p_e1ons r~i~n. But the panic wh!~h _came on Israel on S:tul's death and the occupa- trnn of c1t1es by the detested Pluhslme must have made clear to the most prejudiced that his public career was disastrous and unrighteous. The issue of a monarch's reign should be tl,e moral and material elevation of the people, the improved administration of law, the greater security of life and property, a prevalence of the blessings of internal peace and freedom from foreign oppression, and a higher degree of national influence. The reverse of this was the outcome of Saul's life. By thus looking at the result of life't1 labours we may form an estimate of the wortl, of monarchs, statesmen, merchants, and professed Christians. Have men blessed their fellow-creatures with permanent good'! Is the great enemy, sin, more in occupation of country, home, and the soul at the end than at the beginning? The day is corning when every man's work will be tried of "what sort it is" (1 Cor. iii. 13). Can we face that test? Will the end be better than the beginning? Dare some men try to answer this question in relation to their spiritual condition .o.nd the spiritual effect of their personal influence. II. THAT THE APPARENT TRIUMPH OF THE WICKED JS ONE OF THE SADDEST CON- SEQUENCES OF THE SINS OF Goo's PEOPLE. The triumph of the " uncircumcised " was complete when, stripping the body of Israel's king, they carried his head in savage delight to the house of Dagon (1 Chron. x. 10), nailed his corpse to the wall of Beth-shan, and proclaimed their victory in honour of their gods. It was this result following on the death of Saul and defeat of Israel that seemed to be an occasion of so much sorrow and dread to David (2 Sam. i. 20). The fond hopes cherished by the pious on the solemn day of repentance and consecration at Mizpeh and Eben- ezer (eh. vii. 9-12) were now rudely destroyed. Heathenism gloried in its strength; while Israel, smitten with fear, mourned in bitterness of soul. Ignorance, barbarity, idolatry took a new lease of power, and Jehovah's name was dishonoured in the eye3 of the nations. The death of a king is comparatively a small matter, the wasting sweep of war over fair fields and flourishing cities is a material calamity; but for irreligion to flourish, debasing religious rites to manifest all their vileness, a"d the cause of purity, truth, and righteousness to be made to suffer even apparent defeat, this was the most fearful consequence of Saul's unhappy reign. All actions in public and private individuals are to be judged by their bearing on the honour of God's name and the extension of the kingdom of Christ. Does a monarch's or a. statesman's policy give greater scope for whatever is alien to the supremacy of Christ in heart, conduct, and home? If so it is very criminal. Does our private life give occasion for the enemies of the cross to blaspheme? He who so lives and dies as to strengthen the hold of ignorance, superstition, immorality, and anti- Christian principles on the world is the enemy of his country and of God. When men professedly in the Church of God, as Saul was iu Israel, so become unfaithful to their privileges as to give an apparent triumph to the irreligious and profane, they, in whatever degree this is true, perpetrate an injury, the spiritual issues of which are beyond all calculation. Ill. THAT THE MOST TERRIBLE TRIALS MAY GIVE RISE TO OCCASIONAL DEEDS OF HEROISM. Various were the effects of Saul's death on Israel. On all there must have come thl\t inexpressible anguish which in some degree David sought to express in his beautiful "song of the bow" (2 Sam. i. 18-27). But there were faithful men who could not yield to inaction while God's name was being dishonoured an,l Israel, in the person of the king, covered with ignominy. The men of Jabesh- Gilead had not forgotten the day when, in the prime of his strength, and bidding fair to defend his country in the fear of God, Saul hl\d come to their rescue ,rnd had urouscd the patriotism of the nation (eh. xi. 4--11). To them he was more than king; he was hero and friend, and doubtless their children had used his nnme as a household word. And now dead, forsaken, mutilated, the tall, majestic form exposed to heathen scorn-should they suffer it? Never 1 "All the valiant men arose." With set pnrpose, at risk of life, tl,ey bring away the mangled remains, and sorrow- fully lay them low in the place that witnessed his early heroism. Tlrns do we see how mi~fortune, sorrow, and death call forth the nobler qualities of men, arnl h1·i11g to light hidden sympathies and secret friends. Tl,cre was some hope for Isrnel yet. The terrible disasters of life stir up the energies of the foithfol few, and tlw11,;h ti,cy 566 THE FIRST DOOK OF SA:\IUE:L. [CH. XXXI. 1-13".
c-annot at once redeem a)l that othe1:s have lost, they can reassert the supremacy of love and t.l,e nobler sentnnents of hfe, and so pave the way for a better order of things. Men in Israel revived a little from despair when they heard of this heroism and nffection. ,v as there not a darker night and more complete apparent defeat of Israel's high purpose in the world when another and more Racred body was exposed "a spectacle to nngels and to men''? Then also one was found who dared to identify his reputation and all that was denr with respect and love for that holy body. Joseph of Arimathea was morally morn heroic than the men of Jabesh- Gilead. In similar ways the disasters of life have drawn forth the heroism of many who could not endure to see the "uncircumcised" triumph. Thus lio·ht shines forth in darkness, assuring us that in the long- conflict with evil the morning of an endless. day foll of the joy of the ransomed. will dawn on the sorrowful earth. General lessons :-1. To form a just estimate of our life we should not regard oui personal enjoyments as pain, but have chief respect to the ultimate effect of it on our home and country. 2. Wicked. men find encouragement to believe in their false principles when men professing opposite principles are untrue to them. 3. We ought to consider how much of the power of irreligious principles and practices over men is due to our want of consistency. 4. It will be blessed for us and our sur- vivors if friends are able to commit our body to the grave with affection and gratitude unalloyed with painful memories.