Vers. 20, 21.-The uniqueness of the Divine dealings. David saw plainly a. truth which seems equally plain to us from the records given in the Scriptures, that God's ways of dealing with the nation of Israel had been throughout sincrula.r, unique, aml surprisingly gracious. A few illustrative instances from the histo~y may be given. But this is precisely the impression which each one of us receives upon a. review of our own lives. The Divine dealings with us seem, in the preciseness of their adaptations, and the tenderness of their grace, quite unique; and it seems, to the sincere heart, that nobody can sing just such a thankful, happy song as he can. Now on ea.rth, and much more yonder, we shall adore that special grace which is so manifest in our individual lives. I. DIVINE DEALINGS ARE ALWAYS THE SAME. Very much is ma.de in these days of the uniformity and absolute working of law in the physical spheres. But we can more than match the truth by our teachings respecting the uniformity and the absolute working of law in the moral and spiritual spheres. Sin always carries its conse- quences. Personal influences on others can be as strictly assured as laws of nature. St. Paul boldly affirms that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." The forces God brings to bear on men are always the same. There is but one gospel for man's redemption. Nobody can come to God save by the way of penitence and faith and prayer. The truth may be applied to the minutest conditions and circumstances of life. There is nothing new in the circumstances, and God will deal with us in them exactly as he dealt with our fathers. Because of this uniformity of Divine dealings in the moral spheres, we can use the experiences of the fathers, and be warned, encouraged, or taught by the records left of their life-histories and the Divine dealings with them. No right-minded man would ever wish any deviation from either the eternal principles or practices for his sake. He would rather just be in the Divine order, within the conditions and provision of the infinitely wise and infinitely good Divine law. We require to press this point, because fanaticism has often assumed that God steps a.side of his laws to deal in special ways with favoured individuals. There is a sense in which Divine dealings a.re special, but it is of the utmost importance that we gain first hold, and firm hold, of the truth that God's ways are orderly and regula:, fixed and unalterable, because settled in the infinite Divine wisdom. It may be necesrnry here to deal with the idea. of a miracle. It may be said, " Does not God work miracles ? And has he not worked them for individuals?" We a.re coming more clearly to see that a miracle is not a contravention of law, but only a modification of tbe workings together of law, made apprehensible by man. Thus God's Jaw of the vintage is that vines bear grapes. Man's apprehension of the law is that vines bear grapes in so many months. Christ's miracle shows us that man's time-law is no essential pa.rt of the law; the vintage may come in what man calls a moment. Christ's miracles contravened no laws, if the laws be relieved of man's additions to them. IL DIVINE DEALINGS BECOME UNIQUE BY ADAPTATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL. we must never conceive of law as if it were working distinct from the Lawgiver. It is not like an "act of parliament," which is passed, and then set free to its work Law, in its proper sense, is the condition on which the Lawgiver acts. And God acts as a Father, with special knowledge and care of each individual, and due adjustment of law to each case. I am individual to myself, individual and unique. And I may hol~ the _confi- dence that God will deal with me just as if no other being lived. The umform1ty of moral law has this sublime qualification," The Lord lcnoweth them that are his."-R. T.
Vers. 22-24.-The eternity of David's kingdom. It seems quite evide~t that t)ie term "for ever" is used in the Scripture as a figure of speech, snd one which carries with it several distinct suggestions. It is a condition of human thought that we must set things in the order of time; and it is usual for us to estimate the value of things according to the time they will last. The words "eternal'' and "for ever" an~ "ever- lasting" often stand for long continuance. Mountains that outlast the generat10ns are called "everlasting hills." Canaan was given to Israel as an "everlasting possession." So here, in these verses, God promises a throne to David, an eternal kingtlom, a pos- oH, xvn. 1-27.] THE FJRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 205