The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 201

hearts, who is our God, permits it only as long as he pleases, and will change it when he thinks best. With this assurance, no wrong-doing of our fellow-men need unduly distress us. III. A MAN 18 BEBPONBIBLE FOB HIS DEA.LINO WITH GoD'S INWARD LEA.DINGS. This, indeed, is his deepest responsibility. He has an inward voice; he is bound to 1::eed it above all. He has Divine impulses; does he crwh them or follow them? Heart- hardening chiefly comes in one way, by resisting the Divine lead; or, in New Testa- ment phraseology, "quenching the Spirit;" "resisting the Holy Ghost." Divine impulses may be (1) resisted; (2) covered over with self-interests; (3) neglected ; or (4) watched for; and (5) followed. IV. HEART-IMPULSES, DULY FOLLOWED, FIND EXPRESSION IN CONDUCT; as all these men came, bringing themselves and all they had to David, when they were under Divine constrainings. So we shall be ready to give self and wealth to all holy uses, if we are inwardiy moved of God. Illustrate from the Lord Jesus: "The zeal of thine house bath eaten me up." St. Paul's "The love of Christ constraineth us." Learn what is the sphere of our prayer for others-viz. that God would move their hearts; and what is our hope in doing Christian work, it is "touched hearts."-R. T. Ver. 32.-" Understanding of the times." It is remarked as peculiarly the charac- teristic of the men of Issachar, that they had "understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do." We should call them "men of political sagacity." "They excelled in moral and political prudence and wisdom, so as to know what, in any season of emergency, the particular posture of affairs required to be done." We are to understand that these wise men approved of the elevation of David to the throne. The whole of human capacity is for Divine uses. Every faculty and power should be laid on the Divine altar. Some powers are natural, others are developed by the circum- stances and experiences of life; but all may be and should be cultivated into the highest practical efficiency. No man has the right to withhold from the service of his fellow-men, and so from the service of God, any talent, faculty, capacity, or power of influence that h'e may possess. Among the Divine trusts are the gifts and insight of the statesman, and these find spheres in the lesser scenes of local government and social order, as well as in the state. Men are fitted in the lesser places for the greater. And their influence in every sphere bears ciirectly on the moral and social, and often also upon the religious, good of the people. The work of the statesman may be thus defined, and each point may be illustrated from times and men taken from ancient and modern history. 1. To see below the surface-appearances and the loud outcries of partisans, what is the real want of the times. 2. To devise the schemes which will hopefully meet both the present necessity and demands, and also provide for possible, but at present unforeseen, developments. 3. To choose the time for action which may prove most efficient, and to wisely delay, even at the peril of being misrepresented. 4. To estimate fairly the wholes, not the parts, of a subject; and so to act for all parties and above party. Such men are raised up in every age. 'l.'heir service fits into the Divine plan for the race. This gift is also from the Lord, and what the world so greatly needs is its use in full loyalty to him.-R. T. Vers. 33---38.-SingltHnindedness. Two significant expressions are used : ( 1) "They were not of double heart;" (2) "Came with a perfect heart." Scripture ever makes much of sincerity, whole-heartedness. The prophet complains of the people that " their heart is divided." 'l'his is a most searching reproach, " They feared the Lord, and served other gods." Our Lord pleaded with men on the impossibility of "serving God and Mammon." And the Apostle James has severe reproaches for the "double- minded man." Practical life supports Scripture in its commendation of single-minded- ness. The men who do one thing, and put their hearts into the doing, are the mon of influence and success; the kind of men we are always looking for in every department of life; the good servants and the good masters in every sphere. Those who under- take too much, and are ever skipping from one thing to another, make nothing succe95ful, and fail to win and hold our confidence. 'l.'he point of excellence in the men introduced in these verses is that "they would set the battle in array with no double heart;" and, in respect of allegiance to David, never permitted the slightest L CHBONICLEB, 0 194 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [oB, xm. 1-H-.