one man's dis,,bedience" we all have suffered physically and spiritually; but by onf' Redeemer we may find power to become the true children of God. It is true El i's descendants, if renewed, w~uld not become so good and physically perfect men -as though the ancestors had not smned ; and we on earth, though saved in Christ, can- not be so physically perfect as though the curse had never fallen on us· yet the spirit ·will at length_ be se~ free from the bondage of cor~upt!on, nnd b; perfect bdore God. 3. Thu law is a great and beneficent power in life. ThoBe who rail ngainst these Biblical announcements of retribution, because they affect descendants. are profoundly ignorant or perverse. The Bible tells only what is in nature witli the additional information that God vindicates his holiness by what occurs in n~ture. Any objection to tl1e _Biblical doctrine is therefore, this fact being admitted, thP- rcsult of a pcrYerse spmt. Human experience testifies how beneficially the law of retribution works in ordinary affairs. No arithmetic can calculate the amount of woe escaped by the restraining action of a knowledge of this law on human tend- ~ncies. On the other hand, the reverse side of the law-the reward of goodness in the happiness of a posterity-is one of the most healthful stimulants and guides of human exertion. It is only the morally-indisposed that do not like law. Did we but know the whole intricate relationships of a moral universe stretching through all time, e,·cn the severest laws would then he seen to be an expression of broadest benevolence. IV. RETRIBUTION ON THE INSTRUMENTS OF ACCOMPLISHING AN ULTIMATE PURPOSE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE REALISATION OF THAT PURPOSE. As factors in the develop- ment of the Jewish economy, both Eli and his sons were instruments in preparing the way for the coming Messiah and the final supremacy of his kingdom. The house of Ithamar inherited, in common with others, the promise made to the Aaronic bouse. As long as there was need for an earthly high priest to shadow forth the enduring high priesthood of Christ, the promise (ver. 30) to Aaron would hold good. But the completion of that purpose was not frustrated by the disgrace and displace- ment of the section of the house represented by Eli in consequence of unfaithfulness. God has, in his foreknowledge of what will be required, as also in his resources to provide for the erratic action of human wills according to that foreknowledge, legions awaiting his creative call to come forth and prepare the way for the Christ. He who could "of these stones raise up children to Abraham" was at no loss to dis- pense with the leadership in his ancient Church of a degenerate family. If the old injured instruments are judicially confined to lower forms of service, as in the case of Ahiah, grandson of Phinehas ( eh. xiv. 3 ), a holy Samuel is raised up for the emerg- ency till a Zadok assumes the orderly high priestly functions ; thus teaching us that in spite of all sins and their punii,hment the kingdom of God must advance. Men may rise and fall, dark seasons of priestly corruption may afflict the Church, -apostates may spread consternation ; but, foreseeing all, the Eternal has in reserve, and is quietly sending forth, men like Samuel and David and Paul and Luther, men who shall not cease to be employed in the high service of the "Anointed" even when they cease to speak by words. General suggestioris :-1. It is worth considering how much is lost to the world of menial and physical power by the indwelling of sin, and what a valuable contribu- tior, to the sum total of a nation's welfare is a righteous life, by conserving and im- proving and making the most of all the powers of body and mind. 2. The essential folly of all sin is capable of being illustrated in what it entails, fails to avoid, and also takes away from the elements of individual and public well-being. 3. There is a philosophical argument in support of the claims of Christianity in th_e fact that, as it seeks, and is proved by numerous factR to have the power of perfec_tmg, ~he rn~ral life, it thereby contains the solution of all our physical and econom1cal d1fficu~bes, and needs only to become actual in individual life to constitute a real millennium. 4. There is ample ground in history for confidence in the vindication of right, even though rulers may for a season avoid disaster. 5. In the lives of mo~t ryien there must be seasons when they are visited by a messenger from God; and 1t 1s 3: q~es- tion whetl1er, if tl,at messenger be disregarded, another may not come ~rmgmg tidings of more terrible things. 6. In any case, where by former sins physical and •ocie.l evils have come on others, it is an encouragement to know that we may labour r:11. II. 27-36.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL.
to bring those so suffering to the great Physician for spiritual he,tling, and that the spiritufll health will in some measure counteract the inherited evils. 7. Tl1e com- forting uspect of retribution lies in that for every one who suffers from it, possibly thousands and millions indirectly gain permanent good in the influence it exerts on existing evils and on otherwise forthcoming evils ; and also that the same purpose which thus works out deserved jndgment insures the fulfilment of all the promises.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.