enbject of coneideratfon what forms of worship are most calcula.ted to increase and heighten the devotion of the wo!shippere. Forms which tend merely to please the eeneee a~e w:orthless _; f?nns which t~nd to soo!he the conscience of the impenitent, cmd to stifle 1te questionmgs by creating a feelmg of duty performed and of satis- faction made to God, are pernicious; and forms which so fill the thoughts as to the manner of perforrnmg them as to leave no room for thoughts of God are injuries rather than benefits to the soul. Forms, again, which leave the soul self-satisfied which convey a false impression of God's favour and grace being given when he i~ really displeased and offended, and which comfort and encourage those who ought to be horribly afraid and trembling for fear of God's judgmente, are manifestly destructive of the souls of those for whose benefit they purport to exist. A faithful Church will root up all such as dishonouring to God and as very hurtful to man. One other characteristic of superstitious worship must be noted. It is compatible with vice, and with the dominion of sin in the heart. Superstition has no tendency to correct the principles of action, or to purify the thoughts and affections of the inner man. The sequel of Micah's history supplies a notable instance of this. The Danites, in their superstitious desire to possess the images of Micah's chapel, and the religious services of Micah's priest, scrupled not to break the commandments of God by stealing, and, if need were, by committing murder. Stealing sacred relics and transporting them by guile or violence from one religious house to another is a well- known form of mediaival superstition. The brigands in the mountains of Italy have been often known to kneel before an image of the Virgin, and ask the blessing of the priest or bishop, and then return to their work of plunder or murder. Superstition is no check upon the passions, and no bar to the reckless pursuit of what men deem to be their interests or know to be their desires. There is no gulf between super- stitious worship and immoral conduct. The man who mistakes the aspect of God towards superstitious vanities is prone to mistake also his aspect towards moral dis- order and sin. But he who really enters into the tabernacle of God, and communes with God in spirit, comes forth with his face shining with inward righteousness, the reflection of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ. His life is a continuation of his prayers, his praise culminate!! in good works. In the interests of moral goodness, as well as for the honour of God, it is of supreme importance that the worship of the Almighty be free from superstition.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-13.-The history of a man-ma.de ministry :-1. Its genuis. It belongs to the main design of the book to .show how the various disruptive tendencie-, of a religious and social nature increased unchecked when " there was no king in Israel." The book begins with a note of unity-" the children of Israel asked Jehovah." Repeated idolatrous defections are chronicled, and mention made of the setting up of an ephod in Ophrah, the city of Gideon, and its evil consequences. In one respect the schisms from the national religion were even more dangerous tbim complete departure from it. The unity of Israel was thus destroyed in its chief sanction and sign, the universal sacrifice and confession at·Sbiloh. Another of these schismatic points of departure is here related. The description is full of realistic force, and is governed by the dogmatic purpose of exposing the imrnoral motives of it and thus discrediting it in the eyes of .every true Israelite. It is exposed as the private and selfish appropriation of a national blessing. As the political unity of Israel depended upon maintaining a central religious authority and a uniform ritual and priesthood, the setting up of a house of gods .was in itself, irrespectively of its motives, a crime of the first magnitude. The New Testament idea of Church an,l ministry is different. There the unity of the Spirit is the prevailing aim. But whenever separation originates in similar motives to those here depicted, the sin of schism equally exists. I. THE CHARACTER OF 1TB AUTHORS. Avaricious mother, dishonest son. Bnth superstitious. Not honesty, but fear of a curse, actuates Micah to restore the" eleven hundred shekels." The getting back of the money is the chief concern of tl,e 182 rHE BOOK OF JUDGES. [CH. XVII, 1-13,