bad adl"isers of suspicion. The pr;nccs of the children of Ammon, round Hanun, arc wise above what was written, above what was true. They were bad advisers, not because they meant ill to their master, not because they were false to him, not because, like Job's comforters, they were bard and unsympathetic, and their theology as shallow as it was presumptuous; but because they were feeding on suspicion. Their philosophy of human nature was to fault. They had experience, had had doubtless much experience of human life and character, but they had not had enough. Their induction of instances was insufficient, and thinking "themselves to be wise, they became fools." 2. To the weakness of the ruling head. Hanun himself had to make the decision; he was answerable for the verdict; ho presumably had more material than his advisers within the compass of bis knowled~e, and he might have overruled them and their suspicion. "In the multitude of counsellors there is safety," but the multitude must be large enough, and varied enongb, and representative enough, and it was not so now. llow many a ruler, from Rehoboam down to our present age, has ruined himself and his nation, ancl involved them both in utterest curse of most devastating murderous war, because of his individual lack of sound judgment, of wise and understanding heart, of prayer ancl piety unfeigned! Suspicion has its use, with every other power of our nature, but now it was misused. Suspicion is ever a faculty to be suspected of the wise man. Sus- piciousness is one of the unhappiest of all tendencies of the disposition. It should be jealously used and scrupulously guarded. VJ. 'THE VAST GROWTH OF STRIFE, INIQUITY, UTTER MISERY, THAT MAY COME OF TIIE ONE FALSE STEP, OF ONE MAN ILL-ADVISED OF HIS FELLOWS AND UN.ADVISED OF Goo. Hence now came wars, and those who did the mischief were the first to fly to tho thonght of war, and to prepare for battle. Their foolishness and iniquity returned upon their own pate. But not there alone. How many thousands of others were involved in the common slaughter ! VII. LAST OF ALL, THE DIVINE UTILIZATION OF BUMAN ERROR, HUMAN BIN. David'~ enemies, after all, are they who are exterminated or nearly so. And some, who had "halted between two opinions,'' repented of their indecision. They "made peace with David." They "became his servants." But, in addition to this, they learned not tu "help the children of Ammon any more." '!'he victory was won for God. Stre11gth was gained for his chosen people, and confidence wrought afresh in them in their Divine Captain. And wit.ha! surrounding nations learnt something of the truth, an,! with whom pence were best to seek, surest to find.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 2.-Kindness and sympathy. Stern warrior though David wos, and capable of sever~ and even cruel actionM, he nevertheless had a warm and tender heart. So much might be gathered rrom the story of his youthful affection for Jonathan, and from that of his subsequent forbearance towards Saul. In maturer years he retained the warm sensibilities of humanity. Thus, when the King of Ammon died, David felt sincerely it>r his son and successor, and, that he might give expression to his kindly sympathy, "sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father." His compassionate feelings, and his courteous and graceful expression of them, are suggestive of some reflections upon human kindness and sympathy. I. Consider THE GROUND AND ORIGIN of the~e feelings. They lie deep in human nature, and arc, in fact (as Bishop Butler bas so well shown), as much natural social principles, as self-l?ve is a pri~ciple of individual act!on.. ~'hey are ~mplanted by God, and are akin to his own gracious and benevolent d1spos1t1on. He 1s a God of "love and kindness;" "in all our afflictions ho is afflicted." Especially is this apparent in reden,ption. It was compassion that animated tl~e Divin~ Father in ~is purpose to save our sinful race. It was love that actuated the mcarnat10n and sacrifice of lmm:mnel. '!'he dispositions, then, of which wo are treating have their deep foundation in thu character, the attributes, of our Creator. S? far from being signs of human weakness, they are an honour and ornament of humamty. II. Regard THE OCCASION of the rnanifcstion of these di~position8. Human life is such as to call them forth. No man, no woman, can go through life without abumlaut S12 TllE FIRST BOOK OF THE CilROXICLES. [en. x1x. 1-1!.J.