of all that is good and great, who dies a cow- ard tyrant's death at the first' sling from the hand of In- dustry. Surely, when the many blessings which attend on labour are recalled, and the baneful effects of Idleness are con- sidered, a conviction of the necessity of the high moral duty of exertion much force itself on the most dormant mind and wake it up to action. Truly, the industrious have numberless cheering and invigorating reflections to gladden them in their toil and well doings ; take as examples the INDUSTRY. 7 following : that every right action is the fulfilment of God's holy will ; that " the pinnacle of fame has Industry for its basis"; that " toil seldom fails to bear rich and precious fruits"; that " they who sow the good shall reap the same"; and that man in fulfilling moral duties, is fitting himself for a higher state of being and an eternal bliss. Then to the listless idler, who in defiance of God's immutable and gracious laws, fails to use the faculties and natural vigour with which he has been blessed, is content to slumber through existence, useless and profitless to himself and others, the following considerations may be offered as a stimulus to exertion ; that, to stand still while all is pro- gressing around is to retrograde ; also, he but fulfils a sacred duty who gives cheerfully and lovingly his quota to- wards swelling the sum of human happiness ; and again, he who in manhood neglects the workshop will have but the workhouse to look to in old age. And as a further incite- ment to shake off the trammels imposed by idleness, we should reflect that it is closely allied to vice, the lower passions ever sprouting vigorously in the listless mind. But by those who wilfully waste their energies in the pur- suit of deluding and ensnaring pleasures, utterly regardless of the misery a devious and sinful course necessarily entails alike on themselves and their co-partners in vice, such re- flections as these should be taken seriously to heart, that if to lose a day in inaction and spend fast fleeting time in unprofitable pursuits be wrong and displeasing to the most High, criminal and worthless indeed must they be who per- vert life and its lofty purposes, allowing the passing hours to pander to base appetites and unruly passions, despoiling all that is noble, fair, and beautiful in a word, committing moral felo-de-se. They who thus act will surely on the great Judgment Day be " weighed in the balance and found wanting." Thus let us give the heart to good and useful works, for ft INDUSTRY. where it points the feet will be fast to follow ; search with all diligence after the good, make it the business of life, bar the door to sin, and all will be health and happiness within. The Holy Volume teems with many an injunction to labour and give to life a great moral purpose, while severe is the penalty pronounced upon its infraction. In Ecclesiastes is found one of the most forcible PRECEPTS, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might/' Then we have in the Decalogue the emphatic and positive command, Exodus, chap, xx, 9, " Six days shalt thou labour," which, following immediately upon the enumeration of duties we owe to God, and heading those due to man, not only amply demonstrates its high importance in the economy of the world, but also proves that no one individual may, no one dare claim exemption from this universal law. Then we are told in Proverbs, chap, xiii, 4, "The soul of the sluggard desireth,but hath nothing"; again, chap, xii, 24, "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be under tribute "; also, "the sleep of the labouring man is sweet," and "The labour of the righteous tendeth to life"; and again, ch. x, 4, "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich"; ch. xviii, 9: "He who is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster;" and "an idle person shall suffer hunger." Then the idler is thus forewarned (ch. vi, 9) : "0 sluggard, when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep ? yet a little sleep, a little slumber, so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." And that we may value this warn- ing and justly estimate its importance, it is repeated word by word in the twenty-fourth chapter. Thus we see that on every score it behoves us to set ourselves honestly and with hearty energy to work out practical good, and when we shall be conscientiously discharging each duty with as- siduity, then may we, with hopeful confidence, pray in the words of Moses, Psalm xc, " Establish Thou, O Lord, the EZRA. 9 work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it."* Few Bible characters offer a better EXAMPLE of industry wisely and profitably applied than that of EZRA, he " who prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it ;" and who became " the chosen instrument of God for the restoration of the Temple/' He rigidly fulfilled all the sacred duties of his office, curbed Israel, then prone to idolatry, and taught them innumerable statutes and judg- ments. He " opened the Book of the Law in the sight of the people, and caused them to understand the sense thereof." He corresponded with the treasurers of King Artaxerxes, obtaining from them his requirements, and repeatedly ad- dressed that monarch himself. He set magistrates and judges over the land, superintended the rebuilding of the Temple, and urged on the holy work by word and deed through the long day and longer night. He defeated the machinations of enemies from without, and quelled internal dissensions, made many useful reforms, and brought his popple over to repentance, so that they forsook their evil ways." Withal he was a " ready scribe in the Law of Moses." * Should any reader of these pages consider the quotations under the heading of Precepts too numerous, the writer would yet venture to claim indulgence on the score that in those cases where especial refer- ence to the subject-matter is required, the more ample the materials furnished, the better service will be rendered. And who may not occa- sionally desire to secure easy and speedy reference to Scripture verses, and thence acknowledge as a desideratum this summing up of varied quotations on any particular subject under consideration ? Further, it may be observed that a verse or precept which takes firm hold on one mind, and thence receives all the attention it merits, will frequently fail in touching home or leaving any permanent impress on that of another; thus, where one quotation may have small weight and work little good, another, perfectly similar in its inculcations, but differently couched, will sometimes stamp itself so effectively on the mind as to rise spon- taneously and be ready at first call. A positive advantage which can only be secured through number and variety of quotations. INDUSTRY. Here is a beacon of light whereby the pilgrim of life may steer his bark till he reaches that final haven where all is glory, peace, and rest. OBSERVATION. 11 OBSERVATION. Gen., ch. i, v. 25, " God saw thai it was good.''' 1 THE conclusion we may reasonably draw from these words of high import is that, although Omnipotence had planned and executed, yet this was not enough, Omnipotence pro- ceeded to survey, and pronounced the work perfect. If any blemish could possibly have been discernible, the infallible Superintendent of the Universe would have considered it as a blot on creation. He who graciously "saw that it was good" will now and for ever see that all is good and tending to good. Never need we fear that He will mar His handi- work or allow His creatures permanently so to do. Once firmly impressed with this belief, man will dismiss all cavilling doubts, and in grateful accents re-echo the gracious words of his Maker, "all is good." Excellence is inscribed on every page of Creation, and it is the imperative duty of all beings to note this diligently, whether in the works or in the workings of their Artificer and Ruler. Our highest gratification and greatest good must redound therefrom. The thinking and observant man truly has endless sources of delight, for to him a wise and benign Overseer is clearly discernible, in the moral as in the physical world ; in the latter he will mark a great and gracious design, while in the former he will recognise with grateful adoration an ever controlling hand. As he walks through the world with open eye his faculties will awaken and expand, the beauties of nature will grow upon him, fresh combinations ] i> OBSERVATION. and ever renewing novelty springing up on every side will draw forth his unbounded admiration, and furnish him with a grand and elevating lesson, as well as a continuous stream of guileless pleasures. Now they who seek may easily ob- tain the golden key of observation, wherewith they can un- lock the rich treasury of nature, and entering, cull the pre- cious fruits within, while through its medium will also be opened those secret laboratories where sciences and arts are nurtured and matured. Thus, why imitate the mole in preference to the lynx ? why burrow in the dark or slumber through existence when we may walk abroad at noonday, gathering the precious fruits of observation ? To be un- observant or a mere looker-on is surely beneath the dignity of man ; but to behold with keen and earnest interest the wonders around, striving each day to acquire more and more mental light, making experience subserve to know- ledge, and, above all, seeking out fresh and lasting subjects of gratitude towards the gracious Bestower of every goodly gift, such, indeed, is the fit employment of a rational being. This is "to live." But, while the habit of observation insures a juster appre- ciation of, and a deeper insight into, all that is passing aixmnd and within us, it further tends to imbue our mind Avith the profound conviction that "whatever is is right." Though the limited capacity of man can grasp but parts of the vast comprehensive whole, yet he who has bent his in- tellect to the appreciation of the marvellous works of God, will see that wisdom and goodness ever shine with lustrous splendour, and though, like the sun, they are at times in- visible to the individual, like that glorious luminary, they are never, never absent. Indeed, we have only to reverse the order of nature in any one particular, and modify aught in the natural or physical world, to be fully convinced that all works together for good. Could we arrest a single law of nature but for an inappreciable second of time, this bright world would be a wilderness, the stupendous and glorious OBSERVATION. 13 universe a chaos ! Then, when we consider the condition of men, beneficial results are to be seen in the very clashing of their interests, and a meaning is to be recognised in each stirring incident, each varying circumstance which affects or governs their actions. Thus, the endeavour to modify a polity based on natui-al law, or to banish all jarring elements which disconcert or mar the desires and workings of man- kind would evidently be futile for good. Devious and ec- centric as men's actions at first appear, yet, like the comet when closely studied, they present nothing vague or unde- fined; but divert the meteor's course, and the world would be in flames. And lastly, when we scan the incidents of our lives, how discernible is the invaluable and gratifying truth that each one has been conducive to our well-being, and that in every evil we can trace a greater good. But, were all curb withdrawn and man allowed free scope in the indulgence of the boundless desires of his heart, evil would indeed infallibly accrue. Truly, Divine Bounty ever filling up the just measure of the cup to all his creatures, allotting to each such proportion of the cardiac as He in His wisdom deems best, requires of man only that he should promote to the best of his power the well-being of his fellow-creatures, and, by thus swelling the general store of happiness, find his own share proportionably increased. Finally, let us impress this truth on our minds, that nature never preaches in vain. If we but avail ourselves of the giant power of observation, we shall find it all potent for good ; high and ennobling conceptions will elevate our souls, an appreciation of God's marvellous works will draw us nearer to the fount of all goodness, and a knowledge of our inner selves will materially conduce to a happy and pious life. By looking from effects to causes, studying art, nature, and man, with the heart as well as with the head, not clipping too closely imagination's wings nor yet trenching on the high privilege of reason, great will be our profit. Indeed, we must infallibly arrive at such all-important conclusions 14 OBSERVATION. as these ; that the great Omniscient rules over and overrules everything, making all conduce to the ultimate benefit of His creatures ; thence that we should feel it to be our highest delight, as well as our bounden duty to praise and glorify with grateful hearts the Wise, Beneficent Giver of every good ; that as free-will agents it is imperatively de- manded of us to mould our actions in accordance with the commands of the Supreme : and, finally, that we should con- sider no event in life, no scene in nature, no incident throughout creation, too trivial to lead the mind to the Governor of the Universe, that Great First Cause, who gra- ciously inaugurated the world's era with the emphatic de- claration that "all was good." Precepts (and Examples). No individual figuring in Scriptural History appears to have been more fully impressed with the importance of self-knowledge, of attention to the laws of nature and individual character, than DAVID, the sweet singer of Israel. This is clearly demonstrated in his admirable compositions, as also in the excellence at which his son and successor arrived, for this result could hardly have been attained except through the judicious training of a wise religious parent, one impressed with the conviction that such knowledge tends to make a man both great and good. Thus spoke the Royal Psalmist, "I meditate on all Thy works ; I muse on the works of Thy Hand ;" and "When I consider the Heavens, the work of Thy Hands, what is man that Thou visitest him?" Again, "I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; marvellous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well." Indeed, thus looking "through Nature up to Nature's God" will ever be attended by a pious resignation to the All Wise dis- pensations of the Most High ! and a zealous desire to do His will. This was especially manifested throughout David's chequered career, and how firmly he believed that our very welfare depends on this habit is clearly proved in the SOLOMON DAVID. 15 28th Psalm, fifth verse, where he declares, "Because they the wicked regard, not the worlts of the Lord, nor the opera- tions of His hands, God will destroy them and not build them up." Culling next from the Book of Proverbs, Solomon therein admonishes us, " Go to the ant, consider her ways, and be wise." In Ecclesiastes he remarks that "the wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in dark- ness ;" then, as a practical illustration, he tells us that I, SOLOMON, "gave my heart to seek and search out wisdom, concerning all things that are done 'under Heaven ;" again, " I saw and considered it well, I looked upon it and received instruction," .and he further adds, "I considered in my heart that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hands of God." He who thus wrote had sought and found. Solomon had well conned the page of Nature ere he "spake of trees, also of beasts and of fowls, of creeping things and fishes." He had cultivated a keen relish for the beautiful and useful. Arts and sciences flourished throughout his kingdom. He had probed the human breast, delved deep into the secret recesses of the passions, closely watched their work- ings, and followed their mysterious and intricate windings. To all this he owed that power of discei'nment which espe- cially displayed itself in the celebrated judgment passed in the case of the two mothers. Now, to render these EXAMPLES truly serviceable, it is necessary to mark the difference which existed in one all im- portant particular between father and son. Before the keen inquiring spirit of King SOLOMON, Nature and all the con- cerns of this earth were written in legible characters ; his capacious mind grasped comprehensive views of all worldly matters ; but it never passed these bounds, for while the present and past came out clearly, the future remained to him a sealed book. Not so, however, with the Royal DAVID, who, besides possessing well-developed mental powers, was also endowed with the pre-eminent gift of inspiration, and 16 OBSERVATION. that in so high a degree as to admit of the saying concerning Saul being applied to him, "Verily is he among the Pro- phets." To account for this, it suffices to note the material dissimilarity which existed in the characters of the tried servant of the Lord and the spoilt child of fortune. David's heart, ever inspired by true devotion, turned alike in pros- perity or in trials towards God as the needle to the pole ; never swerving but to react speedily and settle yet more fixedly. With him, observation kindled faith. His aspira- tions centred not in vain worldly desires', but soared upwards and onwards into the far future. There were his thoughts, and there lay his powers of discernment, for. was not " God in all his thoughts ?" How far otherwise was it with Solo- mon, who at first wisely used, and then, his heart turning from his God, abused the blessings vouchsafed to him, so that they became of nothing worth, and "all was vanity." Comparing David's admirable Psalms, the 34th and 107th, replete with faith, humility, and devotion, to the first chapter of Ecclesiastes, full of captious murmurings and caustic remarks on the vanity of pleasure, of labour, of all earthly things, and the contrast is perfect. With the lesson of their lives and writings before us, to David let us especially direct our attention, for as with him passion will occasionally obtain the mastery, and trials de- press the spirits, so also, like him, we may turn to our in- dulgent Father in love and trust, walk by the light of His Holy Word, and give hand and heart to all that is good." Thus we shall be led with him to exclaim in grateful rapture, " How full is the earth of the goodness of the Lord ; blessed art Thou, the Giver of all good." MA1MUAGE. 17 MARRIAGE. Gen., cb. ii, 18, " And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone ; I will make him a helpmeet." IN these words it is pronounced by God Himself that man, by his very nature, requires companionship ; and as- suredly the gracious gift of a sister of the soul vouchsafed by the Bestower of "all good" is ever fraught with a world of happiness, if sought, as all blessings should be, in a reli- gious spirit, and, when obtained, held and valued as a hea- venly boon. Then, to prove that conjugal affection should take precedence of every other feeling, however sacred and however strong, Scripture emphatically declares that "a, man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife." And further, that the high import of the marriage tie may be fully recognised and indelibly engraven on the heart, it is solemnised in the sight of heaven. This tender and sublime bond is ratified before that Throne of love and justice where we shall surely have to render an account of duties accomplished or left unfulfilled. Woe, then, to those who enter the marriage state regardless of the moral obligation it imposes ! To them alone the blame, when happiness smiles not on a union, either thoughtlessly formed, or originating in aninterested motiveor passingfancy. But sanguine may he be who has selected with a wise dis- cretion the one who is to be the wife of his bosom and the mother of his children. When congeniality of tastes, pur- suits, and disposition are made its groundwork, and religion its corner-stone when the mind or heart, not the face or purse, is made the prize coveted, when judgment, solicitude, and care are employed to find out the one who has proved herself a good daughter, a fond sister, a devoted, sympa- C 18 MARRIAGE. thising friend, and, above all, a truly religious child of the Supreme then will this gift assuredly prove the rich bless- ing it was intended by the Most High, or, in the words of Scripture, "the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her : she will do him good, and not evil all the days of her life." Now, important as is this step in life with men, it is even more so with women. The weaker ever bows before the stronger will, and thus the wife generally becomes the reflex of the husband. Yet it behoves both sexes alike, ere the words are spoken which seal the indissoluble bond, to reflect seriously that habits, traits of character, and modes of thought are borrowed from those with whom we come most in contact ; and thus we sink or rise after marriage, just in proportion as we make a judicious choice of our partner for life. How solicitous, then, should we be to ascertain the character of the one with whom we are so completely to identify our interests and desires indeed, would we save ourselves much misery and after-regret, we must resolutely resolve to throw aside any vague feeling of love immediately we discover defects of character or want of religion ; for where there is no esteem, there cannot possibly be any per- manent affection. Too frequently, however, will the warm kind heart think to win to good, one with defects patent even to the eyes of love itself, and so tie the bands regard- less of consequences. Fatal, fatal error ! What but baffled hopes and vain regrets can attend such infatuation ! Slaves of habit ourselves, how dare we so presume as to hope to mould another to our will, and think to resist or control feelings which have been the growth of years ? But further, would we summon happiness to the new home of married life, it will not suffice simply to glance at actions ; we must also sound the heart that prompts them ; nor should we look upon the face but as the index to the mind ; in a word, we must seek to wed with intellect, virtue, and religion, the only true bulwarks of esteem and love. All, however, is MAKRIAGE. 19 comparative ; none are faultless. Thus, while we should use our best discernment before marriage, we cannot be too dim-sighted afterwards. This is, indeed, the more incumbent because the idol we raise up in our hearts during early love generally wants the reality of truth, and therefore must speedily meet its downfall. Truly much, very much, depends on our good sense and good feeling ; guided by these, we shall not fail to recognise our own defects, and make allow- ances for those of our partner for life, we shall shut our eyes to all blemishes, and open them wide with a loving spirit to discern the many excellent qualities which flourish and ripen when warmed by devoted love. But how is a prize to be secured, unless we be such our- selves ? Fond hopes are best attained by deserts. Seldom, except by merit, is true love kindled in the breast of the wise and good. Thus it behoves us to strive sedulously to render our characters amiable and estimable. When firmly con- vinced that marriage makes or mars us, we shall rarely fail in choosing one of unblemished name and sterling worth. The deeply interested are keen-sighted. Yet judgment will not always avail ; failing intentional deceit on the one side, and incaution on the other, unsuitable matches will still occasionally be made. Through the conventionality of so- ciety, the interested parties generally have little opportunity of discerning whether the true essence of conjugal happi- ness, conformity of tastes and principles, exists. Now it is especially when such mistakes occur that the finer qualities of our nature find ample room for exercise. By making some self-sacrifice, and displaying a kindly for- bearance, the first chill of disappointment will pass away, and a genial warmth spring forth, frequently ripening into the fondest affection. Nought but ill-temper and perverse- ness will mar, much less destroy, domestic happiness. Thus, if we firmly resolve ever to look on the bright side, reflecting that, though there be points of difference, there are yet many more of agreement, and that identity of interests far c 2 20 M.VHKIACK. outweighs opposing inclinations, then the clashing which can but embitter existence will cease, and a close intercourse of mutual kindness soon make the marriage state a "continual feast." To drink jointly our daily portion from the cup of religion, and " walk to the house of God together," to pray for and with each other, unite in common acts of charity, and have a gentle word of kindness ever ready on the tongue, will surely bring connubial bliss. Habit will day by day assimilate any two characters, and blend feelings however dissimilar. But the harsh and angry word must be for ever hushed " Can two .walk together and they be not agreed ?" The strong will must be tempered, for love flies at the breath of tyranny. We must confide, and, above all, avoid dissimulation, which is disloyalty to love ; further, while we strive to give pleasure, we must also be ever ready to receive it. The heart warms as it imparts happiness. Now to act thus can surely be no very arduous task, while ample will be the reward. As affection becomes an active principle, selfishness will die out, and the sweet sacrifices made at the altar of love within our homes will send forth their rich perfume. Happiness generated at the hearth will seek for expansion, and soon diffuse itself by word and deed throughout the entire circle in which we move. But if those means are neglected which conduce to our mutual welfare, then will a double penalty be imposed. When the day of trial comes, and sickness or death enters our abode, we shall deeply regret our broken vows, the past will rise up against us, and. we shall have to suffer all the bitter pangs of an upbraiding conscience. Thus, ere the day of separation arrives, let us be kind, be fair, nor grieve the heart of the confiding one. Above all, let us beware of any breach of faith, which is perjury in the face of heaven. Only when the vow uttered on the nuptial day is religiously performed, and every sacred obligation gladly fulfilled, will joy smile at the hearth, each anxious care there find rest, and the blessing of true devoted love descend thereon. MARRIAGE. 21 Woman, by nature self-denying, generous, loving, will assuredly find in her marriage vow a fresh stimulus to fulfil life's duties : while man, whose nature calls for that help- meet, the sweet sympathizing spirit, will appreciate the boon, and tenderly return her affection ; for happy he who loves, and happy she who is beloved. Two hearts linked together by love to God are safe, for then, prompted by gratitude to a gracious Providence, they will mutually en- deavour to rejoice the heart and strengthen the soul in virtue of the partner of their life. Heart will respond to heart, and mind will influence mind for good. A halo of pure happiness will surround the domestic circle. Woman, cheerfully fulfilling her mission, will be ever shedding wide her useful and ennobling influence ; while man, joyful in her love, will never suffer the idea to intrude that he could be better off without her, but taught by unvarying expe- rience, will recognise this grateful truth that with her all pain is divided, while she doubles every pleasure. The Book of Proverbs teems with PRECEPTS which, atten- tively considered, are every way calculated to induce caution in the choice of a wife, and thence guide us to matrimonial felicity. All-important is the following verse, since it at once tells us the helpmeet we should desire, and where this treasure is to be sought. We read, " A prudent wife is from, the Lord ;" therefore we should ask Him to bless our choice, and, making our selection in this spirit, shall surely be led to declare, in the words of the same penman, " Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing." It is, however, to the last chapter of Proverbs we should especially direct our attention before contracting the solemn engagement which can terminate only with life. There we have described the virtuous woman, whose " price is far above rubies ;" the woman " that feareth the Lord." Of her it is said, " She stretcheth out her hand to the poor, she looketh well to the ways of her household, she openeth her mouth with wisdom, 22 MA I! HI AGE. and on her tongue is the law of kindness.'' We may next observe that the marriage tie is a favourite figure in the writings of the prophets when denoting the high obligation of Israel to be faithful and loving towards their God, who will in return " cherish and protect the spouse of his adop- tion." Thus in Malachi, " The Lord hath been witness between thee, O Israel, and the wife of thy youth." In Isaiah, " As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Then, also, in Solomon's beautiful song, God's love towards his people is thus figura- tively declared, " I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine." Finally, the same writer describes the power and intensity of holy affection and the bitterness of outraged feelings considerations which should be uppermost in the minds of all those who are about to enter the state of matri- mony. We read, " Love is strong as death, the flood of waters cannot drown it, but jealousy is cruel as the grave." The Holy Volume offers many EXAMPLES which speak plainly in warning us against an ill-assorted match, as also in cautioning us with regard to that culpable weakness which tamely yields to corrupt counsels. It is related in the history of our first parents, " ADAM harkened unto his wife to do evil." Again, ISAAC, aware how the soft influ- ence of woman moves man to good or ill, charged his son Jacob " not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan ;" whilst Rebecca, in the tenderest accents of a mother, im- plored her son to the like effect. Then in JOB we find the strong will of this pious sufferer resisting that criminal counsel of his wife to " curse God and die," replying thereto, " Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh." But not unfrequently the wife's is the stronger will, and she bears rule, as in the case of that vile monster of iniquity JEZEBEL, who brought much misery on her country by " stirring up Ahab to work wickedness ;" and again JEHO- RAM " wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, for he had the ESTHER THE SHUNA.MMITE HANNAH. 23 daughter of Ahab to wife." While numerous instances are to be found of females biassing or enticing their husbands to evil, the Holy Volume affords but few illustrations of woman's beneficial influence in the opposite direction ; for, as none but the unfeeling and corrupt despise the rich inheritance of love, or tamper with the marriage vow, the teachings of Scripture are mostly confined to warnings and admonitions which alone can touch such hearts. Yet we have in ESTHER, in the SHUNAMMITE, and HANNAH, admirable examples for imitation. In the case of the latter we find Elkauah, full of confidence and love, saying to his much- cherished and truly religious wife, " Do what seemeth thee good."* Truly, when we possess a dear companion, to whom we may at all times and under all circumstances safely address these self-same words, then may we also feel assured that a " blessing will accompany us to our homes. '' * i Samuel, ch. i, 23. 24 TKMITATIOX. TEMPTATION. Gen., ch. iii, 3, " Eat not, touch not of the fruit of the tree.' 1 '' SUCH was the strict injunction of the Lord to our first parents, nevertheless EVE took of the fruit and did eat, for "it was pleasant to the eye." Gifted with freewill, Eve found herself at liberty to obey or disobey, to follow her own imaginings or act in accordance with God's positive command. Now surely the rich blessings lavished around, if nought else, might have engendered a deep sentiment of gratitude and love towards the Gracious Giver, and prompted an implicit obedience to His will; but cravings after the for- bidden warped her mind from all sense of duty. One wild desire sufficed to efface the remembrance of her beneficent Creator, and even blotted out the pure delights of Paradise itself ! Here then is presented to us an all-important every- day lesson, and well does it teach us resolutely to shun enticements and unlawful desires. Man became a reaponsible being when endowed with freewill, and his abuse of this high prerogative must ever be as fatal to his well-being as derogatory to his dignity. Unbridled passions and base appetites never go unpunished. No individual can be suffered to infringe with impunity those laws which were promulgated for general benefit, since the happiness and good of the whole would thereby be endangered. When the unerring Judge has signified His high will, it is surely not for man to set himself in opposi- tion thereto, and indulge those gratifications which He has prohibited. Continually urged as we are in the Holy Volume to decide between good and evil, life and death, to TKMI'TATIOX. 25 choose God's service and abhor the slavery of sin, surely it should be our endeavour to shun the dangerous paths of vice, and strive to become dutiful children of the Most High. Now, to resist evil desires effectively, we must ever keep a strict and vigilant guard upon our thoughts, resolutely turning from those which are unruly, since they form the first inlets to sinful propensities. Acts ever closely follow the channel in which they run, and dangerous indeed is it to trifle or dally with depraved or impure imaginings. Surely one dark or sinful thought, if not speedily dismissed, will dim all that is light and bright in our nature. Hence must we restrain undue indulgence, in thought or deed, and above all things seek to stifle inordinate desires at their birth. Next it behoves us to distinguish between innocent and siren pleasures. These latter are apt to palm themselves upon us in the shape of some virtue, and thus with stealthy and subtle step enter the citadel of the heart. But we must do more than merely mark their dissimilarity ; we must so attach ourselves to the former as to enable us to repel the more insidious advance of vices. And to do this effectively we must make home the repository for those materials which conduce to pure healthy enjoyment, and furnish pleasant and ample recreation. Assuredly a keen relish for good and useful pursuits being once excited, all vain long- ings will be easily quelled, and restless impulses subdued. Gratification will not be sought abroad when home is made the magnet where centres all delight. Youth imperatively demands pleasurable excitement, and when the caterers to this requirement of man's nature abide under the roof which shelters all that is most dear to his heart, the basilisk Temptation will near that threshold only to meet with a repulse. Thus intellectual tastes and accomplishments should be cultivated, the varied beauties of nature be made a source of enjoyment, and an undergrowth of tranquil plea- sures be carefully nurtured, in order to fill up every vacuum 26 TKMI'TATION. of the mind. As the full cup can hold no more, so in the well-stored brain there will be no room for the entrance of those lax and sinful desires which infallibly leave behind them a sense of shame and remorse. But the real power of resistance to vain imaginings and turbulent passions is to be sought and found in prayer. In Psalms we read, " In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy steps," words which should satisfy us that He who places obstacles in our path, to prove the strength of our virtue, is ever at hand to remove them or give us the necessary power to resist temptation if earnestly and prayerfully entreated. In Judges we find, " And the nations were left that they might prove Israel, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord." Now, as with the nations so with the individual. God in His good pleasure tests the sincerity and loving obedience of each of His creatures, and he who implicitly obeys the statutes of the Lord, and regulates his desires by God's Holy Word, will assuredly render himself worthy of the favour of the Supreme, and ensure a passport to eternal life. Moreover, we may feel confident that " He who knoweth our frame " will not try us beyond our powers of endurance, but witnessing our struggles, and cognisant of the degree of perfection we are capable of attaining, will grant us His aid when sincerely implored. It is this certainty which should enable us to baffle or conjure down every rising gust of voluptuous passion, it -is this conviction which should induce us to avail ourselves of the talismanic virtue of prayer. Temptation cannot prevail when in heartfelt accents we appeal to Him who reigneth above, for we shall then find in the words of Scripture that " God will strengthen us, yea, He will help us, yea, He will uphold us with the right hand of His righteousness." But if we seek not ' ' our Help and Shield" in supplication, nor give to conscience its just rights over our actions, then will the first emotions of baneful passion obtain entire mastery over our heart ; and TKMPTATION. 27 nought but their dire effects will suffice to turn us back to virtue and to God. Now, if we would only listen to the voice of reason and experience, which plainly speaks of the hollowness of de- grading pleasures, and also bear in mind that their indul- gence is in direct violation of laws both moral and Divine, while ever highly injurious to others and ourselves, then should we obtain a greater control over the evil promptings of the heart, and all impetuous impulses. As, however, it is scarcely possible always to check our wayward passions, we must not suffer ourselves to be discouraged thereat, but at once make fresh resolves, adopt greater precautions, and put on more heavenly arm our, in order to secure new triumphs with their ever-increasing power. Further, it behoves us to keep constantly in view a just sense of what is right, hold all that is evil in utter abhorrence, seek to maintain an empire over our better nature through love of God and love of man, and on the first approach of a dark thought give our hearts to prayer, for " a word to God is always a word from God." Thus may we overcome temptations, and win for ourselves the heavenly crown reserved for those who follow the path of virtue and religion. PRECEPTS. Now, although we may feel assured of safe guidance through the shoals which beset the passage of life if we habitually consult our consciences, we should yet turn to the Holy Volume, and seek to derive strength and instruc- tion from passages such as the following : Prov. chap. i. 10, " If sinners entice thee, consent thou not." Psalm xcvii, 10, " Ye that love the Lord, hate evil." Isaiah, chap, xxix. 15, "Woe to them that seek to hide their counsel from the Lord, and say, Who seeth us ?" Then those who are apt to go astray, and observe not God's command- ments, are forewarned that what the Lord approveth alone can prosper, and that evil courses will surely produce dis- tress and suffering. Thus in Prov., " Then shall they (sin- 28 TEMITATIOX. ners) call upon me, but I will not answer ; they do not choose the fear of the Lord, they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof, therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way.'' There is one verse in Ecclesiastes which especially demands the attention of youth ; the expe- rience of the wisest of men is embodied therein, and a disregard thereto must surely entail the most dire conse- quences, with many after regrets. SOLOMON declares, chap, vii. 26, " I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands ; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall lie taken l>y her" The following verse in Job also calls for serious reflection, chap, xxxiv. 21, " The eyes of the Almighty are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings. There is no darkness where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves ;" and once fully convinced of this truth, we shall assuredly bear in mind the admonition offered to us in Prov. chap. iv. 27, "Turn not to the right hand nor to the left, remove thy foot from evil." Numerous as are the EXAMPLES in the Bible which should act as practical exhortations to abstain from debasing plea- sures, and the violation of God's holy commands, there is possibly no one character which speaks more forcibly to warn us against temptation than SAMSON. The Philistines, finding that his miraculous strength of body rendered him invincible, sought to effect his downfall through the weak- ness of his heart, and well did they succeed. They said to Delilah, " Entice him," and yielding to her persuasions, he discovered too late that " By the wanton, strong men are slain,"* and that " her house is the road to the grave, going down to the chambers of death."f Truly little will bodily strength, or even a highly gifted mind, avail if sensual in- dulgence induce a departure from the following sterling * Prov., cli. vii, L>6. t Prov., ch. vii, 25. SOLOMON. 29 words of friendly counsel : " Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her path." And for a practical illustration of this latter fact, we now turn to the life of SOLOMOX, which indeed affords a con- vincing proof that mere worldly wisdom, devoid of godliness, is utterly powerless to save in the hour of temptation. If knowledge or understanding were, of itself, capable of keeping a man in the right path, that monarch would cer- tainly never have erred so greatly, for are we not told, " And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east of Egypt ?"* Neither did he greatly sin in his youth, for then was this high gift conjoined with piety, as we read, " Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father.'^ Thus, at this period of life, when the passions must have been strongest, he held them under subjection, curbed his inclinations, resisted the allurements of sense, and sought to do God's high will. But in his latter years a sad change occurred ; his vast possessions, his power, even his wisdom, elated his heart with undue pride, and he became forgetful of the gracious Giver of these numerous choice blessings. We are told that " he loved many strange women, and when he was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods ; he built high places, and sacrificed to idols/' His heart being "no longer perfect with the Lord his God," what availed his wisdom ? Though he had urged his people to seek the Lord, and counselled them to observe His law, he himself departed therefrom, giving reins to his sinful passions and wickedly forsaking the Living God. His conduct was indeed highly culpable ; for, though conscious of what was right, he yet wilfully disobeyed the Word of the Most High. Now had Solomon in the first moment of temptation sought God in prayer, and stood before His throne in humbleness of spirit, he would never have succumbed to those very vanities against which he * i Kings, ch. iv. t i Kings, ch. iii. MO TKMl'TATIOX. had so strongly declaimed. Certain it is he would not in his old age have yielded to those temptations which he had piously resisted in the heyday of his youth. Thus let us derive instruction from his grievous back- sliding, keeping the love and fear of God so perpetually in our hearts that we may hold temptation at bay, and through pious devotion check every sinful propensity and triumph over each evil, each unruly passion. KXW. 31 ENVY. Gen., ch. ix, 5, " But unto Cain and to his offering God had not respect, and he was very wroth" WHAT a deplorable temper of mind is here displayed. Though CAIN'S "countenance fell" on finding he had in- curred the displeasure of the Most High, yet he repented not of his doings, nor sought to regain the favour of the Lord, but " was very wroth.'* And even when the All Just expostulated with him, saying, "Why is thy countenance fallen ? if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted ? " still he evinced no disposition to amend his ways and serve the Lord in a pure and holy spirit. Overweening pride rendered him totally oblivious of God's equity ; and thus the reward accorded to his brother Abel for his virtuous conduct, but withheld from him, wounded his self-love, and, rousing within his breast all the rancour of envy, in a fit of revenge he " rose up and slew his brother." Dire passion, that could make of a man a murderer and a fratricide ! Nor did its baneful effects cease here. Envy and its concomi- tants, presumption and discontent, had so hardened the heart of Cain, that though he was brought to exclaim in the bitterness of his anguish, " My punishment is greater than I can bear, for from Thy face shall I be hid," he never- theless could find no words of prayer or supplication to offer before the throne of justice and mercy, without which there can be no hope of pardon. Greatly had he offended; thus, great was his chastisement. The degrading and self-tormenting passion of envy gene- rally owes its birth to presumption and self-conceit, while its growth is stimulated by cupidity and unruly desires. 32 Pride arrogantly claims every privilege as a presumptive right ; self-love egotistically demands every gratification ; and as these feelings gain ascendency, so the spring of enjoyment becomes tainted, and a morbid state of mind is engendered. Everything is then necessarily viewed through a perverted medium. Selfishness and discontent conjoin to distort the vision of the envious, so that they can fix their gaze upon those points alone which lie beyond their reach. By under-estimating their own blessings, and over- rating those of others, they foster cravings which can never be fully gratified. Such is their egotism that they never have enough while there are others who possess more. Thus every good gift is obscured, and all power of enjoyment numbed. But the baneful influence of envy works outwardly as well as inwardly, and much social evil is to be traced to this base and sordid passion. Openly it dares not show itself; of coward spirit, it seeks to wound in the dark, and cautiously . masks the deadly malice and hatred which rankle within. Where goodness and worth flourish, there Avill it lurk to work evil, for envy knows no compunction, nor has esteem a place in its vocabulary. Even that prosperity or happiness which has attained its full proportions through merit is not safe from its poisoned fangs ; a sworn foe to all that is good and fair, it knows no rest till the best and noblest are brought before its shrine as victims for immolation. Dark and sinful indeed is that mind which finds its own night in another's sunshine ; and thus, by a just recoil, are gloom and misery stamped on every envious heart. Now, as it is only in the vacant mind and selfish breast that this ignoble and malignant passion can permanently harbour, would we but strive to acquire through persevering industry that which we covet, and cultivate a kindly feeling towards our fellow-creatures, its power over us must as- suredly cease, for goodness can wish no ill. But to preclude the possibility of its finding a seat within the heart, we must EXVY. 33 value and enjoy the blessings vouchsafed us, without regard to the state of others, which, indeed, we are apt greatly to miscalculate ; or, if we must compare lots, let it be with the less, and not the apparently more favoured. This will surely tend to restrain immoderate desires, and render us happy and contented. Further, if we esteem virtue as the supreme good, and earnestly strive after excellence, at the same time casting from us any overweening ambition to excel, we may hope to soar to an eminence which petty envy will be powerless to reach. Next, let us consider that He who "sees with equal eyes" can recognize no distinction between His creatures, except such as the presence or absence of virtue confers ; and we rebel against the All Wise, tacitly accusing Divine justice, when we envy others those worldly possessions or that happiness which they have culled from the general fund, and contrived to retain fresh and unfaded. But when once happily convinced that infinite wisdom knows what is best for us, nor withholds aught which will prove to our ultimate advantage, and, further, that we must give the vigour of will to attain such things as we desire to obtain, without, however, presumptuously assuming that all we may set our hearts upon should be ours, then shall we readily believe that if our wishes remain ungratified we are but grasping at the shadow, not the substance. May we, then, ever seek God's favour, and be humbly grateful for the manifold blessings He vouchsafes, since thus we can best guard our hearts against the base passion of envy, and save ourselves from the many crimes which it but too surely engenders, as also from the condign punishment which infallibly attends its indulgence. Now, as no one, whatsoever his station in society, and howsoever fortunate his lot, is exempt from crosses and trials, from woes and calamities, who will pretend to read on the apparently prosperous and joyful surface of a man's outer life the true state of his heart, the temper of his mind, D 34 ENVY. and say with sincerity, ( That lot is more enviable than mine, and I would gladly exchange"? Though much pri- vation and sorrow may indeed have come home to us, they will not necessarily last ; a change may be at hand, and, in any case, it is probable that we know the worst ; but can we thus reason with regard to another ? The prosperous man often dreads some reverse, while the lowly in estate need fear no fall. It is not, however, in general the whole lot of another we would seek to exchange for our own, but simply the temporal possessions ; and as these are more and more coveted, so the real prizes of this earth become under- valued or despised. Yet what treasures are comparable with virtue, good temper, and religion? Surely it is towards these we should turn our attention, and, when once attained, let the tide of events flow as it may, and let the lot of others, viewed relatively to our own, seem howsoever prosperous, we shall still feel ourselves rich indeed. None could we envy, for none could have more rare and valued treasures. Contentment would then be our opulence, recti- tude our nobility, a pious, humble, and satisfied heart our prosperity, and intercourse with a kind and gracious Father in heaven our supreme joy. These are the true riches of this earth, and never are they denied to prayer. To covet them only tends to make us more exalted beings, more worthy of Divine favour. These once possessed, envy is no more. Although Proverbs offer but few PEECEPTS with regard to this most malignant passion, such a mild form of admoni- tion being little adapted to touch this corroding disease of the heart, yet its dire effects are powerfully set forth in ch. xiv, 30, "Envy is the rottenness of the bone," whence may be gathered how fatal it is to man's individual well- being ; while the baneful influence it is calculated to exert on others could not be better shown than in the following verse, ch. xxvii, 10: "Wrath is cruel, anger is outrageous, RACHEL MIRIAM DANIEL. 35 but who can stand before envy?" Then in Psalms we are warned that envy will oftentimes vent itself in words, and pour forth those ill-suppressed feelings of hate which rankle at the heart, as we read, " They (the envious) sharpen their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips." Next, Asaph practically points out to us the fatal influence it is calculated to exercise over us. Thus he narrates of himself in Ps. Ixxiii : " My steps had well-nigh slipped, for I was envious when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" Then in Job we are told, " Wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one." Finally, we are emphati- cally bidden in the tenth commandment not to set our hearts on what belongs to another; that is to say, not to envy or covet the worldly possessions of our neighbour ; an injunction which it will be well for us ever to retain in vivid remembrance. Turning next to EXAMPLES, it is sad to find that RACHEL, the beloved wife of Jacob, was envious of her sister, the slighted Leah. Truly unjust, even to cruelty, was any such sentiment, and thence mark the consequences ; the gall which flowed from this virulent passion poisoned the cup of her enjoyments, and in no small degree marred the happiness of her married life. Gloom spread over Jacob's household as envy entered his abode ; and to this sinful passion was also due the banishment of Joseph from his father's roof, as well as the proposed act of his brothers, the consummation of which would have rendered them fratricides. Again, we may remark how severe was the penalty MIRIAM had to pay for allowing a spirit of envy to rfse up against her brother's wife, which even envenomed her otherwise kindly feeling towards Moses himself. Then the enemies of DANIEL offer a like warning against the indulgence of this sinful passion. That able minister having been promoted to the highest dignity by King Darius, " because an excellent spirit was in him," the Presidents and Princes endeavoured to effect his D2 36 ENVY. ruin ; but, by a just recoil, the same cruel death which, in their malice and envy, they had sought to bring on him, befel them and their families. The history of SAUL affords ample proof that envy is far more easily roused by those below us in station and wealth, if they but throw a shadow over our path, than even by such as have attained the highest distinctions or greatest opulence. Early in David's history, we are told, Saul " greatly loved him," but when, at a later period, relationship and gratitude might well have promised an increase of kindly affection, envy stood in the way, the King viewing with jealous eye David's success over the Philistines. And this criminal feeling gained additional intensity when the women were heard to sing " Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands." What availed rank, power, or wealth, while a lowly subject had eclipsed him in valour ? Nothing could bring a balm to Saul's wounded spirit but the death of his servant, and it was this base and senseless passion which goaded him on to those unjustifiable acts whereby he incurred God's displeasure, and finally brought about his own fatal end. Thus we see that even the most exalted in rank are not, as a natural consequence, exempt from this dire infirmity of mind, and this should lead us, whatsoever be our walk of life, to guard our hearts " with all diligence," and beware both of a covetous disposition and of a spirit of envy. VIRTUE. 37 VIRTUE. Gen. vi, 9, " Noah was a jmt man and perfect in his generation. He walked with God." WHAT a volume of moral ethics is comprised in these few words. To be just and to be perfect are here coupled toge- ther, and assuredly the man who uniformly makes justice the basis of his actions will not fall far short of perfection. Nor will he fail to " walk with God", for ever associating the attribute of justice with the Supreme " the Judge of the whole earth, shall He not be just?" and, clearly dis- cerning its workings throughout the moral world, will en- deavour to make his own line of conduct conform therewith. Certain it is that, just in proportion as man recognises this glorious attribute in the Great Disposer of Events, so will his faith in God grow firm and exalted, his practice of this God-like virtue become fixed and determined. And thus do we find it in the case of the righteous NOAH. No historic incident speaks more plainly of God's strict justice, tem- pered withal by mercy, than does this one about to be con- sidered, and in which that righteous patriarch took so pro- minent a part. The Lord declared, " All flesh has corrupted itself; the world is filled with violence : thus I will destroy them from under heaven ; all shall die." But the just man found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and God said unto Noah, " Make thee an ark, and thou shalt come into it ; with thee will I establish my covenant/' Now it is evident time was required for the work indeed, the ark is supposed to have taken ninety-nine years in construction, and during that period much occurred which was well calculated to open the eyes of this corrupt generation, and forewarn them of 38 VIRTUE. the approaching crisis : for instance, the progress and com- pletion of the ark itself,and the necessary preparations openly made by Noah, with the assembling of the animals ; yet all was disregarded, and no symptom of reform was visible in the sight of the Omniscient. It was then only the Lord said unto Noah, ' ' Come thou and all thy house into the ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." Here we perceive that the strict line of justice was never departed from ; man, unjust, perverse, and cruel, had turned against his fellow man, spreading misery and wretchedness around, and when the God of mercy and love thus saw "the earth filled with violence, it repented Him that He had made man"; nevertheless He for a time withheld His hand from destroying them, so that they might " turn from their evil ways and live." Persisting, however, in their sinful course, the Righteous God finally decreed that the earth should no longer be stained by acts of perfidy and crime ; thus the wicked perished, the just and virtuous Noah with his family alone remaining to testify to future generations that, while a just retribution awaits the evil doer, the eyes of the Lord are upon the upright ; and that His all-powerful hand is ever ready to shield those who walk with Him in truth and rec- titude. The practice of Justice, when that word is merely re- garded in its strictest signification, will carry a man only a short way towards perfection ; but when he understands the term in its most comprehensive sense, and exercises it un- deviatingly, then indeed will such an individual make a near approach to the most exalted virtue. He will be just to himself that is, he will cultivate his moral and intellectual faculties, and will strive to be upright, wise, and good ; fur- ther, he will be just to his fellow-creatures, loving his neigh- bour as himself; he will be forbearing and chari table, alike in feelings as in act ; lastly, he will be just to his God, acknowledging in a thankful and devoted spirit His untir- VIRTUE. 39 ing love and mercy, obeying with a grateful and pious heart His high behests, and reposing in humble trust on His all- protecting arm. Now, to be just to himself, man must never abuse those faculties with which he has been blessed, but be ever striv- ing to turn them to good account. He is just to himself when he considers time as a loan, and uses it for his moral and intellectual improvement ; but he is unjust when he gives reins to his evil passions regardless of ulterior conse- quences, or heedlessly utters untruthful words. Again, to be just, man must not only do what is right, but must re- frain from doing what is wrong ; he must mould his actions by God's written law, give to life a high purpose, and strive to make himself ever happier and better by active deeds of kindness and true devotion. When he does all these things he is surely on the high road to virtue ; but when he reflects not on an after life, nor seeks to train him- self to merit it ; when he stores not his mind with useful knowledge, nor warms his heart to good, nor combats things evil ; then is he in every way unjust to himself, and in con- sequent trials and sufferings will have to pay the penalty of his perverse dereliction from the path of duty and of virtue. Then, to be just to others is but doing unto others as we would be done by, drawing no line of demarcation between the good of others and our own, but pursuing them con- jointly, thus giving our quota to the general fund of happi- ness, while mitigating or decreasing, to the best of our powers, every case of misery and distress. But he who is a votary of pleasure must inevitably be unjust to others as to himself. Debauch and licentiousness cannot be noxious to one individual only ; vice is infectious, excess and dissipa- tion ever drawing others towards the fatal vortex which will surely engulf them body and soul. Again, we are unjust when we judge others by any preconceived notions or stan- dard of our own ; when we magnify their foibles, blemishes, and failings, into positive faults ; when we turn against any 40 VIRTUE. one whom we do not fancy at first sight ; and when we hate the sinner and not the sin. Again, we certainly forfeit all claim to the cognomen of just when we are over greedy in the pursuit of gain or pleasure, when we exceed our means and contract debts ; but when, on the contrary, we eschew all superfluities, husband our resoui-ces by means of modera- tion and abstinence, and give therefrom to such as need succour, also when we devote time and energies to alleviate distress ; then, indeed, we are just, and nobly walking in the broad pathway of virtue. Finally, to be just to God is but to acknowledge His in- effable goodness, His fatherly loving-kindness a truth which " day uttereth unto day"; and then, like dutiful, de- voted children, we shall turn towards Him with grateful hearts and walk by the light of His Holy Law. Surely man is unjust to his Maker when he abuses the numerous gifts vouchsafed to him ; when he looks not up, but ascribes to luck, or fate, or chance, the incidents which beset his path ; and when, instead of enjoying those many blessings which should conduce to his happiness and content, he in- dulges in vain repinings, covets still more, and murmurs at his lot. But he is just when he submits with pious resigna- tion to the Supreme Will, and even when bowed in sorrow he exclaims, in the words of Job, " the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." Again, when he acknowledges in. grateful spirit that, while much happiness is open to those who wisely seek it, trials are but blessings in disguise, sent by Him who can have no plea- sure in chastising ; also when he humbly confesses his own unworthiness, and in gratitude of heart proclaims with pious adoration the all-pervading mercy, love, and justice of the Most High. Thus it is clear that true virtue knows no excess or disproportion, all the moral qualities being well regulated and adjusted? while even the most laudable will be held in proper subjection. Now the best method of acquiring virtue is to consider it VIRTUE. 41 as our chief good, and thus estimated it will be sought for with all diligence. Of vast magnetic power, every approach made towards it will but insure easier access. Difficult of acquisition as it may appear from afar, each step made in advance will prove it otherwise. Of acknowledged beauty and excellence, nothing but the supposed difficulty of its attainment would cause so many to pass by the object of real worth to pursue its spurious likeness. But let us pray for it, strive for it; the very seeking is the finding, and when attained we possess a treasure which, besides conducing in the highest degree to our happiness and well-being here, will, by securing the approbation of the All Just, receive its high reward in a blessed hereafter. PKECEPTS. There is no quality of mind or heart tending to promote virtue which is not enjoined in the Bible, to which, indeed, the Book of Proverbs alone bears ample tes- timony ; but when we seek to form a summary of the whole duties of man, we find the following verses stand promin- ently forward. In Proverbs xv, on the question being put, " who shall abide in the Lord's Tabernacle," this answer follows : " He that walketh uprightly and worketh right- eousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart ; that doeth no evil to his neighbour ;" and in Micah we read, what doth God require of thee " but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk with thy God." Then, in Amos, we are told " to hate the evil, love the good, and establish judgment in the gate"; again, Malachi, describing the virtuous man, says " the law of truth was in his" mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips ; he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity." Now those who thus act may be truly said to " walk with God", and will assuredly see the fulfilment of the many gracious promises held out in such verses as these: Ps. xcvii," The fight is sown for the righteous, and gladness 'for the upright in heart"; and Ps. i, " Blessed is the man who delightcth in the law of 42 VIRTUE. the Lord ; whatsoever he doeth shall prosper"; and in Eze- kiel, ch. xviii, when God, in reproving Israel, asks " Is not my way equal, are not your ways unequal?" further adds, " Repent ye ; turn from your transgressions, make yourselves a new heart ; then shall ye not die, but live the life ever- lasting." Then Prov., ch. x, " Blessings are upon the head of the just"; and Prov., ch. iii, " Let not mercy and truth forsake thee, write them upon the tables of thy heart, so shalt thou find favour in the sight of God and man." In Isaiah, ch. iii, cc Say to the righteous that it shall be well with him, and they shall eat the fruit of their doings/' Now all who have taken these precepts and gracious assurances to heart must have felt, with the Psalmist, that " the Law of God is a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path"; and, when discharging the duties it enjoins, have rejoiced in the cheering reflection that " the path of the just is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Now to cull a few of the numerous EXAMPLES of men who " have done that which is right in the sight of the Lord with a perfect heart." We will mention, firstly, HEZEKIAH, who, as we are told, " Wrought that which was good and right and true before the Lord";* not only " preparing his heart to seek God", but urging his people to put their trust in Him. He prayed to the Lord for pardon on their behalf, and exhorted them to " remove their stiffneckedness". Then in war he strengthened them by the assurance that ( ' with their enemies was but an arm of flesh, while they could put their trust in the Lord of battles." And thus is the cha- racter of this excellent monarch summed up : " In every work that he begun in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandments, he did it with all his heart" and prospered. Turning next to SAMUEL, we find him in his old age calling together the people and thus ad- * ii Chron. xxxi, 20. JOB. 43 dressing them : " I have walked before you from my youth unto this day ; behold here I am, witness against me before the Lord whose ox or ass have I taken, whom have I de- frauded, whom have I oppressed, or of whom have I taken a bribe to blind mine eyes ?" Thus did he assert his inte- grity, while urging the people to be just to each other and upright before their Heavenly Father. There is, however, no history which offers a more admirable or useful lesson than that of JOB, " a man that was perfect and upright, one that feared God and eschewed evil." We find him thus declaiming his hitherto faithful observance of God's Law : " My foot hath held His steps ; His way have I kept and not declined, neither have I gone back from His command- ments ; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary sustenance."* And his determined adherence in extreme affliction to the same virtuous course is thus expressed : " All the while my breath is in me, my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit." " My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go ; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live."f Then what a beautiful description does he give of his past happy, because virtuous life : " When the ear heard me then it blessed me, when the eye saw me it was favourable unto me ; because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless and unbe- friended. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. God's candle shined upon my head ; by His light I walked through darkness." J Then he solemnly declares that he has not allowed sensuality, covetousness, or vanity, to lead him astray, saying : " Did not God see my ways, and correct all my steps ? then how could I make gold my con- fidence, how shut my door to the stranger ; how allow my * Job xxiii, 11. f Job xxvii, 3. % Job xxix, 11. 44 VIRTUE. heart to walk after mine eyes ; how despise the cause of rny servants or work wickedness and cover my transgressions."* The few following verses further show how firm was his faith ; he says, "Will God plead against me with His great power? No, but he will put strength in me";f and again, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him/' Then how pious is his answer to his wife : " What ! shall we receive good at the hands of God, and shall we not receive evil ?" J Truly, the life of Job offers an invaluable lesson to those who would walk the path of truth, of justice, and of virtue. * Job xxxi, 4. f Job xiii, 15. J Job ii, 10. This book has given rise to much speculation. Many persons are of opinion that JOB is only an imaginary character, while others con- tend that the main facts of his history are true, and that such an indi- vidual, pre-eminent for piety and righteousness, did really exist. Now it is beyond a doubt that, though fiction may amuse the mind and even occasionally touch the heart, it rarely leaves any vivid or permanent impressions, and falls far short of the true narrative or biographical sketch in affording practical lessons and sure guidance. Thus, while the question of the authenticity of this admirably instructive book re- mains unsolved, would it not be well to consider it in the light which will be most productive of good ? And, indeed, we venture to suggest the advisability of this course, since probability ranges on the same side. We would ask, is it reasonable to suppose that a work of fiction would be introduced and placed side by side with sacred historical records, records dating from the remotest antiquity, and carried on to the period when profane history, taking up the thread, directly or indirectly yields its testimony to the veracity of each preceding writer? Without, how- ever, laying too much stress on this consideration, we would revert to two others which will doubtless have great weight with those who, be- lieving in the possibility of such a character as Job, would hold up to themselves this worthy patriarch as an example. First, with regard to the narrative itself, what can be more natural and straightforward when once divested of the allegorical garb wherewith it is clothed in the first two chapters? It is circumstantial, and lacks no fact, even the place of Job's birth being mentioned. There is nought forced, nought im- probable ; but we have a simple and truthful picture of human vicissi- tudes, of a noble nature struggling with adversity, and ultimately gain- . VIRTUE. 45 ing the victory. Secondly, we will quote the allusion to this patriarch made by the prophet Ezekiel in his Book," Saith the Lord God, though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness.'''' Now is it to be supposed that the sacred penman would place a mythical character in conjunction with two of God's chosen servants, and represent him as one who might be an intercessor on behalf of a sinning nation ? Rather would we believe, till it can be disproved beyond all shadow of doubt, that Job formed one of the band of virtuous men and true servants of God, who shone forth through their superior individual excellence, and taught many a lesson of man's moral capabilities by their practically useful life. 46 AMBITION. AMBITION. Gen. xi, 4, " Let us make us a name.' 1 '' A DESIEE inherent in human nature is here expressed. There are but few individuals in whom this feeling has not pulsated and led to actions more or less commendable ; while History proves that this sentiment has been pre- dominant with every nation at marked periods of their existence. A passion, therefore, that has been implanted in the human heart cannot, if kept within due bounds, be either objectionable or detrimental, that is, if the methods adopted for gratifying it lead to no deviation from the paths of virtue and religion. It was however far otherwise in the case of the Builders of Babel, as was clearly proved by the final issue of the undertaking. The mere seeking to build a tower that should ' ' reach to heaven " displayed a fearful amount of presumption, and we may further infer there was also much wilfulness and sin in this ambitious project, from the fact that the anger of the All Just was so greatly kindled that He frustrated their devices and brought on them the very evil which they had thereby thought to avert ! Their hearts must have been corrupt before God, and He, in His omniscience, seeing that " after this nothing would be restrained which they imagined to do," not only stayed them in their work, but greatly curtailed their future powers of evil doing, for He " confounded their language," and then " scattered them about from thence upon the face of the whole earth." Here, then, we see the fall and dispersion of a great and haughty people, who, forgetful of the mercies displayed by the Almighty towards their forefather Noah, ceased to walk humbly before the Lord, and presumptu- AMBITION. 47 ously trusted in their own arm of flesh. A just retribution truly ; and a lesson for all generations. To advance is the law of our being, and it behoves us to act in accordance therewith, progressing as life itself pro- gresses. If, however, we allow idleness and indifference to clog all forward movement, life will become a burden, existence a blank. Our faculties and desires were given for a purpose, and we only fulfil a bounden duty when we cultivate our higher powers and stimulate our desires into active usefulness. But while it is a duty not to suffer our abilities to lie dormant, or our energies to remain sluggish and inert, it is not less imperative that they should be wisely directed and subjected to control, excess, ever viti- ating the noblest purposes and working innumerable ills. Everything declares that to please his God and serve his fellow-creatures is man's high mission here, and that if he gladly and zealously set himself to accomplish this, he will assuredly fulfil the glorious aim of his being, and reap the rich reward of a consciousness of right doing. To that end, then, should he direct his ambition, for there centres all true glory. If, however, he depart therefrom, permitting this lofty and generous motive to narrow into self-interest and self-aggrandisement, the*n will he find all conspire to thwart his endeavours. Intent on his own ambitious pro- jects, he will be apt to encroach on the just rights of his neighbours, or failing this result, will yet surely find his interests clash with those of other men; and though, at the cost of incessant struggles and but too often at the sacri- fice of principle, he may overcome each obstacle and reach the goal of his ambition, how little will he even then find to cheer him in his high estate. The pleasure will be as fleeting as the toil was long, and he will be ready to ex- claim in the words of Solomon, " All is vanity." If, then, ambition is not only justifiable but much to be commended when kept under due restraint and made to 48 AMBITION. subserve general as well as individual good, the greatest possible advantage must accrue from securing some criterion by which it may be accurately judged, some standard whereby we may regulate our acts and desires. Now, assuredly, when we can conscientiously ask God in prayer to prosper our undertakings and crown our desires, we must be walking in the path of duty and honour. Man dare not petition the All Just for selfish and unlawful gratifications which alike debase his own nature and mili- tate against the well-being of his brother man; but he feels he can call upon the Great Searcher of hearts to bless each effort of duty and prosper exertions, which, while put forth for the purpose of self-advancement and worldly success, are rather conducive than detrimental to the interests of his neighbour and fellow-citizens. The inward guide and adviser therefore speaks clearly, bidding man to stay his headlong course in the greed of gain, to subdue insatiable thirst after the world's goods and man's applause, nor pass the limits of a just and honourable ambition. Now there is a far surer method for man " to make him- self a name" and obtain honour and distinction, than the mere accumulation of riches or the attainment of rank and title, which is, to merit the esteem, and with it gain the good will, of his fellow-creatures. And in this he cannot fail, if he strive less after the world's goods than the world's good. Let him recognise and acknowledge to himself that all was made for all, that nothing throughout the Universe is withdrawn without being replaced ; let him regulate his daily proceedings in accordance with this wise and beneficial law, then will egotism hide away before philanthropy ; ambition will raise up its proud crest and scorn each base unworthy passion. He will not be ever ready to claim the exclusive privilege of all receiving, nought conferring, but, while seeking a fair share of earth's manifold blessings, will cheerfully add his quota to the general store of which he himself is to be a partaker. AMBITION. 49 It may next be well to remark that nothing could be more suicidal or detrimental to the general good than to offer any discouragement to that noble ambition which is at once the fair offspring of the best and loftiest feelings of our nature, and the parent of high and meritorious deeds. But this sentiment, how exalted soever it may be, will work mis- chief and produce much individual unhappiness, if it be not tempered by the reflection that, though all may aspire to pre-eminence, few can attain it. There occasionally arise gifted beings, endowed with such vast powers, mental as physical, that, if they only possess the requisite energy and will to direct those powers aright, they must inevitably excel, and, indeed, in soaring high are simply fulfilling a positive duty. These are the recognised pioneers of progress. But with the generality of mankind it would be highly advan- tageous if some proportion were kept between the desired end and the means at command for its attainment. Let us aspire then, each and all, but let none pay too dearly for greatness while the cost of goodness is so cheap. It has been justly said, ' ' 'Tis moral grandeur makes the mighty man"; thus we should not forfeit peace and happiness in a struggle after- wealth and station, nor repine when they are denied, but resolutely pursue the road to goodness, wide open to all, and ever fraught with joy and content. Thus, when engaged in the active pursuits of life, may we be swayed by this grand truth, that every path is the path of glory which leads to virtue and to God. Although we find no distinct mention in the Bible of the word ambition, there is no lack of PRECEPTS which clearly refer to all its characteristics, and point out how we should regulate and direct our desires. To prove that earthly grandeur should be esteemed far below goodness and virtue, we may quote Prov. xxii, 1, " A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold"; then how we may best secure and per- E 50 AMBITION. manently hold the gifts of earth is shown in Prov. xxii, 4, " By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour"; and Prov. xiii, 22, "A good man leaveth an in- heritance (his good name) to his children's children." Next, we are taught how futile is the striving of the wicked, and how certain the final reward of the virtuous ; in Job we read, " Who hath hardened himself against God and prospered ? the light of the wicked shall be put out ; his re- membrance shall perish from the earth, he shall leave no name"; and in Psalms, " When the wicked dieth he shall carry nothing away, his glory he shall not take with him ; but blessed are those who walk uprightly and whose strength is in the Lord; they go from strength to strength ; God will withhold no good thing, but grant them grace and glory." Then to induce us to curb inordinate desires, num- berless verses show forth the vanity of grandeur and riches thus Eccles. iii, 10, " He that loveth abundance, and with increase, shall never be satisfied; nothing of his labour shall he carry away in his hands ; all are dust, and all turn to dust again." Finally, to prove that worldly possessions are of little worth, and the labour for their attainment but sore trouble and grief, unless we consider virtue as the supreme good, and enjoy every blessing as the gift of God, we have the following verses, with others of like import. Eccles. vi, 4, " Though the years of a man be many, if his soul is not fitted with good, his life will be but vanity, and his name shall be covered with darkness"; and then, " This is vanity, when a man hath riches, wisdom, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing that his soul desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof ; but good and comely is it to enjoy the good of all his labour, and be glad in his heart for the good gifts of God." Numerous EXAMPLES, practically illustrating the above precepts, present themselves throughout the Holy Yolurne. We find HAMAN, the day before his downfall, calling toge- JOSEPH DAVID DANIEL. 51 ther his friends for the purpose of magnifying himself and parading the golden results of his ambition : he spoke of " the glory of his riches, of the multitude of his children, and how the king had promoted him even above the princes;" yet mark the final consummation the gallows : while Mordecai, who, on the contrary, only sought the preferment of his much loved niece; himself sitting humbly at the King's gate even when she became queen, rose higher in power than ever did Haman, for "his fame went out through all the provinces, he waxed greater and greater, and was next unto the King." How ignoble the end of the haughty and ambitious Haman ; how glorious the career of the humble and truly pious Mordecai. Three more examples, selected from many others, will also give their quota of evidence that it is not the grasp- ing and ambitious who mostly rise, but they who humbly put their trust in the Lord. First, JOSEPH, who would not do a "great wickedness and sin against God", became ruler over the land of Egypt within two years of the time when he thus meekly addressed Pharaoh's chief butler : " Think on me ; and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me when it is well with thee." Next, DAVID, who, although aware that he would come to the throne on the demise of Saul, not only refused to compass the king's death himself, but even stayed the hand of Abeshai, who was ready to slay him, while, regardless of the monarch's cruel enmity and persecution, he caused to be put to death the Amalekite who had stretched out his hand against the anointed of the Lord, mourning and grieving over that loss which was to be his gain. We can form an idea of the re- straint which he exercised over himself by the opening of the 131st Psalm, where he says, " Lord, my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty, for truly I have behaved and quieted myself as a child." Lastly, there is DANIEL, the poor captive, who when called before Nebuchadnezzar to interpret his dream, instead E2 52 AMBITION. of seeking to exalt himself in the eyes of that monarch, meekly declared that " this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living"; and again, at an after period, before interpreting the handwriting on the wall, he answered the king in these words, " Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give the reward to another." Thus assuredly he did not seek for benefits and power, but they were nevertheless forthcoming, and he rose to the highest posts in the kingdom. In conclusion, we must remark that the same moral is illustrated in the following verse, which should be well con- sidered and held in remembrance by all who aspire to excel- lence, " So JOTHAN became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord."* Here it is clearly demonstrated that he who bounds his ambition by the law of God, not turning aside from the path of virtue to attain his desires, but ever looking up in perfect love and trust "to a beneficent Providence, may surely hope to obtain at the hands of un- erring wisdom all such gifts as will most conduce to his hap- piness and well-being, here and hereafter. * n Chron. xxvii, 60. FAMILY AFFECTION. 53 FAMILY AFFECTION. Gen. xiv, 14, " When Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed and pursued to rescue him.' 1 ' 1 ON looking back to the earlier events which figure in the history of ABRAHAM, we find but little calculated to arouse such generous enthusiasm on the part of this patriarch in favour of his so-called brother, in reality nephew. Left an orphan early in life, Lot had during long years found shelter under Abraham's roof, and, through his protection, been enabled to acquire great wealth and vast flocks. This was surely enough to have inspired the kindliest sentiments to- wards his benefactor; yet, when it was in his power to show him some slight token of esteem and love, his conduct be- trayed nought but selfishness and ingratitude. Quarrels having arisen between their herdsmen, it would have been but a mere matter of duty on the part of Lot to rebuke his servants, and at once stay these contentions ; but failing so to do, Abraham was at last fairly obliged to take cognisance of these broils, and then he, who could have commanded as master, only spoke his wishes thus mildly, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, between my herds- men and thy herdsmen, we be brethren : is not the whole land before thee ? if it be well we. should part, select that region which seemeth to thee most desirable, and if thou wilt take the left hand then I will go to the right, or if thou will go to the right then I will go to the left." In this manner Abraham waived the many claims he had to priority of choice,' and not only called Lot ' ' brother", but treated him with all the equality which such relationship implies. Now the selfish and ungrateful LOT, far from responding 54 FAMILY AFFECTION. to such generosity and self-denial, took immediate advantage thereof, and, " seeing that the plain of Jordan was well watered everywhere even as the garden of the Lord," he without compunction quitted his kind benefactor, and turned his steps eastward to pitch his tent under the walls of Sodom, thus settling in the midst of a luxurious, corrupt, and evil-disposed people. This want of heart and lack of discernment soon bore their bitter fruits, and brought down upon him a host of future trials. When the first of these occurred, he was fortunate enough to find the old protecting hand held out to him. His flocks being taken by the enemy, and himself a prisoner, Lot's case would indeed have been hopeless but for the generous succour afforded him by his warm true-hearted kinsman. It would be impossible not to admire the forgiving disposition and noble devotion here displayed by the great patriarch. Zealous in the path of duty and in obeying the promptings of brotherly love, Abraham looked not back to that past which spoke so plainly of Lot's ingratitude, but, setting all danger at defi- ance, he inarched forward against a victorious army, fearlessly attacked it, and wrested from the conquerors their prisoners and booty. Lot, who well deserved to have forfeited that love and protection which he had enjoyed from his youth upwards, was again free and wealthy, and must have felt during this season of bitter adversity how hallowed was that flame which even his coldness and indifference could not extinguish. Let us, then, take to heart this admirable lesson, and in our homes ever bear in mind how Abraham practically demonstrated his sense of the devotion which should attend on brotherly love ; of the obligations and duties which are incumbent on those united by the tender ties of brotherhood ; and of the sacrifices which should be made, when necessary, at the shrine of family affection. Home is the school of the affections ; there must; they be developed, fostered, and matured. The world and its rough teachings are ill adapted to supply any deficiency in the FAMILY AFFECTION. 55 heart's training, and too often render it both cold and selfish, But, in order that the paternal abode may be truly a home, it devolves on each member of a family to subscribe to that bond or compact to which Nature has affixed her seal, and sedulously to fulfil the duties and obligations it imposes. None may be exempt ; each, must subserve the common in- terest, bearing in mind that the good of one is the good of all. If, however, contention, petty jealousy, or rivalry, spring up at the hearth where amity and love alone should reign, then will each one learn by sad experience how inseparably his happiness and interests are bound up with those who, being nearest, should also be dearest to him. The outer world, with its cares and trials, speaks not less forcibly, bidding each unit of the home circle act in accordance with the spirit of the axiom truly an invaluable family motto that " in union is strength." Now, if we would firmly cement the natural ties of brotherhood, it behoves us to keep steadily in mind that affection kindles affection, and kind acts beget kind acts ; thus we should learn to bear and forbear, be ever desirous to please, ever ready to oblige. Further, we should endea- vour to understand one another ; for every mind beholds under a different angle of incident, every heart has emotions and sentiments peculiar to itself; and only in proportion as we become imbued with another's feelings and views can we hope to link our hearts with theirs. This will necessarily demand occasional self-denial, but true love must be pre- pared to make sacrifices. When the affections are once fairly set in motion, and selfishness is no longer suffered to clog the natural feelings of the heart, then shall we be ever seeking to manifest by acts the kindly sentiments which animate us. Inclination will side with duty, and affection become a practical reality. Endowed by nature with a yearning for sympathy and love, where can we turn to find truer and better friends than those whom God Himself hath given ? The ties of 56 FAMILY AFFECTION. relationship may never be dissevered, strain them as we will by dissension and unkindness ; but the affection which sanc- tifies consanguinity, once departed, can never be recalled. Thus it should be sedulously cherished, and so tenderly guarded, that, on no pretext whatsoever, must we suffer any hasty or unkind word to escape us ; nor even permit a sneer or look of incredulity to chill aspirations or check confid- ences. On the contrary, it behoves us to sun the hopes of those we love, and further give the word of encouragement, BO especially acceptable and serviceable to youth ; to be ' l the last to blame, the earliest to commend", while yet faithfully and kindly pointing out blemishes, and affectionately offer- ing wise counsel ; to be ever ready to give as to receive with open hand and heart ; above all, to unite in charitable acts and useful works, for these rouse mutual esteem and bind heart close to heart. If, however, we fail to secure love, we may rest assured the fault lies with ourselves ; for good-will, good temper, and a cheerful alacrity in the per- formance of kindly offices, will never go long unrewarded ; while by disregarding, or obstinately persisting in an ad- verse course, ties are snapped which can never, never be re- united. Truly, that home is hallowed where love breathes in every tone and actuates every deed, where mutual con- fidence and trust are felt and freely given ; none hiding their wishes, griefs, or joys, but in the sweet interchange of thought, opening wide their hearts in rich sympathy and love. Assuredly, as we would enjoy happiness we must seek to bestow it, our keenest pleasures ever coming to us by re- bound. Thus laudably striving, we shall soon gladly acknowledge how fraught with joy is the performing of every trifling office of love, how full of pleasurable emotion is the consciousness of having given the helping hand at some critical juncture; how consoling, how cheering it is to feel we have eased the aching heart or calmed the troubled brain in sorrow or in sickness. Would we, then, nourish these best affections of our FAMILY AFFECTION. 57 nature and keep theni warm for active exercise, we must never suffer a day to pass without remembering each brother and sister in our prayers ; the blessings we invoke for them enrich our own heart, and will inwardly bear goodly fruits. It is a duty to pray for those we love, and we must love those for whom we pray. Here, then, is to be found a powerful auxiliary for eradicating all egotism and turning our hearts in sympathy towards one another ; also for strengthening us in our duty of love and love of duty. Should we, however, fail to avail ourselves of this happy medium and, further, if we carelessly or wilfully neglect to perform a brother's part the pangs of repentance will one day surely overtake us. Dependence on others is our lot here below, and to whom can we more hopefully turn for counsel, support, and loving kindness, in time of sorrow, than to the brother or sister, the associate of our youth, and natural friend of our maturer years ? If we have but sown love, we shall assuredly reap its goodly fruits ; if we have failed in this our duty, when sickness and sorrow befal us they will surely bring with them the anguish of remorse; unmerited kindness or neglect serving alike to sting us to the quick. But it is when misfortune lowers on the whole household that love acquires its supremacy, and practically teaches how strong we are when united, how weak apart. When calumny, ruin, or death, cross the family threshold, then will each member feel how close are the ties of kindred, and how affection tempers affliction. None will undervalue the rich treasures of love when the heart is bowed in anguish ; yet surely prosperity and happines's must be far more desir- able cements than grief and misery. Thus, while a kind Providence blesses us in Fatherly tenderness, let us learn to dispense happiness around, thereby binding ourselves in fast, enduring love to those whom He, in His unerring Wis- dom, has united by the holy tie of consanguinity, the holy bonds of brotherhood. 58 FAMILY AFFECTION. As love of kin is fully embodied in the PRECEPT, Lev. xix, 34, " thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," the Sacred Volume is elsewhere almost silent with regard to this senti- ment. There is not one sentence which directly inculcates " brotherly love", and but few which make more than a passing allusion to it, thus allowing full scope to the natural promptings of the heart. But though the injunctions are few, thev are ample for every practical purpose, especially when connected with the all-comprehensive commands to " do good" and " to love our neighbour". Let these be duly heeded, and further admonitions on this score become superfluous. The sweet singer of Israel, at the opening verse of Psalm cxxxiii, thus emphatically declares how de- sirable and blissful is family concord, " Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity," and then proceeds, in an imagery alike impressive and sublime, to liken brotherly love to the " precious oil with which Aaron was anointed, to the dew that descended on the mountains of Zion whence the Lord commanded the blessing of life for evermore." If these glowing symbols and persuasive appeals fail to touch the heart, then must we turn to the reverse pictui^e. Prov. xviii, 19, points to the sad consequences of disunion thus : " A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city"; also, on turning to Ps. 1, wherein the wicked are reproved, we find among the sins enumerated as certain to bring down God's anger that of unkindness or ill-will towards a brother ; we read at verse 19, "thou givest thy mouth to evil, thou speakest against thy brother, thou slanderest thine own mother's son. This thou hast done, and I kept silent ; but I will reprove thee." With regard to the natural affections, Scripture teaches mostly by warnings ; thus EXAMPLES for imitation are but few. The warm, loving heart needs little prompting, but with the cold and selfish it is far otherwise. To these, then, the Bible offers many useful lessons. Proof to all but JOSEPH. 59 the exemplification of their own moral deformity, and the ill-consequences which invariably attend on any dereliction of duty, it is necessary their attention should be called to such practical illustrations as are calculated to awaken a dormant conscience, induce reflection, and lead the heart to acts of self-denial and love. Turning first to the history of JOSEPH, how favourably does his conduct contrast with that of his brothers. He, so generous, so forgiving ; they, ran- corous and cruel. How warm must have been that fra- ternal love which could not only render him oblivious of the injuries they had heaped upon him, but even prompted him to greet them in such words as these, " I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt ; now, therefore, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve life."* In his generous breast the spark of love, once kindled, could never be extinguished. All remembrance of their treacherous conduct must have been effaced from his mind ; for we find that, after he had shown his deep love for Benjamin, he " moreover kissed all his brothers and wept upon them", and then " his brothers talked with him". Then, turning from the injured to the wrong-doers, what an important lesson and warning is offered us in the words interchanged between them whilst proceeding homewards. " They said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us aud we would not hear ; therefore is this distress come upon us." Truly their sin rose up spectre-like before them, though thirteen long years had elapsed since their inhuman treatment to the youthful Joseph, nor could they altogether stifle the qualms of conscience, their hearts " failing them" when they found the returned money in their sacks. Gold, for which they had sold their brother into bondage, now came to them as a curse. Hatred had indeed severed the tie of family affection ; and it was reserved for Joseph, * Geii. xlv, 5. 60 FAMILY AFFECTION. through love and generous forgiveness, not only to unite it again, but even to keep it intact alike before and after the death of their mutually revered parent. A hardly less remarkable instance of brotherly love and forgiveness than the one just recorded is to be found in the lives of JACOB and ESAU. The former, in his early manhood, had incurred the just resentment of his warm-hearted bro- ther, and this led to their being separated during long years ; yet neither unkindness nor absence could extinguish youthful love. The meeting of Jacob with his injured brother is thus touchingly described, " Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell upon his neck, and they wept";* then Jacob, when presenting his gift, said " Nay, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, receive this present at my hands, for I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of a God-like Being, and thou wast pleased with me !" Thus will love triumph even over just resent- ment. This is again exemplified by the conduct of MOSES, when Miriam and Aaron, in a jealous spirit, culpably turned against him, saying " Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses, and has He not spoken by us ?" Pride and pre- sumption had evidently taken entire possession of Miriam's heart, else she would never have displayed any such angry feeling towards her meek and unoffending brother. Never- theless, even this arrogant and unsisterly behaviour was powerless to move Moses to resentment; indeed, feeling deeply grieved on viewing the sad consequences which her conduct evoked, he cried unto the Lord in all the anguish of fraternal love, saying " Heal her now, O Lord, I beseech thee." And when Aaron saw Miriam's deplorable condition, being hardly less culpable himself, he must have bitterly repented having sided with his sister, instead of curbing her rash pride ; indeed, his very appeal to the brother he had wronged affords ample evidence of his regret. We read, * Gen. xxxiii, 4. AMMOX. 61 " And Aaron said to Moses, Alas ! my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us wherein we have done foolishly and wherein we have sinned."* It was thus through the loving- kindness of Moses that the breach was healed and amity restored. But in the next instance we are about to quote we have quite a reverse picture. The selfish and unprincipled con- duct of AMMON, one of David's sons, brought in its train much suffering and misery to the entire household. A sadly vile proceeding on his part having engendered hatred and contention between the brothers, we have to mark the dis- astrous consequences in the murder of the perpetrator of the wrong, the overthrow of David's throne, the usurpation and violent death of Absolom. Thus was the peace and happiness of a whole family for a time destroyed by the mis- conduct of one of its members. The opening chapter of the Book of Job presents us with a marked and glowing contrast to this sad scene of domestic broils, and offers an example which cannot be too carefully studied or closely imitated. The God-fearing JOB, who daily prayed for his sons and " sanctified them", must have early instilled into the hearts of his children that mutual love which attained its full practical development in their matured years. Perfect harmony and deep affection evi- dently subsisted between them ; none could have forfeited the rich inheritance of love, for we are told " His sons went and feasted in their houses every one his day, and they called for their three sisters to join them at their festive board. "f Thus in constant friendly union did the children of the pious Job cultivate the natural affections, and draw tight the ties of brotherly love. Though no longer dwelling together beneath that roof which had sheltered them in youth, the loving sentiment then inspired continued to animate them, and they continually sought each other's society, finding therein an unceasing source of mutual gratification, an ever- gushing spring of love and happiness. * Numbers xii, 11. t Job i, 4. C2 FAiTir. FAITH. Gen. xv, 6, " A nd he believed in the Lord." IN perusing the life of the noble patriarch ABRAHAM, wo find that his implicit trust in God never wavered, from the time when, as narrated in Gen. xii, he quitted his father's roof at the command of the Lord, and journeyed with his beloved wife through an unknown land, inhabited by idol- aters, until he attained a wondrous climax of faith, as mani- fested in the last sublime act of his old age, the offering up of his much loved and only son at the first expression of God's high Will. Now assuredly no such glorious consummation could have resulted, had not the youthful Abram, through force of will, triumphed over the adverse circumstances which beset him. Although living and moving in the midst of an idolatrous and benighted people, he nevertheless contrived to cultivate the habit of observation and train his mind to contemplation. As he conned the book of Nature, which lay open before him, and became imbued with the spirit of love which breathes throughout its glowing pages, he readily learnt to ascribe the marvellous and glorious works of creation to an unknown but wise and gracious Author ; and no sooner did the feeling of an Overruling Providence ripen into a settled conviction, than faith, love, and grati- tude, sprang up spontaneously in his breast, colouring every after action of his life. Pure and excellent must have been that mind which, of its own free-will, earnestly sought, and, through the thick darkness of general unbelief, arrived at a knowledge of the existence of a Great First Cause. Indeed it is evident Abraham must have attained a high degree of FAITH. 63 moral excellence when under his father's roof, and have so moulded the disposition of his heart as to render its homage acceptable to the Omniscient, since even at the very outset of his career the most gracious promises were vouchsafed him from on High. Now this especial manifestation of favour would assuredly only have been accorded to such . superlative merit as every subsequent event of the great patriarch's life proves him to have possessed. Mark his prompt and implicit obedience on receiving the first injunc- tion of the Supreme to go forth into a strange land ; and again, when shortly after the Lord "appeared unto him" renewing past promises, what a truly devout and thankful spirit did he display, for he "built an altar unto the Eternal and called on the name of the Lord." Such acts prove how firm from the very first was his trust in a heavenly Father, and how resolute he was to do that Father's will ; while the severe trials he afterwards so heroically encountered give undeniable evidence that his faith must have grown with his growth. Though years passed away and Abraham remained childless, he never re- pined nor doubted the fulfilment of God's promises ; for when the assurance of a numerous progeny was renewed, we are told " Abraham believed in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness."* But the test before which all others pale into insignificance was reserved for his old age, when his faith reached its culminating point. On receiving the command of God, which ran as follows, " Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering" f he complied with the heavenly in- junction without a murmur or the faintest show of hesita- tion ; for it is related in the very next verse that " Abraham rose early in the morning and took Isaac his son, and went three days' journey to the place of which God had told him." To part with the cherished one, the promised boon whose * Gen. xv, 6. t Gen. xxii, 2. 64 FAITH. advent he had awaited during long years, would alone have severely taxed his fortitude ; but even more than resignation was demanded of him, for he was called on to sacrifice that beloved one with his own hand! Surpassingly severe was the test, for how could he reconcile this command with his reason, his natural affections, and the attributes of the Deity? All events that demonstrate the goodness of God are easy of credence ; not so, however, those pains, trials, and griefs, in which we discern nought but evil ; these indeed require the most entire resignation and perfect faith, virtues emi- nently displayed by the God-fearing Abraham, who could attribute nothing but wise and beneficent designs to the Omnipotent, and, whatever the probation, it was enough that the Lord had willed it. Thus, in all submission to the Divine behest, he set forth resolutely, marching onwards for three long days, with the dearest object of his past hopes and aspirations at his side ; and, finally, he was about to fulfil the dread decree without a murmur, when his hand was miraculously stayed. He had " obeyed the voice of the Lord." Faith had gained ascendency over the master passion of his soul love for his only child. God's will was his will. The Lord spoke, and the proved servant was all obedience. Great had been his self-conquest, and great was his reward. A glorious mission was entrusted to him, and the richest blessings promised ; but far above all was the renewed gift of his dearly-beloved son and the smile of approving heaven. Thus faith triumphed, for his heart was with his God. Admire we must, imitate we may. Faith, which has its birth in the soul, yet draws its vitality and receives its development from reason and feel- ing. Not until it has taken a firm seat in the mind and heart will it become a fixed and permanent principle of action. Religious trust should, therefore, be inculcated from earliest youth, and so made to blend with our very being as to become the mainspring of each thought and deed. It FAITH. Go s must also be so certain, so entire, that no shadow of doubt can ever obscure its full effulgence. Now, if we will but look around and within us, the smallest degree of discern- ment must suffice to lead our minds up to the Almighty Framer and Governor of the Universe. God has not hidden Himself from mortal ken, for He is ever present in all His works. His Gracious Hand may be traced, holding the reins and directing whatsoever concerns men's interests; while all creation proclaims its own perfection. But it will not suffice that we exclaim, "Verily there is a God" ; it is an animating faith which is demanded of us, we must give ourselves with heart and mind to the study of the laws which regulate the universe and human affairs, marking how they accord with the conception of a just, merciful, and gracious Ruler. This once felt and acknowledged, the next step forward will be to yield a ready obedience to our Heavenly Father, convinced that while nothing can occur without His willing it, all He ordains ministers to the well-being of His creatures; for truly if God is good, all must terminate in good, and thus present evils will redound to future ad- vantage. Now, Faith mostly concerns the unseen future, and derives its chief strength from the fact. If we have read the historic pages of that past with attention, and not wilfully ignored the love and watchful care of an overruling Providence, if we have sounded the wondrous depths of wisdom and good- ness which the teeming creation uniformly displays, and taken to heart the ever-multiplying proofs of Divine Mercy and Justice, then will the unknown future have no terrors for us ; we shall learn to entertain just and loving sentiments of God, and while striving to act in conformity with His Supreme Will, place an implicit reliance on His all-protecting and guiding Hand. At each advance in the knowledge of His High Attributes, we shall draw nearer and nearer to Him in religious trust. Faith will urge us on to duty, become our stay in tribulation, turn our hearts in love and gratitude F 66 FAITH. to the great Author of our Being, and thus sanctify our lives and aspirations. Now, faith in God by no means precludes our having faith in ourselves ; indeed, it is every way calculated to awaken and stir up our energies. Has He not declared Himself the friend of those who work in the cause of progress and truth ? Has He not gifted us with freewill, and endowed us with reason and strength that we may voluntarily and -in a thankful spirit exert ourselves to per- form His Holy Will, and in so doing promote our own well- being and the general interests ? Assuredly trust in God is the very foundation of character ; it is the sun of our souls, ripening all our best resolutions into action, and warming our hearts to the practice of every good and noble deed. Before its cheering rays, diffidence and doubt vanish, while virtuous hope and zeal are roused and made prepotent for good. Moreover, faith has the sovereign virtue of banishing discontent, moderating grief, and checking despondency. Let us strive but to improve the present, while bearing steadily in mind that " the Lord's hand is not shortened," and that nothing can occur without His appointment or permission, then all anxious concern for the future will be dispelled ; we shall confide in the tender mercies of a wise and beneficent Protector, and rest secure in His ever watch- ful care ; but let a criminal mistrust once gain supremacy in the mind, and we shall surely bring upon ourselves the very evils we would avoid, and so poison our cup of life. Thus, never let us dare to resign hope when trials come, or be wayward, cast down, and lose faith, if instant relief be not afforded, but trust implicitly in the Wise Disposer of events, feeling Him to be all powerful to save. Do we not read in Exodus " I, the Lord, know thy sorrow", and truly He watches over and guards His faithful loving children the same now as then. To doubt this, is to derogate from His glorious attributes and ungratefully overlook those numerous blessings which are continually being showered down upon us from on High. FAITH. 67 Now, had not the future been a sealed book to us, we should have had but little opportunity of exercising or tes- tifying our faith, for which prerogative we cannot, indeed, be too thankful. We may feel assured that God would have permitted us an insight into the hidden and mysterious future were it compatible with our good ; and that He has withheld such power is ample proof that it would only prove prejudicial to us. He has, however, vouchsafed us gracious promises if we will only conform our conduct to His written Law, and thus the brightness or gloom of our future greatly depends upon ourselves. But the present likewise calls for the exercise of religious trust, since, though most of the trials and misfortunes which befal us may be traced to our own misconduct or imprudence, yet occasionally this fails to be apparent. It is in moments of grief that it especially behoves us to confide in Him who is Infinite in goodness as in Wisdom, and seek comfort and consolation in prayer. How chequered soever may be our path, or however hard our lot, we should never despair ; but reflect that while we take merely a partial view, a wise superintending Providence sees the whole, and that the All Merciful permits only such ills to befal His creatures as will ultimately redound to their good. Once impressed with this grand truth, we shall pursue our course fearlessly, hopefully, and realising our de- pendence on God, be content to leave the issue of all our endeavours and all our desires with Him who rules above. In Holy truth, loving and obedient, we shall sedulously labour in the cause of truth, of the God of truth, to secure the eternal crown reserved for the virtuous and faithful servants of the Most High. Though life is subject to many chances and changes, we may well hope to pass through them unscathed, if we but act up to the PRECEPTS of the Bible, which bid us place full reliance in the great Disposer of events, while actively pur- suing a course consistent with the expressed will of the F2 68 FAITH: Beneficent Author of our Being. Thus the pithy injunction should be ever present to our minds, " Trust in the Lord and do good", for it sums up nearly the whole of moral ethics. The following quotations are much to the same effect. Proverbs iii, " Trust in the Lord with all Thy heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding ; in all thy tvays acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths"; Eccles. xii, " Kernember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, and fear God and keep His Commandments"; and Ps. cxv, "Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, He is our help and our shield". Then, by way of contrast, and for the purpose of showing the sad consequences which naturally result from dis- obeying these injunctions, we quote the following verses from Ps. liii : "The debased hath said in his heart, there is no God. Corrupt are they and no one doeth good : none seek after God, none call on Him" ; hence, "they were in great fear where no fear was". Truly, faith alone can banish fear. None are exempt from trials, and even they who have best learnt to repose trust in Omnipotence will be oftentimes subject to doubt and despondency, needing those consoling promises of Scripture, those cheering assurances which necessarily set at rest all disquietude, all misgivings. These indeed abound throughout the Holy Volume. We are told in Ps. xxxiv, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all. He redeemeth the soul of His servants, and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate"; Ps. xxxiii, "Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy"; and Ps. cxii, " The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance ; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings while trusting in the Lord"; and Prov. i, "Whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil." Then n Chro. xvi, " The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him". And Habakkuk ii, " The just shall live by his faith". Again in DAVID. 69 Psalms, " Our fathers trusted in Thee, they trusted and Thou didst deliver them". Then how comforting and cheer- ing are such verses as these : Isaiah xli, " Fear not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God"; and again Ps. Iv, " Cast thy burden on the Lord and He shall sustain thee, He will never suffer the righteous to be moved". Will not, then, every faithful servant of the Most High gladly unite in uttering the pious exclamation of Asaph, Ps. Ixxiii/'Whom have I in heaven but Thee ? there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee", and gratefully recognising His all- sustaining, all-protecting Hand, echo the heartfelt expres- sion, at 24th v., " Thou wilt surely guide me with Thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory". The Holy Volume teems with EXAMPLES of men whose lives remain standing proofs of the power of Faith over conduct, and foremost among them is undoubtedly DAVID, as the following brief sketch may serve to exemplify. Though subject through life to the greatest possible vicissi- tudes of fortune, he never faltered in his religious trust. The whole tenour of his conduct was uniform, alike when in a humble station or when monarch of Israel, when bowed by affliction and adversity or basking in the sunshine of pros- perity, for from youth " his heart was fixed trusting in the Lord".* Take, in the first instance, his challenge to Goliath, because "he had dared to defy the armies of the living God". Here faith was his breastplate, and, taking only a sling in hand, he fearlessly advanced towards his formidable ad- versary and thus addressed him, " I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts whom thou hast defied. The battle is the Lord's. He who saveth not with sword or spear will give you into our hands". Thus armed, thus nerved by holy trust, he slew the mighty giant. In the chapter which follows we further read, "And Saul made him captain, and he went and came in before the people; and David behaved himself * i Samuel, xvii, 36. 70 FAITH. wisely in all his ways. The Lord was with him and he was beloved by all Israel and Judah". Here we see how sterling was his character, even thus early in life. Next we find him, at a moment of imminent peril to himself, striving with all the deep solicitude of a devoted son to secure the safety of his parents, for which purpose he sought the King of Moab, in whom he placed implicit reliance, and urging him to protect them till " he knew what God would do for him".* Referring next to the taking of Selag, when David's wives were made captive by the Amalekites and his own life was imperilled through the anger of the people, we find him rising superior to what might well seem overwhelming disasters, because he "encouraged himself in the Lord his God".f Boldly pursuing the enemy, he recovered all the spoil together with those so dear to him. Again, his glowing faith manifested by his conduct on the death of his child, the son of Bathsheba ; mourning and praying while it still lived, yet resigned when removed from this life, for "it was the will of God". "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me", are words of faith never to be forgotten. And again on David's precipitate flight from Jerusalem, when anguish must have sat heavy upon him, as it did on all his devoted adherents and subjects, he spoke in the fulness of faith to Zadok and the Levites who bore the ark, saying, " carry it back to the city ; if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me again and show me both it and His habitation, but if He thus says, ' I have no delight in thee/ behold here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him".! What piety, what submission, what holy trust! Then, passing over numerous additional examples of David's implicit reliance on the Supreme, we arrive at one replete in faith, for when he had to receive a punishment for his sin in numbering the people, and was bid to choose be- tween the three plagues named to him by God, he simply replied, " I am in great straits ; let me fall into the hands * Samuel xxii, 3. f Samuel xxx, 6. J n Samuel xv, 25. DAVID. 71 of the Lord, for His mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hands of man". His last charge to Solomon and his every act till death, prove how firm was his trust, how animating his faith. His numberless beautiful Psalms afford a like testimony. Take, for example, the 121st, which gives the strongest possible evidence of a mind impressed with a sense of an all presiding Providence ; how earnest and in- spiring are his words " I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth ; He will not suffer thy foot to be moved. He that keepeth thee will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper, He will preserve thee from all evil, He will preserve thy soul". In Psalm 145 he shows how powerfully his soul was imbued with a sense of the majesty and infinite goodness of the Almighty, and proclaims his thankfulness and never failing trust as follows, "I will extol Thee, my God, King ; every day will I bless Thee and will praise Thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised ; His greatness is unsearch- able, He is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all His works ; He upholdeth all who fall, He fulfilleth the desires of them that fear Him ; He will also hear their cry and save them, the Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him in truth". Virtue and faith, closely united in David's character, were ever promoting and strengthening each other. This 112th Ps. contains promises to the good man of blessings here and hereafter which were peculiarly appropriate to himself and literally fulfilled as far as his worldly life was conceived. Thus speaks this faithful servant of God, " Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that de- lighteth greatly in His commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth, life and riches shall be in his house. To the upright there shall arise light in the darkness ; he shall surely not be moved for ever. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His 72 FAITH. horn shall be exalted with honour, and his name held in everlasting remembrance". Centuries have rolled away since this psalm was written, yet neither the words, the name, nor the example of King David is lost to us, but remain to ex- hort to virtue and teach to all generations the power and efficacy of faith. The Book of Daniel also offers several examples of sublime faith ; for instance, when Nebuchadnezzar threatened to commit Daniel's three companions to the fiery furnace should they not fall down and worship the golden image he had dedicated at Dura, they resolutely refused to comply with such a command, and when he mockingly asked them " where is God that He shall deliver thee" ? they simply replied, " We care not to answer thee in this matter ; our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and He will deliver us from thine hand, O King. (And does not death put an end to all persecution ?) But be it known to thee, we will not serve thy God nor worship thy image which thou hast set up". Then another lesson in faith is taught us by DANIEL him- self. Although aware that an edict had gone forth decreeing that " whosoever should ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days save of the King" should be cast into the den of lions, he nevertheless openly prayed, "as he did aforetime", and was found making " supplications before his God", for which he suffered the threatened punishment; afterwards when the King, intent on learning the fate of his faithful servant, himself repaired to the den to interrogate him, mark the answer made by Daniel, " My God hath sent His angel and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me, forasmuch as before Him innocence was found in me ; and also, before thee, O King, have I done no hurt". In a word, feeling that he had acted uprightly before God and man, he was enabled to banish all fear. The Lord was his * Ch. vi, 2. JONAH. 73 protector, the Lord was his trust, and thus did virtue supply the lamp of faith. Finally, turning to two important characters, those of Eli and of Jonah, we find that, notwithstanding all their failings, no sooner did trials befal them than they sought Him, under whose wings alone they could find refuge. ELI offered no remonstrance when informed by the youthful Samuel of the fate that awaited his wicked sons. Fully convinced of God's equity, he bent before the mandate in humbleness of spirit, piously exclaiming, " It is the Lord ; let Him. do what seeraeth Him good". And JONAH, who had sacrificed him- self for the good of his companions, on being miraculously saved, thus addressed his Maker in prayer : " When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord. I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of thanksgivings. Truly salvation is of the Lord". Words which, if true to God and to our- selves, we shall, we must, oft echo in perfect love and Holy Faith. 74 BENEVOLENCE. BENEVOLENCE. Gen. xviii, 5, " Comfort ye your hearts, and after that ye shall jiass cm." HE who truly loves his God must love his fellow-mortals, and thus it was with the pious ABRAHAM. He no sooner saw travellers than " he ran to meet them", and, without stop- ping to make any inquiry as to their nation or rank, at once urged them to seek repose within his dwelling and partake of such cheer as he could provide, which, though modestly designated " a morsel of bread", he resolved should be of the best he had to offer. He little conceived who were the strangers he greeted so hospitably ; enough for him that they were wayfarers and might need refreshment. With the power to give he had also the will ; thus in all courtesy and love he offered them a sincere and hearty welcome. The benevolence of this revered and noble patriarch is indeed demonstrated throughout his whole career ; but in no one instance was it more touchingly exemplified than in his intercession for the inhabitants of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Feeling the keenest sympathy and com- miseration for his benighted, sinful, and idolatrous neigh- bours, he uttered a most fervent appeal on their behalf, and adopted a highly ingenious method to turn aside the just anger of the Lord. Thus, he first simply asked, " Wilt Thou destroy the righteous with the wicked ? If there be fifty righteous, wilt Thou destroy and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ? Far be it from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked. Shall not the Judge of the whole earth do right " ? * And when the Lord acceded to this request, Abraham, fearing * den. xviii, 23. BENEVOLEXCE. 75 lest a nation so sunk in ignorance and crime might not possess even fifty righteous men, implored a further boon, and, humbling himself, besought the Lord as follows : " Be- hold, now I having taken upon myself to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes, peradventure there shall lack five" ? And noncontent to stay his entreaties while he could hope to save his fellow-creatures from their impending fate, he renewed them even at the risk of incurring God's anger, till not fifty but ten righteous men found within the city would have sufficed to save it. Here he stopped. Much, very much, he had done ; more he could not do. The fore- thought, the zeal and generous devotion, which characterised his conduct in this instance are clearly discernible in every transaction of his life. His large, warm heart never ceased to beat for the welfare of others, and he was ever prepared to make any personal sacrifice to promote their interests. Piety was indissolubly united with good works, and religion with charity, in the mind of this noble, generous, model patriarch, and animated all his actions. Sublime indeed ^ was his Faith ; eloquent and impressive his Benevolence. If to appreciate a virtue were to insure its practice, then indeed would the world teem with philanthropists. All who feel their dependence on a Superior Being, and give heed to their own unworthiness, must highly estimate the glorious attribute of Benevolence in the Deity, and most who have suffered either mentally or bodily will have learnt, through human kindness, to appreciate its full value in man. True benevolence is but sympathy translated into action, and is the distinguishing badge of the right-minded. It consists in an ever-ready will to serve our fellow-mortals, in pro- moting social happiness by acts of kindness and love, in consoling the wretched, administering hope to the abased, relieving the distressed, and zealously striving not only to find a remedy for the miseries and evils which beset the poor and needy, but also in seeing it applied when found. It 76 BENEVOLENCE. occasionally requires the open purse, but ever the open heart ; for without the latter it degenerates into a cold, frigid charity, nearly powerless for good, whilst when united they are all -potent. In the case of the sinful or benighted, the magnets it employs are sympathy and love, which so well know how to strike the right chord in the human heart and call forth a ready and grateful response. As long as one common humanity unites us, spirit will surely answer to spirit. Benevolence is also attended by the handmaiden Hope, which with unfailing tact touches that hidden spring of good never altogether absent from the human soul. For is not this soul of divine origin ? Thence surely no effort can be fruitless which shall serve to wake it up to a consciousness of its own higher power, and rouse and direct aright those energies which have been perverted or driven by the baser passions to unworthy ends. Verily some bright sparks lurk in the breast of even the vilest men, and true philan- thropy is prepared, on the slightest encouragement, to fan them into a flame by the gentle breath of kindness, and heavenly-inspired words of hope. Benevolence bears a strong affinity to piety, and is greatly strengthened by it, for we truly love God only when we love those made in His image, and are willing to testify such love practically. It is also the true panacea for our own ills, since necessarily withdrawing us from all our en- grossing thoughts of self. By taking to heart the misfor- tunes and trials of others we become less sensitive to our own; by engaging our thoughts and energies in the promo- tion of general and individual good we cease to be listless on the one hand or worldly ambitious on the other, thereby freeing ourselves from the direst enemies of a healthful mind and tranquil, contented spirit. It is best reared and nurtured in a happy home, whence it will spread and extend till it encircles and grasps within its benign influence the whole animate creation. Now the practice of Benevolence is both a duty and a BENEVOLENCE. 77 prerogative. Divine bounty is intended to reach all in a greater or less degree through human agency, and none are excluded from becoming the stewards of Him who ever remembers His creatures in their low estate. Side by side we find wealth and poverty, for such is the High Will of Infinite Wisdom ; but this decree does not extend to the ultra-extremes, luxury and want. Hence where much has been given, much is demanded, and great responsibility rests with those whose " lots have fallen into pleasant places". Riches are of uncertain tenure, and the prosperity which smiles on us to-day may be gone to-morrow ; thus, while we have it in our power to give, let those ample stores, which possibly were granted for no especial merit of our own, be opened wide to all who need our bounty. Charity is, however, but a small part of our duty here, and it be- hoves us strenuously to endeavour to leave the world better than we found it. Were none to try there could be no im- provement, while if each individual, how humble soever he .be, will only exert his energies and seek opportunities of benefiting his fellow-creatures, great and glorious must be the result. Thus, if we will but do our duty, and, guided by an active spirit of charity and love, be ever devising means of usefulness, working for the welfare of others, relieving distress with our own hand, and making a generous use of the wealth and abilities bestowed on us, we' shall ex- perience the happy consciousness of well-doing, be glad- dened by the sight of the happiness we have conferred, and in all confidence and hope await the final issue of each new endeavour, each benevolent intent. Though inequality amongst men is in accordance with a natural law, for " the poor shall never cease out of the land", yet all are bound to subserve the general good, and they who live in the enjoyment of numerous blessings should not withhold or deny a portion to others. Gratitude for the rich gifts received should continually find expression in acts of kindness and love. Let us, then, be ever ready to kindle 78 BENEVOLENCE. another's happiness ; it will not extinguish our own, but tend to make it burn with a steadier and brighter flame. We may feel convinced that few things will more surely conduce thereto than the kind and soothing word, which is as easily said as the indifferent or unkind one, and while costing nothing is worth so much. Now to shun or neglect this duty, which in loving kind- ness has been intrusted to us, betokens a narrow, ill-regu- lated, and selfish heart. It surely speaks of a loathness to forego pleasures, though they interfere with the due per- formance of acts of Benevolence, of an unwillingness to moderate desires for luxuries and gratification, though they tend to abridge the power of responding to the calls of poverty, and finally of a disinclination to cast aside the trammels of idleness and apathy, even when much good might be accomplished by energetic action. It is also occa- sionally to be traced to the indulgence of ill-will for any petty offence, to some vague feeling of antipathy generating a habit of talebearing and repeating idle scandal. Now He whose tender mercies extend alike over all His creatures will surely visit such conduct with His high displeasure, and would we not stand guilty before Him we must cultivate a good and kindly disposition, train our hearts to compassion and sympathy, and rouse within our breasts those warm and generous sentiments which become the parents of good deeds. But to be kind and affable to those we love and esteem makes no serious demand on our good nature, which is se- verely taxed only when we endeavour to stifle resentment and animosity or conquer feelings of antipathy or repugnance. This is self-conquest; it is a glorious victory, an achieve- ment that amply repays the struggle ; but if we succumb and allow our heart to turn against any fellow- creature, we may feel assured the sentiment of ill-will will find expression by word or deed, how solicitous soever we may be to hide or smother it. A look, a tone, will escape us, and impart the BEXEVOLEXCE. 79 feeling of aversion harboured in our breast. Love and dislike are too powerful to be at rest, but will ever crop up. Thus, let us exert ourselves to foster the one and eradicate the other, and this will be all the easier if we will only re- member firstly that the heart turns in all kindness towards those whom we have once benefited, and next, that the mere suspicion of unfriendly sentiments must surely produce their like, and thus foster animosities. Now it is highly essential that we should warm our hearts by studying the characters and lives of the benevolent, who eloquently preach to us through their acts, practically de- monstrating the powerful influence charity and love exercise in the world as well as on our own inner life and happiness. Once conversant with these instructive biographies, nothing will be left us but to imitate the general tenor of conduct therein portrayed, and thus become deserving of those bless- ings which mostly attend on a consistent course of right doing. The benevolent man is a noble and trustworthy pioneer in the world's progress, accelerating it by his own untiring energy and well applied abilities. He makes the good cause not the work of days or years, but. of his life. He looks upon humanity as upon nature, ever turning his gaze towards its sunny side, and rejoicing in its manifold beauties. His heart is in the right place, and by his urbanity and generous warmth of disposition he becomes the'golden link which binds society together. Among his equals his good nature and good will display themselves by kindness in doing kindly offices ; by forbearance and considerate atten- tion to their just rights, never allowing selfishness to warp his sense of -their deserts ; by a generous forethought ; by averseness to offend or give pain, and an equal solicitude to impart pleasure. Full of the amenities of life, and impressed with a sense of his own weakness, he is dim-sighted to the foibles of his fellow-mortals, while keenly alive to merit, esteeming men of worth whatsoever their station or religion. On coming in contact with a youth full of noble resolves, 80 BENEVOLENCE. far from depressing him in his high aspirations, he gives every possible encouragement and so nerves him to his task. Then, being sincerely and deeply interested in the welfare of his poorer brethren, he is ever seeking to ameliorate their condition and promote their moral and intellectual develop- ment. He allows neither theory nor speculation to pass for actual knowledge, but goes among the poor to judge for him- self, and learn what best tends to their worldly interests. He thus becomes enabled to suggest expedients for decreas- ing their expenses and multiplying their comforts, and easily induces them to follow his wise and judicious counsel by win- ning alike their confidence and respect. Acknowledging that " the earth and the fulness thereof" are for the benefit of all God's creatures and not for individuals only, he wisely uses the portion which has fallen to his lot. Shunning super- fluities and husbanding his resources, he is enabled to give with a liberal hand and cheerful spirit, glad of the oppor- tunity of testify ing to the great Giver of all good, through some self-abnegation, his sense of gratitude for the share of bless- ings he is permitted to enjoy. The philanthropist never stops short at the rigid boundary line of duty or justice, but goes in advance of the wants and wishes of those around him ; to the best of his powers he stays all contention and strife, is the strenuous advocate of peace and good will among men, and never sanctions, by his presence, acts of violence and wrong. He is ever studying how best to apply a balm to the wounded spirit, soothe the sad, sorrowing heart, and soften the anguish of despair. He endeavours to moderate or dispel prejudices, and is never hasty in condemning or drawing rash inductions, when such would tend to lower one man in the estimation of another. He is ever earnest in the cause of charity and performs his pious mission publicly, not shunning observation as if he were committing a crime, nor courting attention as if doing more than a duty. Assiduous in his voca- tion, he manifests his zeal openly, so that others seeing may be induced to follow and emulate him in his laudable course. BENEVOLENCE. 81 Such, then, is the true spirit of Benevolence and piety, and he who thus acts will assuredly have a constant source of happiness in the consciousness of duty performed, and a glowing sense of satisfaction in seeing his own smile reflected in the world's mirror. He will feel at his heart's core the full truth of the line of the poet, "To bless is to be blessed", for the remembrance of every good deed done and happiness conferred will endure to cheer his declining years, and give that hope and confidence which, with angel's wings, will waft his spirit up to the realms of everlasting life. The following PRECEPTS may serve to encourage and stimulate us to acts of benevolence by showing how prolific in rich blessings are the fair heavenly fruits of sympathy, love, and kindness alike to the dispenser and the recipient, how certainly such heartfelt acts will find acceptance at the throne of our gracious and benign Ruler. Thus in Prov. xxii, 9, " He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor." In ch. xix, 1 7, " He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will He repay him again." At ch. xiv, 21, "He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth, but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he " and ch. xi, 27, " He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour, but he that seeketh mischief it shall come unto him :" again/ "The liberal soul shall be made fat." Then in Eccles. xi, f< Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days." " Give a portion to seven and also to eight/' But much more is demanded of us, for we are told at ch. xxv, 21, " If thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty give him water to drink, and the Lord shall reward thee." We next turn to Deuteronomy xv, which is especially devoted to this subject, and inculcates a universal system of benevolence. The following verses are every way worthy of consideration. "Thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy brother, but open it wide to Hie poor and G 82 BENEVOLENCE. to the needy, giving them sufficient for their wants. Beware that thine eye be not evil against them and them lendest nothing, so that they cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be a sin unto thee". " Thou shalt surely give and thine heart not be grieved, because that of these things the Lord will bless thee in all thy ways and all thou puttest thine hand unto". But as no man can make any pretence to the virtue of Benevolence whose conduct is not primarily based on strict principles of justice, this high moral duty is re- peatedly enjoined throughout the sacred volume. The fol- lowing quotations on this subject may here suffice. Prov. iii, 27 : " Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hands to do it. Say not to thy neighbour, go and come again, to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee". l)'.l our thirst, strengthen our moral nature, imbibe sentiments, desires, principles, and draw that healthful vigour which will quicken us in the pursuit of all that is good, pure, and noble. But if we study not the inspired page nor take to heart the instruction and comfort it imparts, vain will be our search for Contentment. It can have no existence but in that breast where goodness and love of God hold sway. These alone sweeten life, add zest to its duties as to its pleasures, give peace to the mind and ease to the heart. Virtue and piety only can maintain the equilibrium of the inind, chase away rising fits of despondency, and vanquish the many enemies of content. And here it will be well to consider what those foes are, so that we may be prepared to encounter and resist them. Now the most formidable, because the most insidious to our peace, are the passions ; they crop up at all times, and but too often urge us on in the chase after pleasure, gains, and vanities, so that we are apt to leave happiness far, far be- hind. The man who is under their dominion must be rest- less and dissatisfied, for he will be ever hankering after that "which satisfieth not", and, instead of reasonably husband- ing, will prodigally exhaust, those powers and resources which nature and fortune with liberal hand dispense and scatter around. His mind, being in a perpetual whirl of excitement, will have neither time, inclination, nor power to stop short at any fixed point, there to rest to enjoy the blessings at command. Truly that individual must lose all sense of contentment who is thus ever keenly engaged in the search after sensual gratification, for not only will he overlook and thereby miss that portion of happiness which might be his, but he will be following a course which too surely leads to disease of mind and body, often to pain and impoverishment. The value of time will be first disregarded, then squandered or mis-spent, leaving no record but what must be written in dark and sombre colours ; means never P 210 CONTENTMENT. husbanded or replenished will fail, health and vigour reck- lessly used and often abused will decline ; indeed, all we most prize will depart by degrees. Such are the sad straits to which unbridled passions and a disregard of that word of rare significance enough must surely bring us. Further, it behoves us to beware of avarice, vanity, untruth, envy, and selfish ambition, for they all alike gnaw the mind and sap its very life-blood. But should they even secure us a triumph, it must be short-lived, for as desire has already sped on after the unattained, and often unattainable, so with all our gains we shall possibly feel poorer than before. What folly, then, to be as it were gambling for fame, riches, plea- sures, staking our all upon the die, and thereby often beg- garing ourselves of happiness and content. Nor is it less weak, while at the same time contemptibly mean, to endeavour to seem other than we are ; the mask forced on us by vanity and untruth will surely prove an in- strument of torture, racking alike mind and conscience. Now none of these harpies or vultures could find entrance into the mind, much less gain ascendancy over it, if men would seek for esteem rather than for admiration, for excel- lence rather than to excel ; for a light heart in preference to a heavy purse ; for happiness bred of virtue rather than doubtful pleasures ; and finally^if they would learn to know when they are well off, or, knowing it, be satisfied to leave well alone. Other foes to contentment of quite a reverse stamp to those of the passions, and hardly less hurtful to the mind, here demand consideration. Indifference and idleness stand foremost ; these ever banish content, which abides and holds communion only with duty. They also preclude Hope, the very salt of life, and which, alternating with fear, is the main- spring of human actions. Let us therefore be careful not to hush its soft whispers, nor to extinguish natural desires, which solely require to be moderated and directed to proper objects. Now would the apathetic and the slothful only bear CONTENTMENT. 211 in remembrance that Contentment is not a negative but a positive state of mind, and that it is true happiness in its simplest form, the thought might stimulate them to cultivate it, so that before long they would find themselves furthering the cause of moral progress, thereby securing to themselves that heart's joy which the virtuous and industrious alone may know. It might at first sight appear that trials, poverty, and sick- ness should have taken precedence of the foregoing, as being elements far more calculated to disturb the mind's equili- brium than any of those already mentioned. Yet is this the case ? That we cannot be insensible to them, especially when they entail actual suffering, is certain ; nevertheless, they do not gall and shackle the mind in the same degree as the passions. Nor is the problem difficult of solution. With respect to the former evils, hope is never excluded ; they may rapidly pass away, and, departing, leave their memory to enhance enjoyment, thus serving at the same time as friendly warnings which we may transplant to bud and ripen into sweet and wholesome fruit. But as regards the pas- sions, what is there of hope ? We neither seek nor desire to moderate them, and only too gladly give a loose rein, suf- fering them to run their course regardless of the goal to which they speed. Further, while the passions generally tend to impoverish us even here on earth, trials, poverty, and sickness, borne in a proper and religious spirit, enrich the soul for eternity. Indeed, a fund of happiness is to be derived from cheerfully submitting to God's all-wise dis- pensations, and if, with heartfelt homage and love, we learn to bow in humble resignation to His decrees, the mind will become better trained to a feeling of settled, happy content than by any amount of worldly success or prosperity. Let us, then, bear in mind, that although fortune will never arm us against herself, yet she has not denied us the use of powerful weapons wherewith to encounter her, and of these none will serve us so well in contending with trials and 1' -2 212 COXTKNTMKNT. sorrows, which have ever a purpose and an aim, as faith, hope, and a grateful, because contented, spirit. It may be advisable to consider next how much happiness is centred in a humble and contented spirit, and how many benefits it is calculated to confer. That we can hardly over- estimate the boon may be inferred from the fact that the very first sense of its existence in the breast suffices to make us value it, and further, that when, through time and culture, contentment has become a settled habit of the mind, it is prized above all earthly possessions ; indeed, it has been justly termed ' ' a continual feast". And may we, dare we, for one moment suppose that the rich banquet spread by the Hand of Supreme Goodness can be for a favoured few only ? Assuredly not ; all God's ci*ea- tures are invited to partake thereof and enjoy the feast of beauty, the pleasures of pure and holy love, the delight pro- curable from the performance of good deeds and of duty, with numerous other gifts far outweighing in value temporal riches and possessions. Then let all alike learn to appre- ciate such treasures, and each one give his heart to wisdom and virtue. These once fairly acquired, we shall be enabled to create happiness, and magnify it by dispensing it around. We shall look on the bright side of things, yet without en- couraging those sanguine expectations which invariably end in disappointment. The smallness of our earthly possessions will raise no bitter pang of regret, but rather serve as an additional stimulus to exertion. We shall readily stem that under-current of vexations which is not wanting even in the smoothest life, and dissipate anxiety by turning to Heaven for comfort. We shall maintain an equable temper under affliction, nor be violently affected by sufferings or sorrow ; indeed, we may be said to have found the philosopher's stone. Proceeding ever in accordance with God's Holy Law working for heaven as well as for earth doing our duty manfully, cheerfully, and in a hopeful spirit, finding under defeat a consolation in having acted for the best thus, and tmTENT.M EXT. 213 tli us only, may we attain that glad and glowing sense of pious content which lends to life a great and lasting charm. Finally, once convinced that innumerable benefits accrue from the possession of a calm, peaceful, and happily-disposed mind, it behoves us sei-iously to consider how we may best acquire and then retain this boon throughout the eventualities of life. And here it is well to remember that Contentment is ever proportioned to the moral character. It is indicative of piety, morality, and good temper. It derives much of its strength from the conviction of its being a sacred and para- mount duty due to the Great Giver of every good, and he who dares deny the obligation, or evades it, will surely court happiness in vain. A cold or ungrateful heart never yet knew true joy or content, nor felt how blissful it is to "enjoy God in all things and all things in God". Thence it be- hoves us to bring our feelings to harmonise with nature, and to cultivate that warm, thankful spirit which will not only gladly appreciate all blessings vouchsafed, but be ever intent on dispensing and turning them to profitable account. But still more is required would we retain a lasting, calm, and placid temper of mind. We must learn to entertain a perpetual sense of presiding goodness, to repose entire con- fidence in the great Lord of all, and thence never suffer any dread to oppress us, except it be the fear of His displeasure. Then we must proportion our wishes and imaginings to our iinlifstri/ and deserts, that is, we should work more and desire less ; we must bring our wants within well-defined bounds and a small compass, seek for quality rather than for quan- tity in the search after gratifications, be ever earnest in cul- tivating a growth of small pleasures, and gladly resort to those nearest at hand. Further, we must accustom our- selves to estimate things at their real value, nor hanker after superfluities ; lastly, when grief assails us, we must resolutely turn our attention to some new and engrossing objects, some great and worthy purpose, labour zealously in their accomplishment, and thereby chase from the mind all futile, all sorrowful remembrances. 214 CONTENTMENT. But would we fix the feeling of content in our hearts with yet more enduring strength, we should not overlook, as we are too apt to do, the all-important consideration that there is far inor.e equality in the lot of man than most are willing to acknowledge or many are even capable of discern- ing, and that according as we throw into the scales of human existence virtue on the one side or envy and the worst passions on the other, so will happiness or misery preponderate. Now, when we reflect that every event pro- ceeds from a Divine Hand, that the great Heavenly Father loves alike all those children who willingly serve Him, and that equity and justice are ever before His Throne, we shall easily.be induced to believe that there is less dissimilitude in the lot of men than at first sight appears; indeed, if we will but attentively read our own life by the light of others, we must infallibly arrive at this conclusion. But we must bear in mind that we may not judge by any one portion, but should take the entire life, with its moments of pure happiness as of grief, of hope and of fear, years of health and days of sickness, nor overlook that trial hour which bears with it untold misery or untold bliss alike to the humble and ex- alted according to their past good or bad conduct. We have indeed only to take the mean happiness of a life pleasure and pain in the aggregate and consider how the mind lends its colour to every object, in order to feel assured that on the whole there is no very great inequality in the lot of mankind, and that even this is generally of our own making. This belief may gain additional strength when we reflect on the following facts that each station in life has its advan- tages and its peculiar inconveniences, that riches imply trust, andthus that with much wealth there is great respon- sibility ; that none are exempt from trials and physical suf- ferings, while those bred in the lap of luxury are naturally the most sensitive to them ; and further, that the rich have many wants and cares of which their poorer brethren know little or nothing. Next, that habit is a great leveller, fa- CONTENTMENT. 215 imliarity taking 1 off the edge of pleasures and even in some degree of suffering ; that while misery may be assuaged by hope, happiness will occasionally be lessened by fear; and that the very clinging to possessions testifies to some vague sense of anxiety. Were additional arguments needed, we should find them in the acknowledged facts that poverty goads less than ambition, and is far less insatiable, a morsel satisfying the one, and accumulated wealth often not con- tenting the other ; that the invalid frequently has more, far more, sunshine of soul than the gay votary of pleasure ; that necessity is often at the side of extravagance, that labour gives a keen zest to every enjoyment and makes rest a luxury. Indeed, if there were no such levelling dispensa- tions as sickness, sorrow, and death, yet would the sons of toil not have cause to envy the wealthy and exalted. Simple habits and tastes both sharpen pleasures, and render them easy of acquirement. Let this fact also be borne in mind, that much happiness and pious gratitude often abide where we suppose all to be misery and repining, likewise that anxiety, gloom, and discontent sometimes reign where all should be, and is believed to be, gaiety, joy, and thankful- ness. Truly the lot of men cannot be considered as very unequal while all alike may be aspirants for heaven, while they may be ever hopefully seeking through their moral conduct to deserve God's favour, and render themselves worthy of those gifts, small or great, which His unerring wisdom has bestowed here below and of those promises which a hereafter will fulfil. In conclusion, let us bear in mind that in the matter of wealth or station we should ever look below us, and thus comparing worldly lots, must hold ourselves as favoured ; while ambitioning nothing but fresh accessions of virtue, pious resignation, a glowing love of all that is good and holy, we should look above and offer up the incense of praise and adoration, thereby fixing within our heart those blissful and ever renewing emotions which most surely conduce to true happiness and contentment. 216 CONTENTMENT. PRECEPTS. The prophet Isaiah in his book has clearly pointed out what will most conduce to serenity of mind, and in consequence to Contentment. At ch. xxxii, 17, we read, " The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever". At ch. xxvi, 4, he bids us " confide in the Lord Jehovah, who is ever- lasting strength", and in implicit faith adds, " Thou, O God, wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee". Then in the Book of Job we read, ch. xxxvi, 11, " They who obey and know God shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures". And again, in Prov. xiv, 14, " A good man shall be satisfied with himself". Similar assurances pervade the Psalms, wherein David declares, "None of them that trust in the Lord will be left destitute", and that " Those who walk up- rightly and work righteousness will never be moved". Here, then, we see that trust in God and the performance of good works prove highly favourable to Contentment, while that which is frequently considered -so essential to it is in Scrip- ture deemed of little worth, for we read at Prov. xxiii, 5, " Riches make themselves wings and fly away"; thus we should not "set our eyes upon that which is not". And we are admonished at ch. xxi that " He who loveth pleasures shall be a poor man; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich". And again, at ch. xiv, " In laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness"; Thence it is clear that we should never allow the mind to indulge in inordinate desires, but maintain moderate views of human happiness and rationally shun all excesses. Now, to ascer- tain the benefits contentment confers, we have but to turn to Prov. xvii, 22, where we are told that "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones"; and at ch. x, 28, we are reminded that " the hopes of the righteous shall be gladness", or, as David expresses it in one of his Psalms, " gladness is sown for the upright in heart 1 '. That it is a sacred duty to foster a cheerful and CONTENTMENT. 217 contented frame of mind even Solomon does not deny, although he laboured so zealously to prove that all in life is vanity ; indeed, he even inculcates the obligation of tem- perate enjoyment in Ecclesiastes, for does he not there say, ch. v, 18, " Behold it is good and comely for man to enjoy the good of all his labour which God giveth him, for it is his portion"; and again, he declares, " God hath made every- thing beautiful", and that " there is no good but for man to enjoy and rejoice therein ; also to do good in his life". It 'is, however, to the Psalms of David we should especially turn, since with him Content was not a mere sentiment, but met with practical illustration during even the most eventful and tempestuous part of his life. Thus in Ps. cxiv he ex- claims, " In the multitude of my anxieties Thy comforts de- light my soul", and when surrounded by enemies and idola- tors, who " sought his hurt", far from uttering complaints, he ejaculates, Ps. xvi, " Thou, O Lord, maintainest my lot ; my share has fallen in pleasant places ; I am content with my inheritance". Many Scripture quotations might be se- lected wherein is shown how much equality exists among men. For instance, in Eccles. we read, " The sleep of the labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much ; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep". And in Prov. xxii, " The rich 'and poor meet together ; the Lord is the Maker of them all". Finally, let us ponder over those verses which show us how we may best secure the boon of Contentment. Solomon admonishes us in Prov. x to " de- serve the blessing of the Lord, for it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it", whilst David bids us in Ps. xxxiv to " depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it". Again, in Ps. xxxvii, " Commit thy ways unto the Lord ; trust also in Him, and He will give thee the desires of thine heart". Also he adds, " Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, nor fret because of him that prospereth in his way". And, in conclusion, let us imitate the pious David by think- ing often of the goo'dness of the Lord, and when like trials 218 CONTKNT.MKNT. assail us, may we be led to exclaim with him (Ps. cxvi, 7), " Return unto thy serenity, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee". Thus impressed, we shall surely, under every circumstance of life, retain a happy, cheerful, and contented spirit. For the practical illustration of our subject, we may select the two following EXAMPLES. The brief sketch of the life of the SHUNAMMITE, to be found in the second book of Kings, fur- nishes us with such particulars as serve to prove, beyond a doubt, that the mind of this excellent woman was imbued with a true sense of contentment. It is true she lacked neither wealth nor station ; and if these invariably, or even generally, secured to their possessors a grateful and con- tented spirit, then might her life, words, and acts, well pass without special notice. But there are few, indeed, whose minds are not stirred by externals, and who are not so dazzled by the glare of outward things, as to be led to am- bitionate fresh and ever-recurring accessions of this world's goods. Not so, however, with the Shunammite. Through an act of disinterested kindness to the pi'ophet Elisha, she had secured in him a powerful friend, and one not only willing, but anxious, to serve her, and thereby testify his gratitude ; yet, when he proposed to " speak for her to the King or Captain of the Hosts", her only answer was, " I dwell among my own people". Here was the acme of her desires ; she coveted no more exalted station, no increase of fortune ; she was contented with her lot, and sought none other, howsoever tempting or alluring. Home was to her synonymous with happiness, and what more could the world offer or give ? A higher social position might possibly endanger, but could hardly enhance her present happy content. Several incidents follow, all bearing ample proof that this was with her no casual frame of mind, but that the seeds of self-denial, of home affection, and pious resignation, early THE SHUXAMMITE. 219 sown and carefully tended, had arrived at full maturity. First, then, we find that Elisha, having discovered through his servant Gehazi the secret wishes of her heart, sought to gratify them ; and to the pious intervention of the pro- phet she owed a blessing which must have conduced to in- crease her home delights. A son was born to her. Years elapsed, and our attention is then called to the sorrowing mother who has suddenly awoke to the agonising reality of the death of her beloved child. Mark now her conduct. Unwilling to distress her aged husband by communicating the sad tidings, she simply asks him for the means to make her way to the Man of God, whose aid she would implore. Firm was her faith in the Lord ; if help there could be in this, her hour of dire affliction, it must come from Heaven. Hence her earnest appeal to the prophet of God. But it is evident her calm endurance was spent by the time she reached his abode, else she would hardly have spoken thus, " Did I desire a son of my Lord ? did I not say, Do not de- ceive me ?" and when Elisha would have commissioned his servant to go to the bedside of the child, the mother could no longer restrain her pent-up anguish, but falling on her knees at his feet addressed him in these words, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." The compassionate prophet could not resist this solemn en- treaty, and so " rose and followed her". Thus through faith, firmness, and energy, did she regain her much-loved son. Another episode in the history of this Shunammite proves that when her just rights were concerned she knew how to maintain them. On her return from the land of the Philistines, whether she had i*esorted seven years before, by the advice of Elisha, on account of the famine, she at once appealed to the king to have her estates and possessions restored to her. From this incident we may learn that an habitual spirit of contentment need never stand in the way of duty, nor interfere with the assertion of our just de- 220 COXTENT.MKNT. mands ; and further, that they who are at all times studious not to encroach on the rights of others, will best deserve, as most surely obtain, attention, when they have to seek redress and claim their own fair share or privilege. Thus we have seen that, as the fond mother, this exem- plary woman could humble herself to the very ground be- fore the man she had served when needing succour for her child, nor rise until her petition was granted ; that, as the despoiled citizen, she pressed boldly forward, demanding justice and equity from the highest tribunal of the land, nor desisted till she had secured the reward of her determina- tion in the renewed possession of her property. Now, though hope could thus prompt and justice thus inspire her to vigorous action, yet was contentment the abiding senti- ment of her heart. Appreciating and enjoying the goodly gifts with which God had blessed her, she held her own with a firm and resolute grasp; but she asked no more she was content. Now, if it be considered that the foregoing character does not offer a lesson for universal application, we may turn to another ; the much-tried and patient JOB, of which this cannot possibly be said. Truly his history affords in- valuable instruction to every class ; none too high, none too low to be beyond the scope of its teaching, since health and sickness, affluence and poverty, happiness and affliction, may alike be the lot of all. From this example each of us may assuredly derive at once encouragement and moral support. At the opening of his book, he is represented in the full enjoyment of every valued and valuable gift. He is blessed with a loving family, possessed of high rank and vast wealth ; he has numerous friends, and moreover is beloved and respected by both rich and poor. Such was his envi- able lot, when the sun of prosperity not only became clouded, but suffered a dark eclipse. The heaviest trials that could befal mortal man came thick upon him. Severe, JOB. 221 indeed, were the blows he experienced, yet his past happy condition having in no wise engendered pride or arrogance, he was ready prepared to encounter adversity, and meekly bow before the Will of the Supreme. No sooner was he made acquainted with the loss of his property and of his children, than he fell down and worshipped. Then burst forth those sublime and memorable words, which could not possibly have issued except from the lips of a man of a humble, pious, and contented spirit, " The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord". "Well he knew that nought could befal him which was not decreed by Infinite and Unerring Goodness and Wisdom ; thence, though fearful trials followed close on these first calamities, he remained tranquil and resigned. His spirit was un- daunted, for his faith was in God. Ample proof of this is furnished, in the remarkable words which passed between Job and his wife ; for when a loathsome disease was added to his other dire distresses, she became oblivious of her usual trust in the Righteous Lord, and in a frenzy of despair was led thus to address her beloved husband, "Dost thou retain thine integrity ? curse God and die". And this was his sublime response, " What ! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ?" Thus, his mind not having been softened by prosperity, he met each fresh trial with patient endurance and fortitude. When, however, after days of mental anguish, bodily suffering, and general exhaustion, he was prevailed upon to enter into conversation and arguments with his wordy and false condolers, he showed he was mortal. Accustomed to the respect and love of all who knew him, the unfair up- braidings of his so-called friends brought his anguish of mind to a climax. It was then he gave way to a sad de- spondency and uttered bitter complaints. Beset at so trying a crisis by officious and injudicious comforters, how could he be otherwise than querulous ? Indeed, these acquaintances must have secretly acknowledged to themselves that such a 222 CONTENTMENT. moment for offering counsel was at best untimely, else Eliphaz would not have begun his answer to Job in these words, " If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved, but who can withhold himself from speaking?" And that Job keenly felt their unkindness, we may gather from the whole of the sixth chapter of his book ; for, after re- minding them that " his strength is not the strength of stone, nor his flesh of brass", he further added, " To him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend"; and, after declaring " how forcible are right words", turned to them, saying " I have heard many such things, miserable comforters that ye are. Shall vain words have an end ? I also could speak as ye do ; if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you ; but I would strengthen you, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief". Then, after entreat- ing their forbearance, he exclaimed, " My face is wet with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death. Be- hold, my record is on High. My friends scorn me, but my witness is in heaven." And again, showing his great misery, he apostrophised them thus, " Have pity upon me, have pity, O ye, my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me".* But how speedily did he rally from this natural weakness and depression ! His pious and contented mind soon re- gained its equilibrium. Ceasing to upbraid his friends and complain of his truly pitiable state, he turned his mind to high contemplation, entered into sublime meditation on the greatness of Divine Providence, drew down fresh strength from above, and renewed within his breast virtuous and pious resolves. Thus we read, " Till I die I will not re- move mine integrity from me; my righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go ; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live."f Finally, at the forty-second chapter, we * Job xix, 21. f Job xxvii, 5. JOB. 223 find such resolves crowned with entire success, for, after acknowledging God's power and Omniscience, Job greatly accused himself, and, forgetful of his acute sufferings, turned his reflections solely to Almighty goodness and com- passion, so that he was naturally brought to exclaim, in all humbleness of heart, "Wherefore I abhor myself, and re- pent in dust and ashes". Truly, here we have the picture of a contented and satis- fied mind. Grievous as were the trials Job endured, they were greatly intensified by bringing him almost at one blow from the highest pinnacle of worldly happiness to the lowest depths of misery. Now, that such fortitude and faith as he displayed were pleasing to the Most High, the last chapter of his book bears ample testimony. In his tribula- tion he had spoken " what was right of God", and those very friends who had so rashly condemned the poor sufferer found that they had themselves lost the favour of heaven, and could only regain it through the intercession of Job ! Right conduct and right feeling had come off triumphant ; the dark cloud was dispelled, and all was light again. The late trying season of adversity had left behind it only a golden reward ; namely, a satisfied feeling that he had not criminally repined or murmured at the Divine dispensation, but that he had practically acknowledged God's ineffable goodness and wisdom, and thence secured the high approval of heaven. Then we find that the Lord not only "accepted Job", but gave him " twice as much as he had before". Many, indeed, were the gracious gifts vouchsafed, while every discomfort was removed far from him ; so that, as we read at the twelfth verse, " the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning"; and further we find, at the conclusion of the chapter, that he lived long to enjoy the fruits of his goodness, virtue, and practical piety. Now all may strive to imitate this admirable example, and, by early schooling, advance towards such perfection. 224 CONTENTMENT. Self-denial, fortitude, and pious resignation, may be cul- tivated, and just in proportion as we progress in their at- tainment shall we near that which should be the goal of mortal wishes a truly pious mind, with a happy, contented, and satisfied heart. SELF-DISCIPLINE. 225 SELF-DISCIPLINE. Gen. xxxix, 9, " How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God /" WHAT an exquisite epitome of the moral character of JOSEPH is presented to us in this plain and simple sentence, this straightforward, conscientious appeal to his tempter ! and when taken in conjunction with his practical fidelity to his employer, his horror of violating a principle of duty to God or man, and consequent utter rejection of an overture in- volving both, such words acquire, if possible, yet greater significance. To this temptation succeeded others, different in kind and degree, yet in each we may trace the same per- sistent course of integrity and honour, the same love of the right, and resolute resistance to everything wrong and un- holy, either in thought or act. We have, indeed, only to take a brief review of the events of his early life to con- firm the truth of this remark ; and it will also fully show that to his righteous and unblemished conduct he owed the gradual amelioration of his condition, and his rise from the lowly grade of a slave to a rank and position which finally enabled him to become the benefactor of his generation. It was Joseph's lot to be the spoilt child of a doting father until the attainment of his seventeenth year, and through that parent's injudicious partiality a marked dis- tinction was made between him and his brothers. This might well have sown the seeds of many an evil passion within his breast ; but as the entire history of his tried life discloses none, and only the lightest failings in his character were discernible when under his parents' roof, it is not to be doubted that to a good disposition was conjoined a firm Q 226 SELF-DISCIPLINE. will and steadfast mind, which enabled him, under the most adverse circumstances, to adhere resolutely to its natural dictates. That such disposition and power of self-control were severely tested even in the home of his youth will be easily credited, when it is considered that he had become the especial object of jealousy and hatred to his irascible and vindictive brethren. Frequently must he have been called upon to exercise all the meekness, patience, and en- durance of which he was capable, and, being gifted with a sensitive, loving heart, he will have keenly felt the rooted animosity of some of his brothers, and the want of friendli- ness displayed by others. Their treatment of him at home was, however, but the first bitter drop with which they poisoned his cup of happiness. Their rancour and ill-will increasing daily, the death or banishment of the object of their dislike could alone content these unnatural relatives, and to the latter alternative did they finally resort. No entreaty, no supplication could save him ; he was sold by them, and became a slave in Egypt. His young heart must, indeed, have been ready to break in bitterness of anguish when this unlocked for and overwhelming change of fortune befel him. Surely only a well-disciplined mind could pos- sibly have withstood so severe and sudden a shock ; the heart remaining ever kind, warm, loving, not even becom- ing hardened against those brothers by whom he had been so cruelly, so pitilessly treated. But this was only the beginning of his trials ; during thirteen long years, first of servitude, and then as a pri- soner, had he to abide the despotic will of others, and humbly submit to the dire exigencies which his degraded position involved. Yet, even as a slave, he obtained, through his sterling qualities, his pious and virtuous conduct, the esteem and goodwill of his masters, and hence also the mitigation of many of the evils and miseries naturally attendant on a state of bondage. For we read : " And Joseph found grace in the sight of his master, and he made SKLF-DLSCII'LIXK. 227 him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put into his hands, and the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake."* Then, when cast into prison through the false and cruel accusation of that master's wife, we find again that " he obtained favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison" who " committed into Joseph's hands all the prisoners and looked not to anything, because the Lord was with him". Now, notwithstanding the amelioration of his condition in consequence of the confidence reposed in him by his superiors, his lot must have been very deplor- able, for, little as he was given to complain or grieve at aught which befel him, he yet uttered the following words of entreaty to Pharaoh's butler, whose deliverance he had foretold : " Think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make men- tion of me unto Pharaoh to bring me out of this house, for indeed I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon." What a tale of sorrow is unfolded in this touching sentence, and yet, as " the chief butler remem- bered not Joseph, but forgat him", full two years more passed away before his position was bettered. But when a change did occur, great indeed was that change, for at one word from the King's lips, the poor prisoner became Vice- roy of Egypt. Now it is to be observed that Joseph expressly declared to Pharaoh, when about to interpret the dream, that, " It is not in me ; God will give thee an answer in peace" thereby disclaiming all credit or title to the King's grati- tude ; thus pleasurable indeed must have been his feelings on hearing the following expressions from Pharaoh when bestowing that exalted rank upon him, " Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art; thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled : only on the throne will I be greater than thou". How worthy he was * Gen. xxxix, 4. Q2 228 SELF-DISCIPLINE. of this high distinction is proved by the whole of his after- life, wherein he displayed the same piety, goodness of heart, and integrity of purpose, which had marked his con- duct during his long term of adversity. The moral eleva- tion of character which he had acquired through a length- ened course of self-discipline made him superior alike to every vicissitude of fortune and to all the meaner passions ; neither affliction nor prosperity had the power to move him from his wise and righteous course ; nor could even the remembrance of his brothers' cruelly treacherous conduct stir up feelings of animosity or revenge within his breast. Hence during the latter epoch of his life we find him re- presented as a wise and thrifty ruler, a grateful steward profiting the very king who had succoured him ; finally, as a forgiving and generous relative, who not only sought to allay the natural fears of his brethren and alleviate their remorse, but even strove to quiet their mutual recrimina- tions and animosities by addressing to them these words of comfort, " Do this and live, for I fear God"; and also, " Now, therefore, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve life": sentences truly indicative that " God was in all his thoughts". Thus to piety and self-discipline, work- ing on a noble and generous nature, may be traced that goodly assembly of virtues which lend such lustre to the character of Joseph the injured brother the poor slave the preserver of his master's honour the Ruler of Egypt ! It would be clearly superfluous here to endeavour to en- hance the general estimation of Joseph's character, standing, as it does, almost unrivalled in the pages of Sacred History, else would it be easy to compare his conduct with that of his brothers, thereby throwing it into bolder relief; still it may be serviceable to take a brief survey of the deplorable state to which JOSEPH'S BRETHREN were brought through their want of moral self-government, and that rectitude which piety conjoined with self-discipline alone can give. SELF-DISCIPLINE. 220 In so doing, that which first excites attention is the marked contrast in which they stood to Joseph. Long years had rolled by since the consummation of their revengeful acb, and we then find them as suppliants, crouching abjectly before that brother whom they had sold as a slave and humbled to the very dust. Next, when accused of being spies and in great trepidation lest they should have to suffer an ignominious death, their consciences awoke to the magnitude of their past crime, and seized with remorse they exclaimed, " We are verily guilty concerning our bro- ther, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he be- sought us and we would not hear ; therefore is this distress come upon us". Such was the conclusion at which they arrived when in peril of their lives, but no sooner were they in comparative safety than all compunction of conscience ceased, and, though their heart failed them at the very next critical juncture, they could yet ask one of the other, " What is this that God hath done unto us ?" Away from that pre- sence which haunted them as some terrible dream, they would not recognise that just retribution which their eldest brother Reuben had so lately predicted would attend on their misdeeds, declaring in these emphatic words : " Be- hold, also Joseph's blood is required of us". For thirteen years had their consciences slumbered, and could only be aroused by some pressing emergency ; thus when famine had spread over the land, and sustenance for themselves and families depended on that Ruler of Egypt whose very presence inspired them with vague fears, then and not till then their " hearts began to be stirred within them", and from that dread moment it was impossible altogether to drown the recollection of the past. But even these trials worked no sensible improvement ; for when Joseph finally discovered himself to his brethren, giving promises of his love and protection, if they had learnt to understand his lofty chai'acter and appreciate his virtues, all unjust suspicion must have vanished, and they 230 SELF-DISCIPLINE. would have made their minds perfectly easy, assured that they had nought to fear, while much to hope, from their all- powerful, but also all-loving, warm-hearted relative. It was, however, far otherwise ; for even the constant solicitude and care displayed by Joseph towards them and their household during the continuance of the famine could not effectively teach them to dismiss their ungenerous doubts. Thus, on the death of their parent, being assailed by fresh fears, they sought from Joseph renewed assurances as to his friendly and peaceful intentions towards them. This fact is clearly elucidated in the following verse : " And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him".* Now, with this, fear uppermost in their minds, they were but too easily led to resort to a subterfuge, and make a wrongful use of their father's name, for they well knew that, unlike themselves, Jacob had ever put implicit trust in the goodness of his favourite son, and therefore would never have left any com- mand betokening the doubt implied in the words, ec So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee, now the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin". That this course of action grieved Joseph we may not doubt, for " he wept". But how reassuring was his rejoinder, " Fear not, for am I in the place of God ? I will nourish you and your little ones". And further he " comforted them arid spake kindly unto them". With these verses before us the contrast is complete. All was unjust suspicion and cruel wrong on the one side, on the other nought but good-will, generous forbearance, and forgiveness. Truly, Joseph delighted in virtue and, loving, practised it; thence to him be all the honour to his brethren the shame. If man would be something more than the mere puppet * Gcu. 1, 15. SELF-DISCIPLINE. 231 of every narrow, blind, and selfish impulse, every wayward passion, if he would mould himself to good, and work out the loftier purposes of his nature, he must consider self- discipline as a high moral obligation, and be ever prepared to subject himself to its just control. Man may not evade this moral self-government, a duty which as a free agent he owes to himself and to society, and as a responsible being to his Creator, without proving alike unjust to himself and unfaithful to his God. Gifted with Freewill, endowed with ample powers to exercise it for good or for evil, and further blessed with reason, conscience, and God's Holy Law, to serve as infallible guides to the path of virtue, man greatly wrongs himself when he swerves therefrom, and is only just to his own better nature when he listens to their sacred dictates, and forms for himself a character worthy of God's approbation ; a character on which all true greatness and all true happiness depends. Now this consummation can only be attained by an earnest desire for moral improve- ment, combined with an undaunted and persevering struggle after excellence. Certain it is that, as God has bid us strive to attain exalted virtue, He must have given us all the ne- cessary powers, and, therefore, we only need the will in order to succeed. Thus let us apply this capacity of "will- ing" to the cause of righteousness, and through self-scru- tiny, self-discipline, and religion, build up for ourselves a moral structure which will resist the assault of trials and temptations. It can only be reared by studying our inward nature, instructing the mind, and schooling the heart, by ever regulating our actions according to the fundamental principles of God's law, taking a just account of our powers and putting them to the most profitable uses, by keeping imagination under due restraint, by elevating and purifying our conceptions of virtue and goodness. Yet this is not all that should be effected through the medium of self-discipline. There will often be habits to discard, opinions to correct, desires to suppress, errors and preju- 232 SELF-DISCIPLINE. dices to dismiss or conquer, principles to confirm, and it is only as we near these desirable ends that we become true disciples of the art of being and doing good, for then only shall we be just, truthful, self-denying, forbearing, bene- volent, and holy. Here then is much, very much for self-discipline to achieve ; yet withal it should not be supposed that its prac- tice may not become easy. We simply make it difficult by deeming it so. Only let Religion, which should be consi- dered not so much* in the light of a duty, as a teacher and strengthener of all duties, enter into and take part in this moral government, and further be admitted, like a good angel, into all our actions, then shall we surely surmount and vanquish every opposing obstacle. Also, be it remem- bered, that neither religion nor self-discipline demands great sacrifices ; they simply call on us to lay down before their high altar sin and baneful pleasures ; also slothfulness, apathy, selfishness, and such passions as dwarf the soul and impoverish the heart. When these depart, we escape all thraldom ; these expelled, and we become truly free. Now, once convinced that self-discipline and religion, solely require of us the relinquish ment of all that is evil and noxious, and the cultivation of every good disposition ; further, that, far from impeding or fettering our movements, they serve, on the contrary, to enlarge our sphere of useful action, and tend to relieve us from the very worst of bond- age, then shall we gladly seek the easiest and surest means of bringing them practically to bear upon our daily conduct. Of these, assuredly, none are more effectual than prayer, meditation, love of virtue, abhorrence of vice, and habit. From prayer, or the heart's worship, we cannot fail to derive a constant source of invigoration j and if we will but turn heavenward when temptations assail, and, considering them synonymous with dangers, invoke God's Almighty pro- tection through prayer, then may we fairly hope to come off victorious in the strife of passion with duty. Meditation SELF-DISCIPLINE. 233 will furnish us with the knowledge of what we are and what we should be, while it will also direct and watch our progress to the desired goal. It will show us that we are often weakest where we think ourselves strongest ; it will teach us not to depend on fortune but on conduct, which should be strictly regulated by the eternal principles of jus- tice and reason. Next, the love of virtue and horror of vice will prove powerful auxiliaries to self-discipline, if they stop not short at the mere abstract. Now, in theory, most per- sons are willing to acknowledge that, in order to accom- plish the legitimate object of their being they must be up- right and resolute in the avoidance of evil, yet withal too many disregard the practice on which so greatly depends their welfare. Only when virtue is chosen for its own sake, and when the heart is firmly fixed on all that is pure, great, and perfect, will moral progress have fairly begun ; indeed, it is those alone that aim at perfection who may hope to reach above mediocrity. By ascending high in the moral atmo- sphere, grovelling desires and vicious inclinations lose their sway, and by thus gaining the mastery over internal pas- sions, we finally become superior to all external influences. Truly to love virtue is to ensure its growth and full develop- ment. Self-discipline, however, like all else, must have a begin- ning, and herein lies the difficulty. Once begun, habit will soon render it easy. Now, were it necessary to eradicate any natural desire of the mind, then indeed a constant struggle might be required ; but surely to temper that which in excess would prove injurious, needs but a little of the perseverance which a brave, stout heart ever brings into its work. Let us once take up the standard of right, give heed to it, act in accordance therewith, and each succeeding step in the same path will become firm and assured. Con- tinued practice in the right insures the right; frequent repetition of kind and generous emotions within the heart will, after a time, from being transient, become permanent. 234 SELF-DISCIPLINE. Let, then, habit, all-potent for good, go hand in hand with self-discipline, and thus secure these goodly fruits. We now turn to consider on the one hand the benefits we must derive if attentive to moral self-training, and on the other the penalties to which we expose ourselves by its disregard. First, however, we should call to mind that when God gave His Holy Law to His creatures, He de- manded of them its rigorous observance ; promulgated solely for their good, it surely behoves man to regulate his actions thereby, and conform so entirely to its teachings as to reap that promised good. This is the true province of self-discipline ; and among the choice blessings it will assuredly secure to us may be enumerated, that health of the soul which holiness alone can confer, the mental and bodily health which religious rectitude and a virtuous life will best help to preserve, a growing sense of power credit- ably to accomplish all the duties of life, a self-control which places us on high vantage-ground, enabling us to meet with calm submission all vicissitudes of fortune, all sickness and affliction, as also to subdue or conquer every unruly passion; finally, that inward joy of happy content and sense of free- dom which virtue and piety alone can bestow. These are some of the rewards of goodness, but on re- versing the picture the first thought which must strike us is, that while the good have everything to hope, the evil- disposed have everything to fear. With them there will infallibly be much tribulation ; they dare not ask or hope to receive God's blessing, but must often, however unwillingly, stand before the high tribunal of conscience, and be brought to feel how greatly they are offending, and how surely Eternal justice will overtake them in their guilt. Man may never hope to elude God's observation, or escape the penalty due to the infringement of His righteous Law, and if un- willing to struggle with vicious habits and evil inclinations, then will sin waste his manhood, and bring on him sorrow and sickness. His appetites will expand with every fresh SELF-DISCIPLINE. 235 indulgence, and overgrown passions will corrupt his whole moral nature, thus causing the angel in man to succumb to his more ignoble nature. Such are the sad results of wilfully ignoring or avoiding the duty of self- discipline, and which, if persisted in, will surely be fraught with much after misery and anguish. We shall find that sin, untruth, and all base passions, when left unchecked, breed their like ; that evil will crop up from evil, and so strengthen and expand, that even the very hope of amendment must become extinct. Memory, like an accusing angel, will be ever at hand, pointing to the wrong done, and retracing those irreparable acts which have brought others to sin and shame. Further, by the sacrifice of our self-respect, which is the very keystone of moral life, we shall bring on ourselves disgrace and obloquy, which alas ! must ever rest upon our name. Now, if we would avoid these culminating evils, with all the gloom and remorse they will infallibly entail, we must early subject ourselves to self-discipline and self-control. We must seize every opportunity to strengthen the principle of good within us, resolutely check in their bud all sinful propensities, all untruth ; in a word, uproot all that mili- tates against the Word of God and the law of conscience. Our passions and desires once under due control, our heart with God, and we are safe. Peace and happy content will take up their abode within our heart, and life, God's gift a sacred charge will prove itself a glorious blessing. PRECEPTS inculcating self-discipline will take a strong hold on the mind when we have brought ourselves to believe that we are responsible agents, and become impressed with the conviction that God takes cognizance of our doings. Now, with the Holy Volume in hand, it is easy to establish these important truths, for verses " abound therein which incontestably prove both facts. With reference to the former, we find in Jer. xxi, 8 : " Thus saith the Lord : 236 SELF-DISCIPLINE. Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death"; then at chap, ii, 19: " Thine own wickedness shall correct thee ; know, therefore, and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that the fear of God is not in thee ". And in Exodus, after setting before the people the law and ordinances for their observance, Moses emphatically bid them " be circumspect" ; for on their obedience would depend their prosperity. Then, with regard to the latter fact, we read, Prov. v, 21 : " the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all his goings " ; again, at chap, xii, 2 : "A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord ; but a man of wicked devices He will condemn ". Then Job, chap v, 21, confidently asks: "Doth not God see my ways, and count all my steps ? " and in Ps. vii, 11, we read : "God judgeth the righteous, He is angry with the wicked every day; the mischief he hath conceived shail return upon his own head ". Next, we should note that numberless benefits and blessings are promised to those who adhere to a course of self-discipline, since such may serve to stimulate and induce its daily practice. Thus we read, Prov. xxi, 21:" He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, goodness, and honour" ; and Jer. xvii, 10: "I, the Lord, search the heart I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings ". Identical ideas are found in the Book of Job, ch. xxxiv, conveyed in these words : " For the woi'k of a man will God render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways ". Again, at ch. xvii, 9 : ' ' The righteous will hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger". Then, in chap, xi : "If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot ; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shall not fear". Let us next hearken and attend to the language of self-discipline, as it is set before us in various Scripture verses. Thus, in Job xxvii, 6 : " My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go ; my heart SELF-DISCIPLINE. 237 shall not reproach me as long as I live ; my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit " ; and at chap, xxxiv : " That which I see not, teach thou me, O Lord; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more". In Prov. iv : " So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom"; and, again : " Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life tj ; also : " Ponder the paths of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established; turn not to the right hand nor to the left, remove thy foot from evil ". Then, in Hosea xii, 6 : "Turn thou to thy God, keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually"; finally, in Micah vi : " God hath shown thee, O man, what is good ; and what doth He require of thee but to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly before Him ?" Next, we should give especial atten- tion to the injunctions and declarations of David which abound in the Book of Psalms. His whole life was a course of self-discipline, and thus, in conformity with his practice, did he exhort us, Ps. xxxiv : " Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile, depart from evil, and do good, seek peace and pursue it"; and then in Ps. cxix he puts the query : " Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways ?" answering it thus : " By taking heed according to Thy Law". How sedulously he followed out all that he taught, both his statements and acts testify. Firstly, we may quote these, his words, Ps. xvi, 8 : " I have placed the Lord always before me ; with Him at my right hand I cannot stumble", and Ps. cxix : " Thy word, Lord, have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee". Then he declares : " Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path ; thy testimonies are also my delight and my counsellors"; again, " I thought on my ways, and turned unto Thy testimonies". Then, on emerging from a series of severe trials, and taking a review of his past conduct, he utters these satisfactory assurances regarding it, Ps. xviii : " I have kept the way of the Lord, 238 SELF-DISC1PLIXK. and have not wickedly departed from my God". Now, the truthfulness of his words was amply demonstrated by the history of his life, and to this, then, may we turn for one of those EXAMPLES, so fraught with practical teachings. Through- out his greatly-chequered career, DAVID seldom faltered or erred. That the habit of daily meditation contributed to form his character and direct his conduct in accordance with God's law, has been demonstrated when treating on this subject ; yet this was but the first step towards that self- discipline which stood guard upon his actions during the whole course of his eminently practical life. Indeed, from his youth so thoroughly had he schooled himself, that there are but two instances recorded wherein he forsook the right path committing sins which brought in their train much misery and compunction. Meditation had induced him to make duty his guiding star ; but it was self-discipline which enabled him, through the exercise of a proper self-control, to pursue it unflinchingly, steadily, and perseveringly, thereby accomplishing each noble resolve, each lofty dictate of con- science. All the striking events of his life offer ample proof of this, but some few instances will here suffice. The first inci- dent recorded in David's life shows him to have possessed a courageous spirit and pious zeal ; for no sooner was he made acquainted with the threats held out by Goliath than he exclaimed, " Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the army of the living God?" and he merely awaited his Sovereign's permission to accept the challenge. Thus he spoke when brought before Saul : " Let no man's heart fail because of him ; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine". In all this there was neither pre- sumption nor pride; and even when he had slain his powerful antagonist, and thus essentially helped to deliver his country from the enemy, his words and proceedings yet remain marked by extreme humility ; for we read : " David DAVID. 239 went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself ivisely." Certain it is he might have claimed the reward promised by the King to the successful champion of Israel ; but, though this reward comprised great riches, the hand of the Sovereign's daughter in marriage, and also the freedom of his father's house, yet he made no demand, but was content to fill a subordinate office in the royal household ! Now, only one capable of great self-denial could have calmly seen his just rights thus remain unrecognised. Truly, his passions and desires must have been under perfect control ; for long and patiently did he await those preferments which justice and honour should have prompted the King to confer without delay. But David shortly after experienced far more unjustifiable and even cruel treatment at the hands of his ungrateful and violent-tempered Sovereign ; and the meek, pious resignation with which he submitted to the King's relentless persecution, give ample proof that he held his feelings and actions under the most perfect restraint. An instance is presented to us in Ps. lix. Having been informed that Saul had despatched some armed men to murder him in his own house, David thus prayed for succour : " Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God : save me from sanguinary men ; for lo ! they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty are gathered against me, not for my transgressions, nor for my sin, O Lord ". Yet mark the concluding words of his appeal, " Slay them not, these bloody men". And at a later period, when, through bitter persecution, he was forced to quit his home, and wander an exile in a distant land, beset with many dangers, he was yet able to control every rising feeling of rancour and revenge. A proof thereof presents itself when David was in careful hiding within the Cave of Engedi. Being informed by his servants that Saul was near at hand and unprotected, wherefore he ' ' might do to him as it should seem good", he merely cut off the skirt of the king's robe with secrecy ; yet, hardly had he executed this simple act, than " his heart 240 SELF-DISCIPLINE. smote him", and, turning to his servants, he said, " The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him". This generous forbearance on the part of one who had been so cruelly persecuted, touched the heart even of Saul, who, after patiently listening to David's mild rebuke, thus addressed him : " Thou art more righteous than I ; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil". This feeling, however, lasted only for a time, for being shortly after informed of David's whereabouts, Saul again sallied forth with the object of slaying him ! However, David, whose vigilance had been greatly sharpened by ever- recurring perils, was not to be entrapped, but, on the contrary, the monarch a second time lay powerless before him sleeping and unarmed. Now, when Abishai, one of David's faithful followers, offered himself as a willing instrument to take Saul's life, in order to put an end to such bitter persecution against his master, David hindered him, saying, " Destroy him not, for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless." No, rather than permit such a deed, he would undergo every possible contingency, and submit to whatever trials the tyrannical destroyer of his peace and happiness could in- flict ; thus did duty and right again prevail. Finally, being utterly wearied of such a life of hardship and persecutions, he resolved to seek that protection from the hands of his enemies, the Philistines, which was denied him in his own country. Thus did he argue with himself, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul ; there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines, and Saul shall despair of me, nor seek me any more ; so shall I escape out of his hands."* He was fortunate enough to take up his residence with Achish, one of the best of their princes, by whom he became greatly esteemed. How he secured the good opinion and favour of * i Sam. xxvii, 1. DAVID. 241 Achisli may be judged by the following commendation which this prince uttered when regretfully dismissing the poor exile, " Surely thou hast been upright, and thy going out and coming in is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day; nevertheless the lords favour thee not". Now, severe as were these numerous ordeals, he had to pass through others of a kind which needed yet more self-com- mand. To meet with reproof and unkindly acts where he deserved, and might have expected, far other treatment, touched his sensitive nature to the quick, and irritated him almost past endurance. A notable instance of this occurred in the case of Nabal, wherein, but for the speedy and judi- cious interposition of Abigail, it is only too probable his wrath would have gained ascendency over his better feel- ings, and he would have committed an overt act of violence. This display of temper, however, was the exception, and even in this case great was his self-control, for he was quick to turn from his purpose, the first momentary impulse and vexation of spirit passing away at the voice of reason. Thus he had become truly amenable to self-discipline, and numerous other instances might be adduced to like effect, for as he had not been discouraged in adversity, but had " encouraged himself in the Lord", so when David finally became monarch, he was neither haughty nor elated in his prosperity, but setting himself to the pursuance of a wise and peaceful policy, gained the hearts of his people. Now, useful as such a biography may be by way of example, it must be yet more so if we give due heed to two of David's remarks with regard to self-discipline. They are of high import, giving a key to the practical knowledge of easy self-government, which, though most valuable, is but rarely attained. A better teacher and guide we could not possibly have, and these are Ins significant words, " I walk at liberty because I seek Thy precepts"; and again, " I de- lifjld myself in Thy commandments which I have loved". 242 SELF-DISCIl'LINE. Thence, once resolved to adhere to God's Law, and to take delight in it, our freedom of action is secured, and we truly " walk at liberty". Our natural impulses being in accord- ance with what is right and what is just, we are left free to pursue them and indulge each well-regulated desire. Thus does self-discipline become light and easy ; while the pleasurable consequences of well-doing are placed prac- tically before us by David in the following sentence : * " I have kept the way of the Lord, and He has rewarded me according to my righteousness ; according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me". A man of an entirely different stamp of character is pre- sented to us in the prophet JONAH. He- had not, like David, learnt in early life to hold principle and duty paramount to all else ; and further, was not accustomed to control his natural wayward and rash disposition through timely fore- thought and habitual self-government. The first incident, narrated at the opening of his Book, bears ample testimony to this fact. Jonah had received the direct command of God to proceed to Nineveh, and there appeal to its in- habitants, urging them to forsake their evil ways ; yet instead of acting in accordance with the Divine injunction, he followed his own devices by taking ship for Tarshish, with intent to "flee from the presence of the Lord" ! Now, had he allowed himself time for calm reflection, he could hardly have failed to see both how futile and how culpable was such disobedience, and how certainly he would incur God's just displeasure. But reflection was evidently not the habit of his mind, else, when left tranquilly to himself on board, he could not possibly have dismissed at once all thought of his late proceeding, and calmly retired to rest, seemingly unconscious of having disobeyed the mandate of the Supreme. It is not, however, to the absence of reflec- tion alone that we should ascribe his rash and wayward conduct ; for Jonah was of a naturally impulsive tempera- * n Sam. xxii, 22. JONAH. 243 ment, which, being left uncurbed, and seldom made amenable to self-discipline, frequently led him to a course of action, at which his better nature afterwards revolted. A notable instance of this is afforded us in the sequel to the episode before us. We should first, however, observe that the step taken by him could not have been premeditated, or carried out in wilful disobedience to the command of the Most High, else assuredly his mission would then, and at once, have been at an end, and he would have forfeited that Divine confidence which had been accorded him. As it was, although trials, the natural consequences of his own misdoings, befel him, the gracious and righteous Lord forsook not his servant, but stood his guardian in the hour of tribulation. Thus much premised, we will now pass in review his conduct during the later events connected with his act of disobedience, since they display his disposition in a favourable light. Firstly, we may note his willingness to make amends to his fellow-passengers, even at the risk, or rathei', certain cost, of his life, when he discovered the imminent danger to which he had unwittingly exposed them ; then, the speedy acknowledgment of his error and of God's goodness, which give sufficient indication that neither stubborness nor ingratitude formed part of his character ; finally, the meek and humble spirit which he dis- played in his affliction, and the penitence as well as regret he evinced for errors committed. Sorrowfully, and with a stricken conscience, must he have retraced the past in his mind as he exclaimed : " When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord " ; and his heart must have overflowed with gratitude to his gracious preserver when he declared : " I will sacrifice unto Thee, O Lord, with the voice of thanksgiving ; I will pay that which I have vowed ; salvation is of the Lord". But no trials, however severe, could entirely subdue his impetuosity, or quell his wayward disposition. Thus we find him, when entrusted with a second mission, evincing marked ill-temper and a total R2 244 SELF-DISCIPLINE. want of self-government. (But of this, under another heading ; see " TEMPER.") Here it suffices to observe that neither a good disposition, nor even circumstances most favourable to moral development, will wholly compensate for the want of self-discipline in youth. Had Jonah early accustomed himself to reflect whether he was doing right or wrong, had he schooled himself in the constant performance of duty, and ever sedulously hearkened to the voice of conscience, he would never have disobeyed the voice of God in so rash a manner, and been thus brought to the very brink of a watery grave. What a lesson and a warning, then, does this history offer us, and among the thoughts they engender, let these have their full weight : that when Jonah fled from the Lord he was punished, and when he turned to Him he was delivered ; that none may or can hide from the Lord ; that good and evil can no more dwell together than will light and darkness, the one surely chasing the other ; and, finally, that every misdeed will infallibly bring down condign pun- ishment. Thence we must early beware of allowing our judgment and better nature to be warped by passions or blind impulses, and should, by careful self-discipline, so choose and pursue our path of life, that gracious blessings, and not severe retribution, may be finally adjudged us by the All-Beneficent Ruler and Governor of the universe. FILIAL AFFECTION. 245 FILIAL AFFECTION. Gen. 1, 10, " And he (Joseph) made a mourning for his father seven days." 11 LOVE and reverence for their parents form a distinguishing trait in the character of the patriarchs, and perhaps there is no more prominent instance than that found in Gen. xxxi, 53. Although long years had elapsed since Jacob had seen his venerable sire, yet he neither knew nor could conceive any more sacred or effective oath wherewith to bind himself when making a covenant with Laban, than to " swear by the fear of his father Isaac". Deeply must his youthful mind have been penetrated with filial affection and veneration for these feelings to have remained in their full integrity, and maintained so powerful a sway after a separation of many years' duration. But, turning to the virtuous and warm-hearted JOSEPH, we can hardly suppose that his heart was animated with less firm or ardent sentiments towards a parent so fond and worthy as Jacob. Richly endowed with every noble and exalted feeling, Joseph's generous nature must have been moved to its very depth by the parental affection lavished on him during his tender years ; and, as the whole tenor of his after conduct amply proves, fervently did he love that father who had so loved him. This may be briefly instanced. No sooner had Joseph made himself known to his brethren in Egypt, than he put the all-anxious query, " Doth my father yet live" ? Knowing they had been capable of a long course of deceit towards their aged parent, how dare he im- plicitly trust to their representation and smooth-mouthed assurances that " the old man lived". Hopes and fears 246 FILIAL AFFECTION. alternately welled up in his heart, and, at the bare thought that the divulgence of his secret would bring with it some certain knowledge regarding his aged sire, " he wept aloud", totally overpowered by the acuteness of feelings long, long pent up. This first emotion indulged, he lost no time in ordering the early dispatch of his relatives to their home with the news of his high elevation, at the same time sending such gifts as would conduce to his beloved parent's comfort, together with promises well suited to rejoice his heart. And thus he addressed his brothers : "Haste ye and go up to my father, and say unto him, thus saith thy son Joseph : God hath made me lord of all Egypt, come down unto me, tarry not, and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and there will I provide for thee. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory, and of all that ye have seen, and shall make haste and bring down my father hither".* After the accomplish- ment of this first duty, fraternal love obtained the ascendency, and " he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them". The next step taken by Joseph who could not allow either his high station, or the duties incumbent thereon, to stay him in the filial respect wherewith he delighted to honour his father was to hasten to Goshen himself, so that he might, at the earliest possible moment, greet that revered sire, from whom he had been parted no less than twenty-two years. And what a meeting it was ! The loving son, completely over- come by emotion, " fell on Jacob's neck, and wept thereon a good while". What happiness, what bliss, thus again to embrace one so loving and so beloved ! In melting tears alone could the profound sentiment of filial love find adequate expression. But acts were speedily to follow. Pride of office and of rank had never found a resting-place in Joseph's heart ; but great was his filial pride in one so estimable, so good, and so venerable as Jacob, and which he openly testified by presenting him to the King imme- * Gen. xlv, 9. FILIAL AFFECTION. 247 diately after his own warm and honourable reception. True, his parent followed an avocation which, in the eyes of the Egyptians, " was an abomination", being but a shepherd ; yet what of that ? If Joseph had deserved well of the King, it was now he would claim his reward ; and well prepared was Pharaoh to accord it, for not only did he receive Jacob most graciously, promising him the ' ' best of the land", but further bowed before him for a blessing ! Thus did this loving son delight to honour, and see honoured, his venerable and venerated sire. Now, aged as was Jacob at this period, yet for no less than seventeen years had Joseph the satisfaction of contri- buting to the comfort and happiness of his long-lost parent ; but the time at length arrived when Jacob was to be gathered to his fathers, and, in the several interesting and pathetic scenes which immediately preceded his demise, Joseph zealously fulfilled every duty which love and reverence could dictate. We find him visiting the sick room of his parent to learn his wishes, and even promising on oath their fulfilment ; then shortly afterwards he returned with his children, to obtain for them that benediction which he him- self held in such high estimation ; finally, in company with his brothers, he drew nigh to the mortal couch to receive a fond parent's parting blessing, and gather strength from his affectionately consoling words and prophetic promises. It was, however, after the decease of Jacob that the apparent struggle between love and duty commenced ; for such was the bitterness of his grief that he could not bring himself to quit the couch of death, but in anguish of soul " fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him and kissed him". It was only after this outburst of true filial sorrow that he could command himself, and then love and duty united in dictating the display of every conceivable honour to the remains of the dear departed. Nor was this a difficult task, for so greatly were both son and father loved and respected, that Jacob was not only mourned by the whole nation for 2-18 FILIAL AFFECTION. three score and ten days, but even the elders of the laud and all the servants of the house of Pharaoh followed Joseph when he " went up to bury his father in Canaan", and mourned with him during seven days " with a great and sore lamentation". Thus was all due respect paid to the memory of that excellent patriarch, who, if a shepherd and ftther of shepherds, was also the fatherof the wise and virtuous ruler of Egypt. All honour, then, to that devoted, loving son who not only conduced to remove the scorn and dislike which the Egyptians had heretofore entertained towards such persons as pursued an avocation, to their minds, so ignoble, but even brought them to love and esteem the very head of the class, by himself openly testifying on every pos- sible occasion the highest respect and consideration for the illustrious, because worthy, patriarch. Now had Jacob's other sons been equally solicitous to pro- mote his comfort and happiness, his life would have passed far more pleasurably ; but although they certainly loved their excellent father, carried away by their evil passions, they too often acted as if totally indifferent to his wishes, honour, and best interests. Full well must they have known the blow they were about to inflict on their parent when de- priving him, by their cruel and merciless act, of his greatly beloved Joseph; yet even this reflection could not deter them from their vile purpose, hatred to their brother pre- vailing over love to their father. They who would wilfully indulge unbridled passions and gratify jealous resentment at the cost of a crime, would little regard the anguish of a parent, nor would they hesitate in adopting towards him a course of dissimulation and untruth. Their moral nature once warped by an unrighteous deed, they could easily bring themselves to devise crafty tales, and wickedly de- ceive their sire by laying before him the false tokens of Joseph's death. Yet these sons, on seeing him in the bit- terness of despair, " rend his clothes, put sack-cloth on his loins, and mourn, rose up to comfort him". Their hearts FILIAL AFFECTIOX. 249 were not altogether hardened ; and when " he refused to be comforted", saying, " I will go down to the grave unto my son, mourning", they must have felt some regret and no little compunction of conscience for the sorrow they had caused their grey-haired sire. The loving and grieving parent must have stood ever before them as an accusing angel ! Nor could this one deplorable consequence of fra- ternal hatred and malice have been all they had to suffer during the twenty-two years that Joseph remained in un- known banishment. Much mutual distrust and rancour sprang up among these co-partners in crime, and there can be no doubt that they frequently experienced the lashings of guilty reminiscences. Further, a fresh cause of jealousy must have arisen in the person of the youthful Ben- jamin; for he had become the favourite, as these words of Judah amply prove " Now, seeing that thy servant, my father's life is bound up in the lad's life, it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die, and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of our father with sorrow to the grave."* There must also have been some distrust and alienation of feeling between them and their parent ; for being ever in dread lest the truth should transpire and bring down on their heads a father's curse, they must have had frequent recourse to deceit and dissimulation, which would necessarily have engendered a want of confidence bordering on a sense of estrangement. What they so dreaded did, however, ultimately occur, and let us mark this fact -from their own lips proceeded the truth which for twenty long years they had so sedulously concealed ! That Jacob was made acquainted with the whole circumstances, and that he deeply felt the deceit which had been practised upon him, his parting words (for blessings they certainly were not) to Simeonf and Levi * Geii. xliv, 30. t It may be well to draw attention here to a fact easily overlooked, although it is interesting and full of moral significance. Not only did 250 FILIAL AFFECTION. amply prove; lie exclaimed, "O my soul, come tliou not into their secret, unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united ; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall". Thus, in spite of Jacob's abhorrence of the crime, he could not bring his lips to utter a malediction on the perpetrators of it they were his children; but he expended his ire on the dire passions which dictated their conduct, ejaculating, " Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel". Grossly deceived and wronged as he had been in this case, and wilfully disobeyed in others, as, for instance, in that of Hamor, parental love yet prevailed, and, with true nobility of heart, he cursed the sin, but not the sinner. This might well have inspired Joseph's brethren with faith in his fra- ternal affection, since they had latterly experienced so many proofs that he was actuated by kindred sentiments ; but crime, habitual dissimulation, and a constant spirit of dis- trust had warped their moral nature, and stolen from them the proper standard, whereby to judge of the character of one so infinitely their superior in all that was good, great, and noble. Weak themselves, they could not believe in the strength which piety and virtue give, but based their reli- ance chiefly on Joseph's forbearance and the certainty of his filial love a sentiment the force of which they could in a great degree feel and understand. Thence their deceitful SIMEON fail to receive a blessing from his father Jacob, but though long, long years had elapsed, no mention was made of his tribe when Moses gave his parting benediction to Israel ! And to what can this ex- clusion be attributed if not to lack of deserts ? The moral condition of that tribe or family had evidently not improved, but it was otherwise with that of Levi, who, individually, like Simeon, received no blessing from his father Jacob, yet the tribe was especially mentioned by Moses ; indeed, he even states that they had " observed the word and. kept the covenant of God", and therefore should (Deut. xxxi, 10) " teach Jacob God's judgments, and Israel his law". In this latter instance, example had evidently served as a warning, and worked to good, while in the former it had been prolific of evil through many generations. FILIAL AFFECTION. 251 message to Joseph on the death of their parent and sup- posed protector. A. " command " from Jacob they well knew he would respect, and herein was their trust. And greatly as their unjust misgivings must have grieved his sensitive heart, ever glowing with fraternal love, yet, doubtless, Joseph gladly welcomed even this one sentiment in common, since it might in the future suffice to preclude all further severance. In conclusion, be it observed that, had Joseph's brothers, like him, regarded filial love not merely as a bond of family union, but had also made it conduce to filial obedience and acts of virtue, then would they have been happily saved from much evil, with its consequent misery ; while, further, they would assuredly have received, as he did, that truly golden legacy and ever-present reward a father's dying blessing. If love alone can repay love, surely parental love should be met by the warmest filial affection; and again, if gratitude is justly due for benefits conferred, how solemn must be the obligation of the child to the parent, through whom, under God, he has from infancy received every enjoyable blessing. Thus, even if nature did not dictate, and God had not en- joined this sentiment, yet must it have swayed every human heart not dead to right feeling and generous emotions. Truly filial love is a debt we owe, but can never wholly cancel ; yet may we be ever discharging it, and herein lies a paramount duty. Now, this is most effectively fulfilled by repayment in kind, by fond devotion and loving acts. We should be ever sedulously seeking to ascertain a parent's wishes, and practically demonstrate our earnest will to gra- tify them to the best of our power. But to what will their every desire tend if not to their children's good ? When rearing us with the tenderest care, and training us with the fondest solicitude, seeking to develop in us the germs of virtue and true piety, what was their aim and desire but 252 FILIAL AFFECTION. that we should prove, by our conduct in after life, that their long instruction had not been lavished in vain, and that we should carry down untarnished the good name which they had transmitted unimpaired ? What a small compensation demanded for so weighty a debt, yet does it contain the germ of every good, alike to parent and to child. The youth who attends to the admonitions of his fond parents, hearkens respectfully to their advice, and follows it cheer- fully, ever striving to walk by the greater light of their experience, and seeking to become deserving of their glowing aspirations, will prove himself a worthy son ; and never yet did a worthy son fail in performing his part in life worthily as a man. Earnestly fulfilling every moral duty, he will assuredly secure the respect and love of all good men, and the happiness which smiled upon him first within his home will go forth with him into the world without. And as to the parents, how implicit will be their trust in such a child; how entire their faith that he, the cherished one, ever accomplishing each moral obligation, could not leave unfulfilled the most sacred of all duties, but in their declining years will be at their side, willingly and sedulously administering to their comfort and happiness, never even hesitating at any needful, self-imposed sacrifice. Here, then, we have truly precious fruit ; the growth of good seed long since planted. Thus, when the time of their departure draws nigh, they will be enabled to enjoy the glad reflection that they are leaving behind one every way worthy of taking their place, and carrying on those good works which they were powerless to complete ; and further, the happy parents may treasure in their thoughts the sweet and consoling belief that their heavenward prayer for their beloved child will find acceptance on high, since God's eternal blessing ever rests on the worthy son and worthy man. This re- flection will assuredly give peace to their souls, and lend a bright effulgence to their last hours. Truly, then, filial affection is not alone a duty, but a prerogative ; and thrice FILIAL AFFECTION. 253 happy the son who can thus throw so glowing and glorious a halo over the spirit of a dying parent, receiving in return what must spread a hallowed joy over his entire life that loving parent's parting benediction. Turning next to the consideration why some children fail in deserving this reward, 'we shall find that it is mainly owing to the far greater attention paid in their early years to the instruction of the mind than to the direct training of the heart. This surely should not be, for when either is at variance with the right and the true, no goodness of dispo- sition will avail. Even the naturally warm passions and generous impulses of youth, which might be so fruitful in good, will but prove pernicious when deprived of judicious culture. The child needs to be perpetually exercising the keen susceptibilities of his heart in all that is pure, useful, and good, for if they are not thus directed, he will be insen- sibly, but too surely, betrayed into wrong-doing. Now, where should he more confidently tarn for the development of the best and loftiest feelings of his nature than to the cheerful, happy home ? There should be kindled the flame of that gratitude and love which will display themselves in a thousand endearing acts. There may fresh springs of pure delight be' ever bubbling forth, there holy sentiments and noble aspirations be prompted and encouraged both by precept and example. Truly, when home becomes an abiding place of joy and the centre of tranquil pleasures, when loving greetings from devoted parents and fond relatives are un- failing, then will youth turn thankfully back from the great- est enjoyments which the world can offer to the less exciting but more abiding delights of a happy, /peaceful hearth. Home will not then be a mere name, but a sentiment, and one so potent as to be a safeguard against all temptations. The love of his parents will be the youth's true sunshine, their voice his sweetest music. But there are homes of quite a reverse character, and it is mostly in those that we meet with filial defection. There 254 FILIAL AFFECTION. are some in which the longings of youth are disregarded, where legitimate pleasures are denied, or at least not en- couraged, where severity takes precedence of kindness, and where the heart is left to stagnate or rarely roused, and made to pulsate with high and generous emotions. Now, it is but too certain that if during youth the loftier and nobler pas- sions are not exercised in the family circle, the lower will infallibly crop up and seek gratification in the world with- out. Then will quantity rather than quality of pleasures be considered, and each inebriating draught will harden the heart and turn it more and more from home, its duties and its associations. The world and its allurements then be- coming too greatly prized, the peaceful hearth will speedily lose its attractions, while ignoble and slavish passions, sti- fling the remonstrances of the parent, will infallibly lead to a breach, which neither time nor even a return to duty can always repair. Thus let age kindly consider the require- ments of youth, and let youth gladly listen to the voice of experience. Both are duties, and if fulfilled thei^e will be no cause for deception or dissimulation on the one side or for harshness of reproof and exercise of authority on the other. Then will love direct and affection govern each thought, each act, and throw their bright halo round the parental roof. Now, if children would bear in mind that parents have their welfare constantly in view, and are ever testifying their love by numberless kind acts and often by many sacrifices, they would be less exacting, and when home, from various causes, was not made as entirely happy as their young hearts could desire, would turn to inward resources, and make them contribute to their stouk of enjoyments. And further, they would make the most of whatever pleasures were given them, and strive to be content. Thus could they gratify the authors of their being, and withal, by learning not to be too grasping after pleasures, would save themselves much future misery and shame. FILIAL AFFKCTIOX. 255 But heavy and severe will be the penalty which that youth has to pay, who, regardless of duty and his own self-interest, rashly and wilfully disobeys parental commands. Surely, if every minor dereliction of duty is fraught with evil, sad and painful must be the consequences entailed by filial dis- obedience. To him who refuses the light of experi- ence, the road to ruin will be as swift as certain. Heart, purse, and health will soon be alike bankrupt. When con- science ceases to struggle for the right, when no chord of sympathy or love is struck by the sight of anguish written in legible characters on that face which it was a son's duty to irradiate with joy, when a father's anger is obdurately defied, and passion is allowed full sway, that goal is nearly reached whence there can be no return. Truly nought but compunction of conscience will be left to him who, besides ruining his own prospects, has disappointed the fond aspi- rations of loving parents. Nor can his sorrow be otherwise than greatly heightened when he sees death laying its cold hand on that father or mother to whom all reparation has- now become impossible. Yet even a severer sting than this will occasionally wound the undutiful child ; for if his unfilial conduct has inflicted a blow which in any measure hastened that fatal end, an agony of remorse and self-con- demnation will steal upon him ; too late will he then re- member that parents forgive much, very much ; indeed, that the fond mother will pardon nearly all but ingratitude, and that by obstinately persisting in subjecting her to this cruel wrong, he has basely stabbed her to the quick perhaps broken her heart, and sent her sorrowing to the grave. Let then, the son who would save himself in latter years from the stings of conscience and much bitter grief beware of making his first step in opposition to a parent's counsel. Indeed, it surely behoves him to regard such advice as an inestimable boon, for then will he make a pleasure of obedience, and, wisely profiting by the expe- rience of age and the lessons of love, will become an honour to his family, a pride and a joy to beloved and loving parents. 256 FILIAL AFFECTION. Although Scripture offers but few PRECEPTS inculcating filial love and duty, since little will avail if the heart has not already prompted this solemn obligation, yet these few are emphatically enjoined, and often enforced by threats of punishment and by promises of reward. Firstly, take Solomon's words, in Prov. vi, 20, " My son, keep thy father's commandments, and forsake not the law of thy mother, bind them continually upon thine heart"; and at ch. xxiii, 22, " Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old". Then at ch. xxviii, 7, " Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son, but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father"; and again, ch. xx, 20, " Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness". Then in Deut. xxvii, 16, " Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother". Turning to Leviticus, we find the injunction, " Rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man". Now, if such marks of respects are due even to seniors whom we know not, how may we adequately testify our reverence to parents who have so many claims on our love and veneration ? Next, the fact that the All-Merciful Himself ordained that the penalty of death should be inflicted on the rebellious son ; and further, that it was at the hands of the people he was to suffer his ignominious fate, is sufficient to convince us that to be un- dutiful was not only to be criminal in the sight of the Lord, but also that it was essential for the welfare of the com- munity that the entire people should testify, by a public demonstration, their abhorrence of all insubordination to parental authority. Thus only was " evil to be put away".* It is, however, to the Decalogue, replete with laws conducive to man's well-being and moral good that we must more particularly refer. There, at the Fifth Commandment, we read, " Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God hath * Deut. xxi, 21. KUTH. 257 given thee". Thus direct from Omniscience are we in- structed as to the duty and reverence we owe our parents ; and Infinite Goodness further accompanied the injunction with the most gracious promise of reward for its due per- formance. Nevertheless., it is not enough to honour and obey our parents ; we should gladden their hearts by good and pious conduct, by an ever-ready manifestation of love and gratitude. Without this we fall far shoj-t of duty, and may hardly be said to do them proper honour. We read in Prov. xxiii, 24, " The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice, and he that begetteth a wise son shall have joy of him"; but also to contrast with this we have at ch. xvii, 25, " A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her that bore him". Thus let youth lay great store on this natural affection, and learn to " feel that " The glory of children are their fathers";* for then will they be led to act so that their parents shall gratefully acknowledge, " Children's children are the crown of old men". Truly the good and virtuous son who has proved himself a blessing, a comfort, and an honour, is as a crown of priceless worth to his parents ; and assuredly he who has thus acted will have the glowing sense of deserving, as well as possibly the delight of enjoying the like rich inheritance, and thus in his turn receiving the just recompense of virtue, love, and duty. To RUTH, grandmother of King David, we may turn for an EXAMPLE of filial affection, and, indeed, the Sacred Volume offers no more striking instance of true love and devotion. In Naomi had Ruth and Orpah found a kind and tender mother-in-law, and we may feel assured that they never failed in testifying their gratitude, since these are Naomi's words, when bidding them depart to their former homes, " Go, and the Lord deal kindly with you as ye have dealt with the dead and with me". Both had learnt * Prov. xvii, 6. S 258 FILIAL AFFECTION. to appreciate her estimable qualities, and love her for them ; but the affection which her worth and merit had inspired was wholly different in degree. With Orpah it was far more transient, and much less practical in its character, than with Ruth. She evidently did not possess so fond or clinging a nature; and although proposing to accompany Naomi on her journey to Judea, a few words of dissuasion from her kind, indulgent mother-in-law sufficed to induce a change of purpose ; for then it- was that " Orpah kissed her, but Ruth clave unto her." Now, there were many considerations which might well serve to deter the daughters from following the poor and afflicted Naomi. They certainly could never expect aught but privations, and possibly would have to encounter many trials which they might hope to escape in their own land. It was against this appalling prospect that the filial affec- tion of Orpah was powerless to contend. With Ruth, how- ever, it was far otherwise ; though the dear tie which had united her to Naomi was snapped by death, and gaunt famine had further heightened their sore distress, yet each fibre of her heart vibrated in unison with that of her cherished parent. Indeed, mutual sorrow and suffering apparently served to endear her the more. To convince ourselves of this, we have but to turn to ch. i, 15 of the Book of Ruth, where we read, ' ' And Naomi said, Behold, thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her people, and unto her gods, return thou after her". But though thus urged, Ruth never wavered in her decision ; her resolve was unalterable, and she emphatically replied, " Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge ; thy people shall be my people, thy God my God. Where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried ; the Lord do so to me and more also if aught but death part thee and me"; and when Naomi saw that she was " steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her". Truly sympathy and RUTH. 259 love, bred of esteem and gratitude, glowed within the heart of Ruth ; and she was only too happy to be able to testify by acts, her deep and lasting affection for the unfortunate Naomi. It would have been repugnant to her nature to forsake in adversity a relative to whom she had adhered in prosperity. No, rather submit to a life of trial, or even destitution, than be selfishly in grate to one every way de- serving of her good offices and daughterly affection. Being thus prepared to submit to her hard but self-imposed lot, she no sooner reached Bethlehem than she set herself to obtain adequate sustenance by gleaning, and rich were her earnings. She first secured the goodwill of the mighty Boaz, to whom belonged the field she had chosen for her labours, and these were the friendly words which accom- panied his promise of protection, " It has been shown to me all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband, and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knowest not heretofore ; the Lord re- compense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the God of Israel, under whose wings thou hast come to trust". Nor did his kindly feeling stop here ; for admiration of her conduct soon ripened into a more tender sentiment, and, loving, he woo'd her. Once the wife of the noble-hearted Boaz, affluence took the place of penury, and with her change of fortune changed that of Naomi ; for we read, 1 ' And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, and he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee".* Thus through the filial love and generous self-denial of Ruth did Naomi regain her past position. Her plaint uttered when entering Judea was silenced ; she could no longer say, " Call me not Naomi, but call me Mara ; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me ; I went out full, * Ruth, iv, 14. s2 260 FILIAL AFFECTION. and the Lord hath brought me home again empty : why, then, call me Naomi?" Indeed, all' must have been pros- perity and gladness ; and when, in a truly pious spirit, she contrasted her present happy condition with her past distress and gloom, how must her heart have swelled with gratitude towards that fond, faithful, loving daughter, who had wrought so great and joyful a change ! Here, then, was a glorious consummation ; and, Ruth thus blessing, was herself most blessed. An incident in the life of the great law-giver and teacher MOSES is worthy of some consideration, since it presents us with a practical and useful lesson under this heading. And here it may be well to premise that although Jethro stood not in the connection of a blood relation to Moses, yet, never having known any other parent, he had evidently given the natural affections of a son to his father-in-law. Thus in Exodus xviii we have placed before us a meeting little dis- similar to that of Joseph with his father Jacob. It is thus described : " And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisanc.e and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare". Now, it is to be borne in mind that, as in the case of Joseph, a great revolution had taken place in the lot of Moses since he had quitted the roof of his revei*ed relative, then a simple shepherd, now the commissioned de- liverer of an entire people ; moreover, he had stood face to face with kings, and become the recognised ruler and head of a nation. Yet, great as was his elevation, it could effect no change in his sentiments ; thus, not only was the greeting of the kinsmen in the highest degree warm and cordial, but on the side of Moses it was most filial-like and dutiful. The love and respect here shown to Jethro fully testifies to his worth, and indeed the kindly feeling he manifested towards the people of God places his character in the most estimable light. At the 9th verse we read, " And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel and said, Blessed be the Lord who hath delivered the people from MOSES. 20 1 under the hand of the Egyptians ; now I know the Lord is greater than all gods". But Jethro's deep interest in the welfare of the people was greatly surpassed by his solicitude for the well-being of his son-in-law, as is clearly proved by his proffered suggestions and sagacious counsel. And when we consider that this advice was tendered to one not only greatly advanced in years, but also rich in experience and expedients, we must the more admire its ready acceptance. Indeed, Moses was as willing to be advised as to advise, to listen to words of good counsel and of wisdom as to commu- nicate them, to perform every duty as to urge it on others ; in a word, to yield childlike obedience to those he held in reverence, while yet manfully striving to command his wilful people and bring them to submit to their elders as well as to bow in faith before the Holy and Mighty One. But how wise, how pious, how fraught with good to Moses and his people, was the advice of Jethro, high priest of Midian. He first declared to Moses, " The thing thou doest is not good, thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee ; for this thing is too heavy for thee ; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone ; hearken now to my voice, I will give thee counsel and God will be with thee".* Then, after proffering at some length his opinion as to the best method of instructing and judging the people, and of pro- viding out of all the nation men " such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness", that they might be rulers under Moses, he thus concludes : " And let them judge the people at all seasons, and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge, so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this, and God com- mand thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all the people shall go to their place in peace". It was not in the character of the great law-giver to hesitate when love, rea- son, and duty prompted ; therefore we find, " So Moses did all that he had said". Soon after this Jethro departed for * Exodus xvii, 17. 262 FILIAL AFFECTION. his home, and Moses was left alone, gladly to fulfil to the end of his course each allotted task in the same willing spirit of devotion with which he had performed his duty to Jethro in his filial relation. Before proceeding to the lust example we shall offer, it may be well to reverse the picture, and look on its darker side. This is found in the life of ABSOLOM, who presents a notable instance of filial disobedience, and offers a warning none may disregard. Early in life two dominant and hateful pas- sions, revenge and ambition, had entered his breast, but, far from curbing them, he, with a rare power of dissimulation, cautiously hid them till the occasion offered when he could work out his vile purpose. That he had just cause of enmity towards his brother Amnon may readily be granted, yet he never " spake unto his brother good or bad". Though rage was burning within, yet by his peaceful demeanour he was able to lull all unquiet doubts which may have arisen in the minds of his father and brother, and only at the end of two years, his plans being then matured, did he execute the scheme of revenge he had so long meditated. Amnon was basely assassinated by the orders of the perfidious Absolom. Thus, a fratricide in heart and a destroyer of the peace of his father's household, he, dreading that parent's just resent- ment, quitted his own country and fled to the court of Talmai, where he remained three years. It was during this self-imposed exile that he conceived the treacherous design of dethroning David, his father, and usurping the govern- ment, but while thus scheming and plotting he was recalled to Jerusalem by his over-indulgent parent and reinstated in his high position. Nevertheless, no act of kindness or love could touch his heart or subdue his ambitious spirit. He re- solved to make the power thus afforded him conduce to his ultimate designs, and further, he sought by every possible device to rob his father of the affections and loyalty of. his subjects. Only too well did he succeed, and when his treach- erous projects were ripe, forgetful of every natural tie, he ABSOLO.M. 2G3 raised the standard of open rebellion, and, numerous partisans flocking to his banner, he took possession of the capital at the head of a rebel army, and David was obliged to flee. Absolom then with an exulting heart declared himself heir to the vacant throne. But his unnatural conduct was not destined to prosper; the bad son could not make a good king, and by slighting the fair promises he had made the people when seeking their support, he provoked a counter revolution, which brought war in its train. Long and fierce was the struggle, but victory finally attended the cause of right. David was reinstated, while the undutiful son met an ignominious death. In thus reviewing Absolom's downward course, we must observe that he had violated every right principle, made various guilty passions the stepping-stones to his worldly ambition, and so deadened all natural feeling as even to sa- crifice his too forgiving father to the attainment of his object. That Absolom expiated his treacherous and criminal conduct by hours of agony and remorse we may not doubt. Sus- pended by his long, beautiful hair to the thick bough of a great oak, he was left, powerless and friendless, to await a cruel fate at the hands of his enemies ! Here, then, do we find that retributive justice which ever awaits the sinner, and indeed it would be hard to conceive a sadder position than the one which he had brought on himself. Present suffer- ing and gloomy prospects will have awakened conscience, and, among many painful reflections which must have flashed across his mind, the most poignant will assuredly have been those of having incurred God's displeasure, of having tumbled and cruelly wronged his loving parent, sacrificed his countrymen, and brought much misery on them through a devastating civil war, while his own cherished projects were utterly ruined, even should he be finally spared from a violent death. Now, sad as was his lot, it was but the work of his own hands. As he had sown, so did he reap, and, while his life serves as a lasting memorial of filial ingrati- 264 FILIAL AFFECTIOX. tude, it also teaches us that the just and righteous Lord, who commanded us to " honour our parents", will never suffer such breach of love and duty to pass unchastised. Griev- ously had he sinned, and grievous was his punishment. We finally turn to an incident in the early life of the prophet ELISHA, which, though briefly and simply related, conveys an admirable lesson as to the duty the adult as well the child owes to his parents. The facts are thus related : " And Elijah passed by Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing, and cast his mantle upon him, and Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said. Go back again, for what have I done to thee ? And he returned back from him".* Arrived at his home, Elisha set himself to feast the people, and then " he arose and went to Elijah, and ministered unto him". Now, we can only justly appreciate this simple act by carefully noting the circumstances under which it was performed. We must first observe that no surprise was expressed by Elisha when thus strangely accosted by Elijah, therefore we may reason- ably suppose that he had expected this summons, and was fully prepared to comply with it. Indeed, he must have felt that in following the prophet of the Lord a glorious career awaited him, and eager may he well have been to enter upon it, yet withal, being left perfectly free to act as inclination dictated, he at once sought his parents to ask their bene- diction and in a long embrace give token of the sincerity and warmth of his affection. This filial, and to his mind para- mount, duty being performed, he at once departed his home. How worthily Elisha, as a prophet of God, afterwards accom- plished each important mission entrusted to him, his whole career bears ample testimony. He who had been the good, dutiful, and affectionate son could hardly fail to become a faithful messenger, no less than a charitable dispenser of the many rich gifts which the Almighty had vouchsafed him * i Kings xix, 19. ELISHA. 265 as His virtuous, pious servant and prophet. Indeed, he greatly distinguished himself in all that was good, kind, and humane. Mark his readiness to multiply the poor widow's oil, his benevolent compliance with the Shunammite's re- quest, the tears he shed at the thought of the misfortunes which would surely accrue from the misdeeds of the wicked Hazael, and, most praiseworthy of all, the self-deny- ing, noble spirit he evinced when appealed to by Joram, King of Israel, as to whether he should smite the Syrians, his captives, who had come in a hostile spirit with the express purpose of apprehending Elisha himself ! for thus answered the prophet, " Thou shalt not smite them ; wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow ? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master".* And whence this goodness of heart, this kind and humane disposition, if not engendered in the dear home where he had been reared and cherished with a parent's tender care and love ? There imbibed and fostered, it afterwards became a settled prin- ciple of his nature. It behoves us, then, while giving our full meed of admira- tion to the character of this " man of God", and taking to heart the high moral lesson which his unblemished life un- folds, not to forget that which formed its very basis, as per- haps also its most notable trait. Truly to Filial Love and the cultivation of the natural affections did Elisha owe in a great degree his elevation of character and those many esti- mable moral qualities which distinguished him as a son, as a citizen, and as a prophet of the Lord. When filial love is thus capable of exerting its kindly in- fluence on character, then, and then only, does it wholly fulfil its high intent and work out the beneficent and gracious design of the Great Father of All. * ii Kings vi, 22. 266 SABBATH. SABBATH. Exodus xvi, 26, " The seventh day^ which is the Sabbath" BUT for the frequency with which the observance of the SABBATH was enjoined on the ISRAELITES during their sojourn in the wilderness, and some few practical instances of its violation, it would be hard to believe that a nation of bonds- men, slaves who had long groaned under their burden, should not, on obtaining their freedom, gladly welcome re- pose, and more especially greet with joy and thanksgivings that day which the Lord had set apart for rest and total cessation from labour. Yet so it was : no admonition, not even the voice that thundered from Mount Sinai, sufficed to eradicate these, their two besetting sins, covetousness, which led them to desecrate the Sabbath, and idolatry, with its deplorable practices, which drew them from the worship of the one only God. Had their hearts been true to the Su- preme, sacred would have been the seventh day ; but a people who could turn aside from following the commands of Moses, their leader, during an absence of only forty days, and, totally forgetful of their All-potent Deliverer and Pro- tector, make unto themselves a golden calf, and offer sacri- fice to it as the god which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt,* would be little apt to regard any ordinance which they believed calculated to interfere with their mate- rial interests. And this is observable from the very dawn of their history. The first flagrant instance presented to us is that of the gathering of the manna. Moses had bidden the people collect and bring to their homes on the sixth day two portions of this heaven-sent food, so that they * Exodus xxxii, 8. SABBATH. 2G7 might have ample provisions for the Holy Sabbath, whilst he strictly prohibited their seeking it on that day of rest. But, although this command of their great Leader was accompanied by a miracle the manna retaining its pristine wholesomeness on that day alone yet do we find that " there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather".* That they found none was a practical reproof, and this was followed up by a verbal one from the Lord through Moses, for thus did he address them, " How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws ? See for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days ; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." Which injunction was afterwards obeyed, for we read at the next verse, ' ' So the people rested on the Sabbath-day". From this distinct statement, coupled with the fact that no further instance of Sabbath breaking by the body of the people is recorded in the five Books of Moses, it may be inferred that the whole nation had learnt to feel how heinous was that crime, and this supposition is strengthened by the incident related in Numbers xv, 32, where we read : " While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath-day, and they brought him unto Moses. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, the man shall surely be put to death, all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And they did as the Lord commanded". This would tend to prove that there was no early infringement of the Sabbath after the miracle of the manna, though a total disregard of that sacred day, as well as many of the observances commanded by God, must have ensued when the Israelites relapsed into idolatry at a later period. But even if they abstained from violating the holy day of rest, little merit is to be attached thereto, * Exodus xvi, 27. 268 SABBATH. since its observance could not have been dictated by a sen- timent of gratitude and love to the Supreme. Had, indeed, the Israelites been steadfast to their God, then would their faithful adherence to His ordinances and commands have been fraught with good ; as it was, it could only have been a barren, worthless form, since utterly powerless to arrest them when lapsing into idolatrous worship. Now, assuredly, this was not the Sabbath which had been enjoined, the Sab- bath which was to make and keep them holy. It could merely have been a day of repose purposeless, aimless, and in a great measure fruitless. Yet, even in this formal ob- servance, they were not perfectly free agents ; they could find no food on that day, therefore little indeed would they have profited by labour. Thus was their cupidity forcibly held in check ; thence also the probable cause of their im- munity from the sin of Sabbath breaking. Turning from the time of. Moses to that period when Joshua was their leader, a marked change in their conduct becomes discernible. Although, during the rule of Moses, God had in love shown his people Israel ever-renewing mercies ; although, in His just anger, He had suffered many trials and reverses to befal them, they resisted each appeal. Not so, however, under Joshua, when a long apprenticeship to freedom began to tell upon the character of the entire people. The errors and tribulations of their fathers had worked to good with the children ; the lesson had been severe, but it proved effective. While under the rule of Joshua, the Israelites never once relapsed into idolatry, but served the Lord faithfully, fulfilling His ordinances and doing His High Will. It was, indeed, immediately after the passage of the Jordan that the covenant of Abraham was again observed, the Passover kept, and also assuredly the Sabbath, since it had been yet more emphatically en- joined. In a word, the children of Israel then became true servants of God, and acceptable in His sight, as we read, " The Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away SABBATH. 269 the reproach of Egypt from off you";* also, " And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua". f A truly happy reform this ; and as it may fairly be ascribed to newly-awakened sentiments of love and gratitude to God, it takes its place among the most marked and brightest episodes of their national history. The strict observance of the Sabbath day is a sacred ob- ligation. To "keep it holy" is a direct command from God, and this at once constitutes it a solemn and imperative duty. None may with impunity overlook or disregard this gracious behest, while all can seek God's favour by making that holy day subserve the high purpose for which it was instituted. With this main object and wise intent, it is especially necessary to keep constantly in view the chief and primary characteristics of the Sabbath; and among these we must recognise the following. Firstly, that it should be a day of rest, of repose for both mind and body ; a perfect cessation from care and toil. Now, he who has sedulously fulfilled his duties during the six days which should be devoted to labour, will assuredly need that re- invigoration which a calm and peaceful Sabbath cannot fail to impart. Thence it is imperative on us to regard and conform to the ivliole of the Fourth Commandment; nor forget that, while we are therein bidden to abstain from " all manner of work on the seventh day", we are also dis- tinctly told " Six days shalt thou labour". This latter duty duly performed, will surely, although perhaps insensibly, draw us towards the observance of the other solemn obli- gation. While making a golden use of the intellectual faculties with which we have been blessed, we shall reflect that they rather weaken than expand by over tension, or by an intense and long-sustained application, therefore shall gladly avail ourselves of the day of rest to unbend the mind * Joshua v, 9. f Joshua xxxiv, 31. 270 SABBATH. and give a total change of direction to our thoughts. This will not only keep the prolific brain unimpaired, but like- wise restore to the mind its pristine energy and capabilities each successive week. Also, while giving full development to our physical powers, we shall never exact, either from the vigour of youth or the ripeness of manhood, unceasing labour, which must strain the mortal fabric, impair the vital energies, and breed infirmity and disease. The Sabbath will then be hailed with joy as the cessation of daily toil, and wisely made a medium to recruit wasting powers or waning strength. The next important characteristic of the Sabbath is its sanctity. It is a day to be set apart and kept holy unto the Lord. "We should devote no small portion of that sacred day to His service ; to grateful worship ; to reflection on His glorious and gracious attributes and perfections ; to meditation on our spiritual interests. Now he who resolves to act thus piously will seek to free his mind from mundane affairs, even excluding such readings as would draw his at- tention thereto, and replace them by works calculated to elevate his soul to his Creator. He will make this blessed day subserve a wise and ennobling purpose. His heart will turn to his God ; to all that is pure, elevating, and holy. He will hold delightful converse with the Book of books, as with a well-chosen friend ; he will read it, study it with the heart, and seek to impress its sublime principles, its beautiful ethical precepts, its high practical teachings, on his mind. He will make it a uniting link between earth and heaven, a medium whereby he may lift his spirit up to God. From that sacred volume he will learn to appreciate the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord ; to understand the wisdom, the power of the Great Ruler of the Universe, and thence to love and revere that Great Being with all the energy of his soul. By its light he will trace his own course on earth, the aim of his existence, and learn to put to profit the glorious truths it unfolds. Now, though he often ponders its in- SABBATH. 271 spired pages, he can never weary, as on each succeeding Sabbath he will assuredly find something new to rouse in- terest and gladden the heart. Considered as God's gracious gift to man, it will be valued and used accordingly. It will be made the subject of repeated meditation, the source of invigoration, the teacher and prompter of his spiritual in- terests, and eagerly sought as a Sabbath companion as well as a daily guide. Let, therefore, its studied perusal go hand in hand with Divine Worship ; let each bear an im- portant part in that day's solemn duty ; for assuredly by a heartfelt attention to these conjointly may we best sanctify and hallow the Sabbath-day. A third important characteristic of the Sabbath is its power for good over mind and heart. It is a day wherein we may and should dismiss the cares, throw down the bur- dens, and allay the disquietudes which the past week shall have engendered and possibly fostered. It is a day every way calculated to improve our moral nature as also to promote cheerfulness and content. But that it may exercise so bene- ficial an influence we must justly estimate this heavenly boon, and take delight in making it subserve a useful and healthful purpose. When we cease from all worldly occupations, all earthly solicitude, content to repose entire and holy trust in the great Beneficent Giver and Lord of the Universe, when we make a halt in our march after worldly goods and earthly pleasures, yielding up for a time our ambitious projects, sus- pending our search after distinction, and giving grateful homage to the Bountiful Bestower of our daily blessings, then shall we penetrate the spirit of its institution and un- derstand as well as acknowledge its wise and gracious intent. Further, when we turn our thoughts from those objects which give zest to our daily business life and ponder holy truths, adjusting our feelings and our minds thereto, when we thus withdraw from the din and turmoil of the world's restless strife, and study to erase unruly passions and de- sires, quell all spirit of repining, give to the future renewing 272 SABBATH. hopes and manful resolves, then will true content beam forth to illumine the daily routine of our lives. Again, when with minds relaxed from that strain which generally attends earnest efforts after competence, we, on God's holy day, zeal- ously strive to brighten our homes by infusing the sweets of religious joy into the hearts of its inmates, and tighten each natural bond of affection by acts of disinterested kindness and loving devotion, then shall we experience true cheerful- ness and happiness. Thus, if on this sacred day we subdue the mind to calm reflection and store it with holy thoughts, if we open the heart to every pure and tender emotion, quickening its pulsation by acts of charity and love, by pious meditation on God's glorious works, then assuredly shall we be fulfilling the gracious design of the Great Father of All. The Sabbath will have brought with it a vast power for good, an ever-renewing strength ; truly it will have proved itself our good genius. Now, it is impossible to review all the important charac- teristics of the Holy Sabbath without sensibly feeling that the day imposes no duty which should not be in itself plea- surable, and further, that if cheerfully complied with, its every demand, alike the call of nature and of God, will surely conduce to present joy and eternal bliss. Yet, unhap- pily, the Sabbath is not justly appreciated by all men, nor are its sacred obligations always fulfilled with alacrity and zeal. This consideration should urge us to seek for the prime moving causes of its infringement or frequent neglect, and in so doing we encounter, at the very threshold of our investigation, firstly, Covetousness. The man of grasping disposition knows no rest, nor could enjoy it ; indeed, with him it is a hardship to abstain from the work of money-get- ting, not a hardship to undergo it. The calm, peaceful re- pose of the Sabbath day can have no charm for the busy, scheming, selfish man, who will be ever prone to regard it as a bar to the acquisition of those worldly goods for which he is contending. Could he, however, bring his mind seriously SABBATH. 273 to reflect that " the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof", and that not so much on his powers as on God's goodness depends his worldly prosperity, then might he hesitate in toiling, mind and body, on the Sabbath day, and thereby running counter to the high will of the Great Giver of All. Surely at the close of six days' earnest strivings after all reasonable requirements and those necessities which are essential to the well-being of his dearly-beloved ones, he would gladly cease from labour, and in a pious spirit give up to holy repose the seventh day, relying in the fulness of religious trust on the All-Merciful for each necessary bless- ing. While, however, wealth is held in higher estimation than worth, and vain longings and insatiable desires are apt to be not only permitted, but encouraged, the Sabbath, if not altogether ignored, must prove totally powerless for good, and only too late will the covetous man be brought by bitter experience to feel that gold may be bought too dear, and have to acknowledge with a sorrowing heart the truth em- bodied in Prov. xiii, 7, that " there is that maketh himself rich and hath nothing". Thence let him beware of disobey- ing the fourth and tenth Commandments and incurring God's displeasure while hastening to attain those earthly riches which " make themselves wings and fly away", but rather seek to acquire that heavenly treasure which is be- yond all price, a truly pious, devout, and unselfish heart. Yet more antagonistic to the observance of the Sabbath, to all its obligations, and to its very spirit of morality and piety, is, secondly, Religious indifference. He who can be insensible to religion itself will hardly regard any one of its institutions with favour, and certainly not that one which has for especial object to draw us nigh to God in prayer and praise. Truly only they who love God will love the Sabbath and strive to profit by its teachings. To them the sacred day will be especially acceptable, as one on which they can freely stir and warm their hearts in the contemplation of Infi* nite perfection and the study of God's holy Law, but to the 274 SABBATH. indifferent it will appear a mere form or senseless obser- vance, and be disregarded accordingly. Failing to recognise it as a fitting day for the cultivation of their higher nature and indeed those who are indifferent to religion will be no less indifferent to that moral nature it will become neg- lected, the lower instincts will speedily obtain supremacy, the light of religion will grow dim in the soul, and they will be content to grovel in the mire of licentiousness and all the meaner, baser passions of their nature. Thence assu- redly he who would keep his heart pure, warm, and grateful must make the Sabbath his ministering angel, and consider religion as the supreme good ; in a word, he must kindle the bright flames of true piety and devotion within his breast, thereby expelling the gloom and darkness which are inseparable from religious indifference and religious insensi- bility. Lastly, thoughtlessness, besides other minor causes, among which are, the want of those intellectual resources that spring from a well-stored mind ; and inattention to the beneficial and kindly influences of a day of rest. All these either mili- tate against the proper observance of the Sabbath, or check the good with which it might otherwise be fraught. As to thoughtlessness, few men are there who will not, when their worldly interests are at stake, give their minds up to the consideration of how those interests may best be served, nor will they ever lose an opportunity of advancing them. But should spiritual matters be less regarded, and the Sabbath, which is part of religion, be dismissed with hardly a pass- ing thought ? Surely not ; such neglect, such inattention to God's command cannot be otherwise than highly culp- able, and will assuredly bear their bitter fruit. Now, if we reflect that we have duties to perform, and that the Sabbath teaches them ; resolves to make, and that the day of rest gives time to form them; desires to curb, and that con- verse with our conscience on the sacred day enables us to subdue and regulate them, then shall we welcome the hea- SABBATH. 275 venly-appointed day as a true friend, as a spiritual guide, and heai'ken diligently to its teachings. Then, again, to the man of few intellectual resources the Sabbath is apt to prove more burdensome than pleasurable. The mind cannot lie fallow, or rest peacefully in listless idleness, and he who finds no delight in sacred readings, in high and ennobling conceptions, and draws no fund of elevating and pious re- flections by looking from " nature up to nature's God", will assuredly endeavour to eke out the hallowed day by indulg- ing in trivial pursuits or frivolous amusements, even if not led to desecrate it by business engagements. Thence it is highly essential that we should learn to give vitality to the day ; that we should form for ourselves a taste, a relish for subjects which bear upon our spiritual welfare ; give the heart and mind to an earnest search after truth, virtue, holiness, and enjoy God in all things, and all things in God. We need not indeed deprive ourselves of such rational re- creations as involve no personal weariness, no fatigue to our fellow mortals, no toil to the beast of burden, or which do not tend to draw the mind too exclusively to sublunary objects, but we should likewise reserve no small portion of the day for the acquisition of knowledge, for enlarging and enlightening the understanding. When the mind has been well stored, then will the sacred day, with its pause in all business voca- tions, be productive of much intellectual enjoyment, and the return of the Sabbath will be looked for with a pure and heartfelt delight. And this carries us, finally, to the consideration of the other numberless benefits it is calculated to confer; a considera- tion all-important, since it may induce those who have not felt the spiritual, or learnt truly to appreciate the material advantages which surely accrue from the strict observance of the Sabbath of rest, to reflect thereon, and strive after their attainment by a perfect conformity with the Divine injunction and Divine intent. Among the benefits which it should bring in its train may be numbered, bodily and T 2 276 SABBATH. mental refreshment; and for this we must know nothing of idleness, but much of repose. On this day, a day of com- pensation, lost stamina is to be recovered, power to be restored, energies to be recruited, the weary brain relaxed, and mental quietude engendered by calm., healthy, and trustful reflections. When this result is attained we shall be able to resume with all necessary energy the business engagements of the ensuing week, and efficiently discharge the many obligations and duties which pertain to our posi- tion in life. Renewed zest will have been engendered by the temporary suspension of business cares, and the mind, having for a time buried in oblivion thoughts which worried or oppressed it, will have regained its elasticity, its vigor, and with them renewed confidence and trust. The next benefit we may derive from the sacred day of rest is intel- lectual improvement, for does not the Bible tell us that " they who seek the Lord understand all things"? That mind will be clear and bright to discern the things of earth which has been furnished with heavenly truths, and if these be not taken to heart on the peaceful Sabbath, they will assuredly receive little attention on the working days. Truly, as the week offers unbounded opportunity of action, so does the Sabbath present us with ample subjects for re- flection, and if we will only strive to turn them to profitable account, and carry their teachings with us into the active business of life, we may fairly hope for flattering results to our labour. Finally, a benefit which greatly depends there- on, is our moral progress ; a truly pious and virtuous charac- ter is not to be formed without those reflections which the holy day is every way calculated to suggest. We must thereon learn to be and to do good; we must turn our thoughts inwards, examine the disposition of our heart, review our past conduct, give heed to errors committed, and fixedly determine the straight line for future guidance. When reflections followed by good resolutions have been made a constant weekly practice, then shall we be well fitted SABBATH. 277 to take an active part in the business and charities of life. We shall have in our moral improvement the surest criterion that we are thoughtfully discharging the moral obligations of the sacred day, and with this guarantee we may work on hopefully, glad in the thought that God sees and approves. Assuredly, such a reflection cannot but be productive of happiness, of holy delight, and true content. But would we enhance our appreciation of that Sabbath which does so much to promote our worldly interests, and confers on us so many spiritual benefits, we have only for a moment to consider this heavenly boon withdrawn, and that we were obliged to toil mind and body without respite. Would not our constitution be undermined, and our health greatly impaired ? Would not debility and illness attack our frames, force us from the haunts of men, and injure our worldly prospects ? Would not our thoughts gradually centre in the things of earth to the exclusion of our spiritual welfare, and our hearts harden under the never ceasing stimulus of selfish interests ? There would indeed be little left to sanctify our lives ; we should only at rare intervals, and for short periods, raise our minds to our Maker ; study His law, and so frame our conduct thereby. Truly, both our moral and physical well-being would have received a rude shock. Let us therefore have ever before our eyes its negative as well as its positive advantages, and love the holy Sabbath with its ordinances for its own sake as well as for the good it can and will accomplish. We shall then take for its motto rest, trust and be thankful, bearing ever in mind that to disregard the beautiful provisions of Providence is to work against our own well-being, and to violate the Sab- batical appointment is truly a suicidal act. Centering each desire in the one object of improving our moral character, we shall give a willing mind and heart to the search after virtue, holiness, and piety ; and when tracing in each suc- ceeding week a sure and steady advance towards them, we 278 SABBATH. may feel assured that the Sabbath has fulfilled, and is ful- filling its true, its high intent. PRECEPTS. There is no command so frequently, or so em- phatically enjoined in the sacred volume as the observance of the Sabbath, thence we may draw the infallible conclu- sion that there is none more essential to the well-being of mankind ; indeed, the injunctions abounding in Exodus and Leviticus alone, might well suffice to convince us of its superlative importance. Take for example in Exodus xxiii, 12, "Six days slialt thou do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest ; that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the stranger may be refreshed. In all this be circum- spect". Here we are not only enjoined to rest on the Sab- bath but to work on the other six days ; also we are not to impose labour even on our beasts of burden, but are to " be circumspect", and see that a calm repose pervades the whole household. Again, we find a like sentence in chap, xxxi, 13, conveying the last injunction from God to Moses when about descending from Mount Sinai ; it runs thus, " Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily, my Sabbaths ye shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you,. Ye shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy unto you. Whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people". In the next verse this is again repeated, but with this im- portant addition : " The seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord". Again, we read ch. xxxiv, 21, " Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest, in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest" : a verse of peculiar significance when we consider that with the Israelites agriculture was a vital, an engrossing, a pre- dominant interest. Then in Leviticus xix, which contains a capitulation of sundry comprehensive and sublime laws, SABBATH. 279 we find, verse 30, " Ye shall keep my Sabbath, and reverence my sanctuary, I ain the Lord/' and these identical words are repeated at ch. xxvi, 2. What could more plainly in- timate the close connection which exists between Divine worship and the Sabbath, or the like reverence in which they should be held ? Further, it is declared, in the same chapter, that if the people will not follow the ordinance of the Lord, but walk contrary to Him, then shall their "cities be made waste, their sanctuary brought into desolation", and they themselves ff scattered among the heathens, for thereby shall the land rest, and enjoy her Sabbaths as long as it lieth desolate. This because it did not rest on your Sabbaths when ye dwelt upon it." Turning next to the Books of the Prophets, we find the observance of the Sab- bath no less insisted on. There it is again clearly shown to be a paramount duty, and that he who would arrive at the summit of moral greatness and excellence must never fail therein ; further, it is demonstrated that the end and aim of the Sabbath, as of religion, are alike goodness and holiness ; thus, we read in Isaiah Ivi, 1 : " Keep ye judgment and do justice; blessed is the man who doeth this, and that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, holding his hand from doing any evil." Now while righteousness and the keeping of the Sabbath are here coupled, it is also shown in Ezekiel that sin and impiety are the natural faults of its desecration; thus, chap, xx, 16: l ' They despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes ; they polluted my Sabbaths, and their heart went after their idols." Further, at verse 20, we are distinctly told that a blessing will attend its observance : " Hallow my Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I' am the Lord your God", and this promise is made yet more clearly in Isaiah, where we read, ch. Iviii, 13, "If thou turn away thy foot from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, then shalt thou delight thyself in the 280 SABBATH. Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth ; the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Here, then, is our duty, and rich indeed is the promised recom- pense. But precepts thought to be addressed to one peculiar people, or supposed to be intended for only a defined and limited period, will fail in a great measure to impress their sublime truths on the mind ; thence, if there were no other quotations than the above (all-comprehensive though they be), it might be possible to take exception to them, since they certainly were given to a distinctive people, and that at a marked period of their history. Therefore, we proceed to give others of especial value, since they must put an end to all doubt on this score. With Gen. ii, 3 before us, it would be utterly impossible for even the most sceptical to assert that the observance of the Sabbath is not a fundamental principle, coeval with creation, and intended by the Supreme to subsist in its full integrity throughout all ages. We read, " And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because that in it He had -rested from all His work which God created and made". The Almighty One sanctified that day ; and may, then, His creatures desecrate it ? Again, all who hold sacred the Decalogue may not, cannot, infringe the Fourth Commandment. It is part of a whole code of laws given for the good of all mankind, and to be rigidly observed, under the penalty of God's high displeasure. Turning to Isaiah, we find that he always enjoined on others, equally with the Israelites, the strict observance of the Sabbath ; for we read, ch. Ivi, 6, "Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord to be His servants ; every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in mine house, which shall be called a house of prayer for all people". Other verses might be quoted to like effect, but these are enough to show that the day of rest is incumbent on " all people", and that the} 7 who would be righteous in the sight of the Lord must keep that day holy. SABBATH. 281 Nor does Scripture stop short at mere exhortations, but with nearly every injunction to observe the Sabbath we are instructed how it may be best and most serviceably em- ployed, and how made " holy to the Lord". Thus we are bidden to hold the seventh day as " an holy convocation ; a Sabbath of the Lord in our dwellings"; " to sanctify it", " to hallow it". Then we are told in Psalms that " it is good to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing a Psalm or Hymn on the Sabbath Day "unto the Most High"; and are bid to reflect that " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble"; also we are exhorted to " de- light ourselves in the Lord". Finally, Jeremiah, who in his Book so earnestly seeks to impress us with the sanctity of the Sabbath, likewise places before us the most fitting sub- jects for contemplation thereon ; thoughts whereby we may consecrate the day thoughts in which " we may glory". These are of the utmost importance, since coming from the Lord Himself; they run thus, ch. ix, 23, " Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkind- ness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, saith the Lord". By studiously enter- taining reflections like these, we shall assuredly shed a halo of peace and joy within our hearts and our homes ; by such pious meditations we may spiritualise our natures, and show our love and gratitude to the Great Father of Mercies, hal- lowing that day which He, the Lord and Creator of the Universe, has declared " holy." We now pass on to the few EXAMPLES which present them- selves in the History of the ISRAELITES during the rule of their judges and kings. It has been shown that, while Joshua and the elders that outlived him, " they who had known all the works of the Lord that He had done for 282 SABBATH. Israel",* held sway, the heart of the nation turned towards the Lord and His ordinances ; but when we proceed to con- sider that period wherein the judges were rulers, we find that the feeling of the people frequently veered round to idolatry and its baleful practices. Love of God, with its natural consequence, delight in the observance of His sta- tutes, became fitful, and mere transitory gleams of sunshine were apparent in the benumbing, chill, and darkening moral atmosphere which was enveloping the new genera- tion. Then must the institution of the Sabbath have lost much of its significance, and indeed altogether ceased to be observed under many of the judges. But, about the time of Saul's elevation to the monarchy, an improvement became observable, and made further progress during the reign of David and the early part of that of Solomon. The better feeling which set in was, however, no way due to Saul, but received its impulse from the good and righteous Samuel, who succeeded Eli in the office of high priest. His pious exhortations and the devout worship he so zealously en- forced, coupled with admonitions and remonstrances to the people whenever they were departing from the path of righteousness, or smarting under some signal defeat, speedily brought them to acknowledge their errors and amend their doings. He even for a time succeeded in bringing to repentance their back-sliding King, for Saul was led to declare, " I have sinned ; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and thy words'.-^ That the Sabbath and all God's ordinances were piously kept during the reign of David we may not doubt, since some of his beautiful and devout Psalms are especially adapted to that day, while he also repeatedly refers therein to the observance of the laws of Moses. Nor did he omit to urge it on the attention of his son, as we may judge by his last charge to Solomon, which runs thus, " I go the way * Joshua xxiv, 24. t i Sam. xv, 24. ISRAELITES. 283 of all the earth, be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man ; keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Lav: of Moses".* And for a time both King and people served the Lord in all sincerity of heart. A truly religious spirit appears to have been imbibed during the rule of the God-fearing David, which eminently displayed itself also in the eai'ly part of his son's reign, not only in the erection of a surpassingly magnificent temple dedicated to the Supreme, but likewise by the zealous observance of rites and ordi- nances conformable to the injunctions of the Pentateuch, and by that mode of worship which was most pleasing to the One only God. Yet herein there was no stability; a sad, sad reaction speedily set in. The Israelites had touched the culminating point alike of their spiritual glory and their earthly grandeur, and rapid was the descent that followed. With the fall of Solomon into idolatry fell nearly the entire nation ; and in the future it was only during the reign of some of their best and most pious kings that the Laws of Moses were observed. We have an example of this in the words of the good King Hezekiah to the Levites, n Chron. xxix, 6, where he declares that " Our fathers have trans- gressed ; they have turned away their faces from the habita- tion of the Lord. They have turned their backs thereon, and shut up the door of the porch, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense, nor offered burnt offerings in the Holy Sanctuary. Hear me, therefore, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the House of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth every abomination therefrom". And further, when we refer to the records connected with the rule of that excellent monarch, Josiah, we find that during several of the preceding reigns the Sanctuary had been closed, and that even the very books of the law had been lost sight of. But it is especially to the writings of * i Kings ii. '2. 284 SABBATH. the prophets we must turn, would we surely ascertain par- ticulars as to the observance of the Sabbath by the Israelites during the latter period of their monarchy ; and from their perusal there is but this one conclusion to be drawn, that it was rarely held in due reverence, and thus in no way sub- served its holy purpose. Indeed, it is fully shown that its pious obligations were not only frequently disregarded, but that the day itself was often desecrated or altogether neglected and forgotten. Thus, in Isaiah i, the prophet, after re- proving his hearers for " having gone away backwards, and provoked the Holy One", bids them, in the name of the Lord, " bring no more vain oblations ; incense is an abomi- nation unto me, the new moons and Sabbaths I cannot abide; it is iniquity; they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them". Then, in Jer. xvii, we find the people resisting the command not " to carry forth burdens from their homes on the Sabbath day ; neither to do any work"; for we read at the twenty-third verse, " But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their necks stiff". And again, we read in Ezek. xxiii, 38, "Moreover, this they have done unto me, they have defiled my sanctuary, and have profaned my Sabbaths ; and at ch. xxii, after showing the general corruption which existed, and how the people and even the princes had " set light by father and mother, had oppressed the stranger, vexed the orphans and widows", he continues, " thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my Sabbaths" ; and at the twenty-sixth verse further adds, " Her priests have violated my law ; they have put no difference between the holy and the profane, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them". Now, it is well to note that among the several causes which conduce to such profanation of the Sabbath and to proceedings so totally at variance with the Divine pleasure, must be ranked covetousness. This is clearly shown in Amos viii, where the prophet puts into the mouth of the ISRAELITES. 285 people the following significant words, " When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat ?" and again, in Ezekiel, where that prophet, after declaring that the people had profaned the Sabbath, adds, " They have taken gifts to shed blood, they have taken usury and increase, have greedily gained of their neighbour by extortion, and have forgotten me, saith the Lord God". There is one other important point from which all doubt is removed by the prophets in their writings, viz., that the cause of the decline and fall of the Kingdom was in a great measure owing to the non-observance of the Sabbath by the people, for does not Jeremiah declare at ch. xvii, 27, " But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day and not to bear a burden, even entering into the gates, then will I kindle a fire, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched"? And Ezekiel, to show the entire nation how certain would be their downfall should they continue to desecrate the Sabbath, brings for- ward an example of what befel their forefathers in these in- spired words, " Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them, but they rebelled against me in the wilderness, they walked not in my statutes, and my Sabbaths they greatly polluted ; then I said I would pour out my fury upon them to consume them".* But happily there are examples which stand out in con- trast with this dark picture, and, though few, they are well worthy of remark. They severally beam forth from the sur- rounding gloom, speaking of God's past displeasure and the repentance of his chosen people. Thus in the Book of Nehe- miah we find that on the return of the captives from Babylon they willingly entered into a covenant, among the many high moral obligations of which are the following : " That they would cleave to their brethren, their nobles ; that they would enter into an oath to walk in God's law, and to observe all * Ezekiel xx, 12. 286 SABBATH. the commandments of the Lord ; and if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that they would not buy of them on the Sabbath or on the holy day".* Spiritual interests had thus triumphed over the tem- poral. Then Jeremiah, in his Lamentations, speaks much to the same effect, telling us in metaphorical language at chap, i that " Jerualem remembered in the day of her afflic- tion and of her persecutions all the pleasant things she had in the days of old ; the enemies saw her and did mock at her Sabbaths"; next, making that capital speak for the people, he adds, " Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by, behold and see if there be any pain like unto my pain which is inflicted upon me, wherewith the Eternal hath grieved me in the day of the kindling of his wrath. Zion spreadeth forth her hands and there is none to comfort her"; but after this sad complaint, the sorrowing city brings herself to confession and to acknowledge the justice of God's judgments, thus de- claring, " The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandments". Thus did trials and troubles here again bring repentance in their train, and with true repentance and amendment came a bright and happy change. The words of promise made by Jeremiah were in every point verified. Referring to the last chapter of n Chron. we read, " Zion had enjoyed her Sabbath three score and ten years, and as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath". After that, the All-Gracious stirred up Cyrus to build His House in Jerusalem, and for this purpose the mighty King of Persia not only released the Jews from captivity, but even urged them to proceed to their own land, saying, u Chron. xxxvi, 23, " Who is there among you of all his people ? the Lord his God be with him and let him go up".f Thus out of evil sprung forth good, for we find that in the seventh month after their departure the foundation of the Temple was laid amidst " shouts of joy and singing of praises and thanks- giving unto the Lord because He is good, because His mercy * Nehemiah x, 29. t Also Ezra i, 3. SABBATH. 287 endureth for ever towards Israel". And when the building was finally reared, and the altar set up, much to the delight of the people, the true worship of God was established, and His holy fast and Sabbath solemnly kept. Now, though this happy consummation promised more than it fulfilled, yet it must be reckoned among one of the bright pages in Israel's history, while it is also well calculated to work to present good, since affording instruction, hope, and trust to all who will turn to the past as a guide for the future, and further, as a pleasurable Sabbath duty, seek by the light of Scripture the true and shining path of piety, of virtue and of godli- ness. 288 RELIGIOUS ZEAL. EELIGIOUS ZEAL. Exodus xxxv, 21, u They came every one whose heart stirred him up." THE history of the early ISRAELITES is the history of an entire people just liberated from the shackles of slavery, and this reflection should be uppermost whenever we are about to consider any subject matter wherein their failings and misconduct take too prominent a place. It is hardly to be supposed that bondsmen, crouching during long years beneath the yoke of a merciless tyrant, and writhing under the lash of cruel task-masters, should not suffer alike in their mental and moral as in their physical condition, and even lose most of the finer susceptibilities of their nature. Certain it is that we have but to turn to the second Book of Moses, so admirably descriptive of the great and miraculous deliverance of the chosen people from bondage, and of their wanderings in the wilderness, to assure ourselves that such was the case with the great body of the down-trodden Israelites. Only by a long apprenticeship to freedom were their hearts to be softened, refined, and made fully suscept- ible to those high influences of which they had nearly lost all cognisance. Thus it was that the early Israelites, as a nation, rarely displayed any great fervour of devotion or religious enthusiasm. While they could not fail to acknow- ledge God's superintending Providence, they yet felt not His presence, and though they were awakened from their moral torpor at moments of imminent peril, and on their escape therefrom roused themselves to demonstrate their sense of gratitude, they nevertheless speedily relapsed into their former apathy and indifference. This fact is even dis- cernible at that momentous crisis of their fate, their Exodus KELIGIOUS ZEAL. 289 from Egypt. The entire people had crossed the Red Sea, the boundary line between slavery and freedom. Hope, which in the past had been alternating with fear, met its realisation ; the ruthless monarch and his armed host had been submerged ; the cruel taskmaster left far, far behind, to be seen no more ; the promised land lay before them ; Moses, the faithful of the Lord and champion of their rights, was in their van ; the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night rested above them in token of God's watchful care and fatherly interest ; such had -been their marvellous re- lease, such their hopeful change, when from the whole body of the Israelites burst forth that exquisite song of Moses, so sublime in its very simplicity. Witnesses of the miracles which the Lord had wrought in their behalf, a flood of gra- titude welled up within their hearts, and the entire nation raised their voice with one accord to glorify Him and pro- claim His power and goodness. But unhappily this demon- stration of feeling vanished in the empty utterance of words. The thrilling sounds of praise and thanksgiving had hardly subsided than the echoing tones of discontent were distin- guishable ; words of adoration had but just ceased, when broke forth " murmurings against the Lord". Their signal deliverance had indeed made but a faint, thus temporary impression, and altogether failed in kindling that true re- ligious zeal which ever displays itself more by deeds than words. It was otherwise, however, in the next instance. The lapse of time had ripened the fair fruits of freedom, and a decided moral improvement was clearly perceptible in the national character. The entire people had at length become capable of much which was good and noble. Ever-renew- ing proofs of God's mercy and goodness had softened their hearts, had taught them to love their All- Gracious Ruler and be sincerely grateful. Their gratitude was not now to be, as in the past, a mere barren and evanescent sentiment; truly, it had become an animating principle, and was to find U KELIGIOUS ZEAL. practical expression. Thus, when Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, bidding them bring rich offerings for the service of the Tabernacle, and aid in its construction, the whole people, both men and women, at once responded to the call with a " willing heart".* Articles of luxury of every kind, as also valuables, such as " jewels of gold, bracelets, and rings, and precious stones", were brought as free gifts in such profusion as to make it necessary for Moses to restrain the donors in their laudable zeal. But material wealth was not all the people bestowed ; they likewise gave the labour of their hands, and further evinced the true love they bore their religion and its rites by strictly conforming to the words of the Lord during the progress of the work. Exodus xxxix, 43, besides confirm- ing this, also shows that their efforts were crowned by the Divine favour. We read, " According to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the work, and Moses did look upon the work, and behold they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it; and Moses blessed them". Truly, a happy con- summation this, a just and fitting reward for religious zeal. That such a display of enthusiasm on the part of the entire body of the Israelites during their sojourn in the wil- derness was of exceedingly rare occurrence is certain ; in- deed, they were but too apt to depart from the true wor- ship, and fall into the iniquitous practices of the idolatrous people by whom they were surrounded. It was at such sad moments of their history that uprose numerous faithful ser- vants of the Most High, who, deploring the national de- pravity and back-sliding propensity of their more ignorant brethren, strove boldly and resolutely to stay them in the downward course. Though the multitude would continually swerve from their true allegiance, there never lacked indi- viduals who, glowing with religious zeal, eagerly sought to do God's bidding whenever the occasion called for a prac- * Exodus xxxv, 21. EELIGIOUS ZEAL. 291 tical expression of their love and willing obedience. PHI- NBAS, for instance, stood pre-eminently forward as the cham- pion of right and holiness, the avenger of crime and gross idolatry. By his prompt and vigorous action at a moment of extreme peril for the nation, he gave the first check to sin and turned away God's wrath, so that the plague which had broken out among the children of Israel was stayed. A large body of the people, following after the gods of the Moabites, had become utterly corrupt ; they violated every moral law, and even openly indulged the bent of their licen- tious passions. Indeed, to such a point of immorality had they arrived, and so widely had the contagion of sin and de- bauch spread, that only a very decisive measure could stay the torrent of crime, which threatened to engulf the entire nation. At this juncture the individual Phineas, grandson of Aaron, came prominently forward, and before the whole camp, javelin in hand and with dauntless front, slew Zimri,* a vile and debased prince in Israel, together with a Midianit- ish woman, thus acting in accordance with the injunction of Moses to the Judges, to " slay ye every one his men that wei'e united unto Baal-peor". That such an effective display of zeal was pleasing in the sight of the Lord we may feel as- sured since the Most High spoke thus unto Moses, te Phineas hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel that I consumed them not, wherefore say, Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace, even the covenant of the ever- lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God".^ But prior to this period the Levites had distinguished themselves in like manner, saving the people from much after misery. An instance of their devotion in the cause of religion is to be found at Ex. xxxii. The Israelites had prostrated themselves before the golden calf, and were prac- tising the grossest and most shameless rites of idolatry, when Moses presented himself before them and at once ap- pealed to his would-be followers in these words, " Who is on * Numbers xxv, 7. t Numbers xxv, 11. U2 292 RELIGIOUS ZEAL. the Lord's side let him come unto me", and then, in accord- ance with his injunction, they put to the sword all those who " had sinned a great sin", and through their vile conduct incensed the Lord, bringing on the whole nation that sorest of afflictions, the plague. None, however, after their leader, Moses, worked more zealously in the cause of religion and of the people's good than did JOSHUA and CALEB ; they were the .very heart and soul of moral progress, while ever the bravest and staunchest opponents of all that retarded alike the temporal and spiritual interests of their brethren. As, however, the characters of these pious and faithful servants of the Lord have formed the subject of remark under the heading of " Individual Merit", nothing more need here be said than that their true religious zeal brought as a natural consequence its golden reward God's especial favour. If before concluding we briefly allude to the guilty KOEAH and his associates, it is solely for the purpose of showing how selfish ambition may assume the garb of religious zeal, and in that guise work incalculable evil. It is difficult to con- ceive how one of the tribe of Levi, vested by God with priestly duties and standing high in authority, could be in- duced through lust of power to foment rebellion and seek to overthrow that religion of which he was one of the head ministers. Yet so it was, nor did his example lack ready imitators. Two hundred and fifty princes of the congrega- tion seconded him in his ambitious and treasonable projects, when, being joined by all the evil-disposed, a formidable body stood up proudly and defiantly before their leader, Moses, and heaped on him the most unmerited reproaches. They even tauntingly upbraided him for a pride, a presum- tion which dwelt only in their own evil hearts. Nor could the extreme meekness and forbearance of their leader sub- due their obduracy. Their arrogance naturally angered the Supreme ; indeed, they who for their own worldly purposes set at defiance the Divine law, and turned against God's chosen servant, might, when the occasion offered, work on RELIGIOUS ZEAL. 293 the entire people to evil and sap the very fount of all morality and order. To check such insubordination, to warn others from indulging in a like proceeding, and further, to justify his righteous servant in the eyes of the people, .God decreed the severest retribution on the offenders ; " the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them all, so that they perished from among the congregation". Thus did these hypocrites, these simulators of religious zeal, meet an early, sudden, and fearful death, while most of those who served the Lord in singleness of heart lived to enter the promised land, or, as we have it in the words of Moses, " Of all the men that fol- lowed Baal-peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you, but ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day". A. contrast and a lesson well worthy of remembrance. An earnest, heart-inspiring performance of all that reli- gion inculcates constitutes religious zeal. Owing its birth and vital principles to the two exalting sentiments of grati- tude to God and love to man, it will, if pure, loyal, and genuine in character, manifest itself in an eager desire to do God's bidding and fulfil His commandments, in an ever- ready will to forward each good, each holy work, subserving the cause of true philanthropy. If, however, it diverge therefrom or seek other channels, if it be not God's word, but man's devices, which give it form and colour, then as- suredly it is spurious, and will be fraught with much evil. Now, if we will only cultivate sedulously that religious and benevolent spirit which has but one aim, the true, but one impetus, the right if we will make the two ennobling sen- timents of grateful love to the Supreme and kindly sym- pathy towards our fellow-men abiding principles, and take them as the basis of our conduct then will our pious zeal turn to good account, and we shall frequently find ourselves in active co-operation with the Divine purpose. Now surely, * Deut. iv, 3. 294 RELIGIOUS ZEAL. when we feel how great, how glorious, is this prerogative, we shall need no further stimulus or incentive to induce us to rouse these motive powers into vigorous action on every suitable occasion. Besides, do not all the best feelings of our nature prompt and loudly call for their exhibition ? Thus let us duly reflect on God's manifold mercies, for then must gratitude infallibly become a predominant sentiment in our minds, and our zeal in His service will know no hin- drance, no bounds. Loving the Lord " with all our heart and with all our might", we shall delight in glorifying His name in prayer and praise, we shall testify our reverence by a willing and implicit obedience to His law and ordinances, we shall sanctify our love to Him in trampling under foot each lower interest which interferes with our solemn duty, and earnestly strive to make our every act and deed pleas- ing in His sight. Now, how can we more effectually accomplish this latter purpose than by loving and materially serving His creatures? The Great Framer and Ruler of the Universe cannot be satisfied with a mere tribute of grateful praise and adora- tion, but further demands of us that fervent zeal which takes for its object the promotion of human happiness and the general welfare, since therein consists the most exalted virtue. The adequate fulfilment of this high obligation, this solemn duty, necessitates on our parts the frequent ex- ercise of self-denial, much perseverance and great good- feeling. We shall only make an important advance in the good work when in the true spirit of benevolence we forego our own advantage for the sake of others, when we sacrifice our ease and comfort to benefit our fellow-mortals, and when we contribute our means to the needy, our sympathy to the afflicted. Aware that happiness only abides where religion and virtue dwell, we shall earnestly seek to kindle the one and promote the other, while being sensible that misery is greatly lessened in the world when poverty is relieved and the stricken heart cheered, we shall be ever ready as God's RELIGIOUS ZEAL. 295 almoners to serve the cause of charity, and as his truly pious servants shall in kindliness of heart minister to the comfort, happiness, and consolation of the sorrowing and infirm. These, then, and other laudable efforts to ameliorate the condition and promote the happiness of the human race are the true end and aim of religious zeal, which must thus com- mend itself to all, except indeed to the cold-hearted, the selfish, and the indifferent, who know little of and appreciate less these outpourings of a pious and beneficent spirit. Now, when we find that the mere mention of religious zeal only too frequently excites a sentiment of antagonism, engenders distrust in its exponents, and is rather shunned than courted by mankind in general, we are naturally led to question why that which should be fraught with so much good to the human species can raise up such untoward, such depreciatory feelings, and why, instead of being regarded as a virtue, it should be placed under a ban, as if indeed it were a moral deformity. Assuredly the reason is this : human infirmity on the one hand, and human presumption on the other, disfigure and distort it by means of the garb where- with they clothe it. Thus is it rarely to be seen radiant in its own native beauty ; but dark, forbidding, and austere, it stands forth repellant to our feelings and offensive to our moral perceptions. Do not, then, the causes which dim, though they may not totally extinguish the refulgent light of religious zeal, and which tend to -dry up this vivifying source of human happiness, demand serious attention ? Surely we may not suffer them to blight the fair fruits that a heartfelt zeal should bear, nor permit them unchecked to taint the parent stem and poison all that comes within their baneful influence, as does the upas tree. Hence, it behoves us to heed them well and observe their numerous ramifica- tions, each working more or less evil. Now, among those attendant on human weakness is Bigotry, which is nothing else than a senseless and ignoble zeal, often degenerating into the gloomiest and grossest superstition. The light of 296 RELIGIOUS ZEAL. reason and religion shines but feebly on the mind wherein it harbours, which will thence become more and more con- tracted and sombre as age advances. Totally opposed to all true enlightenment, bigotry is quite a thing apart from true religious zeal, yet often assuming its name to mask its own deformity. We have next to deal with impulsive zeal, a flickering light easily extinguished by the fear of ridicule, moral lassitude, or selfishness. It is the mere prompting of feeling, or sometimes indeed of conscience, but it usually passes away with the momentary cause which has excited it, and too often sinks into indifference. Its aim, if not alto- gether purposeless, is generally fanciful and Utopian, schem- ing for remote and improbable good, while blind to that which may be effected at our very doors. It kindles its temporary flame from passion and imagination rather than from reason ; it is never either uniform or consistent ; it may for a time dazzle by its brilliant show, but it will as- suredly pale before the steady light of holy zeal. Nor do the effects of human weakness stop here, since to the moral infirmity of man we owe that human presumption which plays such havoc with all that is most sacred, and works such incalculable ills in the assumed garb of religious zeal. Pride in religion is indeed itself a crime, and ever pro- ductive of a thousand crimes. False to its would-be sanctity when it throws off the garment of humility and robes itself in intolerance, it darkens that which should be most fair, and finally receives its due desert in the opprobrium of man- kind. Moreover, it has frequently to pay a yet more severe penalty. Scripture tells us that " none may ascend the holy hill or receive blessings from the Lord but they who have clean hands and a pure and humble heart". Intolerance is indeed of monster birth, and writes its character in blood. It is ever ready to sound the tocsin of oppression, forgetful of the Supreme injunction in Lev. xix, 18, " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself". But human pride or presumption does further injury to the^ood cause by setting itself in con- RELIGIOUS ZEAL. 297 stant antagonism to virtues which are every way calculated to temper our zeal and make it rational. To take an example, we shall find it opposed to the virtue of discretion. The in- junction, " Be not righteous overmuch", would assuredly be far less frequently disregarded could we hush the "voice of the charmer" self-conceit, to which we in a great measure owe extravagance of zeal or fanaticism, the spirit of bigotry, the arrogance which lays claim to uncommon sanctity, religious animosity, and cant, with its affected strictness and austerity of manner. What is it but pride and self-sufficiency, in direct opposition to practical good sense and self-knowledge, which causes us to over-estimate our religious lore while underva- luing that of others, which leads us to believe that we exclu- sively hold the key to the truths as to the mysteries of reli- gion ; what, indeed, but presumption permits us even for a moment to conceive that we honour God when we heap op- probrium and injury on his creatures, that induces us to be- lieve in our own infallibility, and then, so impressed, em- boldens us to use the " Divine fire" to spread desolation here on earth ? But spiritual pride, so frequently working untold evils without, has also power to ruin the inner man by deadening or chasing away each virtue, and when comes its certain downfall, then will it too readily hurl its victim into the opposite extreme of indifference or even scepticism. Now, it would be hard to say whether spiritual pride or callous indifference most wrongs the soul or makes the dead- liest thrust at truth, and all that man should most revere. Thence let us beware of falling into either extreme. We may, and should, show fervour in religion, nothing being more abhorrent to our nature than coldness of heart; but then, our devotion must be free from all excess of enthu- siasm. While never neglecting aught which religion in- culcates, we should render it easy and pleasurable by avoiding the institution of unnecessary forms, for assuredly we cannot overload the conscience without incurring the certain risk of rendering it sluggish and inert in matters of 298 EELIGIOUS ZEAL. vital importance to our moral nature. Finally, while firm in our own religious convictions, we should yet agree to differ with our fellow men of other creeds, and expound our religion by its practice, by morality, by charity in its most extended sense ; in a word, by our strict adherence to God's Holy Law. And in conclusion, let it be remarked that to religious zeal is especially applicable the aphorism " the tree is known by its fruit", and only when we can trace therefrom an inheritance of rich blessings to ourselves and others may we believe it to be genuine. Among the numerous advantages and benefits which we may expect to flow from or accompany devotional fervour, is a cheerful and contented spirit, for such is the boon true piety ever confers ; a mind well attuned to the beauty of nature and a pleasing sense of gratitude to its Beneficent Author ; also a heartfelt satisfaction attending each act of philanthropy, and that happiness which is caught by re- bound. Further, a fervent desire to secure the approbation of heaven will incite us to control or suppress all tumultuous passions, give us a yearning after excellence and goodness, and make us emulate what we love. Religious zeal, how- ever, should not be a mere inward feeling, but rather a bright and glowing light that will warm and vivify the heart of others. And to effect this purpose we must ex- emplify by our daily practice the good sentiments we have stored up in our breasts ; we must eloquently and openly manifest the benevolent spirit which animates us, and no way seek to hide any worthy or charitable deed, as if, forsooth, it were deserving of condemnation. We must meekly, lovingly endeavour to stir up others to the good work, and unite in hearty fellowship with all who, in a true spirit of philanthropy, strive to promote and perpetuate the happiness of their species. Such, then, is the object of religious zeal, and here also are some of its fair and promising fruits ; but would we have a yet further inducement to persevere zealously in our RELIGIOUS ZEAL. 299 labour of love, let us ever bear vividly in remembrance that the good performed works onwards and onwards, ever re- newing, ever extending, and, while thus prospering here on earth, will carry with it an eternal blessing. PRECEPTS. The following Scripture verses amply eluci- date in what religious zeal consists. David, in his beautiful Psalm xxxv, bids us " magnify the Lord"; and then de- clares " my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day long". The same pious feeling mani- fests itself in Psalm Ixxi, where he says, " May my mouth be filled with Thy praise and with Thy honour all the day ; it shall show forth Thy righteousness, and I will praise Thee ' more and more"; and again, in Psalm ix, " T will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart ; I will show forth all Thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in Thee, Thou Most High". Then, in Psalm cvii, after enthusiastically exclaiming, " Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men", he calls on them to " sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgivings, and declare His works with re- joicing". Turning to Psalm c, which may be said to be a brief epitome of the sublime Psalm ciii, we are exhorted, as the creatures of God's bounty and Fatherly tenderness, to " be thankful and bless His name"; and to " serve the Lord with gladness, for He is good". But David stops not here ; he bids us not only " give thanks unto the Lord, and sing praises to Him with understanding", but also to "make known His deeds among the people, and declare His glory among the heathens" (the ignorant and benighted), testify- ing his own pious zeal in this respect in the following words, O how I love thy Law ; it is my meditation all the day". Also the prophet Isaiah thus proclaims in what religious zeal consists, ch. Ixi, " To preach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the broken heart, to comfort the afflicted, to give the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of 300 KELIGIOUS ZEAL. praise for the spirit of heaviness"; and then further de- clares, " I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in the Lord". Malachi thus describes the pious man ; one full of pure and holy zeal, ' ' God's covenant of love and peace was with him, because of the fear wherewith he feared the Lord. The law of truth was in his mouth; he did turn many away from iniquity".* Indeed, genuine re- ligious zeal might almost be summed up in the words of Jeremiah, " To be valiant for the truth on the earth", this being its distinctive feature. The heart that is true to truth, and warm as true, will assuredly never lack the bright heavenly flame of holy zeal. Scripture, while thus instructing us in what it consists, also bids us use therein a wise discretion. In Eccles. we are told, " be not over righteous"; all excess of zeal only prejudicing the cause we desire to promote ; our own powers will become weakened and impaired by immoderate exercise, while at the same time we rather deter than attract others by any undue or in- temperate display of zeal. Overstrained, it becomes spurious, and thence is undervalued by many who stop not to dis- tinguish between the false and the true. It is possibly to this cause we may attribute the fact that, if perchance re- ligion becomes the subject of conversation, many take alarm, yet are we bid, Psalm cv, 2, " To talk of all God's wondrous works"; and in Malachi we are told, ch. iii, " They that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it". Assuredly, if God is " in all our thoughts", we cannot, we may not deny, the tem- perate expression of our religious feelings on suitable occa- sions. That which we have near at heart will always find a voice. It is excess of fervour against which we must guard. Also we should beware of that pride or presumption which by word, or look, or deed, leads man to declare to his fellow- man, in the words of Is. Ixv, " Stand by thyself; come not near me, for I am holier than thou"; and further, it * Isaiah ii, 6. RELIGIOUS ZEAL. 301 behoves us not to set our hearts so fixedly on the goods of this world that religious zeal becomes a dead letter to us, and spiritual interest as an unopened book ; but take heed to the following exhortation of Haggai i, " Consider your ways, ye have sown much and bi-ing in little ; ye eat, but ye have not enough; and he that earneth wages, earneth wages but to put it into a bag with holes". Now, while these words of the prophet clearly enough show us the futility of worldly gifts if we are destitute of the spiritual element, the following verses point out in favourable con- trast incalculable benefits which flow from this latter. Ne- hemiah thus speaks to us, " The joy of the Lord is your strength". David's words, in Psalm xvi, are to like effect; he says, " I have set the Lord always before me, because He is ever at my right hand ; I shall not be moved". Also, in Psalm Ixxxix, he declares, ' ' Blessed is the people that know the joyful song of praise ; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. In Thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in Thy righteousness they shall be exalted". Then, in Psalm iv, he calls on us to " know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly to Himself"; and, in Psalm xcvii, he tells us, " Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart". But the pious David, who was also eminently practical, assuredly arrived at this conclusion that a holy zeal is not only compatible with our worldly interests, but is most conducive thereto. We might hardly doubt this, even if we had no other quota- tion to offer in confirmation than that following, taken from his Psalm xxxvii, " Delight thyself in the Lord, and He will give thee the desires of thine heart""; such desires, indeed, as a merciful God can grant in love to His creatures. King David further repeatedly urges us to apply our hearts to the study of the Holy Law ; for thereby we may justly learn to distinguish between the lasting commandments of God and the superstitions of men ; as also to perform faithfully and zealously the former, since then shall we undoubtedly 302 RELIGIOUS ZEAL. find " its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace". Let us, then, never weary in well-doing, but seek through our daily practice to fulfil His Law, and ever subserve the good cause -, for then may we feel, with the good King Hezekiah, that ' ' With us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles".* Truly, in the service of God are to be found both joy and strength. EXAMPLES. It has been shown that in the time of Moses, national displays of religious zeal were with the ISRAELITES but of rare occurrence, and then in most instances proved mere temporary impulses, seldom surviving the emergency or joyous deliverance which had called them forth. Nor, unhappily, was it otherwise during the whole period that they were under the sway and guidance of their judges, Icings, and prophets. Indeed, if we consider that their later history extended over more than one thousand years, the instances of spontaneous religious enthusiasm were remark- ably few. Two, however, are worthy of all attention. The first refers to the building of the Temple by Solomon, and its dedication. David had made every possible preparation for its construction by his son, being himself denied that privilege, owing to his having " shed blood abundantly, and made great wars". He amassed " gold, silver, brass, and iron without number", so that the " House built for the Lord be exceeding magnifical; of fame and of glory throughout all countries". f He bid his son be " up and doing", and also urged upon the Princes of Israel to help him, and " set their heart and soul to seek the Lord", so that the work might prosper. With true liberality did they and the entire people respond to the call. They brought very much gold and silver ; indeed none of their richest posses- sions were withheld, so that we read, " they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasurer of the * ii Chron. xxxii, 8. f I Chron. xxii, 5. ISRAELITES. 303 House of the Lord"; and that " the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, and with a perfect heart to the Lord". Then, on the completion of that magnificent Temple, came the dedication, when songs of praise and adoration broke forth from the multitude, and swelled into one- Hallelujah. Further, their devotion was accompanied by a. practical dis- play of true charity and holy zeal, in the shape of enormous sacrificial offerings. They brought freely of the best of their flocks, herds, and agricultural produce, such as flour, oil, and wine, in which consisted the bulk of their wealth, and laid it down as a freewill gift to be disposed of for the benefit of the Levites, and for the sustenance of the poor and the stranger. Their religious zeal had found an appro- priate channel in labour and gifts, while through the sacri- fices they were enabled to testify a liberal and self-denying spirit, with a heartfelt sympathy for the c'ause of genuine charity. The Book of Ezra furnishes us with the second instance alluded to, which is similar to the foregoing in most par- ticulars. It has reference to the laying the foundation of the second temple " The whole congregation gave according to their abilities unto the treasure which was to be appro- priated to its building; they offered burnt offerings con- tinually, both morning and night",* and bestowed freely sustenance and money alike upon those who were to be employed in the holy work. And when the Levites had made all the necessary preparations, and the foundation was about to be laid, then did the entire people unite and " sang together by course, praising and giving thanks unto the Lord, because He is good, and all the people in the joy of their heart shouted with a great shout". t In both these instances the entire nation appears to have been moved by one common impulse of heartfelt devotion and pious zeal ; for although it was David in the one case, and Ezra in the other, who touched the springs, the general enthusiasm may * Ezra ii, 64. f Ezra iii, 11. 304 EELIGIOUS ZEAL. yet be deemed genuine national outbursts, and certainly more spontaneous than any to which we have now briefly to refer. In each of the following examples the individual takes especial prominence, prompting and directing the people, and conducting the good work to a successful issue. Well, indeed, was it for the nation that in their midst ever existed God-loving and God-fearing men; men faithful in the service of the Lord, and actively zealous in the righteous cause. Truly, it was a bright spot in the history of the Israelites that on each recurring emergency up rose brave and noble spirits, who reanimated the desponding, incited the indifferent and backsliding to turn again to their God, and offered a bold front to the powerful enemies of their country. In the Book of Judges, to which we shall first turn, this characteristic is brought prominently before us, and we read, first of license and anarchy, in the words, " every man did that which was right in his own eyes"; and afterwards of repentance and reform. During the whole period of the Judges, which extends over three centuries, did light and shade alternate. Repeatedly did the people decline from the true worship, and as certainly were they again brought back through the instrumentality of the in- dividual. Often led captive by the surrounding idolatrous nations, they ever regained their freedom through the exer- tions of the brave champions of Israel. Thus Othniel, endowed with the spirit of the Lord, as was his uncle Caleb, with true religious zeal, fought the enemies of his country, and was triumphant. He was then raised to the honourable post of Judge, and, during the forty years he held sway, the " land had rest"; peace and order pre- vailed, for he had brought the people to do that " which was right in the eyes of the Lord". This high office not being hereditary, was often vacant, and only from time to time do we find any one pre-eminent for piety, for courage, or for worth, filling this post. At such periods, however, peace settled on the land ; Baal's altar lay shattered, and ISRAELITES. 305 the people, following the lead of their chief, sought the Lord, and were zealous in His service. This is especially observable under the rule of the prophetess Deborah, of Gideon, and Jephtha, each of whom wrought much good for the Israelites. Before leaving this portion of their history, it may be well to revert to one of its later incidents ; the violent outrage committed in the country of the Benjamites, and the general indignation it excited throughout the other cities of Judea. God's holy law had been violated; " a folly had been wrought in Israel", which called for summary punishment, and the entire people with one accord resolved it should be inflicted on the perpetrators of the crime. Therefore, assembling, and " knit together as one man", they " gathered against the city" to demand of the Ben- jamites the delivery of the criminals " these children of Baal" but, being refused, a war, breathing the most ardent spirit of zeal against moral evil, was declared by the united eleven tribes ; nor did it cease till nearly the whole body of the Benjamites was exterminated. It had been resolved by the Israelites that none should return to his home till just reparation for the wickedness committed had been made, and they held to that resolve. But the atrocity once avenged, a revulsion of feeling instantly set in. Their former senti- ments of brotherly affection revived ; they wept in sore compassion at the injuries they had thought it necessary to inflict; and further, full of eager zeal on behalf of those that remained, they sought the House of God, and, after sacrificing unto the Lord, they thus prayed, " O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel that there should be to-day one tribe lacking ?" All, indeed, was for- given ; all was forgotten, except the forlorn state of the remnant of that tribe to whom every possible reparation was made. The cause of justice and of religion thus vindi- cated, the zeal of the nation took a most praiseworthy direction ; they offered up peace-offerings before the Lord, befriending those who had been so recently their foes, and X 306 KELIGIOUS ZEAL. thus was love and harmony restored to the entire camp of Israel. The period of the Kings was no less marked by light and shade than had been that of the Judges. Occasionally, through the piety of the ruling monarch, or the religious zeal of the prophets, the entire people were stimulated to true devotional enthusiasm. Such was the case when Asa held the sceptre, for we read, " And ASA did that which was good and right in the sight of the Lord, and when he heard the words of Obed, the prophet, he took courage and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and renewed the altar of the Lord. And when Israel saw that the Lord was with him, they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem, and offered unto the Lord abundantly ; they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul. They sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought Him with their whole desire, and He was found of them, and the Lord gave them rest round about."* Again, Jehoash in the first years of this reign, when, under the guidance of Jehoiada, the high priest, did that " which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did also the entire people, who, zealous in the service of the Lord, went into the House of Baal, and brake it down, and slew the priests of Baal before the altars"; at the same time giving money liberally for the repair of the temple. Then, when the good King Hezekiah began his reign, the House of God, which had long been closed, was re-opened and cleansed. The whole people con- secrated themselves to the Lord, brought abundant sacrifices and thank offerings, rejoiced with their King before God. In- deed, so great was the rejoicing that " since the time of Solomon there was not the like in Jerusalem." Finally, during the reign of Josiah, the people testified the greatest possible zeal in the cause of their religion. " They levelled * ii Chron. xiv, 2 ; xv, 8, 11, 15. ELIJAH. 307 to the ground the altars of Baalem ; they cut down, brake in pieces, and made dust of their molten images, strewino- it on the graves of them that had . sacrificed unto their idols" ; they gave liberally for the service of the Temple, fulfilling every ordinance, and joyfully observing the Pass- over. But even these excellent Kings would possibly have been unsuccessful in bringing the heart of the nation to its God, but for the earnest co-operation of the prophets. Bewailing the wickedness of the times, they upbraided and exhorted, threatened and encouraged in turns, and this in the sublimest strains of eloquence. Indeed, these God-loving men were " valiant for the truth". Zealous in the cause of Him to whom they had sanctified their lives, they walked fearlessly for- ward in the path of duty, never losing sight of the right and the holy. But it was more especially at periods when the throne was filled by sinful princes, and the nation was hopelessly sinking into the grossest idolatry, that they stepped resolutely forward, fronting the corrupt and hard- ened monarch on his throne, and braving the obdurate and depraved people in the very midst of their wrong-doings, nor desisting in their pious efforts till they had effected a reform. One instance may here suffice, and we select ELIJAH, not only because he stands foremost among the faithful and zealous servants of the Lord, but also because the events about to be narrated effectively illustrate that which has been advanced. Thus, at the opening of his history, he is presented to us as standing before King Ahab, who " did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him", and at the hazard of his life, upbraiding that vile monarch for his great wickedness, while prophesying a protracted drought and famine as the consequence thereof. He then fled the country, but returned again to face the irascible monarch when the predicted calamities had long prevailed in the land. That such a proceeding * i Kings xvi, 30. X2 308 RELIGIOUS ZEAL. was attended with the utmost risk is manifest from the words which passed between the prophet Elijah and Obediah, the God-fearing and faithful servant of the Lord, when they met perchance on the way. Fully persuaded that not even one so resolute as Elijah would have the courage to face the incensed monarch, Obediah shows himself most dis- inclined to go back as bidden and announce to Ahab the prophet's return. He even thus remonstrates, " What have I sinned that thou wouldst deliver thy servant who feared the Lord from his youth into the hands of Ahab to slay me" ? As the Lord liveth there is no nation or kingdom where my Lord hath not sent to seek thee, and now thou sayest, Go tell . thy Lord, Behold, Elijah is here".* How- ever, upon the prophet repeating the assurance in these for- cible words, " As the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to-day" ; Obediah departs at once to give the message to the King. Truly, the God-loving Elijah was not to be intimidated or moved from his purpose by any such representations. Relying on the goodness of his cause he prepared himself to encounter his Sovereign, and on their meeting it certainly was not the lone prophet who was most awed. Ahab could only find words to put this simple interrogatory, " Art thou he that troubleth Israel ?" while Elijah thus fearlessly answered him, " I have not troubled Israel ; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim". t But Elijah stopped not here, he felt his vantage ground, and added, " Now, therefore, send and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal"; nor did Ahab hesitate, but at once conceded all that the dauntless prophet de- manded. And now a scene is presented to us unrivalled in the records of history. Elijah, standing alone, resolutely defiant, before some four hundred ancl fifty priests of Baal, and with undaunted front boldly addressing the monarch * i Kings xviii, 9. f r Kings xviii, 18. RELIGIOUS ZEAL. 309 himself, and the whole concourse of his subjects, in these stirring and vigoi-ous words, " How long halt ye between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow Him, but if Baal, then follow Him". Indeed, so irresistible was his appeal that "the people could not answer him. one word". Then followed a mocking rebuke to these worshippers of Baalim, and after proving to them how impotent was their idol god, he called the people to witness a sign, a Divine miracle which they no sooner saw than " they fell on their faces, and said the Lord He is God, the Lord He is God". Further, acting in accordance with the command of Elijah, they took these prophets of Baal, and "letting not one escape, slew them all." But the prophet had also to deal with the cruel and wicked Jezebel, and judging that his life was in imminent peril through her vile machinations, so long as he abode in the country, he had to pass over into Beer- sheba, and even seek refuge in the wilderness. It was at this period when, exhausted and wearied by the trials and fatigues he had undergone, that being interrogated by the Lord as to his doings, he set forth the criminal conduct of this unhappy people under their vile rulers, his own earnest zeal in contending with their infatuation and obduracy, as also his perilous position, and these are his words, " I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away". Truly, was his life one act of devotion ; he " walked with God". He was faithful in the service of the Lord, and of untiring zeal in each good, each holy cause. Here, then, is one of the true lights of Israel, an ever-shining light the example and the man alike immortal. * i Kings xix, 4. 310 KESIGNATION. RESIGNATION. Leviticus x, 3, u And A aron held /us peace.'" LIFE is mostly what we make it. Trials there must ever be, but their intensity and their number will greatly depend on past conduct and on character. The individual History of AAEON fully exemplifies this truth, and thus affords a useful lesson to those who will review the incidents of his life, and trace his every act in relation thereto. The first mention of Aaron's name is to be found in Exodus iv. He is there presented to us as " glad in heart" at the prospect of greeting Moses, his brother, from whom he had been separated during long and trying years ; also, as being fully prepared to undertake a mission second only in importance to that confided to Moses which the Lord had intrusted to him. Now, when we read of the kindly salutation which passed between the brothers on their meeting in the wilder- ness, when we find their names coupled together as boldly facing Pharaoh in his wrath, and working out the deliver- ance of Israel, we may not doubt either the fraternal affec- tion of Aaron or his resolution and courage ; indeed, we are naturally led to entertain a high opinion of the worth of one chosen by the Supreme as a fitting instrument for His great pm-pose. But all is comparative ; and when wo come to test his character at other periods of his career, we find that he fell immeasurably short of the moral excellence of Moses. Certain it is that no one ought to have comprehended better the powers of the Most High than he who had been instrumental in performing the miracles God graciously wrought' for Israel, and thence it might well be supposed KESIGNATIOX. 311 that, inspired by pious reverence, awe and faith, he would have moulded his conduct by the will of the Almighty under every conceivable circumstance. Unhappily, however, Aaron possessed but little strength of mind ; a sad and fatal in- firmity of purpose marred his natural goodness and noble- ness of disposition ; indeed, he was only too easily led to the commission of acts which militated greatly to his dis- credit, and brought the severest after-consequences in their train. The first instance of this occurred within a brief period of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and faint, indeed, must have been the impress of the glowing past in the feeble mind of Aaron for him so soon, so easily, to forget what was due to the Majesty of the Supreme. Assuredly he displayed a fearful weakness of character when he yielded, on the very first appeal, to the wilful yearnings of the people after idol worship ; but how much more culpable must that weakness appear to us when we reflect that, instead of sternly rebuking them, he himself undertook the task of accomplishing their evil intent. We find no remonstrance whatsoever on his part ; he neither urged them to abandon their sinful purpose, nor did he place any obstacle in the way of its attainment, and, by thus retarding its execution, give time for the return of their resolute leader. Now, although second only in power to Moses, he sought not to turn his authority to account, but weakly bent before the wish of the people indulging, instead of curbing, their idolatrous pro- pensities. Truly he lacked the faith, with the strength of character, which would have led him to dare the anger of the people rather than incur the displeasure of Heaven. But he had not even the plea of fear to offer as an extenua- tion of his highly culpable conduct, the people not having shown any intention of resorting to violence ; and as prqof of this, let us note the words Moses addressed to Aaron on his return, together with the feeble and somewhat meaning- less response they elicited. To the query, " What did this people unto thee that thou hast brought so great a sin upon 312 EESIGXATION. them ?" Aaron simply replied, while evidently cowering under the rebuke, " Thou knowest the people that they are set on mischief", as if this fact, forsooth, was an ade- quate excuse for his conduct. Nor do we find that he en- deavoured to make any reparation for his wrong-doing. Although he had, through great moral pusillanimity, been instrumental in bringing sad calamities on the entire nation, he nevertheless sought not to make atonement for their iniquity, and stay the anger of the Lord through prayer and self-sacrifice. A weakness, amounting to cowardice, stole over him at this moment of a national crisis, and seemed to rob him of any pretence to moral excellence. And this becomes yet more observable when we compare the conduct of the two brothers ; for, while Aaron is content to remain perfectly quiescent, Moses proceeds with his cha- racteristic energy, coupled with an unparalleled sublimity of self-abnegation, to serve the cause of his erring country- men, as we read, "And Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin, and now I will go up unto the Lord, peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin".* Then follows his supplication to the Lord, " Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold, yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin ; and if not blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written". Thus sought this noble spirit to stay the de- plorable evils which resulted from the people's gross and shameless depravity, and Aaron's senseless and culpable conduct. Nor could Aaron himself have escaped the penalty of his wrong-doing but for the intercession of Moses, as we read, " And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him, and I prayed for Aaron also the same tirne".f Be it observed, however, that although God's anger was thus appeased, yet from this time forth Aaron's name is rarely coupled with that of Moses. Nor can it be a matter of surprise that, having minds so dissimilar, no * Ch. xxii, 40. t Deut. ix, 20. KESIGNATION. 313 long or close union of feeling and consequent action could subsist between them ; indeed, the next incident that oc- curred but too clearly points to a momentary estrangement on the part of Aaron, originating in his own culpable weak- ness. Assuredly to moral cowardice must be attributed his siding with his sister Miriam, when, in a spirit of petty jealousy, she " spoke against Moses, because of the Ethio- pian woman whom he had married", since there was not even a shadow of pretence for such conduct. But more than mere weakness indeed, the base passion of envy is clearly discernible, when, in a spirit of sedition, Aaron haughtily exclaimed, " Hath the Lord, indeed, spoken only by Moses ; hath He not also spoken by us ?" Thus per- mitting jealousy and pride to rankle in his heart, he forgot how greatly he was beholden to the merit of Moses for his high position, with its accompanying advantages, and ignobly turned against that excellent brother. But such reprehensible conduct was not suffered to go unreproved or unpunished. The Lord, after vindicating his faithful servant, thus called both Aaron and Miriam to account, " Wherefore, then, were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, Moses ?" a reprimand instantly followed by mention of the severe penalty they had brought on themselves, as we read, " The anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and He departed from them". Truly culpable must Aaron then have felt himself; indeed, the words he immediately after addressed to Moses afford ample evidence that he had overcome all feeling of envy, and become humbly penitent. They at once prove a willingness to acknowledge not only the spiritual superiority of his meek, forbearing brother, but also his higher, far higher, claim to the regard of heaven, as we read, verse 11, "And Aaron said to Moses, Alas ! my Lord, I beseech Thee lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned". Now, the All-gracious only designed to produce self-reproach on the part of Aaron, but with Miriam it was otherwise; her 314 KESIGNATION. chastisement must be so marked as to be discernible to the entire congregation, since she it was who had instigated the spirit of insubordination ; and, indeed, but for the loving- kindness of her much- wronged brother, she would have had to suffer a yet more severe punishment. Again, for the third time, Aaron kindled the anger of the Lord ; but on this occasion it was in conjunction with Moses. This leader of a rebellious people, greatly provoked by their murmur- ings, disobeyed the word of the Supreme, in a moment of temper, and smote the rock, when he had been charged to speak to it. Now Aaron had received the like injunction to " sanctify the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel",* and again he showed himself devoid of that moral courage which would have enabled him to face the people, assert his authority, and check their momentary exasperation, or, if powerless to effect this, would at least have inspirited him to stay the hand of his brother, so to withhold him from com- mitting a deed which was to render them alike culpable in the eye of Heaven. Truly herein each had greatly, griev- ously erred ; therefore was it decreed that both alike should suffer the penalty, and neither brother was spared to see the promised land. Now, to be deprived of that sight after which their hearts had so long yearned must have been a severe trial to them both ; but surely Aaron must have ex- perienced the bitterest pang of regret, since he had to re- proach his own coward heart for not arresting the hand of the worthy relative to whom he owed a deep debt of love and gratitude, thereby standing his true friend at a moment when, for once, his intervening might have proved so ser- viceable. Finally, turning to the heading or subject matter especially under consideration, we must in some measure ascribe the impious conduct of Aaron's sons to the same inherent weak- ness of character, which restrained him from duly exercising his parental authority. Before, however, lending our atten- * Ch. xx, 12. DESIGNATION. 315 tioii to this most painful incident in the life of Aaron, let us carefully note the one circumstance which naturally tended to produce such faint-heartedness, for then shall we be more apt to pity than condemn him. Aaron was more than eighty years of age when he quitted the land of bondage, and though he could for a time rise to vigour of purpose and vigour of action through the interposition of the Deity, his spirit was so cowed by long, long years of slavery, that he had become weak and nerveless. Aaron, together with the entire people, had to serve an apprenticeship to free- dom, which alone could teach them that they were re- sponsible agents, as well as other lessons not to be learnt during a cruel servitude. Weak and faulty, then, as Aaron proved himself on various occasions, we have this extenu- ating circumstance to bear in mind when considering the high position to which he rose. Certain it is, that had there not been much good in his character, the High Priest- hood would never have been conferred on him, even for the sake of his brother, whose own sons, be it observed, were not exalted to any high dignity. The Great Searcher of hearts will have seen in His servant qualities fitting him for the sacerdotal office, and indeed during the forty years he ministered before the altar, he never once faltered in the per- formance of his ministerial duties. Alas ! that he had not duly counselled his sons, disciplined their minds, drawn their hearts into the service of God, and so impressed them with the solemnity and sacredness of the functions they had to discharge, as to have rendered it almost impossible that they should have wilfully disobeyed the Divine injunction in the sight of the entire people assembled, as we read, " And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each his censer and put fire therein, with incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not". Is it not also probable that even prior to this period Aaron had seen indications of unfitness on the part of these two * Lev. x, 1. 316 RESIGNATION. sons for the proper discharge of their important duties, yet lacked the moral courage to dismiss them from a post they were unworthy to fill ? Be this, however, as it may, no such flagrant breach of duty could be suffered to pass unpunished. They had, in utter disregard of the sacredness of their office and the high trust reposed in them, not only failed to " sanctify the Lord in the eyes of the people", but had even outraged every sense of propriety and acted in direct oppo- sition to the command of the Supreme. Though they had bound themselves to inculcate the principles of truth to the people, whose idolatrous propensities called for careful su- pervision, they nevertheless were the first openly to violate God's ordinances and turn from the path of duty ! Death alone could atone for such sinfulness, and as their crime had been publicly committed, so was it publicly expiated, thus, " There went out a fire from the Lord, which devoured them, and they died before the Lord". Now, how did the poor be- reaved parent bear this awful shock, this fearful trial ? Truly, it was borne with a fortitude and resignation which could leave no doubt as to the marked and beneficial change that had at length been wrought in his character. The enfeebled mind recovered its tone under affliction and trouble, and on Moses considerately exhorting him to seek consolation by not regarding his sorrow as a parent, but solely in relation to the Supreme will, we find that " Aaron held his peace". No murmur, no word of dissent even, was heard ; his per- turbed spirit was evidently calmed by the following mild yet forcible words of Moses, " The Lord hath said, I will be sanc- tified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified",* and the solemn admonition they conveyed striking him to the soul, at once subdued all idle, all impious repinings. His silence was indeed a tacit acknowledgment of the truth breathed forth in his brother's gentle reminder, and a heartfelt recognition of the equity of the Supreme. More than any form of speech it eloquently said, My sous * Lev. x, 3. RESIGNATION. 317 have grievously sinned, whether they presumed wantonly to transgress the law, or whether, with minds darkened through inebriation, they lost sight of the reverence due to their sacred office, their crime could not but be equally offensive to the Majesty of heaven, and demanded the forfeiture of their lives, whereby even-handed justice might be satisfied ; I therefore bow and humbly submit to God's all-wise decree. A sense of his own past parental weakness must have struck a painful chord in his heart, and much self-reproach will have mingled with the thought of his son's crime to increase his mental anguish. Now, it must not for one moment be sup- posed that Aaron's silence was caused by either apathy or indifference ; he deeply, keenly felt the death of his sons, as his words and conduct alike testify. To his mind, " after such things had befallen him", it would have been a dese- cration to partake of the sacrifice ; his heart, weighed down with grief, lacked the proper spirit wherewith all offerings should be made, and therefore such could not be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. It was assuredly this sentiment which prompted the folio wing rejoinder on the part of Aaron when Moses angrily demanded the cause of his deviation from the usual and authorised practice : " Behold, this day have they offered their burnt offering before the Lord, and such things have befallen me, and if I had eaten the sin offering to-day should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord ?" The parental love, the grief, the sublime spirit of faith, which breathe in these words were fully appreciated by the Divine Legislator, since with this answer " Moses was content". The feeling of the father was held sacred, and religion, which never asks any unnecessary or harsh sacri- fice, claimed none here. A true spirit of resignation had marked Aaron's conduct throughout this trying season of adversity, and assuredly obtained the approval of heaven, since he was permitted to retain the sacred office of High Priest to the very close of his long life, to watch, in gladness of heart, his remaining sons sedulously discharging their 318 BESIGNATION. high functions, and, above all, to know through the Divine assurance that on them and their posterity would devolve the everlasting Priesthood. And here, before closing this sketch, it may be service- able to remark that throughout the whole of Aaron's long after-career (for he passed away from earth at the venerable age of 123)* no further instance of weakness is recorded, while all betokens that he faithfully, earnestly, and reso- lutely fulfilled his heavenly-appointed mission. Recurring trials had gradually imparted to his character a stability and firmness which, ever after holding sway, kept him consist- ently, rigidly in the right path. Thus fulfilling the duties of his office, he will have forgotten the past, that past be- yond recall, and working for the moral good of his people, secured their respect and love (proved by their mourning his loss for thirty days),f as also a name here on earth and a rich inheritance in the realms above. Life would be but mere existence had it not its hopes and its failures, its expectations and its disappointments, its joys and sorrows. It is these waves of fortune, the constant ebb and flow of aspirations and desires, the incessant pulsation and agitation of pleasure, with occasional throes of pain and anguish, which keep it from stagnation. All these test, as they also serve to develop, the moral character, and give to life its form, colour, and motion. Now, amongst these many springs of action adversity and trials hold a prominent place. Like life itself, they have a high purpose, and, while they best gauge man's moral condition, they are also every way calculated to strengthen and improve it. But for them many an exalted virtue would be nearly dormant, and the power, the energies, the higher faculties of the soul would never be roused from their slumber indeed, we should know little of faith, fortitude, or resignation. However, before proceeding to consider the many benefits * Numbers xx, 28. t Numbers xx, 29. KESIGNATION. 319 which trials are calculated to confer, it behoves us to distin- guish between those which are of our own making and the afflictions which enter into and are part of the plan of the Great and Wise Ordainer. At first sight this might seem to require a large amount of discernment, and yet assuredly such is not the case. The character of each, with but few exceptions, is well defined, and we have only to search con- scientiously for the truth, discarding pride, which infallibly obscures the mental vision, in order to arrive at a well- grounded and approximate, if not certain, conclusion. An impartial investigation must result in this conviction, unpal- atable as it may be, that we are almost invariably the au- thors of our own sufferings. They are mostly attributable to misconduct or improvidence, to want of forethought or rashness, to wilful excesses, imprudence, resistance to duty, or impatience. Subtract these, and the larger proportion of evils, as also the minor vexations of life, would altogether vanish. We have only to cast from us all inopportune de- sires, all vain and restless longings, in order to dissipate many an imaginary as well as many a real trial. It is simply because we leave folly unchecked, and do not earnestly seek to profit by experience, that recurring trials and sufferings befall us. And if indeed serious defects of character are the principal causes, not to say the very origin of trials, so trials in their turn promise the surest and most speedy cure for defects of character. Nor do their beneficial effects stop here, for, besides promoting virtue, they also tend greatly to check physical ills. This once proved, we shall assuredly no longer be inclined to bemoan trials, but rather seek to trace them to their source, and learn to profit by them. Now, for instance, we must acknowledge that sickness or bodily infirmity is generally the result of some imprudence or excess, and that suffering, its natural attendant, often kindly steps in to warn, admonish, and check us in our perilous and venturesome course. Indeed, pain is nothing more than nature calling for relief, and woe to them who 320 RESIGNATION. neglect its call, and allow to pass unheeded the useful lesson it would teach. Truly it is well for us we have so stern a monitor to second the voice of reason and stay us in any rash or headlong course, before, too late, we discover that our vital strength is sapped and the fatal seeds of premature decay are sown, never to be uprooted. Now if pain, so seemingly detrimental, is yet, in the vast majority of cases, ultimately beneficial, we may not doubt that all other mis- fortunes which God suffers to befal us will also work to good if taken well to heart. Trials, sorrows, failures, make the man, the martyr, the hero ; they lend to the soul pity, love, sympathy, and other kindred emotions, while they afford scope for good offices. Adversity brings reflection in its train, displaying to us our weakness and dependence on God ; it recalls unatoned errors and sins, it shows happiness and misery in their true light ; it also enhances through con- trast the joys which succeed to grief, while it further incites hope, whets our sagacity, and stirs us to vigorous action. Supreme satisfaction is likewise sure to result when, after bravely combating with calamity, we have overcome those trials which seemed invincible and won the great prize of virtue which is in its keeping. Then, as to the more marked heavenly dispensations, and especially those of bereavement and death, which certainly are not a consequence of personal demerit, since they befall alike the virtuous and the sinful ; reason and religion tell us that, being universal, they cannot be evils, but rather blessings in disguise ; indeed, we must be the more convinced of this when we consider death as the especial messenger of a Wise and Beneficent Father. Thus regarded, it will assuredly not present itself as a dark and dreaded phantom, but be recognised as an angel of light of light eternal. Such a view of death can hardly fail to lighten the trials of life, while the glowing prospect of a promised heavenly diadem, shining ever brighter and brighter, will cheer and gladden man's lot here on earth. Before next proceeding to consider why trials and ad- RESIGNATION. 321 versity but too frequently fail in producing such happy results, it behoves us seriously to reflect that these are never negative in their effects ; if they do not soften the heart, they \vill surely harden it ; if they do not urge us to seek God in prayer, they will certainly tend to draw us from Him. Now, since trials will assuredly overtake us at some period of our lives, we should be prepared for their encounter, and ever ready in true piety and faith to cope with or repress their too common adjuncts, sinful repinings, and disbelief, black despair, or discontent. Resist or disarm these enemies to our peace and happiness, and we may feel assured that from trials good fruits alone will spring ; neglect or suffer them to have a place even as impulses, and nought but evil can ensue. Therefore, it becomes a bounden duty to combat these antagonists to right feeling and moral principle at their first approach; or should they, unhappily, have found a resting-place in the heart, to uproot and cast them from us. And surely, if we will only consider how sinful is the in- dulgence of discontent, we should have little difficulty in curbing it. Truly it is an oblique reflection on the goodness of the Deity ; nothing but wanton folly will cause us to cavil at the wise dispensations of Providence. We must, indeed, rise to the level of Divinity before we can dare to judge the Great Judge of All ; we must see every concurrent event, and, in fact, have those attributes which can alone apper- tain to the Supreme, before we can reasonably complain of any one occurrence which is suffered to befall us. Let us, then, look on affliction as the medicine of life ; and seeing that happiness, and not misery, is the normal condition, let us not be unmindful of the many blessings which are within our reach, but, freeing ourselves from pride and presump- tion when reflecting on our deserts, learn to moderate hopes, and be content with a fair quota of happiness. The mind will thus become inspired with the surpassing, mercy and goodness of God, and we shall assuredly feel that gra- titude for the numberless benefits received which is due to Y 322 RESIGNATION. Him, who is at once a gracious Euler and an even-handed Judge. One additional consideration remains, and that, is, how we should act when trials and afflictions overtake us. This is of vital importance, and demands our best attention; for according as we allow ourselves to be affected by them, so assuredly will be the close of our life. And here let it be observed that trials are divided into two very distinct classes, necessitating a totally different course of action. There are misfortunes which we can remedy, and those which we cannot. Hence it behoves us to endeavour to distinguish between them, so that in the former case, cast- ing from us all unnecessary repinings or cavillings, we may set ourselves to check or repair the evil, while in the latter, stilling useless and unavailing regrets, we may submit with a perfect acquiescence to God's all-wise decrees, and be re- signed. Now, with reference to such trials and misfortunes as are capable of being remedied, and which, if bereave- ment and death be excluded, will be found to form the larger proportion of them, only a passing observation is needed, for it must be clear to all those who reflect, that their cure must chiefly depend on the rejection of those errors and weaknesses to which they owe their existence, as also to the vigorous prosecution of a wiser course in the future. Then, if we will only listen to, and profit by, the experience of the past, we shall have little cause to appre- hend a return of disappointments, anxieties, and sorrows, while we may reap those many rich gifts which the future ever offers to the hopeful, the industrious, and the virtuous. But when we come to regard those afflictions and sorrows over which we have absolutely no control, we can hardly fail to perceive that for them there is but one certain panacea, and that is resignation. Palliatives there are, which should be called into requisition, and the foremost, to which alone we can here allude, is the exercise of sympathy. The heart that can feel for others' woes, and be interested in the well- RESIGNATION. 323 being of fellow-creatures, will not long smart under its own wounds. They who make it their province to soothe the stricken and the sorrowing, who minister to the wants of the poor and suffering, in a word, they who serve the cause of charity and brotherly love, will find their own burdens sensibly lightened ; and further cull their full share of the happiness they impart, for in blessing will they be most blessed. Thus, while we should seek for palliatives, it behoves us never to lose sight of that heavenly spirit of resignation which is the only true cure for the severer trials and sorrows of life. Now this, like every other virtue and duty, necessarily requires culture ; it must be made a fixed principle of the mind before it can be really serviceable and domiciled as a home sentiment in the heart whereby it may be ever ready at command. Let us then consider how such a frame of mind and dis- position is to be advanced, bearing in remembrance at the same time that resignation is not insensibility, and indeed that there must exist strong feelings to be curbed before it can even have birth. Now, assuredly, to secure its vigorous growth we must call to our aid the powerful auxiliaries reason, religion, and faith. These must bring with them a spirit of resignation, since they not only induce us to reflect piously, but further cause us to recognise the important truths, that God's dispensations are all adorable, how dark soever they may seem; that good greatly pre- dominates over evil ; that events seemingly most unfavour- able are often calculated to contribute to prospective, if not to present, happiness ; that we are apt greatly to err by overrating existing evil, and undervaluing present good ; finally, that Omniscience having permitted sorrow to be distributed in so happy, so bright a world, is proof positive of certain advantage accruing therefrom to his creatures. But true resignation demands much self-abnegation. Each willing sacrifice will bear its own proof that resignation is not mere indifference, but deference to the high will of God. Y2 324 RESIGNATION. Now, surely if we sincerely love the Great Giver, we shall be ever ready to yield up those treasures which He so graciously bestowed, remembering with humble gratitude that although we may have lost much, many blessings yet remain to us. In conclusion, let it be observed, that it behoves us to await the issue of events without that overweening anxiety which is the poison of life ; indeed, we should ever strive to look on the bright side, for thereby do we honour the Supreme, and further, we should seek for consolation at the only true fount, remembering that although God is some- times invisible, He is never, never absent. But most im- portant is it that we should not dwarf ourselves to the lowest possible standard by doubting God's Providence or God's justice. Doubt anything rather than this, whatsoever may betide. Mourn we may, we must, but let us not permit the eye to be continually dimmed with tears, that it be unable to see God in the universe. Let us seek to fulfil each duty, leaving nothing undone whereby we may merit the favour of heaven ; let us kindle the holy flame of faith with pious zeal, so that we may learn to trace nought but goodness in God's all-wise dispensations, for then, assuredly, we shall walk the path of life manfully, meeting each danger and difficulty, each trial and affliction bravely, fearlessly, and in a perfect spirit of resignation. PRECEPTS. We may well turn to the writings of the Sacred penmen for their views on the sorrows and trials of life, since nearly all of them were tried children of the Most High, and thence could be as essentially practical on this vital question as they were in their other teachings. Now, undoubtedly, they all arrived at the one important conclu- sion, that trials have a purpose, and serve to work out moral good to reasoning man. David thus speaks of the effects of sorrow on himself, Ps. xxx, 6, " I said in rny prosperity I shall never be moved, but as soon as Thou, O Lord, with- RESIGNATION. . 325 drawest Thy countenance I was troubled ; then I cried unto Thee, Lord, and unto the Lord I made supplication". It had thus fostered a prayerful spirit, and further led him to recognise and gratefully acknowledge God's loving kind- ness, for he adds, " Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, for his anger endureth but a moment, in His favour is life". In Ps. cxxvi, we again read, " They that sow in tears shall reap in joy", and truly the softened heart melts easily into gladness. Also " the preacher", who could see so little " profit under the sun", and said of " laughter, it is mad", expresses a like sentiment when he tell us, Eccles. vii, 3, " Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better". Then Isaiah, in his beautifully figurative language, ch. Ixi, shows that sorrow leads to the glorifying of God, and that the righteous will give "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness". Turning next to Deuteronomy, chap, xxxi, we are there distinctly told that sin cannot be suffered to go unpunished, and that the trials consequent thereon should serve to draw the offender from his course, and lead him to his God. Thus, " the Lord spake unto Moses, My anger shall be kindled against them, and I will hide my face from them, and many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?" And Asaph, in Ps. Ixxviii, re- capitulating the history of the Israelites, pointedly remarks on the effects which trials exercised on this rebellious people, by saying, verse 34, " When God slew them, then they sought Him ; and they returned and inquired early after God". Jeremiah exhorted a later generation to like effect in these words, chap, ii, 1 6, " Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee : know therefore and see that it is an evil thing, and bitter, that thou fearest not the Lord thy God, but hast forsaken Him". Truly, trials cannot but prove beneficial to each of God's erring creatures, and happy is it for us when we can con- 326 RESIGNATION. scientiously aver with the pious and much tried David, " It has been good that I have been afflicted". Now, to en- courage this view, and thereby dissipate all vain repinings, all sinful discontent, we should well consider and take to heart the following quotations, Ps. xxxiv, 19, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all". And again, Prov. iii, 11, "Despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of His cor- rection, for whom the Lord loveth He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth". Further, while we should bear in mind that " God's hand is not shortened that He cannot save, nor His ear heavy that He cannot hear"j we should also reflect that if we cease our endeavours to deserve His favour, He may deprive us of the power of enjoyment, or, as we read in Eccles. vi, 2, " A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth for nothing, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof". But here it must be observed that merely to attain a belief in the efficacy of trials and affliction does not suffice ; such belief should be made serviceable, and to be so, it must, on the one hand, be made to influence our con- duct for good, and on the other, should warm our hearts in humble trust to the Great and Wise Disposer, for then, in the first case, we shall avert many a sorrow, or, in the next, if trials come, as come they will, we shall be enabled to support them with true fortitude and pious resignation. Sacred writers seek to impress each of these considerations upon us under the most divergent points of view ; thus, as to the first, we are told in Ps. cxix, " Great peace have they who love thy law, and nothing shall offend them". Grief, indeed, seldom overwhelms any but the wrong-doer ; a sad and heavy spirit being ever the ultimate penalty paid for the infringement of God's holy law. But if such belief be duly taken to heart, then will it prove a sovereign balm, as it did to the pious David, who thus speaks of its efficacy, verse 92, " Unless the law had been my delight, I should RESIGNATION. 327 have perished in my affliction". Jeremiah's words are much to the same effect when thus addressing the backsliding Israelites, chap, ii, 1 7, " Hast thou not procured this calamity unto thyself in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, yet thou saidst I will not transgress". And in the second instance, the sacred penmen also afford much consolation by showing us that God ever befriends and strengthens his tried and suffering children. Thus we read, Ps. cxlv, 14, " The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down"; and in Psalm cxlvii, 3, " God healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds" ; and again, Ps. xxxiv, 18, " The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" ; then in Nahum, chap, i, 7, " The Lord is good ; a strong hold in the day of trouble, and He knoweththem that trust in Him"; and in Isaiah, chap. Ivii, 15, "I, the Lord, whose name is holy, dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the heart of the contrite ones, for I will not contend for ever"; then in Prov. iii, 26, "Let the Lord be thy confidence, He will keep thy foot from being taken"; and in Job xi, 13, " If thou prepare thy heart, and stretch out thine hand towards Him, then thou shalt forget thy misery, and re- member it only as waters that have passed away"; and again, in Lamentations, iii, 32, " Though God cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multi- tude of His mercies, for He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men" ; then Habakkuk in his own person bids us not to be cast down if poverty assails us, for, says he, chap, iii, 17, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither fruit be on the vines, nor the field yield meat, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord who is my strength"; nor if sickness come upon us should we forget to appeal in faith to the Great Healer as did King Asa, of whom we read in n Chron. xvi, that " when he became greatly diseased he sought not to the 328 RESIGNATION. Lord, but to the physicians"; finally, David, in the beau- tiful Ps. Iv, thus exhorts us, " Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee, He will never suffer the righteous to be moved" ; and in Ps. Ivii he thus speaks of himself, " My soul trusteth in Thee, O Lord, yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast". Truly, under the wings of an All- Wise and All-Gracious Protector do reason and religion alike bid us ever seek for strength, for strength of will to resist temptations in the time of prosperity, and for forti- tude to endure adversity in a meek, tranquil, and resigned spirit. Scripture records no more marked EXAMPLE of endurance coupled with fortitude, of mental and bodily suffering, tem- pered with resignation, than the one presented to us in the life and character of JEREMIAH. Of all the prophets he had the heaviest trials to combat ; of all the champions of their faith, he suffered most. Indeed, the mission confided to him was of a peculiarly disheartening character. It could only be brought to a successful issue through the sincere repentance of a king and people who had become hardened by a long course of sinful indulgence, and had fallen to the lowest depths of degradation. But as a true and loving servant of the Lord, utterly regardless of the gloomy pro- spect and dangers which lay before him, he set himself to his heaven-appointed task with undaunted courage, and carried it through with unswerving fidelity. Now, the energy with which he laboured, the resolution he mani- fested, the sacrifices he made from a sincere love for his countrymen, the perils he braved, in the hopes of rescuing them from an impending crisis, with the utter failure of his noble purpose, will be disclosed in the following brief epitome. The culminating crimes of an entire people necessitated the mission of the noble-hearted, self-sacrificing Jeremiah, JEREMIAH. 329 and in no instance throughout his Book is this more clearly demonstrated than in the following verses. On God thus speaking to his prophet, " Eun to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it",* Jeremiah dejectedly answers, " O Lord, are not indeed thine eyes upon the truth ? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved ; they have refused to receive correction, they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to return". TO the same effect we read in chap, viii, " I, the Lord, heark- ened, but the people of Jerusalem spoke not aright, no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done ? they called out, Peace, peace, where there is no peace"; and again, in chap, ix, the prophet thus reprobates their conduct, " They deceived every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth ; they weary themselves to commit iniquity". How bitterly the tender-hearted prophet bewailed their sinful pro- pensities, and the certain misery they were entailing on themselves is shown in his exclamation, " that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of 'my people"; f and how onerous he felt the task before him the following verse discloses : " Oh that I might leave my people and go from them, for they be an assembly of treacherous men". Yet he quickly rallied from this discouragement, and, passing to the next chapter, we find him praying for the people, proclaiming God's covenant unto them, and finally exciting their ire against himself by rebuking them for their disobedience and by prophesying future evils should they continue to offer incense unto Baal ! Indeed, a con- spiracy was formed to take his life, and, according to his own words, he would have been " like a lamb or ox that is brought to the slaughter and cut off from the land of the living" had not God averted the impending danger. No * Chap, v, i. t Chap, iv, 1. 330 RESIGNATION. change, however, being wrought in the conduct of the Israelites through the wise counsel of Jeremiah, they had to bemoan the fulfilment of his prophecy in the shape of a grievous famine overspreading the land. Vividly does the sorrowing prophet pourtray the dearth in chap, xiv, where he tells us that the nobles of Jerusalem " sent their little ones to the waters, yet found none, and returned with their vessels empty, that the people were ashamed and con- founded because the ground was chapt, for there was no rain in the earth"; and then, viewing the " great breach", with the sickness and deaths thereby occasioned, he ex- claims, " Let mine eyes run down with tears, let them not cease, for my people are broken with a very grievous blow". Yet even these calamities failed to bring about any radical, any permanent reform ; thus was Jeremiah once more bid to exhort and threaten, but again without avail, as may be judged by the answer he received, ' ' There is no hope, but we will every one walk after our own devices and do the imaginings of his evil heart". His perseverance in the good cause indeed only drew on him general contumely, and evenPashur, governor of the House of the Lord, who "had prophesied lies", hating God's true prophet, vented his ill- will by first smiting him, then causing him to be " put in the stocks which were in the high gate". Such treatment roused a momentary ebullition of angry feelings in Jere- miah's breast, and complaining that the word of the Lord should be " made a reproach unto him and a derision daily" he hastily declared, " I will not make mention of Him nor speak any more in His name, for every one mocketh me"; he further " curseth his birth, and lamenteth that his days should be consumed in shame". Nevertheless, on the sub- sidence of this momentary gust of irritability, he resumed his task, for, as he declared, " God's word was in his heart as a burning fire, he would weary with forbearing". And truly he greatly needed such zeal and determination, since from this time forth he had to contend with trials which, in JEREMIAH. 331 point of severity, made all preceding ones pale into insigni- ficance. As the insensate, reckless king, his corrupt nobles, and the false prophets with whom he had to deal became more and more conscious of the approach of the calamities foretold by Jeremiah, so they hardened their hearts more and more, and, instead of seeking to avert them through timely repentance, they merely vented their cruel wrath on the prophet who had dared first to exhort them, then threaten them into submission. An instance of this is afforded us in the reign of Jehoia- kim, for after openly denouncing God's threats, and thus addressing the entire people, f< Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, obey the voice of the Lord your God, and He will repent Him of the evil that He hath pronounced against you",* Jeremiah adds, " As for me, behold I am in your hands, do with me -as seemeth good and meet unto you", words testifying his sublime courage, since he was then addressing an incensed people who not only " had gathered against him in the House of the Lord", but by whom he had already been sentenced to death ! God, how- ever, was with him, and his submissive language had the desired effect, so far at least as his life was concerned, for thus argued the nobles among themselves, ' ' If we put him to death might we not procure great evils against our souls ?" It was, however, especially under the rule of Zedekiah that Jeremiah had to endure many an indignity and much cruelty. That monarch, though indebted for his throne to Nebuchadnezzar, showed himself neither grateful nor sub- missive. He followed in the footsteps of Jehoiakim, " filling Jerusalem with innocent blood", and finally rebelled against the mighty King of Babylon, who thereon marched with a formidable force to the gates of Jerusalem, alarming Zede- kiah to such a degree that he sought Jeremiah to ascertain the probable issue of this warlike demonstration. The an- * Chap, xxvi, 13. t Chap, xxvi, 19. 332 RESIGNATION. swer was such as greatly to displease the king, showing that since he would not return to his God or conform to the will of Nebuchadnezzar, " the city would be delivered into the hands of his enemies" and he himself made captive ; indeed, so great was his anger that he ordered the daring utterer of this dreaded threat to be at once imprisoned. But when the siege was prolonged, and famine began to desolate the land, whereby opposition became less and less practicable, the King, remembering how prophetic were the words of Jeremiah, showed him kindness and liberated him. The nobles of the land, however, who dreaded his threats, while yet unwilling to hearken to his exhortations, continued their persecutions; they first smote, then placed him in close confinement, and assuredly he would have perished of hunger had not the king, at his entreaties, " commanded that the keeper of the prison should give him daily a piece of bread until all in the country was spent". Now, deplorable as his plight must then have been, his trials had nevertheless not reached their climax, since the princes of the land, growing yet more hardened at the sight of the ravages caused by the famine, and more and more irritable as they became sensible of the utter fruitlessness of resistance to the besieging foe, sought to vent their rage on the prophet, who, in accord- ance with the word of the Lord, once again urged them to submission. Nothing less than his death warrant did they demand of the king, who, willing to conciliate these power- ful nobles, yielded to their wishes, and gave Jeremiah into their hands, whereon they " cast him into the dungeon that was in the court of the prison, a dungeon wherein there was no water, but mire, so Jeremiah sunk into the mire" !* And well was it that under such desperate circumstances, further heightened by the too certain prospect of starvation, he found one individual to succour him, else must he have surely suc- cumbed. To the compassion of Ebed-meleck, the Ethiopian, did the long-tried prophet owe his rescue, which was ef- * Chap, xxxviii, 6. JEREMIAH. 333 fected only in time for him to bear sorrowful witness to the total overthrow of the army, the spoiling of the city with the conflagration and total destruction of the Temple ! Fur- thermore,, he had to learn of the capture of the king, of his being cruelly deprived of his sight, as also of the massacre of the princes, his sons, and all the nobles of Judea. Now, long as these dire calamities had been foreseen by Jeremiah, the consummation of his prophecies touched his sensitive heart to the quick ; not even the maltreatment he had re- ceived at the hands of his countrymen could dull his sym- pathies, and greatly he grieved over their exile, while bit- terly deploring the destruction of God's House and the deso- lation of the city. As pi'oof of this, we have only to turn to that exquisite Book of " Lamentations", wherein he bewails the wretched condition of Zion, and vents his overwrought feelings in the most sorrowful and plaintive expression of compassion for the people of God. What a spirit of patriot- ism, what generous sympathy, what resignation and holy trust, pervade this eloquent and beautiful composition. Only one who had beheld Jerusalem in the flush of its pros- perity, had exulted in the sight of the Temple in its full glory, and had afterwards witnessed the city in its sad, fallen state, with God's House levelled to the ground, could have bemoaned the change in such pathetic language, such touching accents of uncontrollable anguish, as the following : " How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people ! how is she become as a widow ! she that was great among the nations ; she weepeth sore in the night, and hath none to comfort her. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in days of old. All her people sigh ; they seek bread".* Then in chap, ii, " What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem ; what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, for thy breach is great, like the sea, who can heal thee ? All that pass by clap their hands at thee, they hiss, * 'Lam. i, 1. 334 RESIGNATION. and say, Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth ?" Again, in chap, iv, " How is the gold become dim ; the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. The Lord hath accomplished His fury ; he hath poured out His fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem ; and again, chap, .v, "We have drunken our water for money, our wood is sold to us. The joy of our heart is ceased, our dance is turned into mourning, the crown is fallen from our head ; woe unto us that we have sinned". Then what depth of sympathy for his suffering brethren do the following sorrowful words betoken, " Mine eye runneth down like rivulets of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mine eye trickleth down without any intermission".* Further, with what earnestness does he implore them to seek God in prayer, saying, " Arise, cry out in the night, pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord ; lift up thy hands towards Him for the life of thy young children that faint for hunger in the top of every street". f " Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens". He also seeks to console them, while counselling amendment, thus, ' ' God doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him ; to the soul that seeketh Him. Though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies; He will not cut off for ever." J And assuredly Jeremiah him- self needed all the consolation and strength which a perfect trust in God alone can give in time of trouble. On the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, his own private trials might have ceased, since that monarch, appreciating the * Ch. iii, 48. f Ch. ii, 18. % Chap, iii, 33. JEREMIAH. 335 high character of the prophet, gave charge to the chief in command to grant him perfect freedom of action, in pur- suance of which order the captain of the guard thus spake unto him, " Behold, if it seemeth good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will look kindly upon thee ; but if it seem ill unto thee, forbear ; behold all the land is before thee, whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go thither go".* Thus was Jeremiah left at liberty to quit the desolate, famine and panic-stricken city, nevertheless he departed not, but stood resolutely to his post. While one duty remained to be fulfilled, one task to be accomplished, he could not be turned therefrom either by personal suffering or by the surrounding scenes of misery, which must have afflicted the tender-hearted prophet yet more deeply. To this noble-spirited man, his own private hopes and sorrows were as nothing when taken in conjunc- tion with the distress and hopeful regeneration of the na- tion. With a heart solely beating for the general welfare, he cast off all thought of self, and merged his own griefs in those of his countrymen. He was content to abide in their midst; sharing alike their privations, trials, and dangers. Truly he discharged to the last his arduous mission with ardent zeal and pious fortitude, as is clearly demonstrated in chapters xl to xliv of his book, wherein we find a short sketch of those events that followed the taking of Jeru- salem, to which we will now briefly refer. Jeremiah, on being permitted to proceed wheresoever it ff seemeth con- venient", went to Jedaliah, the newly-appointed Governor of Judea, and " dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land"f But, unhappily, neither he nor the nation was destined to know aught of peace and tranquillity, for, after only a brief rule, the Governor was murdered by Ishmael, "one of the seed royal", who aspired to regal honours, and he, in his turn, had shortly after to vacate the throne and fly the country, being chased therefrom by * Chap, xl, 4. t Chap, xl, 6. 336 RESIGNATION. Johanan, a powerful chieftain and friend of the late Go- vernor. The first step taken by this mighty captain gave promise of a respite from the ever-recurring troubles which beset this people, for we find him with " the captains of the forces and all the people, even from the lowest unto the greatest",* drawing nigh unto Jeremiah, and supplicating his intercession with the Lord, so that they might be shown the way wherein they should walk, and the thing they should do. Jeremiah at once expressed his willingness to comply with their request, promising "to keep nothing back of the words which the Lord shall speak unto him". This readi- ness to fulfil the desires of the people elicited a show of gratitude, and they even called on God, as witness that they would act in accordance with what the Lord had com- manded through him, saying, " This we will do, so that it may be well with us when we obey His voice". Now could Jeremiah have put faith in these words of good omen, he would have been greatly cheered, but he too well knew his countrymen, and his answer certainly evinced no sanguine expectation as to the fulfilment of their fair and specious assurances. Gladly, however, if not hopefully, he carried out their wishes; but when they afterwards refused to comply with their promise, he remonstrated with them in the most emphatic and pathetic language, pointing out how sinful would be their conduct if, in direct opposition to the known will of the Supreme, they should persist in quitting their native soil with the object of settling in Egypt, the land of idolatry. With all the eloquence of the earnest man, he exhouted and expostulated ; he also threatened and promised alternately. On the one hand, he foreshadowed for them a bright and prosperous future if they would only abide in their own home, and adhere to the true worship ; while, on the other, he foretold their fall into idolatry, with intensified calamities, should they wilfully quit their native soil. Thus he declared unto them, " Now if ye say, we * Chap, xlii, 1. JEREMIAH. 337 will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord, but we will go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, then it shall come to pass that the sword which ye feared shall overtake you there, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you, and there ye shall die".* He then added, " Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, As mine auger hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall My fury be poured forth upon you when ye shall enter into Egypt ; and ye shall be an execra- tion, and an astonishment, and a reproach. Therefore, O ye remnant of Judah, go ye not into Egypt ; know certainly that I have admonished you this day". He then reverted to their past hypocritical conduct in the following words, " Ye dissembled in your hearts when ye sent me unto the Lord, saying, pray for us, and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so we will do ; for ye have nofc obeyed His voice, nor done anything, for the which He hath sent me unto you". But neither Jeremiah's words of counsel and reproof, nor his threats of God's displeasure, could subdue their stubborn will, or stay their projected exodus, for we read, " And when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people the words of the Lord, then answered Azariah and all the proud men, saying, Thou speakest falsely, the Lord hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there", t &c. " So Johanan, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the Lord, but departed, and took with them Jeremiah the prophet. So they came into the land of Egypt". Here we see that Jeremiah himself was carried away to Egypt, where he again wrote and prophesied, and finally witnessed the fulfilment of some of his most gloomy predictions. Great, indeed, must have been his anguish of spirit when he saw how utterly futile were his struggles against such perversity such obduracy. One consolation, however, was left him in his later years. As he had pre- * Chap, xlii, 13. t Chap, xliii. Z 338 RESIGNATION. dieted the decline and fall of the nation, so also had the Lord bid him prophesy for it a bright and glorious future in these words, " But fear not, O my servant, be not dis- mayed, O Israel ; for behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity ; Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, saith the Lord, for I am with thee ; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make, a full end of thee". With so glowing an assurance of the ultimate welfare of his people before him, Jeremiah could view present trials with some composure ; and though destined to close his days in the land of idolatry, far from the home he so much loved, and for which he had made many, very many, sacrifices, he humbly bowed before the Supreme will, and was re- signed. We find no selfish repining even in his " Lamenta- tions " for though he declared in chap, iii of that exqui- sitely-beautiful Book, " I am the man that hath seen afflic- tion ; I am filled with bitterness ; my soul has been far removed from peace ; I forgat prosperity", with other similar passages, he adds, "Remembering mine affliction and my misery, my soul is humbled within me. This I recall, and therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not ; they are new every 'morning ; great is God's faithfulness". Truly, Jeremiah's was a tried life, claiming our pitying sympathy, while demanding yet more our unbounded ad- miration. Such a tribute is due at once to the tender-hearted man, who though painfully afflicted at being the bearer of evil tidings to his people, yet resolutely performed his sorrowful mission ; to the noble-spirited patriot, who bent the full vigour of his soul to his country's good, never re- laxing his efforts, though dangers threatened, and injustice, cruelty, and oppression were heaped upon him ; finally, to the champion of truth, to him who stood defiantly forward, * Chap, xlvi, 27. JOB. 339 manfully, zealously contending with the degenerate spirit of his age. All honour, then, to this spiritual hero, who, though worsted at each fresh encounter, worked bravely on till death released him from his arduous, self-sacrificing, and devoted labours. All honour to the fearless prophet the true and faithful servant of the Lord. A few allusions to the marked resignation displayed by the most tried of men, the pious JOB, will here suffice, since his character has already had our attention. But, firstly, we must observe that the trials which befell him were certainly not consequences of former misconduct, else we should not read, e< There is none Wee him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil", while, further, we have his own solemn protestations of past integrity in the several duties of life, at the very moment when his afflictions had reached their climax, and he is brought pathetically to exclaim, " Terrors are turned upon me, they pursue my soul as the wind, and my welfare passeth away as a cloud, I am become like dust and ashes". We may be equally certain, however, his trials were not without a purpose, and well they served to test his faith and prove how entire, how all-potent it was. Did ever words more demonstrative of perfect resignation pass the lips of man than the following words, uttered when unspeak- able calamities had just befallen him, " The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord". Nor was this a momentary ebullition of piety ; indeed, Job rather appeared to gather strength and endurance as ills accumulated and bodily ailments were added to the sad catalogue of suffering. We could have no surer proof of this than is to be found in the pious words wherewith he addressed his desponding wife, " What ! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ?" And although time passed on without bringing him any * Chap, i, 8, t Chap, xxx, 15. Z2 340 HESIGNATION. alleviation, we yet find no change of sentiment ; there is the same holy trust and belief in God's providence. To instance this, we have only to turn to chap, xxiii, wherein this patient man vouchsafes an answer to his troublesome and meddle- some reprovers; for, after declaring, " My stroke is heavier than my groaning, though to-day is my complaint bitter", he adds, " But God will not plead against me with His great power; no, He would put strength in me". He then pro- ceeds to express his belief in an especial providence as fol- lows : " God knoweth the way that I take", and further shows his thorough conviction that good will accrue from his afflictions in these words, "When he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold". Next, he clearly pronounces his sorrows to be dispensations of God, saying, " The Lord per- formeth the thing that is appointed for me". Thence we find that his trials, instead of inducing a spirit of repining, only prompted him to persevere in a course of virtue, for, after declaring that " the Almighty hath vexed my soul", he adds, "But while I breathe my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go, my heart shall not re- proach me as long as I live ; till I die I will not remove 'mine integrity from me".* And then follows this humble confession, full of true piety and faith, " Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee, Lord ; I will lay mine hand upon my mouth, nor proceed to answer thee further. I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee, wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes". Yet, virtuous as Job had ever been, he nevertheless declared, on the passing away of his trials, that they had been productive of good, bringing him nearer to his God, for thus he spoke, " I have heard of Thee, O Lord, by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee". From Job, then, let us learn to receive heaven-sent trials with true fortitude and resignation, and earnestly, * Chap, xxvii. f Chap, xl, 4. ESTHEli. 341 resolutely, make them subserve to that highest good, our moral well-being. Befoi-e concluding, another character calls for recognition under this heading, namely, that of the worthy Queen ESTHER. Raised from a lowly sphere to become the beloved consort of Ahasuerus, a mighty sovereign, ruler over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, her future, seemingly all bright and smiling, was speedily to be obscured by a storm-cloud that threatened to burst and overwhelm her, to- gether with all her race. The fortitude, the noble self- devotion, the pious resignation she displayed at this critical juncture, <;ives colour to a life which, as far as we may judge by the book bearing her name, was otherwise barren of in- cident. To this one point in her history, then, will we especially direct the following brief remarks. The extermi- nation of the whole body of Jews dwelling within the vast dominions of King Ahasuerus was decreed through the ma- chinations of the wicked and wrathful Haman, a favoured noble who " sat above all other princes". As we read, "And Haman caused to be sent letters, sealed with the King's seal, unto all the provinces to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and wo- men, in one day, and to take the spoil of them for a prey".* On the promulgation of this dread fiat, which, according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, could not be revoked, the poor devoted and doomed people bewailed their lot with "a loud and bitter cry". Doubtless there were many of this persecuted race who, trusting in God's gracious provi- dence, could not altogether abandon themselves to despair, but strove to avert the threatened danger, and foremost amongst these stood the virtuous and God-fearing Mordecai, uncle to the Queen. A brave, dauntless, and pious spirit had kept him from yielding undue homage to the base and proud Haman, and it now nerved him to repair an evil of which he had indeed been the innocent cause. With this * Chap, iii, 31. 342 RESIGNATION. object he sought the queen, hoping through her instrumen- tality to gain the royal ear. But when he first urged her to supplicate the king, she hesitated, not indeed from want of love or respect towards her uncle, whose commands she continued to obey as " when she was brought up with him", nor because she did not feel deeply for her people, nor yet from the belief that her exalted rank would shield her in the hour of danger, but because while incurring a known peril in appearing unbid before the king, she apprehended certain failure through so rash a proceeding. Nevertheless, on a second representation from her much-loved uncle, she at once acquiesced, doubtless feeling that there was truth in these his words, " Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"* Yes, we may well believe that the self-imposed terrible ordeal of this high- minded queen was principally dictated by a sense of duty, while the request she made to her people through Mordecai, and the concluding words of her reply to him, were the na- tural offspring of true devotional feeling and pious resigna- tion. They run thus : " Go gather together all the Jews and fast ye for me ; I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish". -f Thus having sought God's gracious protection, she was prepared for aught that might befall. With the memorable words on her lips, " If I perish, I perish", words indicative of dauntless courage and the most sublime resignation, she stood forth as the cham- pion of the right and achieved a glorious triumph. Through her bold daring, a daring not of the mere heroine, but rather that of the pious child of God she rescued her people from a violent and untimely end, saved a worthy monarch from committing a heinous wrong, and brought about the downfall of the ruthless persecutor of her race, the vile Haman, while she also indirectly secured for her much-revered uncle the most exalted rank in the empire, and withal gained for her- * Chap, iv, 14. f Chap, iv, 16. ESTHEIl. 343 self a yet greater hold on the king's affections. This latter fact is proved by the promise Ahasuerus made at the second banquet with the granting Queen Esther's suit " even to the half of the kingdom"! while as to the benefits she secured for her uncle and people, they are plainly set forth in chap, viii, where we read : " And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel and with a great crown of gold, and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad". Further- more, " the Jews had light, and joy and honour, and many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them". Let, then, this truly glorious consummation yield its prac- tical lesson, teaching us that even the darkest cloud is not without its silver lining, and, further, that it behoves us ever to do our duty resolutely, fearlessly, abiding, like the pious and noble Queen, the all-wise, all-gracious dispensa- tions of the Lord with perfect trust, and in a humble, de- vout, and resigned spirit. 344 OBDURACY. OBDURACY. Numbers xiv, 41, " And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.' 1 ' 1 THERE is perhaps no more marked feature in the national character of the early ISRAELITES than stubbornness of dis- position. A state of bondage had left this blighting heir- loom ; and years elapsed before the people, who during their long apprenticeship to slavery had been amenable to brute force alone, could be brought to yield to the milder sway of reason and reproof. Yet had a cruel servitude rather debased than altogether corrupted their moral nature. Its finer susceptibilities had, indeed, been deadened by the iron rule to which they were so long subjected ; neverthe- less they could occasionally be roused to a sense of virtue, asfcvas shown under the heading of " Religious Zeal," where the brighter side of the national character was depicted. But here its darker pencillings must necessarily be most visible, since we have to trace the doings of a people not only sadly prone to evil, but who too frequently persisted obdurately in their sinful course in utter disregard of the remonstrances and warnings of their leader. Self-willed and perverse, they rarely sought to quell their unruly passions, and turn from their evil ways till they had kindled God's just displea- sure, and brought on themselves the chastisement of Heaven. This dark outline we have now to fill up with incidents prominently figuring in the Books of Moses, and the first which presents itself is the murmuring of the people at the waters of Marah, which spirit of discontent was the more culpable, as they had been but recent witnesses of God's miraculous interposition in their favour, as we read, " And OBDURACY. 345 Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses".* Again, a fresh cry of discontent broke from them in the wilderness of Zin, and also at Meribah, notwithstanding God had just satisfied their cravings by sending them "Angels' food". The Divine succour they thus repeatedly received no way served to remove their mistrust. Though Moses expostulated with them in these words, " your murinurings are not against us, but against the Lord", they nevertheless obdurately per- sisted in upbraiding him, and further tempted God, saying, " Is the Lord among us or not ?" Now, assuredly, while they could question God's continual presence, and harden their hearts against proofs of His superintending provi- dence, past lessons must have been singularly barren of good ; indeed, discontent surged up at each new trial, and revilings were continually heard in the camp. Well indeed would it have been had the evil stopped there, but the next incident recorded is of a yet more painful character. The evident want of faith in God, and trust in their leader, which the people had manifested at repeated intervals, took a more tangible shape at the first opportune moment. They no longer confined themselves to murmuring against the All- Wise, but " turned quickly aside out of the way which God commanded them". Although prior to the departure of Moses for the ascent of Mount Sinai, they promised to " do all that the Lord had said, and be obedient"; although they witnessed " the glory of the Lord, like a devouring fire, on the top of the Mount", yet, after the lapse of only a few weeks, they again turned aside from the path of duty. Impatience at the absence of their chief conquered all sense of fear, and in a body the people went to Aaron, and thus spake unto him, ' ' Up ; make us gods which shall go before us"; and having made a molten calf, " they worshipped it and sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be the gods which * Chap, xiv, 31. 346 OBDU1UCY. have brought us out of the land of Egypt". Thus it was that when Moses, after an absence of only forty days, again approached the camp, he found them dancing and shouting before their graven image, and enacting the vilest idolatrous practices. Now, mark his prayer thereon, " O Lord, re- member Thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wicked- ness, nor to their sin".* Truly, they were stiff-necked and obdurate, when they neglected the counsel of their great deliverer and preserver ; when they forsook the livin g God, whose benefits and mercies they had so long experienced, and yet more so when they wrought gods after their own imaginings, and bowed before them in sterile and senseless worship. Greatly indeed did such a people need such an intercessor. In the incident which followed shortly after the one just re- ferred to, the self-will and perverseness of the Israelites is especially marked. The land of promise was before them the land which " God had given them to possess it". They had only to advance, as commanded by Moses, yet they hesi- tated. Seized by sudden doubts and misgivings, they be- sought him to send forth spies to search the land, and " bring word regarding it". Devoid of faith and holy trust in their All-Merciful Guardian, little was needed to dismay them, and the evil report brought back by the more timorous of these searchers threw the people into a state of consterna- tion. Nothing that could be advanced by the brave and un- daunted men, Caleb and Joshua, both of whom accompanied the expedition, nor the assurance given to them by Moses that " the Lord, who goeth before you, He shall fight for you", wrought any change of feeling. " The whole con- gregation murmured against Moses, and against Aaron, and said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, or in this wilderness". t Nor did their insubordina- tion stop here, for " they said, one to another, Let us make a * Dcut. ix, 27. f Numbers xiv, 2. OBDURACY. 347 captain, and let us return into Egypt". But their wilfulness and obduracy became yet more apparent, since the inter- position of the Lord alone prevented them from stoning the faithful Joshua because he thus mildly rebuked them, " Rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread for us ; their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us ; fear them not". Such perverseness, however, met its condign punishment. They who brought the evil report from Canaan died of the plague, while, notwithstanding the intercession of Moses, all who had murmured were excluded from entering the promised land. Thus spoke the Lord in His just anger, " Because all those men which have seen My glory and My miracles, which I did in Egypt, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice, surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers. To-morrow turn ye, and get ye into the wilderness. Forty years shall 3-6 bear your iniquities. I, the Lord, have said it ; I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation that are gathered together against Me ; in this wilderness they shall be con- sumed, and there they shall die".* Now, had not this people been obdurate beyond all belief, they surely would have sought, by conforming to the will of the Supreme, to merit His ever-renewing mercies, and thereby possibly avert the sad fate consequent on their past misconduct. On the contrary, however, they grew yet more perverse. As formerly they had been timorous when they might well have felt themselves safe under the protection of the wing of Omnipotence, they now believed themselves secure when, indeed, they had many causes for apprehen- sion. Far from turning back at the distinct command of the Lord of Hosts, they determined on acting in direct vio- lation of His will by advancing to attack their formidable enemy. Little regard did they pay to their leader, who thus addressed them in God's name, " Go not up, for the * Chap, xiv, -22 35. 348 OBDURACY. Lord is not among you, that ye be not smitten before your enemies ; wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord, but it shall not prosper".* With rebellion at their hearts, they were not to be deterred ; but " they went up presumptuously against the Arnorites, who chased them as bees", defeating them with great slaughter. Now, dm-ing the forty years longer they were thus doomed to abide in the wilderness, they too frequently disobeyed the word of the Lord by uniting themselves with surrounding nations and bowing down before their gods in idol worship. Fresh trials followed, but their stubborn spirit remained unsub- dued, and indeed no radical reform in their character could have been effected even at the close of their long wanderings, else Moses would not have addressed them thus, " Hear, O Israel, not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess this land, but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that He may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob", f This is truly a dark picture to draw, but how can it be otherwise when obduracy and stiff-neckedness have to be held up to view ? Had the early Israelites only shown the same dogged determination to adhere to the right path as they had manifested in the pursuance of evil courses, such decision and stability of character would have proved truly valuable qualities, deserving the highest commenda- tion. Desirable, however, as this would have been, yet was it to be expected of them ? Assuredly not. A hard, un- bending spirit, born of and long fostered by a cruel bond- age, was little likely to lend itself to good, more especially as several concurrent circumstances worked in an adverse direction. Such, for example, was even the very boon* of freedom. An ignorant people, burning with ardent desires, thirsting after the pleasures of sense, could but regard their * Chap, xiv, 42. t Dout. ix, 5. OBDURACY. 349 sudden liberation from thraldom as a fitting opportunity for those gratifications which had been so long denied them ; the rebound was indeed all the more violent from the low and prostrate condition into which they had fallen. They did not even seek to control their hopes, nor could they calmly brook any impediment which stayed them in the way to the promised land, " flowing with milk and honey". Any occurrence retarding the fulfilment of their sanguine expectations, roused at once a strong spirit of discontent. They reflected not, or at least gave no heed to the reflec- tion, that their All-Gracious Deliverer and Protector well knew what would most conduce to their welfare; they wilfully ignored the penance they were to undergo by God's all-just decree, and thence chafed at each new trial, each privation, nor could they be brought to bow before His wise dispensa- tions in a resigned and tranquil spirit. Now, had they regarded their moral rather than physical progress, and fol- lowed the path of virtue to the desired goal, then assuredly they would never have rebelled, nor seen the frustration of their sanguine hopes. The circumstance, however, which worked them most evil was the proximity of idolatrous nations, who sought by every possible device to inveigle and seduce them from the worship of the One only God. Every intoxicating temptation which could rouse their worst passions was held up before them, and they but too soon learnt to prefer those orgies which formed part of the rites of idol worship to the pure, calm delights which their own religion was calculated to afford. In the paroxysms of their mad passions all holy and spiritual feelings lost their attractions, while the licentious and material reigned supreme. Becom- ing thus a prey to their lower instincts, they rushed wildly on, abandoning themselves to every sensual indulgence. Now withal, and this is a bright spot in the history of the Israelites, they were reclaimable. Not wholly lost to a sense of the right, like the idolaters who ensnared them, they could be brought to hearken to reproof. Obdurate 350 OBDURACY. and stiff-necked as they were, they yet made spasmodic efforts after self-restraint, and occasionally with some suc- cess. Indeed, had they not the All-Merciful for their help and guide ? He never failed to school the children of His love, and although He had again and again to reprove them through His servant Moses, because of their obstinacy, He never forsook them, nor shut his ear to their cry. Faulty as were His chosen people, He, in His wisdom, must not only have seen in them many redeeming qualities, but also have deemed them fitted to fulfil His gracious purpose. Indeed, the words of Moses, in one of his last addresses to the Israelites, lead infallibly to this conclusion. After ex- horting to obedience, and bidding them " utterly destroy the idolatrous nations which were to be delivered into their hands, to burn their graven images, and make no inter- marriages", he adds, " For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God ; He hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself. He did not set His love upon you because ye were more in number than any people, for ye were the fewest of all people, but because ike Lord loved you, and because He would keep His oath which He had sworn to your fathers".* Wholly corrupt or iniquitous they could not possibly have been, thus to have gained God's all- gracious love. But yet more was required of them ; they were to be a holy people, thence the moral training, the rude discipline to which they were subjected during their long sojourn in the wilderness. Nor did this schooling fail to accomplish its purpose ; indeed, the very hardness and inflexibility which characterised the Israelitish nation be- came alike a virtue and a shield in succeeding generations, forming an everlasting bulwark to their imperishable faith. Were it not that the distinguishing traits of obduracy are as repugnant as they are marked, there could b no possible difficulty in detecting them both in ourselves and others, * Deut. vii, 7. OBDURACY. 351 % but if the natural aversion they inspire does not always suffice to make them shunned, it will at all events induce their withdrawal into the darkest recesses of the heart till they can issue forth to the light of day, either so garbed as to escape observation, or so disguised as to pass for virtues ! Now, the knowledge that the hateful and repulsive features which characterise obduracy can be thus masked, might well suffice to induce a vigorous inward search, and so whet our sagacity as to enable us to trace to its fount each ques- tionable passion each sentiment of the mind. But for this purpose it is essential we should learn to know in what ob- duracy consists ; and may we doubt that it consists in a re- solute persistence in wrong-doing, or in its mildest form, in a laxity of principle frequently growing into a confirmed habit, or temper of mind ? And again, it is characterized by a wilful shutting of the mental eye to the blessings and mercies which are " new every morning", and by lending a too ready ear, on the one hand, to the voice of sensuality, which, making us the slaves of our selfish passions, draws us from our God, and on the other, to the promptings of pride, which tempt us to rebel against the Majesty of Heaven, and set at defiance God's holy law, our reason, and the admonitions of conscience. Indeed, obduracy takes its firmest root in the depraved and unfeeling heart, which, hearkening only to its own vile imaginings, its evil inclina- tions, and selfish desires, will, without scruple or compunc- tion, seduce others to wrong, thereby darkening their future with sorrow and shame ; while it also flourishes in the fertile soil of the stunted and uneducated mind which seeks not, but rather shuns, the light of truth, and resists the force of argument, the teachings of virtue and religion. Now, once impressed with the conviction that obduracy is a wilful de- flection of the mind from the paths of justice and righteous- ness, also a hardening of the heart to moral principles and right feelings, we shall surely never be likely to mistake it for firmness, which is the true friend and stay of every 352 OBDUKACY. virtue, and therefore itself a virtue. This indeed is a valuable quality, and the indispensable foundation of all great and good deeds. Born of right principles, it will lead its possessor steadily and tenaciously to resist any deviation therefrom ; it will keep him from trimming between God's will and his own inclinations ; it will cause him resolutely and courageously to overcome every unruly impulse and temptation, while it will enable him in a noble, lofty, and generous spirit to throw his whole strength of volition into those duties which devolve on him in relation to his fellow man and his Creator. On proceeding next to consider the cause of obduracy, we find yet further evidence of the dissimilarity and an- tagonism which exists between it and firmness, or resolu- tion, for which it but too frequently passes current ; nay, more, since firmness consists in a resolute resistance to evil, while obduracy is a wilful persistence in sin, it is self- evident that the latter could have no existence if the mind and heart had remained unsullied through the sway of the former. Indeed, we have sown the first seeds of obduracy in our breast when we permit one guilty passion to gain supremacy over principle and duty. It is, therefore, to infirmity of purpose, or want of a resolute will to cope with sin, itself so peculiarly hardening, that we must infallibly trace the primary cause of this signal defect. Nor do its baneful effects stop here, for it engenders a spirit of pro- crastination which seriously impedes all reform. Though conscience may tell us we are gravitating to ill, and that sin is becoming habitual, we, nevertheless, through its agency, find ourselves ever resolving on amendment, yet never accomplishing it, while becoming more and more callous under this system of self-deceit. Another cause is an in- sufficient or defective training of the youthful heart. When the loftier impulses are not cultivated, baser passions will assuredly attain luxuriant growth ; the greed of gain and abuse of this world's pleasures will warp it from the right, OBDURACY. 353 the true, the holy. If lively gratitude to God be not made the predominant sentiment of the mind, softening, refining, and exalting it, unruly desires will enter, and usher in with them temptations ; selfish indulgence will quickly follow, the sense of virtue and religion be speedily effaced or banished, and the heart necessarily hardening will finally petrify into obduracy. How to prevent, check, or cure, so deadly a malady of the soul forms another important matter for consideration. If we will but early implant virtuous principles in the mind, and give to it a fixedness of purpose based on a love of rectitude and a love of God, we shall surely have accom- plished our aim ; moral firmness in youth utterly precluding obduracy in manhood. But if perchance the foundation of virtue has been shaken, and we have not been altogether proof to the seductions of sense, then must we set ourselves sedulously to the task of uprooting the evil propensities, and checking the distempers thus engendered. And here we must bear in mind that there should be no delay, no deferring to a future day ; no one becomes entirely profli- gate at once. We deviate step by step from the path of virtue, and only by resolutely staying our downward course at an early stage, and directing our thoughts upwards, may we hope to escape from the perilous position in which we have placed ourselves. If, however, unhappily through procrastination or stubbornness we have persisted in wrong doing, to the prejudice of our moral health, and drank freely from the poisoned cup of intoxicating pleasures, let us re- member while there be yet time that through God's infinite mercy we may find an antidote in penitence, a cure through conti'ition and amendment. And truly, what will not sincere repentance effect for us ? On each approach to the throne of God in prayer the heart will sensibly soften, so that ob- duracy will be finally subdued, and we shall turn again with delight to the path marked out in that holy law which Ho gave for the guidance and the good of His creatures. Heed- A A 354 OBDURACY. ing the soft voice of conscience rather than the logic of vice, which declares I have done it once with impunity, so I may do it again we shall resolutely abstain in the future from violating its dictates, though hitherto no ill results may have followed therefrom ; indeed, having once strayed from the straight line of virtue, duty and religion, we shall the more sedulously keep in view that heavenly bliss to which they point, and placing our dependence on God, pursue the path of right manfully, hopefully. And here it is essential to remark that there can be no permanent reform without such dependence, coupled as it must ever be with a keen percep- tion of God's glorious attributes. The obduracy which pride and ingratitude engender is indeed only to be subdued and conquered by a sense of our weak and erring nature, by a thorough belief in God's goodness, His Omniscience, His never-failing justice. Let us but see and acknowledge our own weakness, and then shall we feel how great has been God's forbearance ; the heart will soften into love at the thought of His goodness, His fostering care, His solici- tude for our well-being, and we shall be led to submit cheer- fully to that restraint of our passions which He, in his wisdom imposes for the general welfare. Besides, the conscious- ness that His all-seeing eye is watching over us with fatherly tenderness must further tend to curb all rash presumption, and check us in the commission of evil. But should the thoughts of our own unworthiness, or of God's benign attributes, be powerless to subdue our obduracy and kindle love, then may He in His mercy work on our hearts through the sense of fear. He will possibly force on our minds the conviction that none may wilfully disobey His holy law, or obdurately resist His all-wise decrees without incurring a fearful penalty. Indeed, though slow to anger He yet holds the scales of justice with an equal Hand, and will not suffer the sinner to escape the chastisement due to his misdeeds. With the object of promoting this salutary conviction, we shall pass in review some few of the numerous ills, mental OBDURACY. 355 as well as physical, which are inseparable from a course of vice. Foremost, and possibly not the least distressing to the mind, is the sense of self-abasement ; indeed so powerful is this feeling in the yet unhardened heart, that if it be not made to subserve the cause of virtue and reform, it will assuredly enlist on the side of evil, and hurry its ready victim, with ever-increasing celerity, to the brink of moral perdition. Then as sin gains upon us, and headstrong pas- sions obtain ascendancy, we shall find our physical powers and mental faculties impaired ; conscience, which cannot always slumber, will at times make its warning voice heard, and rob us even of those fleeting pleasures for which we have toiled and sacrificed so much. Each fresh day, how- ever, given to dissipation will make the appeals of the in- ward monitor less audible, and bowing under the yoke of sin, the heart will harden, and be drawn further and further from its God. Now, how deplorable is the condition of him who, running counter to the will of the Supreme, has ever to dread the show of His displeasure ? Can, indeed, that man know aught of happiness or peace who sets himself in opposition to the will of his Creator ? Must he not feel how abortive will be all his plans ; how vain and fruitless his desires ; how certainly disappointment and misery will at- tend on his senseless folly and disobedience ? Must not the conviction often flash across his mind that any evil com- mitted recoils on the wrong- doer, and that sure retribution awaits him who, taking advantage of the liberty God has given, rebels against His rule, perversely wronging his own nature, and injuring his fellow-mortals. Let, then, those who make pleasure the business of life who tamper with vice, and permit the coil of sin to encircle the heart stop short before " their cup of iniquity is full", and, through a moral reform, a heartfelt repentance, stay the wrath of the Infinitely-Merciful Lord, and avert the dire consequences incidental to the violation of His Laws. Let them set themselves to the stern duty of self-correction AA2 356 OBDURACY. before their misconduct and misdeeds call down upon them correction from above. This hopeful step once taken, a happy consummation will assuredly not be far distant. Learning to heed their spiritual interests, and remember- ing that God has offered heaven as a reward for virtue and piety, they will resolutely reject all such seductive pleasures as render the heart callous and obdurate, while they will gratefully seek and keep steadily in view these guardians of all true honour and peace of mind ; these assured friends to happiness here ; these faithful pioneers to the blessed realms above. Before considering the PRECEPTS which bear on this sub- ject, we may cull a few Scripture verses which pourtray its chief characteristics, and show in what it consists. Thus does David, in Psalm Ixiv, 5, speak of wicked and obdu- rate men, " they encourage themselves in an evil matter ; they commune of laying snares privily ; they say, Who shall see them; they search out iniquities; they shoot suddenly at the perfect, and fear not": and again, to like effect, Psalm xxxvi, 4, fc the wicked deviseth mischief on his bed, he setteth himself in a way that is not good, he abhorreth not evil, he flattereth himself, and there is no fear of God before his eyes"; and in Psalm x, 4, " The wicked through pride will not seek after God; he boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhor- reth ; his ways are always grievous ; he sayeth in his heart, I shall not be moved, for I shall never be in adversity". Jeremiah is not less forcible in his description of the im- penitent and obdurate. Thus he says, in ch. viii, 6, " They spake not aright ; no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done ? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. They receive not cor- rection ; truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth". And again, ch. xviii, 12, " They say, There is no hope, and we will walk after our own devices ; we will every one do OBDURACY. 357 the imaginings of his evil heart". Isaiah, in ch. xlvii, 10 of his Book, speaks thus of the bold defiance of the obdurate man, " Thou hast trusted in thy wickedness ; thou hast said, None seeth me". Zephaniah also, in figurative language, thus draws attention to the ways of the hardened sinner (chap, iii, 2), " She obeyed not the voice j she received not correc- tion ; she trusted not in the Lord ; she drew not near to her God". Then Samuel tells us it is " like unto iniquity and idolatry". Solomon makes the obdurate man speak of him- self in these terms (Prov. v, 12), "How have I hated instruction, and my heart despiseth reproof; I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me ; I was almost in all evil". And further, in Job, the obduracy of man is thrown into a clear light in the question put by the Lord (ch. xl, 8), "Wilt thou also disannul My judgment ? Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous ?" Surely this is significant enough ; for if God is right, then man, when acting in oppo- sition to His High Will, must be in the wrong, and it is a persistance therein which constitutes obduracy. Proceed- ing to consider the causes of it, we find them briefly re- verted to in the Book of Ezekiel, ch. xvi, where we read, " How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, and are contrary" . Again, ch. xxxiii, " The people hear Thy words, but they will not do them ; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness" . And further, with an utter want of reflection and an intense pride, they declare " the wav of the Lord is not equal"! Jeremiah thus also eluci- dates the causes of this dire defect (ch. vi), " Because their ear is contrary they will not hearken ; the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach ; they have no delight in it". Then in the following quotation he traces it to the habitual in- dulgence of sinful pleasures (ch. xiii), " Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil". One of the causes 358 OBDURACY. assigned by Solomon is also Worthy of our most attentive consideration (Eccles. viii), Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil". Now, in order to prevent, check, or cure all spirit of obduracy, let us give well-timed reflection to such thoughts as the following verses must necessarily stir up within us (Prov. xvi), "By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil ; by mercy and truth iniquity is purged". In Jeremiah, xxiii, " Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him ? Do not I fill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord". And after thus calling to our remembrance God's Omnipresence, he seeks, in Lamentations, to impress us with a sense of His gracious attribute of mercy, thereby inducing a reform in conduct either through the fear or the love of God. Thus we read, chap, iii, " God doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men ; He will .have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies". Again in Ezekiel xxxiii, the Lord God hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live". A consideration of the following verses can hardly be less serviceable. "We find in Job' xxxiii, "Why dost thou strive against God, for He giveth not account of any of His matters"; and in chap, xxxi, " Doth not God see my ways, and count all my steps". Also in the Book of Proverbs, xv, " The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good". Then again in Psalm xxxiv, " The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit". Now, surely such re- flections as these might well induce the obdurate man to throw off his load of sin by seeking God in prayer, and in a spirit of deep humility declare, in the words of the good King David, Psalm xix, ' ' Keep back thy servant from pre- sumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me, then shall I be upright, and shall be innocent from the great transgression". Further, he will resolutely shun all evil OBDUIIACY. 359 companionship, and utter the words of that pious monarch, Psalm cxix, 115, " Depart from me, ye evil-doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God"; and in the like senti- ments ejaculate with him, Psalm xxxviii, " I will declare mine iniquity ; I will be sorry for my sin". This will enable the penitent man implicitly to follow the injunctions of Samuel to " fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth, obey His voice, and rebel not against the commandment of the Lord". But if this teaching be not heeded, then will most surely follow the sad consequences of which Scripture so emphatically forewarns us, as we read in Isaiah Ivii, " The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith the Lord, to the wicked". And in Proverbs v, " His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins". Then in Psalm xxxiv, " The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth". Also Isaiah declares, chap, iii, "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker ! Woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him ; the show of their countenance doth witness against them ; woe unto their soul, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves". And this is corroborated in Psalm cvii, " They sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction, because they rebelled against the word of God, and contemned the counsel of the Most High". And again, " Fools because of their transgressions, and because of their iniquities are afflicted". Then in Job iv, " Thus I have seen, they that sow iniquity reap the same". He further tells us, chap, ix, " If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain". Again in Proverbs we read, chap, xxviii, " He that covereth his sins shall not prosper", corroborated by the words of Zechariah, Chron. xxiv, " Why trans- gress ye the commandments of the Lord that ye cannot prosper ? because ye have forsaken the Lord He hath also forsaken you". Such considerations might well suffice to 360 OBDURACY. induce a reform, but further severe penalties are attached to obduracy or persistency in wrong-doing ; for do we not read in Prov. xxix, " He that being often repi'oved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy". Again, chap, xi, "As righteousness tendeth to life, so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death". And finally, to the same effect, we read in Ezekiel xviii, " The soul that sinneth it shall die ; but if a man do that which is lawful and right, walketh in God's statutes, and keepeth His judgments to deal truly, he is just, he shall surely live (the life everlasting), saith the Lord God". EXAMPLES. The later portion of the history of the ISRAEL- ITES now to be considered, and which commences with Joshua and the Judges, offers many a strong contrast with that which preceded it, yet none is more striking than their improved moral condition. Their wanderings, extending over a lengthened period and accompanied with much suf- fering and many privations, had been prolific of good, as trials proceeding from All Mighty Goodness should ever be. Not only had the national character gradually improved un- der reproof and chastisement, but, further, the rising gener- ation had wisely profited by the errors and misconduct of their fathers, and taken salutary warning from the examples afforded by the backsliding propensities of their benighted parents. For undoubted evidence of this we have only to turn to the Book of Joshua. Throughout its pages no single instance of idolatrous worship is recounted, nor one trait of that obduracy which in the past had been so prominent a fea- ture in the conduct of the entire people ; indeed, rebellion and contumacy had become most hateful to them, and was made punishable with death. In its place, however, happily figured its counterpart, firmness of will ever displaying itself in a staunch adherence to the right. Thus schooled, thus tempered, this defect of character had not only become a ISRAELITES. 361 powerful auxiliary to virtue, but had actually grown into a virtue itself. Here, then, we have a people whom God deemed fitted to enter into, inherit, and enjoy the good land of promise, the land for which they did not labour, cities to dwell in which they did not build, vineyards and oliveyards from which they might eat but planted not. They could ap- preciate the rich blessings vouchsafed by the Lord in a grate- ful spirit, and partake of his bounty without in any way abusing it. Not to them, as to their stiff-necked fathers, could apply the words of Moses, " Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked".* They repaid not God's benefits with rebellion, but with gratitude, and during " all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, they served the Lord". In the next book, that of Judges, the history of Israel again enters into one of its darker phases. With the new generation a great change for the worse occurred. Their fathers, though serving the Lord with all their hearts, had overlooked or disregarded one important part of the com- mandment given by God through his servant Moses. Al- though they had themselves kept " the statutes and judg- ments of the Lord", they did not " teach them diligently unto their children and to their sons' sons".f For proof of this we have only to refer to the Book of Judges itself, where we read, " When Joshua and all that generation were gathered unto their fathers there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord nor yet the work which He had done in Israel"! Now, had the children been im- bued with the spirit of their sublime religion as were their fathers, they would doubtless have kept firm to their God, and thus resisted the attractions and temptations which were paraded before them by the idolatrous nations in their vicinity. They would have especially avoided all intermar- riages as contaminating, and shunned the profane rites and licentious practices of their pagan neighbours as utterly re- * Deut. xxxii, 15. f Deut. vi, 7. J Judges ii, 10. 362 OBDURACY. pugnant to all sense of the pure and holy. Sad and fatal error indeed on the part'of the parents was this omission of duty ! Their neglect of one of the fundamental principles of the Mosaic code was indeed rife with evil consequences to their progeny, and to it must we in a great measure attri- bute their early fall into idolatry, with the subsequent re- lapses of each new generation throughout the whole rule of the Judges, lasting some three hundred years, as also their successive conflicts with surrounding nations, their many calamities and trials. And assuredly it would hardly be possible that a people who had never been taught either to love or fear God, who had never been led to feel how closely blended were mercy and justice in His All- Wise Dispensa- tions, could altogether resist the contaminating influence and example of idolatrous neighbours. But though they succumbed before the temptations held out to them, and for- sook God and the right path, they were brought speedily back to the Lord and His Holy Worship on being subjected to chastisement or even reproof. Indeed, those generations, criminal though they were at times, never displayed the in- veterate obduracy which had characterised their progenitors ; and when we consider that they had not, like them, been witnesses of God's miraculous workings, or been made sens- ible of his immediate presence through ocular demonstration, we must clearly see that a decided improvement in the na- tional character had taken place. Knowing much less of the All-Merciful, they were nevertheless far more easily brought to bow down humbly before Him and conform to His gracious will. Instances of this, as of the heartfelt re- pentance of the people, were rife under the rule of those noble patriots and national deliverers who figured in their history as judges. One only of the numerous examples can be here adduced, and this is found in chap, x of the Book of Judges. The Israelites had subjected themselves to the dis- pleasure of the Lord, who ' ' sold them into the hands of the Philistines", and in their sore distress they called unto the ISRAELITES. 363 Lord, saying, verse 18, " We have sinned against Thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim". The Lord, however, hearkened not unto them at this first sign of repentance, but spake thus, " Go cry unto the gods which ye have chosen ; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation". This answer from on High made them yet more sensible of their past blindness and wilfulness of conduct, thence in all humility they thus again besought the Lord, verse 13, "We have sinned ; do Thou unto us what- soever seemeth Thee good ; deliver us only, we pray Thee, this day. And they put away the strange gods from among them and served the Lord". What followed ? No sooner did they thus give practical proof of their sincere repent- ance than " God was grieved for the misery of Israel", and gave them a deliverer in the person of Jephthah. Though in this manner they frequently offended, nevertheless they were again and again saved through repentance and through God's infinite mercy and goodness. We may now, however, turn not only to a brighter, but even a bright era in the history of the Israelites. The alter- nations which lasted throughout the whole period of the Judges had not been pro6tless ; indeed, during their long rule the higher and nobler qualities of the entire people were in course of development, and when it drew to its close the national character was altogether less faulty, even giving promise of future moral excellence. Of this we have ample proof in the last of the judgeships, that of Samuel. Only once while he held sway did the Israelites lapse into idolatry, and then a single remonstrance from that exemplary ruler sufficed to bring them back repentant to their God. They had indeed become less prone to indulge in idolatrous wor- ship, and, further, had lost much of that obduracy which had hitherto characterised their proceedings. Nevertheless, the national failing had not unhappily become entirely ex- tinct, as the following incident but too clearly proves. Through the misrule of Samuel's sons, " who walked not 364 OBDUKACY. after his ways, but turned aside after lucre, took bribes and perverted judgment", the Israelites had become weary of their judges, and thence sought occasion to urge him to in- stitute a monarchical form of government. This demand for a king gave that good old judge great displeasure, yet as the elders who appealed to him showed no disposition to yield to his views, he sought counsel of the Lord, and was thus answered, " Hearken unto the voice of the people in all they say unto you, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them, howbeit, yet protest solemnly unto them and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them". Surely such words, coming from the Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, might well have stayed them in their rash importunities ; but nei- ther this consideration nor the gloomy predictions of their able seer could deter them from following the bent of their inclinations. What cared they in their stubbornness and self-will for the prophecy, " Ye shall cry out on that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen, and the Lord will not hear you in that day". Heedless of after con- sequences, they refused to obey the voice of the Lord, and said, " Nay, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like the other nations". Now, wilful as was such conduct, it formed a solitary ex- ception ; indeed, throughout the reign of Saul, whom Samuel presented to them for their King, as also during that of David, who succeeded him on the throne, and likewise in the early part of the reign of his son Solomon, not even one instance of obduracy or defection stands recorded. Truly, these were palmy days for the Israelites, and this the brightest era in their history. The national character had gradually attained a high standard of moral excellence, the entire people had learnt to love their Heavenly Father, and yield glad obedience to His Supreme Will. To extol His name in the sublime psalms of David, to chant His praises, * i Samuel viii, 7. ISRAELITES. 365 and sedulously observe His holy precepts, became with them a sacred and pure delight. Faithfully did they adhere to the true worship, and even abstained from all communi- cation with their idolatrous neighbours till the dire moment when, alas ! Solomon, their King, impiously disregarding the injunction of the Lord, sought out strange wives from among the heathens, and " clung to them in love", so that he inclined his ear to their evil promptings. Then fell that fatal blight upon the Israelites of which they had been fore- warned by Samuel, and though during the reign of some of their good kings its evil influence was sensibly lessened, it was never entirely dissipated, but finally gained such in- tensity as at times to deaden the heart of the nation, and depress their moral condition to nearly as low an ebb as that of their depraved and sinful neighbours. Indeed, their subsequent history is again of the darkest hue, and the incalculable evils foretold by the venerable Seer came thick upon them. They suffered intolerable burdens under many ruthless kings, and in no case was the condition of the people more pitiable than just before and after the acces- sion of Solomon's vile sou, Rehoboam. The words of the king himself amply testify to this, for when his oppressed subjects, desirous to obtain some alleviation of their "grievous yoke", remonstrated with him, he answered them thus, "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke ; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions" !* Previously accustomed to the mild sway of Saul and David, such tyranny and oppression could not be long endured, thence arose rebellion, speedily fol- lowed by the partition of the kingdom, ten tribes revolting and nominating a second king in the person of Jeroboam. This monarch having no temple in his new capital, and therefore fearing his subjects would forsake him, and "return to the house of David", so that they might again " sacrifice to the Lord in Jerusalem", set up two calves of * i Kings xii, 14. 366 OBDURACY. gold, and bade his people bow down and burn incense unto them. Thus, through the evil counsel of their king, idol- atry once more polluted the land, and this time for a long continuance, while from this cause we may also trace the permanent severance of the nation. The only holy tie sun- dered, dissension, with civil war, quickly followed, and, exhausting alike both parties, rendered them an easy prey to their many powerful neighbours now that the Lord of Hosts was no longer in their midst. But even defeats and other calamities did not always bring them to repentance, and though on the accession of their few good kings they showed some compunction and a desire to reform, no sooner did a wicked monarch take possession of the throne than the whole people returned to their evil courses. Idolatry had, indeed, hardened their hearts, and rendered them as obdurate as they were criminal. Numerable proofs of this are manifested throughout the writings of the prophets which furnish us with the last portion of the history of the Israelites, a period no less sad than eventful. The All- gracious, though greatly angered by the obstinate per- sistence of His chosen servants in rejecting Him, the King of kings, for an earthly monarch and idol worship, still be- friended them, and with the object of checking His people ill their wilful practices, sent His prophets to them with promises of a bright and happy future would they reform their ways, whilst holding out threats and denunciations should they stubbornly persist in their evil doings. Un- happily all the efforts of these brave spirits proved of no avail ; though with undaunted courage they exhorted and admonished, though they upbraided the people for their shameless impenitence, and boldly lifted up their voices and testified against that vice and corruption which had found an abode even within the walls of the palace, they were baffled by the obduracy and wickedness of the reign- ing monarchs, who held absolute sway over their subjects, and seduced them from the paths of virtue. Thus, though ISRAELITES. 367 many a "physician in Gilead" dispensed balsams of wondrous efficacy, the moral leprosy still remained unhealed ; although the prophets were gifted with all the eloquence of truth, though fired by the keenest solicitude for the well-being of the nation, their words were powerless to work any per- manent change in the hearts of corrupt kings and a hard- ened people ; obduracy ever stood as an impassable barrier between them. Yet how sedulously these prophets of the Lord sought to impress the entire nation with a sense of God's goodness and justice, how earnestly they strove to bring the people to repentance and reformation may best be judged by some few extracts from their several writings. To these books, then, in conclusion, let us turn. Firstly. Isaiah distinctly told them that " The Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities liave separated you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you".* He pointed out to them their wrong-doings in the following words, " The earth is defiled because thou hast transgressed tlie law, and broken the everlasting covenant"; and further added, in the name of the Lord, "put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, be willing and obedient". Secondly, The Lord spoke thus through the mouth of Jeremiah, " Turn, backsliding children, and I will give you pastors accordingto mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding ; Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee."t He also alludes thus to their stiff-necked- ness, " This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart, neither say they in their heart, let us now fear the Lord our God". J "They spake not aright, no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? They have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?" Even " the priests said not, Where is the Lord ? * Isaiah lix, 1.* t Ch. iii, 15 ; Ch. viii, 6. J Jer. v, 23. Ch. viii, 6. 368 OBDURACY. the pastors also transgressed, the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit". He then forewarns them, in these terms, " Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee ; know therefore, and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord".* Thirdly, God's good- ness is shown in the commission He thus gave the prophet Ezekiel, " I, the Lord, do send thee unto them, and whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear (for they are a rebellious house) yet shall they know that there hath been a prophet among them".f But the Omniscient was fully aware of their perverseness, for we read, " But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee, for they will not hearken unto me; they are impudent and hard-hearted". J The righteous Lord then admonishes and remonstrates with them thus, "Ye say the way of the Lord is not equal. Hear, now, house of Israel, is not my way equal ? are not your ways unequal ? Therefore, I will judge you, every one according to his ways. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin". Fourthly, Hosea makes manifest the sinfulness of the people, and ex- horted them to repentance in the following verses, " Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity; take with you words, and turn to the Lord".|| He then reproves them in the name of the Supreme, " They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness, now their own doings have beset them about. Woe unto them, for they have fled from me, destruction unto them because they have transgressed against me. They have not cried unto me with their hearts, though I have strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine * Ch. ii, 19. f Ch. ii, 4. J Ch. Hi, 7. Ch. xviii, 25. || Ch. iv, 1 ; xiv/1. ISRAELITES. 3G9 mischief against me ; they have sown the wind, and shall reap the whirlwind".* Fifthly, Zephaniah thus figuratively shows the Israelites how grievously they had sinned, " Woe to her that is polluted, she obeyed not the voice, she received not correction, she trusted not in the Lord, she drew not near to her God, her prophets are light and treacherous, her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law; the just Lord is in the midst thereof; every morning doth He bring His judgments to light, He faileth not. Though He punished them they rose early and corrupted all their doings". f He then exhorts them to repentance, saying, Seek ye the Lord before the decree goeth forth ; seek righteousness, seek meekness, it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger". Sixthly, Zechariah, addressing the people after the captivity, urges them in the name of the Lord to reform, and shows their past stiff-neckedness with its final result thus, " I, the Lord of Hosts, say unto thee, Execute true judgment, show mercy and compassion, oppress not the widow, nor the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother. But they refused to attend, yea, they made their hearts like an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts. Thus it is come to pass that as he (the prophet) cried, and they would not hear, so they cried, I, the Lord, would not hear, but scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not, and the land was desolate after them". | Now, the captivity here alluded to occurred in the reign of Zedekiah (who was the last of a line of kings which had extended over a period of about four centuries and a half), and this sad episode in Israel's history is yet more fully enlarged on in the last chapter of the Book of Chronicles. Therein God's loving mercy, the king's ob- duracy, and the people's stiff-neckedness, is clearly demon- strated as follows, " And Zedekiah did that which was evil * Chap, vii, 2. f Chap, iii, 1. J Chap, vii, 9. B B 370 OBDURACY. in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah, the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord, and he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God, but he hardened his heart from turning to the Lord God of Israel. Moreover, all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Eternal which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the God of their fathers sent to them because He had compassion on His people, but they mocked the messengers of God and despised His words, and ill-treated his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, and there was no remedy". Then came their great calamity, their signal chastisement. Nebuchadnezzar besieged the famine-stricken city of Jerusalem till it was destroyed ; the king was made prisoner, and afterwards cruelly tortured ; the nobles and the people, old and young, were put to the sword or taken captive, the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of all the kingdom, were appropriated ; finally, the temple and palaces were burnt, and the walls of the city broken down. Thus did God's attributes of long-enduring mercy and fatherly tenderness finally yield before His no less fixed and certain attribute of strict justice. For three-score and ten years had the Israelites to drink from the cup of God's wrath, and in a long, sorrowful, and ignominious captivity expiate their past criminality, their perverseness, and ob- duracy. TEMPER. 371 TEMPER. Numbers xx, 10, " Must we fetch you water out of this rock.' 1 ' 1 DID not Scripture inform us parenthetically that MOSES was the "meekest of men", we yet could not possibly fail to ai'rive at this conclusion after an attentive perusal of his history. Truly, his was no ordinary career, and when we note the varied trying incidents which rapidly succeeded each other during the last forty years of his life, the un- toward circumstances against which, almost single-handed, he had to contend, the hardships and perils by which he was beset, the constant pressure from a rebellious people, and even unjustifiable provocation from members of his own im- mediate family, we must rather marvel at his equanimity, his evenness of disposition, his mild and generous forbear- ance, than wonder at his having been betrayed on three separate occasions, and this at distant intervals, into a dis- play of animosity and ill-temper. Indeed, if we further con- sider that he had been brought up in a school altogether unfavourable to the culture of the gentler and more amiable qualities of the heart, it is impossible not to feel greatly surprised that mildness should have formed so marked a trait in his character during the latter years of his life. Now, if knowing how cruelly his countrymen were afflicted, his heart had yet remained soft and impassive, proving that the luxurious, not to say voluptuous, life he led in youth within the precincts of a palace, had subdued rather than inflamed his passions, then would this mildness of disposition ap- pear in a far less estimable light ; but an incident which occurred at this precise period proves it to have been just the reverse, and that feeling and passion were strong within B B 2 372 TEMPER. him, needing only the occasion to call them into vigorous action. Moses was forty years of age when he " slew the Egyp- tian" whom he found " smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren". Now, although this highly reprehensible deed was evidently perpetrated on the impulse of the moment, yet assuredly it would never have been committed had not the sufferings of his oppressed brethren long excited his keenest sympathy. Often must his heart have bled at the thought of their cruel treatment and of his utter inability, even partially, to alleviate their pitiful condition. Yearning to succour and relieve those who were smarting under the lash, a feeling, firstly of ill-will and then of rancour, must have been engendered towards the relentless Egyptian task- masters. And these angry emotions once generated in the breast, how fatal their spell ! When, indeed, do unfriendly or hostile thoughts fail to translate themselves into action on the slightest provocation, and work incalculable evil to him who entertains them ? Assuredly never ; and though the act of avenging an injured brother was unpremeditated, though it was a passing impulse, dictated by an almost irre- sistible burst of natural indignation on the part of Moses, he had raised his hand against a fellow-mortal, and was justly doomed to pay the penalty of a long, trying exile, for violence and wrong-doing. Thus we read, "Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses, but Moses fled and dwelt in the land of Midian".* Here was indeed a change. He who had hitherto basked in the sun- shine of a palace, knowing naught but ease and luxury, had to submit to privations and endure those toils and hardships which were inseparable from a shepherd's life. Yet, appa- rently sad as was this change, it was nevertheless fraught with the happiest results, and indeed but for the many trials and sufferings Moses experienced during his forty years' residence in the desert land of Midian, his numberless ex- * Exodus ii, 15. TEMPER. 373 cellent qualities and virtues would probably never have attained their full expansion. He made that long term of probation subserve to a course of self-discipline and that moral training which is so essential to the formation of an exalted and model character. We have to contend before we can conquer, and Moses, while nobly contending with the hardships and braving the perils of the outer world, thereby acquiring that fortitude, that sagacity, that fore- sight, that indomitable persistence whiuh afterwards so" greatly distinguished him, must also have nobly triumphed over the fiery spirit within. Indeed, his wonderful aptitude in marshalling the invaluable qualities of his mind and heart at critical junctures was only surpassed by his mar- vellous power of self-control, an auxiliary which pre-emi- nently qualified him for the important mission which he was afterwards called on to discharge. It assuredly was this command of temper, this almost perfect moral self-govern- ment, which made him equal to every emergency, as it was doubtless this also that inspired both a mighty potentate and a rebellious people with mingled feeling of respect and fear. Now, when we consider that Moses had to humble the proud and hardened King of Egypt step by step, and that he had to avoid any rashness or precipitancy, lest such might defeat his purpose, we shall feel that no small degree of self-control must have been needed. The ever-renewing obduracy of Pharaoh, in spite of the miracles wrought and the successive appeals made to him in the name of the Most High, might well have irritated Moses ; nevertheless he re- tained perfect command over himself, and simply exhorted the monarch in these terms, " Let not Pharaoh deal deceit- fully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord".* Nor do we find any exhibition of temper when, on a like occasion, he was driven ignominiously from the palace. He again and again returned to the charge, and only desisted when Pharaoh, becoming desperate, addressed * Exodus viii, 29. 374 TKMPEK. him thus : "Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see iny face no more, for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die".* This decided Moses, who felt such to be the final answer to his past fruitless appeals, and therefore re- sponded, " Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more". It was not, however, till after the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt that the temper of their Leader was most sorely tried. He then had to contend single-handed with the wilfulness and obduracy of a whole community, and to strive with a slavish and benighted people who " were discontented because of the way". Rebellion followed on rebellion, and yet in almost every instance he succeeded in disarming and quieting the most seditious of his followers, thus restoring peace within the camp. On one occasion the people were well " nigh to stone him"; on another, they pre- pared to choose a cap tain* who should conduct them back to Egypt ; nor was this all, pestilence, famine, destroying fire, war, and other disasters, came thick upon them, and Moses had to abide their angry murmurings ; but, after meekly bearing their reproaches, he each time calmly but resolutely recalled them to a sense of God's presence and their own duty. Justly to estimate the force of this great Leader's character and his wonderful power of self-mastery, we should review the several rebellions, and mark how he was gene- rally singled out for vituperation and overt acts of hatred. It will, however, here suffice to cite one instance from many bearing the same imprint and tending to the same conclu- sion. Korah and his associates, in their pride of heart, " rose up before Moses", and in a rebel spirit thus up- braided him and Aaron, " Ye take too much upon ye, seeing all the congregation are holy and the Lord is among them, wherefore lift ye up yourselves above us ?"f Such an un- just accusation might well have excited the ire of their chief, aud induced him to take the law into his own hands; instead * Chap, x, 28. f Numbers xvi, 3. TEMPEII. 375 of which, with characteristic meekness, he simply appealed to the entire body of the people as to his past conduct, and in order to curb their presumption and check the disaffected spirit which, should it spread, must undermine all temporal and spiritual authority, he sought the Lord, and thus en- treated Him, " Respect thou not their offerings". This, then, was all the punishment he invoked on the highly culpable offenders ; and possibly his generous forbearance might have prompted him to be yet more lenient, but that he felt they had proved themselves utterly unworthy of ful- filling the sacred office of ministering unto the Lord. The severity of the chastisement which the Omniscient after- wards decreed and inflicted with His All-Merciful Hand proves still more forcibly the forgiving spirit of this meek- tempered, angel-like man. We have now, however, to cite two instances wherein Moses openly gave vent to ebullitions of wrath, yet 4 even here, trying as were the circumstances which provoked such exhibitions of temper, his hot anger speedily passed away, leaving not one trace behind. The first occasion was when he threw down the two tables of stone, so that they broke at the foot of Mount Sinai. Nearing the camp, after only forty days' absence, greatly to his horror and dismay, he beheld his people following the vile and criminal practices of their idolatrous neighbours. At the sight of this utter dereliction of his spiritual teachings, involving as it did a total forgetfulness of what was due to their All-Gracious Protector, the natural impetuosity of his nature manifested itself. Wrath and indignation momentarily gained entire supremacy, and in a fit of uncontrollable passion, he cast from his hands the tables which had been entrusted to him from on High. However, no unkindly sentiment towards his followers could long dwell within his breast, and his just ire once passed, he generously sought to avert the evils con- sequent on their crime, and further endeavoured to lead them to repentance. This incident occurred at quite an 376 TEMPER. early period of their wanderings ; but the second, to which we would now briefly refer, took place when they were ap- proaching the final stage of their journeyings. Notwith- standing the ever-renewing proofs of God's gracious Pro- tection, the Israelites remained stiff-necked, and the frustra- tion of their hopes or sensual desires ever produced much discontent in the camp, and too frequently roused a spirit of insubordination against their noble Leader. Thus it was at the waters of Merabah, for we read, " The people chode with Moses".* Again and again had their chief been obliged to rebuke them for seditious murmurings, and yet, in this instance as in every other, he sought the alleviation of their physical sufferings, as well as his own distress of mind, by humbling himself in supplication before the throne of Mercy. But alas ! on this occasion his prayer failed to accomplish both purposes. Though it enabled him to relieve the physical wants of his people, it sufficed not to calm his own perturbed spirit. Their unceasing revolts had evidently irritated him beyond endurance, and provoked by the menacing attitude of the people, he angrily exclaimed (in the words of the text), " Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock" and then, losing all self- control, struck the rock twice, instead of merely speaking to it, as the Lord had commanded. Here, then, at the close of a long and trying career, did the faithful servant of the Most High act for the first time in direct violation of the Divine Will ! Sad as is this exceptional instance of temper triumphing over principle, we must glory in the thought that on many hardly less trying occasions Moses had been able to jestrain the rising gusts of passion, and labour calmly on in the oft rugged path of duty, fulfilling in a humble and meek spirit the honourable, though onerous, post assigned him by Providence. Truly the Great Teacher offers us a lesson in self-control, alike in his one failure and his many triumphs. * Numbers xx, 3. TOIPEI;. 377 It may be well next to consider how it was that Moses, who had been so impetuous and hot-tempered in youth, should have become under apparently adverse circumstances so mild in authority, so meek and generously forbearing under provocation, since such a review cannot fail to furnish much useful instruction. Now, if we reflect how surely self- ish ambition and pride of heart conduce to ill-temper, how piety and philanthropy stand directly opposed to it, a brief review of the latter incidents in the career of this champion of Israel will enable us to find the clue we need. As regards ambition, the acts of Moses throughout the whole of his long and chequered life betrayed not the faintest indication thereof, except indeed when it would surely redound to the general welfare, while many instances occurred wherein he resolutely rejected honours and advantages, and on more than one oc- casion did he, of his own freewill, share with others those to which he alone was justly entitled. This complete absence of all selfish ambition meets with the clearest demonstration at the very outset of his mission, for when God, angered by the stiffneckedness of the Israelites, thus addressed Moses, " Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven, and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they",* he not only declined the promised honour, but, hoping to save the sinful people from the consequences of their crimes, he fasted for many days and humbly supplicated the Lord to take them once more into favour. Again, on the mere suggestion of his father- in-law, he ceded a portion of his authority to the seventy elders, whilst we also find him entreating the Lord to " make Aaron the leader" instead of himself, and his disin- terestedness is hardly less discernible in his total disregard of ties of kindred when such might interfere with the gene- ral good. He sought no preferment for his immediate family, neither did he strive to prolong his dynasty thi-ough his sons. But if he had no selfish ambition, so also no trace * Deut. ix, 19. 378 TEMPER. of self-glory was discernible ; indeed, his answer to Joshua, who in his youthful zeal entreated Moses to forbid Eldad to prophesy, clearly demonstrates the total absence of all pride or selfish considerations. Here are his noble and philanthropic words, " Enviest thou for my sake ? 0, would God that all my people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!"* He would have had all the people wise ; he would have had them understand God's holy Law, and thence attain a true knowledge of the Supreme. Next, as to prayer, we need only peruse his many exquisite productions to be convinced that it was his ever present refuge and delight. What humility, what heartfelt earnestness, pervades the whole of his beautiful 90th Psalm ; what grateful adoration tunes his sublime song of deliverance, and in what exalted strains does he ascribe greatness unto God, and hymn forth his love of human kind in that last song which welled up spontaneously from the deep recesses of his heart prior to his departure for Mount Nabo, his final resting place! f Then how exquisitely simple and touching is the supplication for his erring sister, "Heal her now, God, I beseech thee";J and would we have proofs of his humble and entire depend- ence on God, then we may find them in such a prayer as this, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence". Finally, philanthropy runs like a golden thread through all his acts. It shows itself in his numerous sup- plications to God for his erring people, culminating in an unexampled act of self-abnegation, since he even entreated the Lord, " Blot me, I pray thee, out of thy Book which thou hast written". || Thus being devoid of all selfish ambi- tion, his interests never clashed with that of others, but generally became identical through the love and goodwill he bore his fellow men. Nought, therefore, remained to excite his mind or sour his temper but that spirit of discontent and repining which ever hovered over the camp, and this con- * Numbers xi, 29. f Deut. xxxii. J Numbers xii, 13. Exodus xxxiii, 15. || Exodus xxxii, 32. TEMPER. 379 taminating influence he successfully baffled through prayer. Now, well would it have been had his piety also enabled him to curb the impetuosity of his nature at the Waters of Meri- bah, but here human infirmity triumphed, and in one mo- ment of rash impulse he brought on himself the mild dis- pleasure of the Supreme, and wrecked his earthly hopes. Following the thread of this sad incident, another practi- cal lesson, sublime in its teaching, may be adduced from the calm submission, the holy spirit of resignation, with which the inspired prophet bowed before the decree of the Most High. Moses well knew he had greatly erred, and was con- tent to pay the penalty of his misdeed. Thus without the faintest murmur did he relinquish the wishes nearest his heart, because such was the will of Infinite Goodness. He prayed for remission of the sentence, but on such being de- nied, he prepared at once with the most perfect equanimity to quit the scene of his labours. To the exalted piety and supreme faith he displayed in each succeeding act we do not here allude, since they will receive our attention when treat- ing on the next subject. Thus much only we have to add, that on the subsidence of this rash and impulsive fit of mo- mentary passion, the same holy temper of mind, which dur- ing nearly forty long and trying years had but this once failed to influence his conduct, again displayed itself, and held, if possible, yet more firmly its wonted ascendancy. The spiritual in his nature had indeed gained complete su- premacy, and this meek faith he had foreseen what ultimately oc- curred, yet, instead of glorifying God for this marked proof of His mercy and loving-kindness, he allowed himself to feel aggrieved. The utter failure of his prophesy wounded his self-love, and " it displeased Jonah exceedingly ; he was very angry".* Indeed, such was the sensitiveness of his nature, or we will rather say, of his vanity, that mortifica- tion became the predominant sentiment of his mind, and he even besought God to withdraw from him the breath of life, saying, " It is better for me to die than to live". Self-love for the moment hardened his heart, and made him forgetful of the sympathy and love due to others. Pride overpowered pity, and roused a spirit of sinful repining, whereas a senti- ment of gratitude alone should have predominated. Such unjust and wrathful feelings on the part of His servant dis- * Chap, iv, 1. BALAAM JONAH. 403 pleased the Lord, and led him to put the question, " Doest thou well to be angry ?" but meeting with no response, the All-Gracious took occasion to reprove him by a practical lesson as beautiful as effective in its moral teachings. Jonah had to undergo a trial that taxed his utmost powers of en- durance, bringing with it such suffering as might well have softened his heart and induced a kindred sense of pity at the very idea of a dire calamity befalling an entire people. In pui-e waywardness he seated himself outside the city, " until he might see what would become of it. Now, God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah that it might be a shadow over his head",* to protect him from the overpowering heat of the noon-day sun, " so Jonah was exceedingly glad of the gourd". But God ordained that on the next day it should wither, and Jonah fainted by reason of the sun's heat, and wished to die. Naturally infirm of temper, he lost all command of it under this vexatious ordeal, and when God interrogated him as before, this impulsive man replied, "I do well to be angry even unto death". Truly a rash and passionate exclamation ; nevertheless we may not doubt that the gracious words further vouchsafed by the Lord quelled the discontented spirit which had in- spired it, and that, like the gourd, it disappeared as sud- denly as it had sprung into being. With these two incidents before us we may. in conclusion, briefly contrast the conduct of Jonah and Balaam, for thereby we shall throw the character of each into bolder relief, and while making manifest the superior moral worth of the former, show that notwithstanding his higher qualities, his kindliness of nature, his faith and just appreciation of God's gracious attributes, he yet wrought evil rather than good on important occasions, owing to his sad infirmity of temper. If we look solely to acts, both were equally culpable, one pro- ceeding to Tarshish, and the other following the King's mes- sengers to the capital, in direct contravention to the will of * Chap. iv. 6. l) i> 2 404 TEMPEIJ. the Most High. But if we analyse the feelings which dic- tated their conduct, it at once appears in a far different light. Jonah only regarded the Supreme as a God of infinite mercy, and entertaining the firm conviction that in the greatness of His compassion the Loi'd would " turn away from His fierce anger and repent", he rashly concluded that the mission en- trusted to him would be futile, and therefore could not bring himself to undertake it ! Balaam, however, showed no such faith in God's goodness ; he simply pursued what he believed to be his own interest, and assuredly would not have resolved upon his journey but that he hoped in some measure to fulfil the wishes of Balak. He stopped not to consider how the King's views could be made compatible with the expressed will of the Supreme, who had thus spoken, " Thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed".* Nor could he ab- stain when in the presence of the King from acknowledging that there was " no enchantment against Israel", and that " he could not curse whom God had not cursed"; neverthe- less he studiously refrained from blessing them, and it was only on the third time of " taking up his parable" that " his eyes opening, and seeing that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel", he no longer equivocated, but proclaimed, " Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee".f He had at length discovered there was no alter- native left him but to comply with God's will, and thereupon uttered a glowing peroration, prophesying Israel's happi- ness and greatness. He had eagerly sought to please the King, but being finally moved to incense Him by uttering words of ill omen, he received his dismissal, and had to return home without the honours he so greatly coveted. A marked difference is also observable in the proceedings of Jonah and Balaam when they were in transit to their re- spective destinations. Jonah would not allow his shipmates to suffer for his misconduct. No sooner did he perceive the sad consequences which his disregard of God's word was * Numbers xxii, 12. f Numbers xxiv, 9. BALAAM JONAH. 405 likely to entail than, Loping to save the innocent, he re- signed himself to meet a watery grave. He alone had erred, and God permitting, he alone would bear the punish- ment due to his rashness and folly. Turning to Balaam, we see in his acts only vindictiveness and passion. No con- sideration had he for either man or brute that thwarted his designs, and thence his inhuman treatment of the poor faithful animal he bestrode. Finally, when God in His good pleasure had brought them both to see the error of their ways, their course of action was totally dissimilar. Jonah, truly penitent, set himself at once to fulfil the mandate of the Lord ; but, as we have seen, Balaam nourished so bitter a feeling of animosity towards God's people that he could even resolve to nullify his own predictions and resist the will of the Almighty, rather than forego the satisfaction of humbling and degrading them. Truly Balaam's proceed- ings were the reflex of a bad heart, while those of Jonah were due solely to a peculiarly sensitive mind. With the former there was design, he disregarded God's word even in his calmest moments, but impulse and passion alone led the latter into open acts of disobedience. Assuredly both were culpable, and while the one serves to warn us against over-sensitiveness and vanity, the other should induce us sedulously to cultivate the good dispositions of the heart, and uproot those baser passions which are the sure con- comitants and promoters of ill temper. 40 G DEATH. D E A T H . Deut. xxxiv, 5, u So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord." IP we measure life by the varied incidents which give it colour as well as by length of years, then was the life of the great legislator MOSES of most uncommon span. That it should have been thus long was the more remarkable, since throughout almost its entire duration, dangers menaced and perils beset his path. Indeed, the thread of his existence would have been violently snapped even before consciousness had dawned on his infant mind but for a miraculous deliver- ance. Interesting as is this historic period, with the occurrences which threatened to nip the fairest blossom of humanity in its very bud, we do not propose to comment thereon, since where there is no free agency there can be no practical lesson, no example. But when we proceed to consider the many stirring events wherein Moses distinguished himself, we must be struck by his intrepidity and his fearlessness. Manfully did he encounter and resolutely contend with ever- recurring perils and dangers. Truly, to the man of stout heart and firm faith, death has nought appalling. The call of duty and of honour sweeps away all base fear ; and thus it was with Moses. It is this truism, then, that we have to trace, for assuredly as life is, so is death. We pass over the forty years which carried him up to ripe manhood, a period spent in Egypt ; for although we may infer that, if known as one of the despised and hated Hebrew race, Moses must have had many sworn enemies, or if regarded only as the favourite at the palace, he must not less certainly have raised up a host of envious and rancorous DKATII. 407 detractors, yet having no positive data whereon to rely, we know not how frequently he had to struggle with implacable and dangerous, because often covert foes. Turning, there- fore, to the known facts of his history, we at once come to that incident which wrought so great a change in his con- dition. Moses had doubtless been on various occasions an eye-witness to the cruel treatment which the Hebrews, his brethren, experienced at the hands of the Egyptian task- masters, without, however, indulging his angry emotions by any overt act of violence ; but when an aggravated case of barbarity was afterwards presented before him, he allowed indignation to gain entire mastery, and in a fit of passion slew the vile and relentless oppressor. Now, by this deed of violence, which speedily became known, he must assuredly have revealed his extraction, and shown that in heart as well as by birth he was an Israelite. From this moment till the time he reached the laud of Midian, whither he fled for safety, his life must have been in jeopardy, for, as we read, " when Pharaoh heard this thing he sought to slay Moses".* Escaping this extreme danger, it was only to fall into others hardly less critical, yet having this important difference, that he could face these with a bold front, while he must have cowered under the one just past. Fear ever attends a troubled conscience, and although his impulsive act originated solely in a generous sentiment and patriotic feeling, he must nevertheless have felt himself highly culpable, and therefore entertained a natural dread of after- consequences. On reaching the land of Midian, we find in his very first act ample evidence of his willingness to risk his life for the good of others. He had seated himself near a well, when the daughters of the priest of Midian approached to water their father's flock, and at the same moment, shepherds came forth to drive them away, " but Moses stood up and helped them".f Well might the shepherds, re-echoing * Exodus ii, 15. t Exodus ii. 17. 408 DKATII. those words which had sounded so ominously to the ears of Moses in Egypt, " Who made thee a prince and a judge over us", have resented the interference of an alien and a stranger, and sought to take his life. Indeed, their con- duct towards the weaker sex augured most unfavourably in regard to their natural disposition, and showed them to be prone to strife and contention. Yet even this consideration did not prevent Moses from accomplishing the task he had undertaken. His chivalrous devotion to the weak and un- protected brought its own reward, for we find him receiving a hospitable reception under the roof of Jethro, and soon afterwards obtaining the hand of one of his daughters in marriage. Now, although he had been fortunate enough to secure a home, the change in his circumstances was of the most trying nature, but having alluded thereto under the heading of " Temper", it will here suffice to observe that he left a palace, with its luxuries and delights, for a desert life full of perils ; he quitted a civilized land for one of semi- barbarism, and there had to undergo such toils, such priva- tions and rebuffs, as called for the exercise of all his forti- tude, patience, and power of endurance'; nor may we doubt they were the more acutely felt that he had hitherto been a stranger to hardships and severe trials. For forty years he followed the occupation of shepherd, and wended his way by night and by day along desert paths, in ever close proximity to the wild beast and oft yet fiercer man, differ- ing- from himself in race, language, and worship. But at the expiration of this long term of years a marked change oc- curred, involving new and serious responsibilities. The trials and hardships, so resolutely, so manfully encountered for two score years, well fitted him to undertake the perilous and arduous duties with which he was now to be entrusted. He, the poor shepherd and friendless exile, was to become the messenger of God to the mighty Pharaoh. He was to be deputed to reseue his down-trodden brethren, and by extraordinary displays of power to effect their signal deliver- ance from the land of bondage. DEATH. 409 And thus was his long and trying banishment brought to a close. Moses was passing with his flock at the " back part of the desert near Mount Horeb, when the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush". There, standing on holy ground with feet un- covered, he received the command of the God of his fathers to enter on the gigantic task which he so ably, so courage- ously, so faithfully accomplished. That death often stared him in the face while engaged therein admits of no doubt, but it is equally certain that such had no terror for him. Was he not filling a post of duty as well as a post of dan- ger ? and could he, who had been deemed worthy of holding converse with the great Unseen, lack faith or resignation ? No, truly, these proved an impenetrable coat of mail, and thus armed, he set himself to the task which had been con- fided to him from on High, resolutely confronting and suc- cessfully contending with the ensuing dangers. Now, of the many perils he incurred in the discharge of his glorious mission, the first was not the least imminent, for we find that after calling together the elders of Israel with the ob- ject of proclaiming the Lord's high will, he proceeded with his brother Aaron to the palace of Pharaoh, and presented himself unbidden before that stern and ruthless monarch, petition in hand. That this rash intrusion, so well calculated to rouse the ire of the tyrant, did not cost him his life must be attributed to the potent spell which high resolves and moral courage invariably exercise. "Was not Moses, when preferring his claim for his suffering brethren before this mere king of earth, supported by the great King of Kings, the Supreme Euler ? Here, indeed, was his strength, and here also his safeguard. What but the noble daring of Moses, inspired by truth and trust in God (for this poor exile had no numerous retinue wherewith to enforce his demand) could have so overawed the proud tyrant as to in- duce him to hearken to the words of one so lowly. That the quiescence of Pharaoh was not dictated by fear of the 410 DKATII. Supreme, we may feel well assured, since after hearing the request of Moses, thus couched iii the name of the Lord, " Let my people go that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness",* that Euler at once declared, " / I'noiv not the Lord : who is the Lord that I should obey His voice and let Israel go ?" So self-willed a monarch, and one so re- solute in ignoring a higher Power, needed more, than mere words to induce him to fore p o his own interests, and relent O ' in favour of those whom he had so long oppressed. Thence ensued the several plagues of Egypt ; but neither threats nor miracles, the nation's certain ruin, nor the people's assured misery, were effectual in causing the hardened Ruler to yield obedience to the will of Omniscience, for though brought to bend at extreme junctures, he relapsed into in- difference and impenitencef as soon as the penalty due to his obduracy was remitted. Such persistence on the part of Pharaoh, coupled with the wilful infliction of fresh cruelties on his bondsmen, as also their refusal to hearken unto Moses for " anguish of spirit", at times discouraged this faithful servant of God, for we read, " And Moses re- turned unto the Lord and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this people ? why is it thou hast sent me ? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name he hath done evil to this people, neither hast thou delivered thy people at all."J And again, " Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me, how then shall Pharaoh hear me ?" But notvvith- * Exodus v, 1. t The word impenitence is used advisedly, since, on referring to chap, ix, 27, and chap, x, 17, we find that Pharaoh was brought not only to recognise God's hand, but also his own sinfulness, while yet obstinately refusing to act in accordance with the Divine injunction, for thus spoke he to Moses, " I have sinned this time ; the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked"; again, on a later occasion, he petitioned, " For- give, I pray thee, my sin only this once more, and entreat the Lord your God for me". % Exodus v, 22. IIKATII. 411 standing such depressing influences, Moses again and again bearded the inexorable monarch, and this with greater hazard of his life on each succeeding occasion. Indeed, each new miracle, which might well have humbled Pharaoh and softened his heart, only served to harden it and render the position of Moses more critical. As proof of this we have Pharaoh's own words addressed to this servant of God just before the mii'aculous visitation which finally brought about the deliverance of Israel. They run thus, ch. x, 28, "Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more, for in that day thou seest my face thou shall die". With the exodus from Egypt uprose a host of new dangers to the great leader, for the very people whom he had succoured soon turned against him. Terrified at the appearance of Pharaoh, who with a numerous army had pursued and seemed about to overtake them, whilst the Red Sea was an apparent bar to their further progress, these broken-spirited slaves, losing all remembrance of past miracles, as also of what was due to their great chief, fell to mucmuring, and even reviled him for effecting a deliver- ance which was to secure to them the blessed boon of free- dom. Perilous, indeed, must have been the position of Moses at this juncture, nor did it promise to be less so in the fuiure. Were it possible that the Lord should suffer them to fall into the hands of the incensed monarch, he would assuredly be the first to suffer death, or if, as he believed in the fulness of faith, a final deliverance from the oppressor should be secured through some new miracle, yet what had he to expect from a people who could thus turn against their Benefactor at the first appearance of danger ? Surely the trials consequent on long and weary wanderings in the wil- derness were no way likely to work a favourable change, in their sentiments towards him, and but too much reason had he to apprehend repeated seditious risings. That these anticipations were unhappily verified, and that the great leader of Israel was equal to every emergency, is matter of 412 DKVTII. history, and will be but briefly alluded to here, since having had our attention when treating of the early Israelites, under the heading of " Obduracy", and of the character of Moses, under the heading of " Temper". One thing is certain, that Moses' life must have been in constant jeopardy during the forty years of his leadership, there being no seditious move- ment in the camp which had not for its aim either to under- mine and resist his authority, or to turn the people from their allegiance by electing princely rulers who would sanc- tion the retracing of their steps to Egypt ! A marvellous display of firmness, boldness and sagacity on the part of Moses was indeed requisite to quiet and appease a rabble hungering for bread, as was the case in the wilderness of Zin, or armed with stones ready to slay him when thirsting for water as at Marah ; nor were these admirable qualities less serviceable to him when the people lapsed into idolatrous practices, and he forced them to drink water impregnated with dust ground from the golden calf at Mount Sinai ; when they lusted after flesh at Taberah ; when they obsti- nately refused to advance towards the land of the Anaks ; and finally, when the whole congregation gathered themselves together against Moses and"chode with him". Now, had he in these instances been cowed before the irate multitude, or basely yielded to their unruly desires and idolatrous pro- pensities, as did Aaron, his brother, such timidity or moral cowardice would surely have proved fatal. His contempt of death and resolute bearing whenever a point of duty was concerned, or a principle had to be enforced, could not fail to impress even the most seditious spirits and humble them into submission. Thus stemming every adverse influence on the one hand, and elevating the moral character of his people on the other, Moses was enabled to carry them through many terrible ordeals, and bring them in safety to the glorious land of promise. But to secure this happy consummation, many were the personal sacrifices made by this noble-spirited chief, who, DEATH. 41 1* ambitioning nothing so much as the good of his people, un- hesitatingly faced alike danger and death when such mag- nanimity could in any way subserve thereto. Indeed, Moses was prepared to make a still greater self-sacrifice to save his poor benighted countrymen from the consequeuces of their folly and sin, and truly he presents us with an instance of self-abnegation which finds no parallel in history. Not only had this spiritual hero conquered the fear of death when any such fear clashed with duty, but he could even face the dread thought of annihilation, and voluntarily yield up the blessed boon of immortality, if by so doing he might mitigate God's just resentment towards the fallen of His people ! Here are his words : " Oh ! this people have sinned a great sin, yet now if Thou, Lord, wilt forgive their sin, and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written".* The magnitude of this self-devotion acquires additional pro- portions when we consider that Moses, having spoken face to face with the Deity, must have had as glowing a vision of heaven as might be vouchsafed to mortal eye. And yet, after this glorious sight, in the sublimest and purest spirit of philanthropy, he could, of his own free will, propose to erase his name from the great muster roll, and thereby himself close the entrance gate to that beatific region which lies beyond the grave ! Brave, magnanimous soul, rich to overflowing with the sweet spirit of love a love sub- lime, angel-like ; a love generous, self-denying, self-sacri- ficing ! We now proceed to consider the incidents which mark the close of this great man's career, and well do they har- monise with those which preceded them. Eloquent as was his life, his death was no less so. Brightly as had shone forth every exalted virtue during his long and unrivalled course, they appeared to gain even additional lustre at the approach of the final hour. Moses had reached the venerable age of one hundred and twenty years with powers unimpaired, he * Exodus xxxii, 32. 414 DEATH. had set foot on the confines of the promised land, when the voice of the Lord was heard calling him hence. God spake, "Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, and when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy peo- ple".* The appeal he had previously made to the All-Mer- ciful to be permitted to enter the " goodly land" had brought no favourable response, and he thus simply narrates the overthrow of his long-cherished hopes : " God was wrath with me for your sakes, and would not hear me".t No re- monstrance, no murmur, was to be heard from this godly man. With the most perfect equanimity and resignation he received the Divine summons, and at once prepared for his final departure. It was at this solemn moment that the dis- interestedness which had characterised his whole life became, if possible, yet more marked. Totally excluding all selfish and all family considerations, he directed his every thought to promote the future welfare of his people. He first be- sought aid and guidance from above, supplicating the All- Gracious in these words : " Let the Lord set a man over the congregation who may go out before them, and who may go in before them, so that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd". Full well he knew that upon the character of his successor would greatly depend the well-being of those whom he was about to quit, and therefore appealed to Him who alone can read the heart of man. And when Joshua had been nominated, Moses solemnly invested him with the command before the entire congregation, and laying " his hands upon him, gave him a charge as the Lord had commanded", further exhorting him as follows : " Be strong and of good courage, to do according to all the law, not to turn to the right hand nor to the left, so that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest". Having thus publicly manifested his approval of their future leader, no- bly ignoring the hereditary claim of kindred when it might * Numbers xxvii, 12. f Deut. iii, 2C. DKATH. prejudice the general well-being, he proceeded to counsel the people for their good, urging them to be humble-minded, to walk in the right way, to fear God, and then concluded his sublime exordium in these terms : " Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law, for it is not a vain thing for you, but it is your life''.* This duty accomplished, he prepared their minds for his approaching departure, and, as a final injunction, bid them reflect on God's unceasing love, mercy, and justice". Having thus warmed their hearts towards their heavenly Father, he proceeded to the last solemn act of blessing the people " after their respective tribes". Now, in order justly to estimate such blessing, let us consider the political and spiritual position which their leader of forty years' standing had attained in the eyes of the nation. In Deut. xxxiii we are told that Moses was king in Jeshurun " when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered toge- ther, also that Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death". Surely a halo of glory sur- rounds a nation thus blessed, and well may the Israelites ever hold in glad remembrance the last prophetic words of their great law-giver, " Be happy, thou, O Israel, for who is like unto thee, O Jacob, saved by Jehovah, who is a shield to help thee, a sword to protect thee, and though thine ene- mies will betray, yet shalt thou ascend their high places". t All doubts concerning the future welfare of his people being at an end, Moses, in accordance with the command of God, commenced the ascent of Mount Abarim, and though proceeding alone in this instance, as in that of Mount Sinai, was his step less firm now, after he had faithfully and zeal- ously discharged the mission wherewith God had entrusted him, than at the period when his task had only just begun ? Assuredly not. Full well he knew that a reward for past anxious toils awaited him in a glorious immortality, and * Deut. xxxii, 46. t Deut. xxxiii, 29. 416 DEATH. gladly must he have laid dpwu his life even at the very mo- ment that his worldly hopes were about to meet their frui- tion, particularly as by so doing he could furnish one more practical lesson to his people. The moral of this lesson may be traced in the culmination of his faith and in his implicit belief in the immortality of the soul, evinced by his calm de- parture for the ascent of Mount Nebo, step by step. Had the people believed that death of the body implied death of the soul, then indeed they would have failed to discern among God's gracious attributes that justice of which Moses had so repeatedly, so emphatically spoken. But they saw, as did their leader, a home beyond this world, and, though they long wept and mourned his loss, they became yet more im- pressed with this glorious and solemn truth, that at the very gates of death lies life everlasting. Death, viewed through the eyes of faith and reason, bears a totally different colour and aspect to that which imagina- tion, fear, and despondency lend it ; the latter see only the funereal hue, the solemn ceremonial, the mortal remains, the chill, dark, resting-place of the defunct body the former soar higher, and regard these only so far as they serve to convey sound moi'al and spiritual instruction ; their gaze is fixed not on the grave, but on heaven. Now it is clear that, death being a dispensation of God, it must be absolutely wrong to encourage a morbid view or presiding dread of it ; but, at the same time, altogether to shun the contemplation of that which is a practical reality and the law of our very being, cannot be right. Neither in thought nor act must we fear or court it. All that is demanded of us is to meditate thereon at suitable intervals, and seek to meet its approach with becoming fortitude and composure. Nor may wo doubt that, if we judiciously conform to the first duty, the latter will follow almost as a natural consequence. Only let rea- son be supported by faith when engaged in the contempla- tion of death, and many a bright ray will descend to cheer DEATH. 417 * us in the seeming darkness and .gloom. We shall piously reflect that a dispensation which is universal cannot be an evil, and indeed that to the virtuous and God-fearing man it is a supreme good, since it allows him to crown a long life of laudable endeavours and progressive improvement by faith, by childlike faith ; again, that death is a messenger of heaven, therefore a messenger of love, and should, like life itself, be recognised as a blessing coming from the Divine Hand, and that, far from being a spirit of darkness, it is truly an angel of light to him who has faithfully served his God and done life's duties manfully, cheerfully, and zeal- ously. Thus it is assuredly impossible to consider death abstractedly apart from its sombre appendages and gloomy associations without arriving at the conclusion that both as a natural dispensation and as the final bourne of each man's pilgrimage it is truly a blessing. Thence it should be occasionally regarded at a distance, say through the pages of history and biography. These will enable us to form a correct impression of the benefits conferred by death under its various guises. Through them may we surely discern and trace God's goodness and loving kindness as displayed in this dark, mysterious agent. They markedly point to the fact that such an equilibrium as the general good demands, could not be secured without this visitant, and further, their teachings infallibly lead to the conclusion that those physi- cal and moral laws which are essential to the well-being of the individual and to mankind, would be more frequently violated but for the terror which death is apt to inspire. Sad indeed would be the condition of mortals were death to stay its hand. Assuredly nought but misery could ensue. Chaos would reign where order now presides. Were this not self-evident, it might be exemplified by the perverseness of the generations before the flood, who through extreme length of days either lost sight of death, or, only seeing it in the dim vista of centuries, gave no thought to the final dread summons. Truly, all past experience teaches us that death E E 418 DKATH. the sharp-edged sword of justice to the evil-doer ever hangs suspended by a slender thread, and only awaits God's good time to be made visible to the obdurate offender. Of- tentimes, through the infinite mercy and goodness of the Supreme, it makes no marked advance till pain, debility, and sickness have acted as reminders and certain indicators of its approach, yet occasionally it gives no warning, but calls for instant surrender. How, then, will the tyrant stand aghast at the gaunt spectre, how will the despot's proud heart sink within him when death advances and claims sove- reign sway, how will the worldly man, the man of the world, the evil-doer, tremble, as conscience, awakening at the ap- proach of God's messenger, upbraids him for the wilful neg- lect of life's duties, for past misdeeds, and for a criminal per- sistence in evil courses. Nor will the impenitent sinner, the malefactor, the sceptic, be altogether proof to the change at hand in the dark hour of dissolution, which must surely ap- pear to them a king of terror, a foreshadowing of the retribu- tion which is justly due to their perversity. Now it is clear death renders an important service to mankind when it swal- lows up evil by calling away the sinner, when it delivers so- ciety and the world from the criminal and the oppressor. Nor is it less frequently a friend and benefactor to indivi- dual man, and, would we recognise this truth, we have only to reflect on the pitiable condition of the infirm and decrepit, who may be said rather to exist than to live, since alike in- capable of performing life's manifold duties or participating in its enjoyments. Indeed, each day only further impairs their mental and physical powers, rendering them more helpless, more burdensome to themselves and others. Ar- rived at this point, it is death, not life, which is craved as a blessing, and truly prolonged existence would be more than a misfortune it would be a curse. Again, death has occa- sionally proved itself a friend to the oppressed by delivering them with a mighty hand and ushering them through the gates of martyrdom to the land of liberty and peace. It has DEATH. 419 often brought ease and rest where before was great physical suffering or mental anguish, and led mortals to acknowledge this truth, that death becomes a blessing the moment life ceases to be such. But it has been kindly ordained by Providence that even mere reflection on the exodus of life should work practical good. The contemplation of death checks all rash self- confidence, while the messengers which it oft sends in advance debility, pain, and sickness remind men that they are mortal. The fear it is apt to inspire leads to the preservation of health, and proves the best guardian of life. The thought of sudden dissolution, of a pestilential, violent, or ignominious death has brought many to forsake their evil courses and repent. Dread of the destroyer, the spoiler, has often reunited in bonds of affection those who have been estranged, and made even the most callous set a high value on that which was lightly esteemed till likely to be forfeited. Then the consideration that it spares no one, nor high nor low, but robs most from those who have most to lose, and most affrights those who have most to fear, tends to strengthen the conviction of that equality which exists among men. Finally, reflection of death humbles the proud, weans the heart from senseless enjoyments, checks selfish indulgences, and conduces to a virtuous and pious life. Now, although death at a distance or in the abstract may be easily regarded as a blessing, though violent passions and false pride may set it at defiance, though fear of shame and dishonour occasionally exceed and overpower the fear of its dread presence, though excess of woe, of pain, of grief may, alas ! induce some to court and even rush upon it, yet assuredly it is only the truly good man who can watch and await its arrival with calmness and resignation. Upheld by faith, and relying with implicit confidence on God's gracious Providence, he will mark its gradual ap- proach without dismay or apprehension. That fortitude which is derived from virtue and piety will sustain him EE 2 420 DEATH. when death is brought closely home, either through the loss of those held most dear, or his own immediate danger. Truly only he who has walked with God during life, and se- dulously sought to fulfil life's duties, will meet death without fear at any moment the Sovereign Ruler may appoint. The consciousness that we have not abused or made a careless use of the loan of time graciously accorded us, that we have striven to make God our friend by sedulously following His laws, coupled with the conviction that he exercises no un- necessary severity towards His creatures, can alone enable us to dispel all misgivings and calm the perturbed spirit. And surely we fall into a sad, a fatal error, when we flatter ourselves that at the final hour we may leap, as it were, into the reward of virtue ; that though we have looked little beyond self-gratification, and pursued a devious course, we yet can reach the same goal as he who has followed the straight path of duty and of honour. But as we touch the final bourne we shall discover how sadly we have miscalcu- lated, and surely find that precisely as we have lived so shall we die ; we may not divide life and death. The latter is part of the former, though it be but an infinitesimal por- tion, and the character we have built up for ourselves will undergo no perceptible change at that moment when nature's forces, mental and physical, are touching their nearest point of exhaustion. Now, would men only recognise this truth, and act in accordance therewith, we should hear much less of, and believe much less in, death-bed repentance. All sacrifices to be efficient must be voluntary, not forced; but what can we cede, what relinquish, what forego of our own freewill in the mortal hour ? Are we not then utterly power- less to show our appreciation of the truth by a radical re- form ? We may poignantly regret the past, but to repent and atone for the misdeeds which blot its pages demand that time which is slipping away that life which is fast ebbing. Let, then, this consideration stimulate our good resolution while we have life before us. Why should we DEATH. 421 ever put off that preparation so essential for every mortal ? why, ever looking to the future, neglect the most important hour which that future will inevitably bring ? Such rash folly is surely only to be accounted for by that wilful blind- ness which permits weak and frail creatures to " believe all men mortal but themselves". They pretend to see .long years before them, though unable to answer for the coining hour. Birthdays come and go ; sickness stretches them on that couch whence they may never rise ; Sabbaths of rest, sleep, the grave, each in turn speak of the final rest ; further, they may see their fellow-mortals yielding up life's latest breath, and nevertheless remain nearly proof to all serious and all disquieting reflections as regards their own feeble tenure of existence. Thus time speeds onwards, and lo ! the grim spectre death stands suddenly and unexpectedly before them. Unfamiliar with this apparition, terror seizes the mind and oft paralyses it ; what, then, becomes of death- bed repentance ? Truly, only they who have lived the life of the righteous may reasonably expect to die their death ; only they who have set apart appropriate seasons for re- flection on life here and hereafter, who have moulded their conduct so that mortality should earn its immortality, and sedulously sought to secure the protection of the Supreme, may hope to meet God's messenger, not only without terror, without dismay, but with such perfect resignation, such holy trust, as to call forth those sublime words of faith, " O grave, where is thy victory ? death, where is thy sting ?" The good man, the man of piety and faith, looks forward to a world beyond the grave, and, far from trembling at the thought of the journey thither, seems to say with his latest breath, " fear not to follow me". In a word, he speaks as the heir of a glorious immortality.* * It has been the object of the writer to impart a strictly practical character to each subject reviewed, excluding all that is controversial or doctrinal ; and, desirous not to depart from this rule, he proposes treat- ing the subject of " Death" with only the faintest reference to the im- 422 DEATH. And, in conclusion, we are here led briefly to refer to the benefits and spiritual joy which a belief in immortality will surely impart, when such belief is the result of thorough conviction, not of mere sentiment. If it be not grounded on reason as well as on feeling and natural instinct, if it derives not its chief support from the inspired pages of Scripture, it will be nearly powerless for good, and possibly, alas ! fail in cheering the drooping spirit at the supreme hour. But when this glorious belief is founded on mature reflection, then will it teach us to sow here that we may reap here- after ; to lay up such treasures as we may carry away with us; it will enable us to recognize in God's messenger a friendly summoner to the celestial abodes, and thence while we mourn the loved and esteemed ones who are taken from us, we yet shall not selfishly lament, but acknowledge in the fulness of religious trust that our loss is their gain. It will exalt our ideas, purify our aspirations, and induce us to train our minds and faculties for a higher state of being. It will throw many a ray of light over life's journey, and cast a golden hue over the terminus which would otherwise be dark and gloomy. It will enable us to bear with com- posure sickness, grief, and pain, by pointing to that abode where trials and sorrows are unknown. Impressed with a sense of an eternal beatitude beyond this world, each de- parture of a loved and respected friend or relative must necessarily wean us more and more from the breast of mother-earth, and send our heart to that far country whither has fled our heart's treasure. Further, to believe in immor- mortality of the soul, since such may not be deemed purely practical. Nevertheless, standing in immediate connection with the present topic, and also having an important bearing on many others, it necessarily demands especial attention, and therefore cannot fail to form an appro- priate sequel to this essay. It is this consideration which induces the author to conclude with a letter that enters at some length upon this all- important subject, without, however, trenching on purely speculative grounds. It was written some three years since, at the request of a be- loved relative, now no more. DEATH. 423 tality is to believe in man's responsibility and God's justice ; in the fulfilment of man's highest aspirations and God's goodness ; in a state of retribution, but also in God's infi- nite mercy and love. Now, assuredly none can disbelieve but such whose interest it is so to do, for leaving apart faith and revelation, instinct itself speaks aloud, as the records of even the most uncivilised nations prove. The obdurate sinner willingly ignores an after-state, because to him it can only be fraught with gloomy forebodings. He full well knows not only that he has never sought to attain the crowning reward of a virtuous life, but has violated every moral law and misspent that time wherewith he was in- trusted. Thence he sees only an avenging God, and strives to shut from his gaze that which is too dreadful to contem- plate. But strive as the wicked may, the moment must arrive when their wilful blindness can no longer be of any avail, and then by their very terror will they practically ac- knowledge their belief in immortality. Truly pitiable as must have been their former condition, it will be yet more abject at the approach of death. But what a different scene will the last hours of the good man present, and what a lesson ! With him we see mighty hopes hastening to their fulfilment. He has shown us how we should live, and now he practically demonstrates how a man may die. Truly, as he peacefully slumbers into ever-lasting life, he is bequeath- ing to his descendants a golden legacy of faith a lasting and solemn record of an unshaken belief in immortality. PRECEPTS. If life be a blessing, as surely it is, then must death be such, else Solomon would never have told us that " The day of death is better than the day of one's birth".* But in order to recognise this truth, we must have fulfilled life's duties and accomplished the purposes of our being. Does not Isaiah tell us that if we have dealt charitably and kindly towards our fellow- creatures, or, as he expresses it, .* Ecclcs. vii, 1. 424 DEATH. - ch. Iviii, 10, " If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted" then " thy righteousness shall go before thee ; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward". And to the same effect, ch. xxv, 8, " God will swallow up death in victory". Further, we must have reflected seriously on life and death, or again and again conned over such verses as these, Eccles. ix, 2, " All things come alike to all, there 'is one event to the righteous and to the wicked"; or Psalm Ixxxix, " What man is he that liveth and shall not see death". Then we have David's view thereon, when he says, Psalm xxxix, 4, " Ltfrd make me to know mine end, and how frail I am. Behold, Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth, and mine age as nothing before Thee ; verily every man at his best state is vanity". Again, Psalm cix, 23, " I am gone like the shadow when it de- clineth". Also Moses, the man of God, tells us, Psalm xc, 10, " The days of our years are three score years and ten, and if by reason of strength they be four score years, yet is their increase but labour and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we flee away"; while we further read in Psalm cxvi, 1 5, " Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints". Such considerations, culminating in this last glow- ing thought, will help to prepare us for the final change, and enable us to meet God's messenger not only with com- posure, but in perfect faith and holy trust. Nothing is more conducive to this state of mind than to mark how the pious of this earth have departed. With what calmness David, when the " day drew near that he should die, spake unto his son saying, I go the way of all the earth".* Truly > he knew naught of terror, but much of hope, as is amply de- monstrated in very many of his beautiful Psalms. Thus we read, Psalm xxiii, 3, " Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy staff and Thy support shall comfort me". Well might he exclaim, Psalm xxxix, 7, " And now, Lord, * i Kings ii, 2. DEATH. 425 what wait I for ? my hope is in Thee". Again, Psalm xxxvii, 37, " Mark the perfect man, and behold the up- right, for the end of that man is peace". But thouflj^le was prepared to meet death, he nevertheless did riotcourt it ; indeed, he felt, that the final hour was an all-important one in man's life, and, as proof of this, we find that, after declaring himself to be " a sojourner on the earth as all his fathers were", he entreated the Lord to hear his prayer, and then exclaimed, Psalm xxxix, 13, " Oh spare me, that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more". Now, if even the righteous need strength in the mortal hoar, how weak and desperate must be the condition of the wicked. This verse especially applies to them, Psalm civ, 29, " Thou, O Lord, hidest Thy face, they are troubled ; Thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust". They will then at least be forced to acknowledge how weak they are without God's guiding Hand, and how sadly, how fatally, they have erred in believing in death-bed repentance. Many, indeed, are the Scripture passages which should discou- rage all such belief, for example we read, Eccles. viii, 8, " There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain it; neither hath he power in the day of death". Again, Prov. xxix, 1, " He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy". And again, Prov. x, 25, " As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more". We would now bring Scripture to testify to the folly of the wicked, who, having just cause to fear death, yet persist in pursuing that course which most surely leads thereto. They are like the " scornful men" depicted by Isaiah, who says, chap, xxviii, 15, "We have made a covenant with death, and with the grave we are at agreement j when the overflowing scourge shall pass through it shall not come unto us". But mark how they are answered, verse 18: " Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with the grave shall not stand ; when the over- 426 DEATH. flowing scourge shall pass through, then shall ye be trodden down by it". Again, chap, i, 28 : " The destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together., and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed". Truly, it is not to the sinner, but to the godly " who dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High", that the Psalmist thus speaks, Ps. xci, 5 : " Thou shalt not be afraid for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day ; a thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thou- sand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee ; only with thine eyes shalt thou see the retribution of the wicked". Again, Solomon remarks, Prov. xii, 28 : " In the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof there is no death". Sickness, disease, and death are indeed in ever-close proximity to sin, as we read, in Prov. xi, 19 : " He that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death"; and again, Prov. ii, 18, "The house of the strange woman inclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead". Then we are told, in Ps. xxxiv, 21, "Evil slayeth the wicked", while Job declares, chap, xviii, 5, " The light of the wicked shall be put out, destruction shall be ready at his side". Numberless other passages to like effect might here be quoted, but let us rather select those verses which, while showing that vice is antagonistic to life, further demonstrate that a virtuous course of action is highly conducive to length of days. Thus we read, Eccles. viii, 13, "It shall be well with them that fear God, but it shall not be well with the wicked, nei- ther shall he prolong his days"; and in Prov. iv, 23, " Keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life". Then, Job iv, 7, " Whoever perished being innocent? but they that sow wickedness reap the same ; by the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed". And again, Ps. xxxiv, we are told that " the man that desireth life and loveth many days" must " depart from evil and do good". We have now finally to show the essential service which fear of death may render to the DEATH. 427 wicked and the all-important benefit death itself confers on the godly. The former oftentimes checks the sinner in his evil courses, as exemplified in Ps. Ixxviii, 34 : " When God slew them then they sought him, and they returned and inquired early after God", And if any reflections can increase the terror with which the impenitent regard the near approach of dissolution, they will be suggested by such verses as these, Prov. xi, 7, " When the wicked man dieth his expecta- tion shall perish, and the hope of the evil-doer decay"; and chap, x, 7, " The name of the wicked shall rot, and the trea- sures of wickedness shall profit nothing". Then, returning to the latter consideration, does not death usher in immor- tality ? If it be indeed the extinction of earthly hopes, is not the fruition of heavenly aspirations also due to it ? Scripture emphatically answers in the affirmative. Each portion of the Holy Volume alludes more or less plainly to a future state, and points to immortality as the crowning re- ward of a truly virtuous life. This fact being fully demonstrated in the latter pages of this book, it is only here necessary to give two or three quotations on the subject. David declares in Ps. xvi, 10, " Thou, Lord, wilt not leave my soul in the pit, but thou wilt show me the path of life ; in thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore". Again, in Ps. xxiii, 3, " God refresheth my languishing soul, and guideth me in the path of righteousness. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow whilst I live, and then shall I rest for ever in God's eternal abode". And here are Solo- mon's words, Prov. xxiii, 18: "Envy not sinners, but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long, for surely there is an hereafter, and thine expectation shall not be cut off" . But belief in immortality is not enough, since it is easy for man to believe what he wishes ; we must further take to heart this truth, that as we sow here we shall reap hereafter, for just in proportion as this conviction gains ascendency in our minds so shall we make surer and firmer strides in the 428 DEATH. paths of duty and virtue. And may we doubt that this fact was uppermost in Solomon's mind when he brought to a conclusion his beautiful and instructive lesson for all genera- tions in the last two verses of Ecclesiastes ? After briefly recapitulating the " whole duty of man", he proceeded to forewarn us that our actions, though past, are not for ever done with, but that as responsible agents we shall have to render an account of them to the Great Ruler of the Uni- verse. Truly no more significant words on immortality, as well as on rewards and punishments, could possibly have terminated this moral lesson than the following, Eccles. xii, 14 : " Fear God and keep his commandments, for He will bring every work into judgment , with every secret thing, whe- ther it be good or whether it be evil". EXAMPLES. It is not to the death of the evil-doer we would here refer, else we might well allude to the ignomi- nious end of the crafty and wicked Haman, the dishonoured termination of the sinful life of the vile Jezebel, to the vio- lent deaths of the " disobedient prophet", the licentious Amnon, the plotting and selfishly ambitious Absolom, of the besotted Nabal, and the impenitent Zedekiah. Most of these had wrought incalculable ills in their immediate sphere or nation, and were still obdurately bent on perpetrating fresh wrongs, fresh crimes, when arrested by the hand of death. Now in each of these cases where was the opportunity for death-bed repentance, even could such have served to atone for past misdeeds ? Had any of these sinful men a single calm, thoughtful hour wherein they might have sought to make their peace with God and give some faint token of contrition ? Assuredly not ; the sharp, sudden stroke of death precluded all such possibility, and thus they died as they had lived. What a sad but all-important lesson is here revealed, and easy would it be to trace each separate cata- strophe, with its final results, to the criminal misconduct of the individual. Nor is retributive justice the only moral to JACOB ISAAC DAVID. 429 be drawn from these violent deaths. However, not to dwell longer on this gloomy picture, we proceed to make a passing remark on one of a reverse character, viz., the last moments of the truly virtuous and pious, whose name is legion. In perfect trust have they ever resigned their spirit unto God who gave it, and calmly, peacefully awaited the final sum- mons while fulfilling to the last the charities and duties of life. What sublime examples of parental love, of generous devotion, of self-abnegation, have they bequeathed to re- volving generations of men. And from among the host of these noble spirits we may single out the worthy patriarch JACOB, who years before his death declared himself, in the presence of the mighty Pharaoh, to be but a pilgrim on the earth. We first find him exhorting and blessing his chil- dren, and, when this last duty was accomplished, peacefully retiring to his eternal repose, safe in the Hand of an All- disposing Power. Then we may note instances of voluntary self-sacrifice, dictated by pious and patriotic motives; for example, the youthful ISAAC, who would have yielded up his life, a willing martyr to faith and filial obedience. Again, we have DAVID, the ever-ready champion of his people, who even in old age exposed his life for his country's cause, and could only be induced to relinquish the post of danger at the entreaty of his loving subjects. And when the last hour of this pious, God-fearing monarch drew nigh, what a sublime, what a useful lesson did he therein practically inculcate. Like Jacob, he exhorted and then blessed his son; he charged him to build a temple to the Lord, for which he himself had "prepared abundantly";* he commanded the princes of Israel to help Solomon, saying, " Is not the Lord your God with you, and hath He not given you rest on every side ? therefore set your hearts to seek Him, and build ye the Sanctuary of the Lord God".f Then he urged upon the Levites and the people the fulfilment of their several duties.* This done, he abdicated in favour of his son, and, after pro- * i Kings ii, 2. f i Chron. xxii, 18. t n Chron. xxii, 6. 430 DEATH. fessing his faith in God's promises, i Chron. xxix, 28, "he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour".* Truly, he had to the last fulfilled every duty, and, knowing how zealously he had sought to serve the Lord and benefit his fellow-creatures, was well prepared to quit this life for that other which had been ever before him, and of which he speaks in such. glowing terms in so many of his beautiful Psalms. .. Several other characters might call for a brief remark under this heading, nevertheless we will now give our attention ex- clusively to the two contemporai'ies, ELI and SAMUEL alike prophets of the Lord and contrast their lives and deaths, since such can hardly fail to furnish a highly instructive lesson. Like position and circumstances might well have dictated like conduct, but notwithstanding, their mode of action was essentially dissimilar, and as a natural consequence led to widely different results, both as regards themselves and the nation over which they long presided. Both hold- ing the high and important position of judge, their example and their teachings could not fail to influence the moral cha- racter of the people, and in most instances determine their course of conduct. They had a wide field of labour before them, but were not alike capable of fulfilling their task, nor equally zealous in the discharge of their duties, thence greatly did they diverge in their mode of action, and fre- quently work in exactly opposite directions. Indeed, their characters differed in many essential points. Eli was evi- dently weak-minded, while Samuel was bold as a lion ; the former was faint-hearted and unstable, the latter ever earnest in good. Assuredly in life as in death they had little in com- mon. Two or three marked instances in the history of each afford ample evidence of this. The culpable neglect of Eli in the training of his sons, having been already alluded to under the heading of " Parental Affection," here calls for only a brief remark. It is sad to be told that " the sons of * rr Sam. xxiii. ELI SAMUEL. 431 Eli were the sons of Belial, they knew not the Lord";* more sad still to find that when made cognisant of their perversity, he, a priest of the Lord, stopped short at simple remonstrance, and " restrained them not";f but above all it is to be deplored that, knowing they " made themselves vile", and caused " the people to transgress", he yet allowed them to retain their high and important posts. Now, had the duty he owed to God been a paramount consideration to Eli, he would assuredly have dismissed his sons from the sacred office they desecrated by their profligacy. Had he held the welfare of the people as a matter of the gravest importance, he would never have permitted these gross, these shameless debauchees, to hold a post wherein they must inevitably exercise a most pernicious influence. But we do not even find that he sought to counteract their evil example ; indeed, under his judgeship the nation was in a state of decadence, and so low had it fallen about the period of his death that it hovered on the very brink of ruin. The moral weakness of the Israelites soon produced political weak- ness, and their old enemies, the Philistines, were not slow to avail themselves of so favourable an opportunity for recom- mencing a deadly struggle with a people they both hated and feared. Nor, indeed, had they miscalculated, the Israelites being defeated with great slaughter. Surely then at least the High Priest might have exhorted the people, and called them back to their duty and their God ; he might have in- spired and cheered them to renewed exertions, while show- ing the one only way whereby they could retrieve past disasters. Such was not the case however, but he re- mained silent at this momentous crisis, and it is only too evident that he even absented himself from his post, as we find his sons delivering up the ark of God to the people on their simply demanding it ! But under these circumstances the Ark could be no pledge or symbol of victory to the chosen nation, since even when overwhelmed with reverses they had * i Sam. ii, 12. t C^P- iii, 13. 432 DEATH. not endeavoured to win back God's love and protection. Had piety and not superstition led them to covet posses- sion of the Holy Tabernacle had they regarded it only in connection with an ever-presiding Providence and thus be- come inspired by a holy faith, they would assuredly never have succumbed before enemies who were so timid and doubtful of the issue as to exclaim, " Woe unto us ! God is in their camp, and who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods ?"* As it was, the Israelites were sig- nally defeated, and no less than thirty thousand perished on the field of battle, while the Ark itself fell into the hands of the uncireumcised Philistines. And what of its late custo- dian and guardian ? No mention is made of him till all was lost; then we are told he " sat upon a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God".f Now, undoubtedly Eli was not a bad man, his faults being rather those of omission than commission ; but these faults did not therefore prove the less fatal 1o himself or the nation that owned his sway. He had been forewarned in years long past of what would befall his house, " because of the iniqui- ties which he knoweth^J regarding his sons; nevertheless he sought not to avert God's displeasure by dismissing them from their high office, and replacing them by others more worthy 'of trust. To this criminal omission we may easily trace many subsequent evils. Had he, the delegated keeper of the Ark, strictly guarded it, and only confided it to the hands of such as knew and served the Lord, it would have been held as a sacred deposit ; or if taken to the field of battle with the object of making it a rallying point and stimulating the drooping spirits of the combatants, it would have remained in security, protected by undaunted, because faithful, servants of the Most High. We now pass to the History of Samuel, all the incidents of whose life show him to have been a man of quite another stamp. But we may here remark that no less than twenty * i Samuel iv, 8. f T Samuel iv, 13. J I Samuel iii, 13. ELI SAMUEL. 433 years elapsed before the people began to recover from the moral" degradation and political depression which had been "the unhappy effects of Eli's weak rule. Truly a sad legacy had he left them in the harsh sway of the Philistines, coupled with the curse of idolatry ! Though the Ark was restored, the Israelites were not able to throw off the yoke of the enemy, their hands and hearts not being strengthened by faith in the true God. But at the end of this long term of years the ' ' House of Isi-ael lamented after the Lord", and from that period onwards we may note a marked change in their moral and political condition. Samuel had doubtless been anxiously awaiting the first favourable opportunity of calling them to repentance, and we find him thereon ad- dressing " the House of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, if ye put away the strange gods from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only, then He will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines".* Happily, they were open to counsel, for we further read, " Then the children of Israel did -put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only".f Thus much attained, Samuel well knew all else would be easy. And now mark how he proceeded. He first called the people together, bidding them fast and humble themselves before the Lord. He then prayed for them, and led them to declare in words of heartfelt repent- ance, "We have sinned against the Lord".J The next change that occurred was his elevation to the judgeship, and happy was it for the nation that they selected this resolute, wise, and righteous ruler. Under his sway all prospered ; by his firmness and courage, the natural fruits of piety, he brought the people out of their distress, utterly routing the Philistines in several pitched battles. Further, he carried them with unvarying success through every ordeal, and finally raised the nation to a high pitch of glory. Yet this ultimate triumph cost many a struggle, for not only had. ho * i Sam. vii, 2. t Verse 4. I Verse 6. F F 434 DEATH. to deal with an obdurate people, but with men who had lost much of their elevation of character during their late humil- iating state of vassalage. Indeed, in spite of all the in- fluence he attained through his many admirable qualities, Samuel was yet at times powerless to overcome their wilful defection and perversity. Thus it was in the case of their persistent demand for a King. Though he expostulated and remonstrated, showing them that while the fulfilment of their desires would be in every way detrimental to their interests, they were also sinfully rejecting the Lord, that He " should not reign over them";* nevertheless they " re- fused to obey the voice of Samuel, and said, Nay, but we will have a king over us".f Still this ungrateful proceed- ing on the part of the entire nation could not deter the noble-hearted prophet from pursuing the course he had set himself, and we find him thus declaring unto the people, " God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you, but I will teach you the good and the right way, only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart". J He. must have felt somewhat aggrieved, however, at their ingratitude to himself, since he at once called the people together that they might testify to his integrity during the period he had been their ruler, though far, far more grieved was he to witness their obstinate re- jection of the Theocracy. Indeed, so criminal did he deem their conduct that he could not allow it to pass without re- proof, and even called down upon them a mark of Heaven's displeasure. Nevertheless, he soon relented, and from that date onward served the state with his former indefatigable zeal. He even reproved Saul the elected sovereign on more than one occasion; he gave his invaluable aid in every emergency, helped to humble the Philistines and defeat the Amalekites, and condemned to death the ruthless and wicked Agag, thus fulfilling duties which of right belonged to this weak-minded and culpable King of Israel. Finally, Samuel * i Sain, viii, 7. t Ik., verse 19. J Chtip. xii, 23. ELI SAMUEL. 435 anointed David as SauPs successor, and then only, having attained a venerable old-age, he retired to a life of quiet and seclusion. Now, having compared the lives of Eli and Samuel, we will briefly consider their deaths, and review some of the incidents connected therewith. And what a moral do they alike unfold ! Samuel was reverenced to the last, and though he retired from his judgeship, and left the capital in order to pass his remaining days in tranquil privacy, we are told that on his death " all Israel gathei'ed together and lamented him, and buried him in his house at B-amah".* They justly estimated the national loss, and fully recognised how greatly their growing prosperity and happiness was due to the sa- gacity, the firmness, the piety of this unselfish ruler, this undaunted champion of their rights, this faithful prophet and servant of the Lord. Well might the whole nation join in testifying their grief and offering grateful homage to his memory. Not so, however, as regards Eli. Though at the time of his death he was judge in Israel, and had been ruler for no less than forty years, we do not find that his tragic end called forth one token of regret or respect indeed, no further mention is made of his name ! Doubtless the people were too much engrossed with their own sorrows to bemoan the loss of one who had so ill-performed his duties, and proved himself utterly incapable of helping them by per- sonal counsel, or through that Divine assistance which was ever graciously vouchsafed to each faithful prophet of the Lord. In conclusion, we would strive to show by the light of Scripture how different must have been the state of mind and feeling of these two men at the approach of their final hour. As to Eli, he was wrapt up in sorrowful forebodings, momentarily awaiting the most sinister tidings both as re- garded himself and the entire nation. The ominous words which had fallen from the youthful Samuel some twenty * I Sam. xxv, i. F F 2 436 DEATH. years before must have resounded in his ears, and he will have felt that they were now about* to be fulfilled. Well might he tremble, for what had he done during that long period to avert God's displeasure, while had he not left much undone which would possibly have arrested the disas- ters now impending ? Dark thoughts these in a dark, dark hour. What a world of woe in such sombre reflections, and heavily must they have weighed on his mind. But the cul- minating blow had yet to fall, the last faint spark of hope to be extinguished. The chilling dread was to be exchanged for heart-rending reality. Not only did the messenger from the field of battle tell of defeat and of his sons' death, but alas ! far sadder still Eli learnt in the same hour that the Ark of God, which had been entrusted to his safe keeping, had fallen into the hands of the enemy. Then indeed all, all, was lost, and the feeble old man, with one groan, fell back from his seat and expired. Truly did such overwhelm- ing calamities " bring down his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave". Now, let us turn from this sad yet useful les- son to the death of Samuel, which stands out in strong con- trast therewith and is hardly less instructive. This faithful servant of the Lord could review his past life not only with- out regret, but with positive satisfaction. Deeply interested in the welfare of his people, he must have exulted in their growing prosperity, and rejoiced in the thought that, under God, he had been the instrument of their regeneration. Moreover, he could look forward and see with prophetic eye the glorious epoch which the accession of Saul's worthy suc- cessor would usher in. He had resided a long time with David, and, thoroughly appreciating the character of the fu- ture monarch of Israel, foresaw with unerring certainty that the good seeds he himself had sown, would burst forth in a golden harvest when the God-fearing David should sway the destinies of the nation. Yet all this was only a portion of his rich reward. He could also turn his mental eye inwards, and look back without a blush upon an unblemished career. ELI SAMUEL. 437 He had hearkened to the voice of conscience, and never wronged himself or others through selfish indulgence or un- lawful pleasures. All his remembrances must have been sweet in death, for he will have seen in his good and virtuous deeds those golden links which unite a happy past with a glorious and blissful future. In a word, having zealously served his country and his God, when the solemn hour ar- rived, he had nought to depress, but much to raise his spirits. Prayer, which had been the source of his past strength, vir- tue, and fortitude, now proved his sure refuge, and through it, he will have opened for himself the gates of life eternal. Truly, we could not more pithily sum up the character and life of this wise and righteous judge, this pious, faithful ser- vant of God, than in the words of the following Scriptural quotation : " Mercy and truth are met together, righteous- ness and peace have kissed each other",* while the concluding verse of the same Psalm is equally applicable to his death, " Righteousness shall go before him, and shall set us in the way of his steps". Assuredly every faithful servant of the Lord should strive to walk " in the way of his steps", and thereby earn for himself a happy life, a peaceful death, and a blessed immortality. * Psalm Ixxxv, 10. 438 LETTER ON IMMORTALITY. LETTER ON IMMORTALITY.* DEAR , In fulfilment of my promise, I gladly place before you some of the numerous Biblical quotations which refer to the all-important subject of immortality. They are culled from the various books of the Old Testament, and directly or indirectly bear testimony that belief therein has ever been the very essence of the Jewish Faith. Referring, firstly, to the Five Books of Moses, we find that almost all relating to a future state is of a practical charac- ter; thus the death of the righteous Abel by the hand of his guilty brother, when considered in connection with the goodness of the Deity, affords ample evidence that this life is but the prelude to another and a better world. If'death be annihilation, where was AbeFs merited reward ? God had no sooner testified His pleasure with the conduct of His pious servant than death befel him ! Surely, were there no future state, this untimely fate must be considered a chas- tisement, and certainly not a recompense for his past vir- tuous life, thence we must believe in immortality if we be- lieve in the justice and goodness of God. The death of Moses speaks no less forcibly to the same effect. For one in- considerate act he was not only denied the privilege of en- tering the land of promise, but had to yield up his life at the very moment that his hopes were about to meet their frui- tion ! If dissolution of the mortal frame were indeed syn- onymous with extinction of the soul or spirit, breathed by God into man, we should assuredly be unable to reconcile the fact of his departure from this world at such a moment with the gracious attributes of the Lord. Truly the great law-giver Moses in his death added to his other valuable * See note p. 421. LETTER ON IMM011TALITY. 439 teachings the all-important lesson that at the very gates of death lies life everlasting. The translation of Enoch to hea- ven without dying is not without its significance ; indeed, it goes far to prove that another habitation does exist for the sons of men, and is reserved for the faithful servants of the Lord. Other practical examples might be adduced, but we will now select some quotations from the same five books which are scarcely less conclusive. Take the sentence, " Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace";* also, chap, xxv, '' He was gathered unto his people"; and what meaning may we attach to such words but the assurance of a future state ? Indeed, when applied to Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Samuel, Jeremiah, and various others, it is evident that the soul, and not the body, is referred to, since not one of these was buried near his fathers, but in distant sepulchres, and in more than one instance lonely solitudes, far, far from the haunts of men. These words would otherwise be worse than meaningless ; they would not even bear the high stamp of truth, in itself an utter impossibility, proceeding as they did from the God of truth. Again, in Gen. xlvii, we find Jacob alluding to the length of his pilgrimage, and averring before Pharaoh that the years of his life had been ' ' few and evil". Now, the very word pilgrimage betokened his belief that this world was but a preparation for another, free from those trials which beset his path here on earth. Then among the divers laws given by Moses to the Israelites, we may note such expressions as these, Gen., " He who doeth this wrong shall be utterly destroyed", "that soul shall be cut off"; and again in Lev., " that soul shall be utterly cut off". Here death of the soul is threatened as a punishment, thereby clearly implying that a future world is reserved as a reward for the pious and virtuous. Then what is more significant and expressive of the belief in immortality among the Israel- ites than their impassioned words to Moses, " Behold, we die, we perish" ,-\ implying utter annihilation. Again, Moses * Gen. xv, 11. t Numbers xvii, 12. 440 LETTER ON IMMORTALITY. thus addresses the people,* " I call heaven and earth to re- cord this day against you that I have set before you life and death, therefore choose life", &c. Now, since death befalls the virtuous no less than the evil-disposed and vicious, " life" evidently here implies life everlasting. Further, by the light of immortality alone could the people have under- stood the promised reward of Moses that " their days should be as the days of heaven upon the earth" would they but act in obedience to the Holy Law. And again, did not Moses clearly allude to a future life when, after imploring forgiveness for his people, he added, " Yet now if Thou wilt not forgive their sin, then blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy Book". Surely, such words must convince us that a belief in immortality as well as future rewards and punishment was entertained both by the law-giver and his people. It is true, however, that the Five Books of Moses speak less plainly and touch more lightly on this subject, this be- lief, than the Psalms or the prophets, but the reason is ob- vious ; like prayer, it is an instinct, a craving of the human heart, and therefore, like it, was never especially "com- manded". Further, Moses could not consistently set him- self to impress a people, but lately emancipated from slavery, leading a wandering life and deeply engrossed in every-day cares, with the doctrine of prospective advantages in a fu- ture life, but this he knew full well, that when their minds became enlightened they would not only comprehend it, but would even grasp its full and high import. It sufficed that he had laid a foundation with ample materials to develop the superstructure into a fundamental principle in future gener- ations. And as we pass onwards reviewing the various por- tions of Scripture, this truth openly reveals itself. We find that when once the Israelites had freed themselves from their enemies and established a powerful kingdom, then, and then only, were they enabled to dismiss the overwhelming cares of the moment, and turn their thoughts into loftier * Deut. xxx, 19. LETTER ON IMMORTALITY. 441 channels. Spiritual welfare was then considered as well as the well-being of the body. Of this we may feel convinced when we peruse the beautiful Psalms of David, which re- peatedly revert to the immortality of the soul. These were written/or the entire people, and had they not already enter- tained a well-grounded hope of a blessed hereafter, David's allusions thereto would have been totally unintelligible to them. How could they have comprehended such passages as these : Ps. xxiii, 3, "The Lord restoreth my soul"; Ps. cxix, 15, " God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, he will receive me"; and Ps. xcvii, 10, "Ye that love the Lord hate evil, He preserveth the soul of His saints"; and again, Ps. xxxvii, 37, "Mark the perfect man, for the end of that man is peace", such peace being the sure result of a firm belief in life eternal, for a holy trust ever banishes all fear, all doubts, all questionings. Then we have David's memorable words addressed to his servants on the- death of his son, " While the child lived I fasted and prayed, for who could tell whether God will be gracious to me that it may live, but now that he is dead, wherefore should I fast ? Can I bring him back again ? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me", Surely this answer alone would afford con- clusive evidence of his faith in a world beyond the grave. Again, how may we construe the following words of Abigail to David if not persuaded that they allude to immortality : " The soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God",* thence showing that the belief not only animated the king, but had taken firm hold on the minds of the whole people. Although more worldly-minded, Solomon spoke no less forcibly or distinctly of a future state than did his father David. His words are not to be misun- derstood, being entirely free from all ambiguity. Thus in Eccles. we read, " All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again ; who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upwards ?" and chap. 12, " Man goeth to his long * i Sain. xxv. 442 LETTER ON IMMORTALITY. home ; then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return unto God who gave it". Then in Pro- verbs, which were especially adapted for the people, we read, chap, xi, " Righteousness delivereth from death"; also we are told, " When the wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish"; and again, " In the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof there is no death". We now turn to the Book of Job, supposed to have been written in the time of Moses, and therein we find additional proof that the blissful hope of immortality was then a belief, a fixed trust. Thus we read, chap, xix, " And after this body is destroyed, out of my flesh shall I see God". Again, " God looked upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, then will He deliver his soul, and his life shall see the light". A few practical incidents calculated to strengthen the be- lief in immortality may be here introduced ; for example, when Elijah prayed to God that Zarephath's child's soul should come into him again, the Lord granted his request, and "the soul came back unto him again, and he revived". Then also the translation of Elijah himself clearly proves that there is another habitation for the sons of men. Turning next to the Book of Kings, we find that in more than one instance death was promised as d blessing, as a re- ward for virtuous conduct, as in the case of that excellent monai'ch Josiah,* yet could this have been deemed such by monarchs in the zenith of their prosperity had they not firmly and fixedly believed in immortality ? And now we may add some quotations from the Books of the Prophets, written at various epochs, most of them in the reigns of the Jewish kings, but some few when a portien of the Israelites had become captives and exiles in the land of their enemies. Thus we read in Isaiah xxvi, 19, " The dead shall live j aivake and sing ye that dwell in dust", etc. Again > chap. Iv, 3, " Incline your ear and come unto me, saith the Lord, and your soul shall live. Let the wicked * II Kings xxii, 20. LETTER ON IMMORTALITY. 443 man forsake his way and turn unto the Lord, and God will abundantly pardon". Next, extracting from Jeremiah xxii, 10, "Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him, but weep sore for him that goeth away (into exile), for HE shall return no more". Then what words could be more significant of eternal life than the following of Ezekiel, chap, xiii, 19 : " Thus saith the Lord God, will ye pollute me among my people to slay the souls that should not die ?" Again, speak- ing of a righteous man, chap, xviii, 9, " He hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments to deal truly, he is just , he shall surely live, saith the Lord". Also, alluding to the evil-doer, " When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive"; and again, chap, xxxiii, 1 5, " If the wicked restore the pledge, etc., walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall not die". Turning next, to Daniel,. we read, chap, xii, "And at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the Bool; and many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, etc,, and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever". Then in Hosea xiii, 9, " Israel, thou hast de- stroyed thyself, b'ut in Me is thine help ; I will ransom them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death". Lastly, in Malachi iii, " They that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name". Truly, a reiteration of the words of Moses, containing the same glorious promise to the good and righteous. Profane History further yields ample evidence that the Biblical teachings of immortality were not lost upon the Jew- ish nation. During long years thousands died for their reli- gion, and by their willing martyrdom not only proved their 444 LETTER ON IMMOKTALITY. love and trust in the One sole God, but also practically de- monstrated their belief in a future and happier state. To those who thus perished, death was not annihilation, but an entrance into realms of bliss. The writings of the learned Israelites of successive generations give additional testimony that this belief has never been extinct in the nation. And finally, as a conclusive proof that the immortality of the soul is, and ever was, an essential principle among the Jews, we need only turn to the thirteen fundamental articles of their faith, wherein this belief is clearly embodied. Now, had not Moses in. his five books inculcated this doctrine, had it been a mere instinct or the offshoot of another creed, this tenet could not possibly have found a place there. Assuredly that which Moses taught or commanded, and nothing else, forms the basis of the Jewish Faith. To his teachings, then, is this belief due, and if it has in a measure grown and strengthened in successive generations, such is but the na- tural consequence of the increase of enlightenment, and the ever-growing supremacy of reason and Faith . TilE END. BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX, COMPRISING SIXTY-FIVE CHARACTERS IN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY PARTS. No. of Pnge. No. of Parts or Subdivisions. 1. ABRAHAM 53, 62, 74, 85, 103 - 5 2. AARON 310 - 1 3. ABIGAIL 196 - 1 4. Asa 306 - 1 5. Amaziah 100 - 1 6. Ahab 396 - 1 7. Absolora 262 - 1 8. Ammon 61 - 1 9. BALAAM 398 - 1 10. BUILDERS OF BABEL 46 - 1 11. Boaz 83 -' 1 12. CAIN 31,394 2 13. CALEB 122, 292 - 2 14. DAVID 15, 51, 69, 101, 152, 238, 283, 429 8 15. DANIEL 35, 5i, 72, 178 4 16. Daniel's three") 1 companions. ) 17. Disobedient Prophet 139 - 1 18. EZRA 9 - 1 19. EVE 24 - 1 20. ESTHER 23, 341 2 21. ELI 73, 101, 430 3 22. ELIJAH 307 - 1 446 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX. No. of Tage. 23. ELISHA 84,265 - 24. Esau 60 - - 25. GIDEON 121 - - 26. HANNAH 23 - . 27. HAMAN 50,397 - 28. HEZEKIAH 42, 139, 177 29. Hazael 395 - - 30. Hannaniah 121 - - 31. ISAAC 85, 142, 156 32. ISRAELITES, early 266, 288, 344 33. ISRAELITES under) 2gl 3Q2 Judges and Kings) 34. JACOB 35. JEREMIAH 36. JEPHTHAH 37. JOSEPH 60, 181, 202, 428 - 328 - 197 - 51, 59, 140, 225, 245 38. JOSEPH'S BRETHREN 228, 241 - . 39. JOB 43, 61, 101, 220, 339 40. JONAH 73, 242, 398 41. JOSIAH 120 - 42. JOSHUA 122, 292 43. Jotham - 52, 155 44. KORAH 45. LOT 292 - 53, 103, 126 46. MOSES 60, 260, 371, 406 47. MORDECAI 124 - - - 48. Miriam 35 - - 49. NEHEMIAH 82 - - 50. NOAH 37 - - 51. Nabal 395 - - 52. Naaman 395 - - No. of Parts or Subdivisions. 2 1 53. OTHNIKL 54. PIIIXEAS BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX. No. of P.ige. 304 - 291 - 447 55. RACHEL 35 - 56. RUTH 257 - 57. Rebecca 83 - 58. Reuben 140 - 59. Rehoboam 100 - 60. SAMUEL 42, 430 61. SAUL 36, 198, 396 62. SAMSON 28 - 63. SOLOMON 15, 29 64. SlIUNAMMITK - 23, 218 65. Simeon 394 - No. of Parts or Subdivisions. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 2 1 ERRATA. Page 11, line 3, for " Omnipotence" read " Omniscience". Page 71, line 29, for " conceived" read " concerned". T. BICHABD?, PRINTER, 37, OBEAT tjCEKN 9TBBET, W.C.