influence and spoils our work. Man can scarcely say a thing that hurts him more in the saying than this, "My purposes are broken off." What is called/ame may be won by but the few among even good men; but every true-hearted and earnest servant of God may be sure that his personal impress is an abiding one; it will get its continu- ance in those who have known him and live after him; his spirit, his principles, his witness, even in measure his experience will be still working. Philips Brooks well say~, "No man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle, pure, and crood, without the world being the better for it, without somebody being helped and ~om- forted by the very existence of that goodness." Illustrate bow a man lives on in a book he has written, or a building he has raised, So a man lives on, oftentimes, in the son who take8 up his work. David really lived on in Solomon, and did, in fact, build tLe temple, seeing that Solomon used the materials he had gathered, and carried out the plans which he had arranged. It is interesting to notice what in the temple which was actually reared was due to the genius and consecration of David, and what in it bore the personal stamp of Solomon. "The design fixed upon indicates fully the spirit of the times and of the king. A general relation to the older tabernacle must be carefully preserved-the outline of the form, the proportions, and the principal division - of the building into holy place and most holy must be continued; but where MosP8 permitted ornamentation and decoration it was developed, and almost carried to an extravagant extent." In view of God's unfolding to David his purposes concerning Solomon, we may learn that it is full of comfort to the man who is passing away from earth to be assured that his son will virtually have- I. H:rs WOBK TO no; at least, in its more prominent and important aspects. Certainly his work in the large sense of living for God, and doing his will. II. That he will have, if he seeks it, the same GRACE FOR THE DOING. God's years are throughout all generations, and will give our children the joy and help of the same fatherly relations that he has given us (ver. 13), It may be shown that, still, saints pass away from earth, made willing to leave their life-work incomplete, and their most cherished desires unfulfilled, and restfully saying in their hearts, "God's grace remains, though I pass away. That grace is working on, and working out, the great purpose, and will surely raise up other agencies." Davi,l may die, but he may know this-the temple will be built; the kingdom he had founded shall be secured, and even for him the veil shall be uplifted, and he shall see the glory of this Divine purpose. In a high and spiritual sense David's kingdom shall, in his greater Son, be established for ever and ever.-R. T. Ver. 16.-The humbling influence of the Divine goodness. Precisely the position ancl the nttitude of David we cannot with certainty explain. The expres8ion came indicates thnt he left his pa.lace and crossed over within the tabernacle precincts. But we have no means of knowing whether he sat in the court facing the sacred tent, or whether he was permitted to go within the sacred curtains, and face the entrance to the holy ot' holies, where the ark was. It is possible that the king may have claimed priestly rights so far as to enter the holy place. His attitude is explained by some knowledgo of Oriental customs. "One of the postures by which a persou testifies his respect for r1 superior is by sitting upon his heels, which is considered as a token of great humility." 'l'he sitting was really half-sitting and half-kneeling, so as to rest the body upon the heels. 'l'he Talmudists say (but apparently only on the nuthority of thiR passage) that none may pray sitting except only the kings of the house of David. But wo fix nttcn- tion on the spirit in which David responded to the very gracious message which God sent to him, and in his spirit we find an example well worthy of our imitation. God's goodness brought home to him a sense of his own unworthiness, and filled him with wonder that he should be made such a monument of mercy. The goodness of God humbles true hearts much more than does his frown. Its right work is to" lead us to repentance." 'l'ho following points are suggested by this example:- 1. WITH Gon PAB OFF, MAN MAY Gnow PROUD. He can then Hee nothing but his own doings. II. WITH Gon NEAR, MAN nows IN REVERENT AWE, as is seen in Abraham, Moses, Job, Isaiah, and St. John. lII. Gon SPEAKING wonns OF GRACE HUMBLES MAN INTO PENITENCE AND IIUMILl'l'Y. 294 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. (oH. xvrr. 1-27•
Gifts are always humbling, because they awaken the sense of desert. So Divine gifts are ever most humbling.-R. T.