Ver. 4.-The reproach of the righteous. "Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephra1mites, and among the Manassites." J. THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO TRUTH AND GOODNESS OFTEN OBJECT TO THE CIRCUM· STANCES IN LIFE AND THE CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO ARE REPUTED TO DO GREAT WORKS IN Goo's SERVICE. IC Fugitives" is a term of social reproach. It suggests vile reasons which made it convenient for them to leave their own home. So it was said, " Is not this Joseph, the carpenter's son?" and," Can any good thing come out of N a.zareth?" So John ix. 24, 29. II. THIS OBJECTION IS INCONSEQUENT. It ignores the real authorship of goodness, and the method of his working, and character of his instrwnentalities in all time. It is self-contradictory (John ix. 31).-M.
Vera. 5, 6.-Shibboleth :-The importance of little defects, faults, &c. This not absolute, but relative. I. WHEREIN THIS IMPORTANCE CONSISTS. 1. In what they 81.tggest or reveal. A slip in accidence, or a blunder in the statement of matter of fact, may discredit the pre- tended scholar. A difference in tone or manner may mean indifference or enmity or hypocrisy. Temporary neglect of a child may prove want of real parental affection. Neglect of private or public prayer may be little in itself, but it may spring from the alienation of the soul from God. 'l'he glib utterance of a "white lie" muy make us doubt the whole moral chamcter of the speaker. Grave diseases often declare themselves by comparatively slight symptoms, us leprosy, pnmlytic ataa:ia, &c. 2. We see it in the order of life as a wliole. In the vegetable and animal world the law of the "survival of the fittest" often works through comparu- tively slight organic adaptations. In human life the advantage and ultimate succest:i of men often depends upon their slight superiority to other competitors. A little ignorance, extravagance, carelessness, &c. may work ruin. "A stitch in time saves nine." "Ready, aye ready,'' is a noble motto. Great discoveries have been ~arle by men who were just a little in advance of their fellows. 3. A critical occasion may give a trifle an unlooked-for importance. The cackling of geese saved Rome, ~c- cording to the myth. Peter's uncouth accent occasioned the observatfo!1 of the m111d, 134 THE BOOK OF JUDGES. [on. xn. 1-'1.
~nd his emphatic denial of Christ. Vessels have been wrecked because of 11 little ~nrelessness in taking observations when mists have suddenly arisen, or rocks were m the course. Souls have been lost through impressions produced by the incon· sistencies of professing Christians. II. Oua DUTY WITH RESPECT TO THEM. "Of course it is to correct them 1 to get rid of them," yon say. Yes; but how? Sometimes they are so related to us that we cannot remove them. It is necessary then tbnt we should do all in our power to compensate for them by cultivating other qualities, &c., or to neutralise their influence by timely explanations and clear proofs of our real intention, spirit character &c. Mere punctilio, or the scrupulosity of the martinet will not do. We ~:mst bewa~e of the folly of those who "strain at a gnat and swallow a camel." Let the whole life be emphatic in contradiction, and let the spirit of Christ so shine through us that men will learn to know us in spite of those failings and defects which give us the lie. "Not far from the kingdom of heaven" may be worse than entire alienation from it. Te,st,s: their good and, evil. As a means of discovering the Ephraimite, the device was highly natural and ingenious. In the main and roughly it was successful. Some such method was evidently required. There was no time to enter into minute detail or examination. But, on the other band, it was quite possible that some who were not Ephraimites were slnin by mistake. So in determining fitness for Church membership, office, or spiritual responsibility- I. TESTS MAY BE NECESSARY. There are times when it is of the utmost importance for us to know who are God's people and who are not. We are to "have no fellow- ship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." From the unholy, disorderly, unbelieving we are commanded to withdraw ourselves. But this injunction were impossible of fulfilment were the distinction between saints and sinners not capable of being made. Christ has happily supplied a test-" By their fruits ye shall know them." The confession of the lips is another element, but it must not be dissociated from the former. So in the life of every day we require to know men, and accordingly have to form our opinions and judgments of them. This is so vital and necessary to safety and happiness, that we do it almost automatically, unconsciously. The honest and the dishonest, the true and the folse, the friend and the enemy, we learn to distinguish by actions and words, and the course of their conduct. It is foolish, therefore, for persons to object to tests-they are necessary throughout the whole range of life, temporal and spiritual. But- II. THEY MAY MISLEAD. In the nature of things they must be superficial, local, accidental, &c. They are observed -and interpreted by fallible men. Trifling diffel"• ences may acquire factitious importance. A man is not to be condemned for a word; a careful study should be made of the whole conduct and character of the man, The Christian life baa me.ny "notes," and where one is not forthcoming another may be present. The Epistles have, therefore, a variety of points upon which Christians may test themselves and others. God alone knoweth the heart, and in Christ he will judge the world by mfallible judgment. It is better to err on the side of leniency to offenders than on that of severity. It matters not how we may commend ourselves to men, our condition in the sight of God is of chief account.-M. , Vers.1-6.-" Vaulting ambitwn," whuh "o'erleaps i,tself." This was.not th~ first time of such offence on the part of Ephraim. Gideon bad to bear with their un- reasonableness, and was gracious enough to permit their co-operation in securing the results of hie victory. But now the "cup of their iniquity is. full." Not for Ammon's destruction alone is Jephtbab raised up; be has a punishment to m_ete out to Ephraim. They knew it not, but this pride of theirs was on the ver~e of its fall. They presumed on former exemption from evil consequences, and blindly rushed upon their chastisement. We see here- I. PRIDE IN ITS DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER. Past kindm!l!IS and consideration only hardened and strengthened it. Past achievements and the prestige acquired through tliem are relied upon instead of present obedience to God, &c. Ephraun ~ar~d m?re for its own position and advantage than to serve the commonwealth. By its maction en. xn. 1-7.) THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 135