loyalty. Even in the matter of his own judgment, God may take David, the "man after his own heart," into his counsel. I. THE POINT OF THE THREEFOLD OFFER, It tested David's trust in God. Would he prefer judgment which came very evidently through human agency, or would he prefer judgment which was plainly sent direct from God? We know that pestilence is as truly due to huma.n neglect a.nd error a.s is famine or wa.r; but, in the sentiment of David's time, plague was the direct visitation of God. II. THE POINT OF DAVID'S CHOICE. (Ver. 13.) 1. He felt that be could better trust the direct Divine agency than man's ministry, which might be toned with ill feelin"'. 2. There waa more hope of the limitations and qualifications of m.ercy in God's dealin.;'s than in man's. 3. 'l'be national honour and the integrity of the kingdom and the stability of the throne would not be so seriously affected by a plague, as they would be by the temporary triumph of the national foes. When we are, with David, fully willing to fall into God's hands, then the Divine judgments may be graciously tempered, and even removed.-R. T. Vers. 11, 12.-The necessary connection between sin and judgment. Prove and illustra.te the universality of the connection. Illustrations may be found in every age and every sphere. See the idea of a. Nemesis; a.nd show that pointiIJg out this con- nection is the commonplace of the moral and religious teacher. I. SEE CLEARLY WHAT SIN IS. Give the theories about sin; but apart from theory, or doctrine, endeavour to understand what sin is (1) in itself; (2) in its power of growth; (3) in its subtle and mischievous influences; (4) in its interference with the Divine order; (5) in its relations with the Divine Law ; (6) in the sight of God, as intimated in the Scriptures. When a suita.ble impression is ga.ined of what sin is, we are pre- pared to- ll. SEE WHY IT MUST BE MET WITH JUDGMENTS, Because (1) it beclouds man's con- seie:nce, and judgment alone removes such clouds; (2) it subverts Divine authority, and such authority judgments alone can vindicate; (3) it interferes with the Divine plans and purposes, and these judgments alone can rectify. The importance of the relalion between sin and suffering, transgression and judgment, is best shown by the effort to realize what would now be the moral sentiments of men if this connection had not been assured, and men could now plead that any one of their number had ever sinned with impunity. So essectial, indeed, is the connection, that when God grants forgiveness of the sin he seldom, if ever, interferes with the external consequences of the wrong. '!.'hey are left to work on their severe but beneficent mission. J udgment, in both the small and the largo spheres, is the minister, the angel, of the Divine mercy; and we may bless God for his judgments. Note also that Christ, as man, came, for :nan, under Divine judgments, because he was the Representative of sinners.-R. T.
Vers. 15, 16.-The sight of the destroyin,q angel. It is noted in these verses that the Divine judgment was executed by an angel, and that God and David both watched him carrying out his fearful commission. '!.'he sight produced different effects on the watchers, and these suggest useful thoughts and truths. The Bible idea of nn angel seems to be thnt of an agent, other than man, employed to carry out the Divme purposes in the sphere of creation, and especially in this our world. If we accept this comprehensive conception of an angel, we shall understand how there may be angels of aftliction, angels of death, and even angels of temptation, all engaged directly in the Divine service. There may be God's angel of pestilence for the punishment of David, and God's angel of temptation, or testing, for the purifying of Job. It may be shown that destruction by pestilence is on several occasions attributed to the ministry of an angel: e.g. destruction of the firstborn in Egypt and of Sennacherib's army. '!'bis is still a familiar poetical figure. Sometimes unseen thi::igs have been graciously set within the sphere of the senses, in order to help men to feel the reality of the unseen. An"'els are unseen beings ; the Divine workings are largely secret and unseen; but it ple~scs God to set his people sometimes" within the veil;" or, we may say,'' behiml the scenes;" or down below among the machinery, so that they may gain for themselves, and give to others, fitting impressions of the reality of the Divine workin~. For o. similar reason God, the infinite :,.nd spiritual Being, is spoken of under human figures, 350 'l'HE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES, [OH. xx1. 1-30,