justice. In the absrnce of justice, property becomes untenable, cnmmcrM vanish, s, pe110e spreads her wings for flight. "If the foundations be destroyed, what cnn the righteous do?" I. TH_E MAGIB~A:E's TEMPTATIO~. Ilumnn natnre, a~ its best, is accessible by tem~tat_1~n; an4 1t 1s well that from the e:yes of the nation a fierce li~ht beats upon the Jud1cml bench. If only the ear of the Judge be open to the fascinating voice or sclf-adv11ntage, if bis hand be open to a bribe, wickedness will put on the most ravishing charms to deflect him from bis duty. Because ho occupies a scat so con"spicuous, temptation selects him as a special target for her poisoned arrows. Yet even for temptation be may rejoice, for according to his trials should be his morn! triumphs. Avarice may tempt him. Love of ease may tempt him. His own tastes and predilections may tempt. The praise of the powerful may tempt. He will become either the stronger or the weaker for the discipline, will grow in moral courage or in cowardice. II. THE MAGISTRATE'S QUALIFICATION, The qualification for the judicial throne is ardent love of justice. As or,ly a wise man can be a teacher, so only a jllst man can be a true judge. No matter what may be the nationality of the litigants, no matter what their colour, social rank, or sex, every one bas an inherent claim on public justice. To pervert judgment is to arouse all the elements of wrath in heaven and earth. The judge is the visible exponent of justice; he wears the garb of justice, and if in him there dwells not the soul of justice, he is a sham and a pretence. Hc~rt devotion to public justice is the only anchor that can hold him fast amid those currents and whirlpools of evil influences which ever surge around him. Things unseen are the most potent. III. 'l'HE MAGISTRATE'S RULE OF ACTION. This is clearly made known to him by God, viz. that punishment is to be personal, not corporate. The child is not to die fur the father. Where there is corporate guilt there must be corporate punishment. But this is no contravention of the rule. The inducement is often great to release oneself from tbe pains of unravelling a complicated suit; or, if relatives of the accused seem to be accessories to an evil deed, a judge is often tempted to embrace all the suspect,,d family in one punishment. The light of truth is to be his only guide; love of justice his compass; the revealed will of God his chart. To him human life is to be held a sacred thing; not one life is to be needlessly sacrificed. 1t is a sad fact that judge~ have been amongst the greatest criminals; they have slain many innocent men. IV. THE HAGISTBATE's INSPIRING MOTH"E, Many motives may wisely influence him. He, too, must appear before a higher tribunal, and submit his whole life to judicial ligbt. But the motive here pressed upon him is gratitude derived from past experience. The history of his nation is to mould his character and to teach him the value of human justice. He is expected to sympathize with the oppressed, to enter into their griefs, because he is a part of a nation that has felt the sharp scourge of oppression. He has learnt by national experience that, when justice by man is denied, God appears in court and champions the ea.use of the oppressed. He is the repre- sentative of a nation that has been redeemed. He himself is a ransomed one, and is under peculiar obligation to serve his Deliverer. His time, his capacity, his legal knowledge, bis influence are not his own; he is redeemed, ~nd belongs to another. Past deliverances arc not to be lost upon us, or we are lost. To forget the lessons of the past is self-injury, yea, is heinous sin, In every station and office fidelity i, demandcd.-D. Vers. 19-22.-.Autumn generosity. If a man is not generous towards his poorer neighbours in time of harvest, he will never be generous. If the pro~use generosity of God be lavished upon him in vain, his moral nature must be hard mdeed. As men "make hay while the sun shines," so should we yield to benevolent impulses whil11 God surrounds us with sunshine of kindness, As we are undeserving recipients, we should share our unpurchased bounty with others. J. WE HAVE HERE A FITTING OCCASION 1''0R GENEROSITY. God supplies US with fittinp; seasons for getting good and for doing good. It is not always autumn, \Ve cannot gather corn and olives when we please. We have to wait the arrival of the season, aud this season is God's provision. We must gather then or never. Opportunity can 392 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [cu. XXV, 1-19.
nc,er be trifled with. If abundance hns been put into our hands, let us forthwith use it well, or it may be suddenly taken from us, If an unusual generous impulse be upon us, it is wisest to respond to it freely, to give it largest scope, for this is a visit of God to us for good, II. FITTING OBJECTS FOR GENEROSITY ARE PROVIDED. Were it not for the existence of the poor, there would be no outlet for generosity in a practical and material form. There would be no discipline for the best part of our nature, It would be a pain and e. loss to us if the instinct of benevolence within us found no field for its exeroise, Thankful ought we to be that the poor shall not cease out of the land, The fatherless and the widow come to us as the sent of God, to loosen the sluices of our generosity, nnd to do us good. We are almoners of God's royal bounty, III. DELICATE PLANS FOR COlWEYmG GENEROSITY, The finer forces of our bodily nature are conveyed to every part by most delicate, almost im·isible, ducts. Nerve- pmver is distributed from the centre to the circumference by minutest channels. So, too, should we employ the most refined delicacy in relieving the necessities of the poor. Let not our gift be ~poilt by any assumption of superiority, nor by any arrogant rudeness. It 1s a noble thrng to respect the manly feelings of the poor, and to touch with fairy finger the sensibi!ities of the suffering. We are to study, not only how much we can give, but especially how best to give it. From the harvest-field and the oli1•e-grove we may learn this delicacy of kindness, Both the quantity and the quality of our ser,ice are important in God's esteem. rv. THE POTENT MOTIVE TO GENEROSITY. Remembrance of their own redemption was the mighty motive for all good deeds. This is the constant refrain of God's messa"e, As God is not wearied in reiterating the lesson, neither should we be wearied in heari~g it. 'We are the objects of God's tenderest love. He has set in motion his most prodigious energies to rescue us from misery. He has emptied his t.rcasury of blessings so as to enrich us, and the end for which he has enriched us is that we may enrich others. Ye have been ineffably blessed, do you bless in return.-D.