festation" be. The self-denial, the deep interest, the long labour of the humblest faithful !IE'rvant will be proclRimed before a kingdom and in a kingdom which shall have gathered Rll others int-0 itself, and by the King of kings himself. IV. IT GIVES OF ITS OWN SullSTANCE. The temptation is ~rent with some leaders of the people merely to lead, to <lirect, to administer. And when this is the case the deficiency will very generally express itself somewhere before long. Enthusiasm will be want.ing in t~e followers. In _their ".linds an irr~sistible sense of unreality will get awakened. With a good coosc1ence, rndeed, David can appeal to the liberality of others by a simple reference to his own example. "Of his own proper good" i.e. "private substance," he had contributed largely. The influence of such an ann~unce- rnent is at least twofold. 1. It attests the honesty of the leader. 2. It speaks more strongly than any words could urge the powerful, sometimes omnipotent, stimulus of example. V. IT OWNS TO AN IKTRIKSIC ZEAL IN APPEALING TO OTHERS. One can almost imagine David saying to himself, alter all that he has thought, prepared, done, still this further, "Woe is to me if I do not testify with my dying lips, and testify in this way -by appealing earnestly to others!" True enough, there is preaching that is of the weakest. Its feeble tones, its timid essaying of its vocabulary, its apologetic style bespeak its insincerity, at all events its untrustworthiness. It bas no ring about it'. But the devotion that is real is confident in itself. If it sometimes seem to overstep the threshold of moderation, it is ashamed to stay this side of it. The very best zeal for inflaming others is that which consumes self. So the "greater Son of David" came to a time when the truest utterance of his pure life was this, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." The highest Christian devotion has never failed to find this voice: " Who is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord? " Who is willing to consecrate himself this day unto the Lord? Who is willing "to fill his hand," and bring such handful to the Lord? 'l'hese are the appeals that are likely to be heard by all classes of men, the rich and the poor, people and princes. And they sound the key- note; they constitute themselves just the watchword; joy is awakened unfeigned in every heart; praise leaps to the lips of all. Then men "offer willingly and with perfect heart." The scene-an inspiration itself-would not have had its place on the page of God's Word, but for the religious devotion, real, practical, of which David unconsciously offers UB an illustrious example, model lesson.
'Vers. 10-20.-The last thanksgiving of the royal life in ita wried elements. Perhaps David had been in some doubt as to how his address would be received, If received favourably, he may have been in doubt as to the practical response to it for which his heart longed. And even if of this also he felt he might make quite sure, yet there was the hour of his own last great effort now past. That effort had been made with whatever demand on body and mind went along with it, and the suspense is over. Great hearts alone can know great joys. There are few greater joys than are found in relief from the strain of anxiety, from the burden of long preparation, and the conscious weight of responsibility. llut when the natural welling up of joy from such causes coincides with an unparalleled success, and this in matter of religious moment, then every possible element seems present. And a good heart gives itself up to a trans- port, which can find no sympathetic expressioD; but at the foot of the thr?ne c,f thrones itself. And hither does David now betake himself; but not alone-hither he leads also a nation. These verses contain more than thanksgiving. They may, however, be appropriately enough called the service of thanksgiving. And the service_ appro- priates in impartial measures the characteristics of majesty and comprehensiveness. Here are unqualified thanksgiving, profound adoration, the confession of creature dependence, and the humiliation befitting it ; here are meditation and reminiscence, and all symptom of moral sympathies in strongest activity; here is petition, fervent petition, for th~ present and _for rhe long fut~re of _the _pala~e, the people, and the son himsdf of David. The opening s?ntence of this service inves its key-note and bespeaks its main design. In its rich variety, however, as a whole, let us notice- L lTs STATELY ASCBll'TION. "Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our fo.lhcr, for ever and ever." What words can do they are intended here w do. '!'hey sometimes do the more for their fewness, and they are few here. This word " blessed," when Rpplicd OH. xnx. 1-30.] THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CRP.ONICLES. 443