ese0nti0,l which is. not II contained in Scripture, or may be proved thereby," we must ~lt~o the mnmte_nance o_f th: recognised truths of Christianity a, sine qua non. The spmt nbrond winch mnmtams tlrnt no tencher should be removed from hiH post for nny considerntion whntAOever, is a,s opposed to truth aR that which would r_e~ove him_ ';Vithout fair t1_inl or_ sufficient cnuse. The task of decicliug on the hm1ts o~ religious freedom 1s a, chfficult one, nnd demands exceptional gifts. But the dcnrnl tlmt there are such limits is contrnry to the main principles of law and gospel alike. IV. WE ARE DOUND TO RIISTRAIN ZEAL WITHIN PROPER BOUNDS. The Israelites did not pro~ee~ to nction without clue inquiry. 'fhey sent o. deputation to their brethren to mv1te them to clea,r themselves if they could. And the result was an honoumble acquittal, though there was a Rtrong prima facie case against them. Wo_uld _that nil religious investigations had been as fair! For though the duty of ~amtaming the purity of the Christio.n faith is most undeniable, yet the conYersc 1s equo.lly true, that we must be sure that it is the Christian faith that is at stake. The practice on the po.rt of the mecliieval Church authorities, of treating suspicion of heresy as a crime, was a violntion of the co=onest laws of justice. The practice of holding a teacher responsible for every inference which could be drawn by a merciless logic from his theses, although these conclusions are energetically repudiated by himself, was not the offspring of zeal for the truth, but of prejudice and passion. The custom of declaring views heretical which, thour;h opposed to the voice of authority and the force of numbers, did not touch the essentials of tho faith, was an outrage o.gainst Christian liberty, and a violation of the great principle laid down in this cho.pter, of subordinating the letter to the spirit. For the Reubenites and their brethren had unquestionably broken the letter of the law. The erecting of such an altar as they had erected was strictly forbidden. And yet by that very violation they had been proving their sincere aclhesion to the spirit of the violated law. And their defence was not only accepted, but joyously an,1 thankfully accepted (ver. 31). If in those days the spirit was set aboYe the letter, how much more in our own. Let us take heed then that we do not, misled by blind party zeal, fall 1upon those who are our allies in the great and holy work. Let us not exact too'· strict a conformity with the letter of Holy Scripture, but let us seek hearts purified by love to God to discern its real spirit. It is no easy t~sk, no doubt, but it may be performed tlu·ough prayer and love to Goel and man, With hearts so filled with the sacred fire, it may well be that we shall often gather together to Shiloh ready and bm-ning for the conflict, yet be appeased when we leam what seemed a foul wrong to God was inspired by the deepest devotion to His cause, and may say with Phinehas, whose zeal for the truth cannot be disputed, 11 This clr.y we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not co=itted this trespass against the Lord.'' V. ALWAYS BELIEVE THE BEST, "Charity hopeth all things," says the apostle, The Lord Himself bade us always, when we had a co.use of coillplaint against our brother, to begin by talking the matter over with Him. So also says the wise man in the Apocrypha, in words which well deserve to be remembered. "Admo_nish a friend, it may be he hath not clone it, and if he have done 1t, that he clo 1t no more. Aclmonish thy friend, it may be he bath not said it, aml if he have, that Im speak it not again. Admonish a friend, for many times it is a slander, ancl beliern not every tale.'' It is neve1· safe to neglect this cotmsel. The case may look very bad against your friend, but so it dicl against the two tribes ai:icl a half. In foct, ill their case, nothing could be worse. They were ca~ght. in flagr,mle del1cto. There was the altar, erected in a most conspicuous situation-a great altar t? be seen. The Israelites might have a,rguecl that it was useless to ask explanations when they had the fact before their eves. But they were not so rash. Ancl the resnlt showecl that they woulcl have been blameable indeed if they had been so precipito.te. How many a, friendship has b~en severed, how many a life-!ong estmngement ha,s been caused, how much m1Sery has been bro~ght about, by the ~ant of coumge to go frankly to a friend_ aml ask for an _explanation of what_ see~ indefensible. You ruay luwe your testimony from urumpeachable witnesses, 0~ 824 THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. [ CH, XXII, 1-84,
wit,uessPs :\"On believe to be \mimpeachable, and if in truth they rtre not slrtnderere or mischief mrtkers, they may yet not be in possession of certrtin material fact; which giw the ertse an altogether different aspect. At least the rnle is clear-never condemn nn~- one unheard. ·wounded feeling or offended pride m0,y m0,ke us R"\'erse to seek the explanation ; the effort may be po,inful, almost intolerable, yet justice demands thRt it should be made. And you may afterwards have reason to " bless God "' that you did not " go up against your brother to battle." Either he may repent, and then "thou 1111st g1tined thy brother," or he may never lmve offended, and then the bonds of Christian friendship will never be relnxed at nil.