to the multitude, he aoC11Ses them of unworthy hesitation between irreconcilable services. I. WHY BEBITATE IN SEEKING HAPPINESS? 1. No joy, can compare with the heavenly. (1) There are, indeed, sad professors of the true religion. (a) Some are constitutionally melancholy. Thie is a. disease which certainly is not aggravated by the sense of the favour of God. (b) Some have false views of religion. They caricature it into a sepulchral thing. They do it injustice. (c) But the case most common is that sad professors do not experience what they profess. They halt between J ehova.h and Bao.I-between Christ and Belial. In fashion. In friend- ships. In pursuits. So conscience stings them sore. (2) When religion is true there is the best reason for joy. (a) It brings emancipation from the slavery of sin. (b) Deliverance from the tyranny of Satan. (c) Adoption into the family of God. (d) Heirship to everlasting life. The true heir has the title-deeds of his in- heritance in his heart (Eph. i. 18, 14 ; 2 Cor. v. 4, 6). Thus does he antedate the very bliss of heaven (Luke xvii 21 ; Eph. i 8). 2. If sinners be not sad, the more shame. (1) For sin degrades the man below the brute. As far below as the powers of a man are superior. The degradation of a devil would be im- possible to a brute. If a man can be transformed into a compound of swine and devil and not be sad, this is the climax of depravity. (2) Sin is perfidy to infinite love. Such ingratitude can only be reconciled with the absence of sadness upon the ground of the most shameful perversity. (3) The sinner is befooled by Satan. In bis reflective moods he must loo.the himself; but Satan whirls him a.wo.y from his reflections into some mad de.nee, and drowns the voice of his con- science in some boisterous laugh. So the fool still befooled exults in his folly. 0 shame I II. WHY HESITATE IN SEEKING SALVATION? 1. Life i,, the determining period. (1) It is the seed-time for the reaping in eternity. The yield then will be accord- ing to the sowing now. In quality: "After its kind." Also in quantity. (2) Therefore the young have a splendid opportunity. They have time in their favour. "How long shall ye? " 2. Procrastination i,, precarious work. (1) " How long (nC!:l) liop ye? "-this word denotes the passing over from one plo.ce to another-" between two opinions." It is used scornfully of the awkwnrd leaping of the priests of Ba.a.I, in ver. 26. As the squirrel hopping from bro.nch to branch mo.y miss its footing and fall, so may the halting sinner hop into ruin. (2) Consider the uncerto.inty of life. Read the gro.vestones. How enormous is the mortality amongst the young I Unroof hell I (3) Consider the solemnities of eternity. The freshness and vividness of memory in the disembodied state. Wba.t a preparation for the do.y of judgment I III. FoR INDECISION THERE rs NO DEFENCE. " The people o.nswered him not o. word." But there are motives to evil when there are no good reo.sons. Such o.re- 1. Conjugal infl~nce. (1) Ahab's heart wo.s estranged from God by the influence of Jezebel. His predecessors suffered from the so.me cunse. Noto.bly so Solomon. ~2) Dewo.~·e of contro.cting ungoclly matrimonio.l o.lliunces. Remember the fa.mine m Samano.. Tho same God still" rnloth in the kingclom of miin." 2. The Bmile of favour. (1) Idolatry was favoured at court. The priests of Ashere feo.sted "o.t Jezebol's table." Mean-spirited Isro.elitos sought court favour at the expense of t½e f~vour of ~od. (3) True worshippers were persecuted. Elijah h!td to hide h1mse,f at Ch_er1th and Zarephath. The sons of the prophets ho.cl to hide in tho caves of Obadio.h. To keep a whole skin mo.ny hesito.ted. Will yon encounter the frown .?f God to escape the sneer of an old companion? 8. The force of example. (1) EliJa.h stood alone as the prophet of the Lord. He ha.d with him a ho.ndful of laymen. Obadiah was conspicuous amongst them. If the prophets fed by Obaclio.h ho.cl issued from their oa.ves, they did not sto.nd forth ou Carmel in their official character. (2) The pronounced idolaters were a lo.rger company. There were the prophets of Bao.I four hundred, and the prophets of Ashore four hundred and fifty, with o. proportiona.te following. (3) Still "the peoplo" were vo.cillators. These wore the mnjorHy. The power o.nd influence of numbers wore with the moderate people who 1Vould fain keep good terms with God o.nd the devil. The THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [ell!:. xvm. 1--46.
halters are still the majority. How few amongst the multitude of the wicked have resolved in heart and soul that they will go to the devil I It is time you made up your mind one way or the other. How long halt ye ?-J. A. M.