discipline are, especially among the worki~ class, lamentably relaxed. Christian people should, in the interests alike of patnotism and religion, do all they can to strengthen these bonds. The text affords us a beautiful example of filial obedience. I. MOTIVES to filial obedience. Gratitude should lead the child to obey the parent to whom he owes so very much. The constraint should be the sweet constraint of love. Reason should lead to the reflection-The parent has experience of human life, in which I am necessarily lacking; is not a parent's judgment far more likely to be sound than is a child's, or even a youth's ? Divine legislation commands children to ?hey their p~rents. E. g. the fifth commandment, under the old covenant; apos- tohcal admorutions, under the new. The example of the Holy Child Jesus I II. The ADVANTAGES of fili3;l ?bedience.. Usually, ob~ous temp~ral ad~e.ntages ensue upon such a course. This is proverbial and unquestionable. The satisfaction of a good conscience is e. compensation not to be despised for any sacrifice of per- sonal feeling in this matter. The approval of God is most emphatically pronounced upon those who honour and obey their parents. And this is usually followed by the confidence and admiration of fellow-men. Lessons :-1. Expostulate with the disobedient. 2. Encourage the obedient.-T. Ver. 7.-The joy of harvest. There is brightness and pleasantness in the view this passage gives us of a harvest-time in the vale of Bethlehem, Poets and painters have interpreted the heart of humanity in the pictures and the songs in which they have represented "the joy of harvest." Boaz, the mighty man of wealth, was not only rich and prosperous-he was happy, and free from the moroseness which some- times accompanies riches ; he was generous, and free from the miserliness and penuriousness which often grows with prosperity ; he we.a considerate, and observed and recognised individual cases of need. I. IT IS RIGHT TO PARTAKE OF THE BOUNTIES 011' GOD'S PROVIDENCE. Gluttony and drunkenness meet with no encouragement from this, or from any other portion of Scripture. But no countenance is given to asceticism God "daily loadeth us with benefits ; " he giveth not only seed to the sower, but "bread to the eater." We should eat, drink, and give thanks to him who " openeth his hand and satisfieth the wants of every living thing." Sincerity and thoughtfulness should accompany the daily blessing and breaking of bread. Christ " came eating and drinking." II. !T IS RIGHT TO BE HAPPY AND MIBTHFUL WHEN GOD HAS DEALT BOUNTIFULLY WITH us. There is mirth of e. kind attending the carousals and the debaucheries of sinners. This mirth is hollow, and will soon be succeeded by regrets. But when God's children sit at their Father's table and partake of his bounty, what more natural and just than that they should rejoice and sing aloud of his goodness ? These gifts and " all things " are theirs I III. IT IS RIGHT TO REST WHEN DUTY HAS BEEN FULFILLED AND TASKS AOIHEVED, Some zealous Christians seem to think all repose is sinful, as manifesting indifference to the magnitude of the work to be done. But God has made the body so that it needs rest, the mind so that it needs relaxation. The quality of the work will not suffer, but will gain, by timely and moderate repoee.-T. Ver. 10.-Benediction. A blessing comes appropriately from a senior; a father blesses hie son, a venerable patriarch his y_outhful colleague. B~az was an_eld~rly man, and it seems appropriate that, addresemg Ruth, the young widow of hie kme- man, he should use language of 'benediction: "Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter I" I BENEDICTION PROCEEDS FROM A BENEVOLENT DISPOSITION. It is the opposite of c~ing. Sometimes language of benediction is used when there is no spiritual reality behind it. In such cases it is a mockery, a counterfeit of benevolence and pi1Y~· BENEDICTION IMPLIES PIETY. Belief in God, and in God's willingness to bless There is a looking up to God on behalf of him who is to be blessed. Without this the language of blessing is meaningless. III. BENEDICTION IS THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT FROM Goo ALL GOOD MUST COME, C0MBI:i'ED WITH THE DESIRE AND PRAYER TH.AT HE WILL BE GRACIOUS. It is the hallow- on. m. 1-18.J 'ftlE BOOK OF RU'rtl. 57
ing of our beet affections ; it is the making real and personal of our most solemn religious beliefR. IV. BENEDIOTION, IF HARMONIOUS WITH Goo's WILL, SECURES Goo's FAVOUR. It is a wish, but a wish realised ; a prayer, but a prayer heard and answered in heaven. -T,
Ver. 11.-A virtuous woman. 'fhe circumstances of the narrative read strangely to us. But one nation and one age cannot fairly apply its standards to another. Nothing is more certain than that the conduct of Naomi, of Ruth, and of Boaz wae perfectly correct, and probably Ruth's proceeding was wise and justifiable. Upon her character no breath of suspicion rested ; she was, in the language of the text, 11 a virtuous woman." I. RUTH'S VIRTUE WAS MANIFESTED BY HER CIRCUMSPECT CONDUCT WITH REFERENCE TO YOUNG MEN. "Thou followedst not young men, whether rich or poor." II. HER VIRTUE WAS Al'PARENT IN HER OBEDIBNCE TO HER MOTHER-IN-LAW. Instead of taking counsel of her own comparative inexperience, she listened to the advice of the sage and prudent Naomi. III. HER VIRTUE WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY ALL HER ACQUAINTANCE. "All the city of my people doth know." If there had been anything in the conduct of the poor, friendless young foreigner inconsistent with virtu:e, it would not have been hid. She escaped calumny. IV. HER VIRTUE LED TO AN HONOURABLE MARRIAGE AND POSITION IN ISRAEL. 11 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband." We can believe that Ruth verified the oeautiful description given in Prov. xxx:i.-T.