measures are called for, no striking incidents of a prosperous or of an adverse kind diversify the scene. It is so likewise sometimes in the Church. Heresy is still , persecution !s .sti!l ; nggressiv~ movements of p_artie~ are still ; controversy i~ hushed ; Chnst1amty folds her wmgs and takes no flight mto distant lands; there are no reformers at work. Fanaticism is asleep; the uniformity of slumber supersedes the diversities of energetic religious life. Such periods of stillness may have their uses in Church and State, but they have their evils likewise. And they are only temporary; often only the 11;111 before t]1e storm. Such were t?e foi:ty-five years of the judgeships of Tola and Ja1r. In their days we read of no mvas1ons of their foes. No Gideon comes to the front with the strong life of unquenchable faith and indomitable courage. The only events chronicled are the peaceful ridings of Jair's sons upon their asses' colt~ amidst their ancestral cities. But troublous times were at hand. It wae the lull before the storm. ,vould the storm find the people prepared? The sequel will show. Meanwhile the reflection arises, Be it our aim in quiet times not to fall asleep ; in times of excitement not to lose the balance of a sober mind and the calm- ness of a deep-rooted faith.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-5.-The calm after tlie storm. Partly exhaustion, partly consciousness of Divine judgmerit, restrains the spirit of Israel. The punishment of its unfaithful- ness had come from within itself, and was the more felt. The pendulum now swings slowly back. I. IT WAS A "PEACE OF Goo." The band of Jehovah was seen. The con- sciences even of the wicked had been touched. So in the lives of individuals and nations there are times given of God after jndgments in which to repent and amend; and these are not of their own creation, but a result of a gracious Providence. But as they are each a calm after a storm, so, being unimproved, they may be but the portentous lulls before greater judgments. The enemy from without is restrained, as if to say that the real danger could only arise from within. II. ITS CHARACTER. Undistinguished by great individual exploits; but showing a general advance in civilisation, the art.i of peace, and external respect for government nnd religion. The solid monu!llents of the people's indu~try and foresight (the cities of the circle of Jair, &c.) remained. A happier generation lived and throve over the ashes of the guilty past; and some steps were taken towards the more settled and permanent type of government, the monarchy. III. lTs IMPORT. God's punishments and judgments are intended to prepare for peace. The sinner can ne,er say he has had "no room for repentance." But this was only external and temporary peace-a truce with an unreconciled Heaven. It is precious, therefore, only as making for and typifying the kingdom of Christ, and tbo peace of believers, which follow upon storm and overturning and Divine chastise- ments, but confer unspeakable blessings an::l make happy.-M. Vere. 1-5.-Quiet times. I. THE BEST MEN ARE NOT ALWAYS BEST KNOWN. \Ve know nothing of Tola and Jair in comparison with what we know of Abimelech. Yet the very fact that little is said of them is a proof that they were good and honest men. We are too ready to mistake notoriety for fame and both for signs of greatness. Tliey are not the greatest men who mak~ the most n~ise in t~e world. It is some- thing if this censorious world can say no Ill of us. Aim at domg well rather than at striking attention. II. QUIET TIMES ARE HAPPY TIMES. Israel was now experiencing the happiness of the people whose annals are dull. It is ~·en_erally a misera?le thing to be the s~bject of an interesting story; the more full of rnc1den_t the story 1s, the !11.ore ~II of d_1stre~s will be the person to whom it relates. Happmess generally v1B1ts pnvate hves 1n their obscurity, and forsakes those which ar~ protruded into the_ glare of vulgar curiosity. David's happiest days were spent with the sheep on the hills of Bethlehem. Christ found more happiness at Capernaum than in Jerusalem. III. QUIET TIMES ARE OFTEN HEAL'f_HFUL Tl~E.s. There is a q~ietness whicl! betokens the stagnation of death, and there 1s a cond1t1on of ease which favours indolence OB. X. 6-18.] THE BOOK 0F JUDGES. 118
lnxury, nnd vice. But there is also 11 quietness of healthy life (Isa. xxx. 15). The flowerij grow, not in the noisy storm, but in soft showers and in quiet sunHhine. In times of quiet 11 nation is able to effect legislative improvements, to open up its internal resources, to develop commerce, to cultivate science, art, and literature, and to turn its attention to the promotion of the highest welfare of all within its borders. In times of quiet the Church is able to study Divine truth more deeply and to carry out missionary enterprises with more energy. In times of quiet rightly used the soul enjoys the contemplation of God and grows under the peaceful influences of his Spirit (Ps. lxxii. 6). IV. QUIET TIMES ARE MORE FREQUENT THAN WE COMMONLY SUPPOSE. History directs inordinate attention to scenes of tumult, and necessarily so. Hence we are likely to magnify the range of these. In times of war there are vast areas of peace. The terrible seasons which attract our attention nre separated by long intervals of quiet which pass unnoticed. Thus it was (1) in the history of Israel, which is really not so dark as it appears because so m11ny generations were spent in peaceful obscurity; (2) in the history of our own country, of the Church, and of the world; and (3) in our own lives, since we commonly recollect the troublesome times (which are striking partly just because they are abnormal), and ungratefully ignore the long, quiet seasons of unbroken blessings.-A.