other n11tions, m11ke such traffic n means of propa6ating corruption, lust, and crime ! 3. Commerce mny be" holiness unto the Lorcl," and will never reach its true splendour till such is the case (Zech. xiv. 20). Its stainless purity i.8 of infinitely more moment thau its extent or o.mount. Vera. 2~, 21.-Gad; or, a_place in the Ohwrch and the w?rl~/or lionlike strength. "The temtory of Gad lay m the east of the Jordan . . . 1t mcluded several cities remarkable in the history of the patriarchs and of the judges, as Mahanaim, Ramoth Mizpeh, Succoth, and Peniel; but it was pre-eminently remarkable because it contained the grave of the great general and lawgiver, Moses-a fact which so decidedly invested tho p_rovince with a character of holiness that, though situated on the east of the river, it was regarded as one of the most honoured ·parts of the promised land, from which tbo leaders of Lhe people might legitimately arise" (Kalisch on Gen. xtix. 19). The blessing of Moses, like that of Jacob, upon Gad, has a warlike ring about it. He is spoken of here as liunlike in courage and strength, and also as being charged with the execution of the justice of the Lord and his ordinances with Israel. "The clause, • He came to the heads of the people,' expresses the thought that Gad _joined the heads of the people to go at the bead of the tribes of Israel (comp. Josh. i. H; iv. 12, with Numb. xxxii. 17, 21, 32), to conquer Canaan with the whole nation, and root out the Canaanites" (Keil, in loc.). 'fhe character of this tribe is described with remarkable vividness in the Book of Chronicles. It was strong, hardy, fierce, warlike, magnificent in heroism, invaluable to friends, terrible to foes. Among them were" strong men of might, meu of war for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, their f.,ces the, faces of lions, and like roes upon the mountain for swiftness:" •• the least of them more than equal to a hunclred, and the greatest toa thousand" (1 Chron. xii. 8, 14). And ami,l all the conflicts which were inevitable to the Hebrews with the nations round about, such liunlike courage and hardiness would be invaluable in leading them on to victory, and in helping them through great crises of their political and military history. And when s_uch courage and valour are animated by the right spirit, and engaged on the side of righteousness, upon them an aged saint may well pronounce his blessin,;. It is indicative of the spirit which pervadeil. this tribe that such men as Jephthah, Barzillai, and (probably) Elijah were of it. Our theme for homiletic teaching is-That the special <JUalities of coutuge and strength have a valuabl! place in carrying out God:s work both in the Church and the world. I. THERE ARE NOT UNFREQUENTLY GREAT CRISES WHICH ARISE IN THE CHURCH OR CT THE WORLD. Work has to be done which requires no ordinary amount of inrlepeudence ·and assurance; as e.g. when a way has to be opened up through new and untried districts; or a. step has to be taken on which the weal or woe of ages may depend. Sometimes in the _military career of a nation a giant foe has to be grappled with, or, iu the progress of a Church, some heresy has to be attacked, and hattles, harder than any on a nation's battle-field, have to be fought in the name of the Lord of hosts. Perchance some Ahab with his pride and covetousness, or some Herod or Felix rioting in lust aud splendour, may have to be sternly addressed for righteousness' sake. Or there may come a time when the flood-gates of iniquity are burst open, and sin rushes forth in torrents, and the wicked ride high and triumph over the righteous, and the gree.ter pan of men are cowed before the storm-blast. II. 'l'HE WORK OF Goo AT SUCH TIMES MA.Y BE STERN A.ND HA.RD. It may be that some special form of service is just then imperatively needed. "\V\o will rise up for me auainst the evil-doers? who will stand up for me against the w ,rkers of iniquity?" The quiet souls, precious as they are, will seem to be at a discount then. There requires: 1. Leadership in the cause of the right. 2. Men who can venture all, to ~!ear tl,e way to an unknown recrion. 3. Men who can endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. 4. Men ;ho can fearlessly rebuke ill, and fear the face of neither man nor devil. III. FoR THIS SPECIAL FORM OF s~:RVICE, ENTERPRISE, COURAGE, BRAVERY, AND THE S'l'ERNlm VIRTUES ARE REQUIRED. 'l'hose who are naturally timid and retirin:; will probably be out· of sight at sue~ times. Their work, indeed, is not lost. Their sigh, and cries and prayers do enter mto the cars of the ~ord of ,sabaoth. !3ut still them theu is need of the shaggier spirits to come to the lr?nt. 'lhere _wa~ time wh,'n evil so overspread Isre.cl, and persecution was so sore, that it seemed as 1f vutue would soun 548 THE BOOK OF DEUTEUONOMY. [en. xxxm. 1-29.
become extinct unless God arose in his might. There were seven thousand souls hidden in obscurity. But one man, stern and strong, must be to the front. It was Eli:J°ah (cf. also John the Baptist). IV. GoD IN MERCY, AS HE FORESEES THESE CRISES, PREPARES MEN FOR THEM, Tho Hebrews could not have dispensed with the men of Gad. Their stren,qth was required as much as the sanctity of the Levites. Every virtue, every grace, has its own dis- t incti"e sphere of service. God gives ~ome more of the kindlier graces, that they may be comforters; and others more of the hardier ones, that they may be awakeners. One is a Barnahas; another a Boanerges. . V". TIIEllEFORE, WHATEVER OUR NATURAL GIFTS MAY BE, LET US BE SUPREMELY CON• CERl>'ED TO SANCTTFY THEIi FOR GoD. Let no one regret that he cannot be anybody else. Rather, "as much as in him is," let him use his powers, whatever they may be for his redeeming God. The meek, quiet, gentle, retiring souls have their work. 'l'h~ rougher, st.crner ones have also theirs. " Each one in his place is best." Be it ours c,cry day to ask, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; some to honour and some to dishonour. If a man, therefore, purge himself from these, he shall be a Tessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.