Ill. llEn PnIVILEOE WAS TO DECOMI': THE FREE WIFE 011' HER JEWISH LORD, If a hnppily ordered mBrriage, it must have been a joyful isrne of the war. The terrible ordeal had proved to her the path to honour and social blessedness and peace. All the agony had given place to enlarging love. IV. AT THE VERY WORST, BUE REGAINED HER LIBERTY. The love bad in this case proved transient-she bad not pkased him-they would not be happy together. In such a case she was given a legal tiUe to liberty, If not loved, she hoo the next best privilege of being free. In this arrangement, consequently, we have love and liberty in the house of a hns- band; or liberty, if the love proves fickle and the match ill arranged. This was a beneficent arrangement compared with the licentiousness which usually accompanied war. V. WE MAY CONTRAST THIS WITH THE LOVE AND LIBERTY GUARANTEED US BY CHRIST JESUS, Our Lord, in fact, offers us bis love, oh, bow strong and how true! And in his love there is liberty, the liberty wherewith be makes his people free. No uncertainty bangs over bis offer to us; no slavery is possible in his house. We shall, in fact, have reason to bless him for conquering us for loving purposes, and any anguish his conquest may have cost us, will be amply compensated in bis royal ancl limitless love. Conquest, love, and liberty for ever is the experience through which we pass in the hands of Jesus, the Conquering Hero, and no one ever regrets entering upon it, for it is enjoyment indeed !-l;t M. E. Vera. 15-17.-The rights of the firs/born in the house of a bigamist. Bigamy was not encouraged by the Mosaic Law. Where it took place in man's passion, the Law stepped in to regulate the relations in the household impartially. The house of a bigamist may be the scene of sudden jealousies and dispeace, but God steps in to forbid it being the scene of injustice. The discomfort is providentially inseparable from the bigamy-it would have been a pity bad it been otherwise! But the Lord steps in to prevent flagrant injustice being done to· the children solely through the father•~ caprice. Caprice may be permitted up to a certain point, with all its painful checks, but it will not be suffered to perpetuate undeserved wrong. J, THE RIGHTS OF THE FIRSTDORN CONSISTED IN A DOUBLE SHARE OF THE F.!lfILY PROPERTY-TWICE AS l'dUCH .AS THE OTHER CHILDREN. This was that he, ns the beginning of his father's strength, and as acknowledged head of the family, might be able to sustain its honour properly. It was for this portion Elisha prayed when he desired a double portion of Elijah's spirit; not twice as much, but twice as much as the other sons of the prophets (2 Kings ii. 9). And this is what Jesus gets from the Father, according to the promise, "I will make him my Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth" (Ps. lxxxix. 27). There was another right of the firstborn, in having a seed raised up for him in case of his premature decease. This also bas its import in the case of Jesus. 11. BECAUSE .A FIRSTDORN'S MOTHER WAS HATED WAS NO REASON WHY HE SHOULD DE DENIED HIS RIGHTS. The dark cloud of hate was not to envelop him, and keep him out of bis double portion, or his right to a seell, if he prematurely died. And yet this was what Jesus received in the way of treatment. "He came unto bis own, and his own received him not." As the Firstborn of humanity, he deserved the double portion, yet hnd not where to lay his bead. He was denied his rights among men. !If. FROM THE CAPRICE OF MEN WE MAY .ALWAYS LOOK UP TO THE IMP.A.RTUL JUSTICE OF Goo. 'l'his was the protection of the fii;stborn in the house of a bigamist. God was on his side. This was the protection of Jesus a.mid the injustice of men-the Father was along with him. He always did what pleased him. And whenever we feel aggrieved through the capricious conduct of our fellows, let us always look up confidingly to our Father above. 'l'he Lord is just, at all events. We may rely on his vindication of our case m the great day, if not before.-R. M. E.
Vers. 18-23.-Parental authority enforced, It is plain that parents a.re to deal with their children to the best of their ability: but in case a stubborn and rebellious 348 THE DOOi{ OF DEUTERONOMY, [on. :ur. 1-231