power of the theocracy which his contemporaries appear to hnve ignored, 1md (2) of its suitability for the happy government of his nation. III. THE INCIDENT REGARDED IN RELATION TO THE THEOCRACY. 1. It is not wise t-0 propose a revolution of government except for great and necessary ends. It is easy to overthrow the present order; it is not so easy to be sure that what we sub• stitute will be better. \Ve cannot calculate on the possible uses to which the new po~·er ~rn create_ may be approl?r~ated. 2. 'J'.he best method of government is that winch 1s bat suited to the condition of a nation. There came a time when u human kings~ip was_ necessary for _Isra_el. The att_empt to force this on before the country was npe for it only ended m disaster (eh. 1x. 5). 3. No government can be better than n true t_heo~rac-y. ~his must be distinguished from the rule of priests and prophets which 1s sometimes falsely named a theocracy, although it is as much a human goYernment as the rule of kings and soldiers. Nothing can be better thal' for a people to be guided by the thought of God to do the will of God. The govern- ment of the Church is a theocracy. The Papal assumption is therefore treason to Christ. " One is our Master" (Matt. xxiii. 8). To substitute any human authority for the direct guidance of Christ is to fall back to a lower state, like the conduct of Israel when the people were willing to abandon their Divine King for a human rnonarch.-A. Vers. 34, 35.-Forgetfulness and ingratitude. As we pass through the historical records of the Bible we must often be struck with the stern faithfulness with which Jewish chroniclers describe the wicked and shameful deeds of their own nation. This fact is not only Yaluable as a proof of the unvarnished truthfulness of the narratives; it gives to the history of the Bible a universal character by making it a mirror of human nature. Thus the forgetfulness and ingratitude here recorded are unhappily typical of the too common conduct of mankind generally. I. THE PREVALENCE 011' THIS CONDUCT. Unnatural and monstrous as it appears in the narrative, it is so common in experience as to be scarcely noticed. It was con- stantly repeated in the history of Israel (Ps. lxxviii. 11 1 42). It is prevalent in Christian communities. 1. It is not limited to athe-ism. The atheist denies the existence of God. The godless man believes that God exists, yet ignores his existence. The atheist is rare. But is there not something pharisaical and hypocritical in the horror with which he is regarded, as though the great multitude of men were far better than he, though so many of them forget the God of whose existence they are champions, and never render him worship or obedience. 2. It is not limited to open irreligion. We must not suppose that all people who do not go to church are utterly godless; but neither can we believe that all who do engage in public acts of worship really acknowledge God in their hearts. It is possible to forget God in the house of God, and to be guilty of base ingratitude while singing his praises. 3. It is not limited to total god.lesmess. There are those who, like the Jews, have known God but have since forgotten and neglected him, and those who live nearer to him for ~ season, but are tempted at times to forsake him. II. THE CAUSES OF THIS CONDUCT. 1. Sin. The people of Israel went after Baalim, and the result was that they forgat the Lord. We cannot have two supreme gods. Immorality is fatal to religion. 2. Wrirldly distraction. When no special fall into great sin has been experienced the mi.ud may be drawn aside from_ Divine thin~s, and so engrossed in bus~ess, politics, or the car_~? and pleasures ~f. hfe,. that no time or energy is left for spmtual ~ought~ (Matt. xm. ~2) .. 3. Unspirituali~y_- Even ':"hen there is no great worldly distraction we may ~mk mto a low, unspmtual ~ab1t of life, in which the thought of God becomes famt and feeble .. It does reqmre so~e spiritual effort to preserve the memory_ of G~d fre~h and bnght,. bec3:use _(l) he rs invisible, and can only be apprehended m th_e mner life, and (2) h_1_~ action 1s gentle, and does not rouse our attention by sensational methods (Hab. 111. 4). 4. Loss of love to God. We remember what we love. Indillerence of heart creates negligence of thought. 5. Selfishnas. Israel remembered God in the time of need and for-got him in the season of prosperity. Selfishness inclines us to remember God only when we want his aid. III. THE GUU,T OF THIS CONDUCT. 2. It imJ)lies disloyalty to the rightful authoritg o/ God, If we forget God we forget his will and neglect his service. We are not DB, IX, 1-6.] THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 97
free to do this, for we nre nnturnlly subjects of his supreme sovereignty. 2. It implies indifference to liis Ji'atlierl'!/ nature. He is our Father, and we nre bound to him by ties of nature (Deut. xxxiI. 18). 3. It implies an unwortliy return/or Jiu goodness. Thankfulness is closely associated with thoughtfulness. The unthankful forget; those who do not take the trouble to think fall into gross ingratitude. Ingratitude to God is joined to ingratitude to his servants. The same spirit is seen in both sins, \Ve are not likely to be true to man until we are first true to God.-A.