crncu11JSTANOES. "Saul and Jonat.h:m were lovely and pleRSant in their lives and in their death they were not divided" (ver. 23). Yes; every heart says "yes." 'we feel the charm of Jonathan'& fidelity to his poor erring father even to the bitter end. David's appreciation of this is, under the circumstances (1 Sam. xx. 1-4), most beautiful. Jonathan knew that David was a holy man, vilely treated by his o\Vn father, &nd destined to aeoend the throne; he loved him with a tenderness passing tbo love of women, and was under provocation again and again to revolt from his father's rule; but with patience, tenderness, and faithfulness, he stood by him to the end, lamenting his sins, restraining his evil propensities, and variously striving to lessen the evils of his go,•emment. The filial instinct prevailed. Piety purified and strengthened it. A lesson here for eons-the more valuable in proportion as parents may be irrcligioue or imperfect. It ie a noble thing for a son to watch over, care for, and tenderly restrain the tendencies of 'an erring father, To some it is given to· have Lhat for their special work. Remember Jonathan. VI. IT IS POSSIBLE TO CHERISH VERY TENDER AND HELPFUL FRIENDSHIPS EVEN AMIDST THE PRESSURE OF LIFF.. The friendship of David and Jonathan, begun in days of peace, ceased not during all the subsequent sea.son11 of toil and separation. Doubt- less David had often been comforted in his solitude and wanderings by the remembrance of that true heart which beat in sympathy with his own, and Jonathan would be upheld in his delicate and painfulitask of helping and restraining an errant parent by the assurance that David was not unmindful of him before the mercy-seat. The tendency of the hurry and pressure of daily business is to crush out the finer and more tender susceptibilities of the heart, and rob men of the consolations and elevating influence of wise and holy personal friendships. For self-culture, for solace, for i;piritual fellowship, and for the acquisition of moral strength, it is well for all men to cherish a few well-selected friendships. VII. THERE IS A BLESSED INFLUENCE ATTENDING THE CHERISHING . OF HALLOWED MEIIORIF.s. David's hallowed memories of Jonathan were to him for years to come a means of blessing. His life was more sober and tender and spiritual for the sweet memory of one so lovable and dea.r. The language of vers. 25, 26 was the indication of a permanent element in David's subsequent life. We suffer loss when beautiful characters a.re ta.ken away, and we find a gain. For though visible communion is no more, the tender memories are more constant, and touch more closely the deeper springs ~~ •
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. The Hebrew 'T1UYIUVT'chy. (Introductory.) The Hebrew monarchy holds a prominent place in the development of the purpose of God to establish his kingdom upon earth. In accordance with this purpose Abraham became the father of afamily, distinguished beyond others by the knowledge of the true God and the hope of his promised salva- tion ; the family grew into a nation, and its government was constituted, by the agency of Moses, a theocracy (a word first used by Josephus, •Contra Apion,' ii. 17); and the theocracy (impaired in its practical influence during the period of the judges) was united with a monarchy, which co=enced with Saul, acquired strength and splendour under David, culminated in the 11;lory of Solomon, and soon afterwards declined to its fall ; leaving behind it, when it fell, the undying hope of its rel!torat,1on under "the King Messiah " (1 Sam. ii 10). Consider- I. ITS THEOCRATIC FOUNDATION. Although a king was sought in a wrong spirit, his appointment was not incompatible with the principles of the theocracy. What wera these principles? 1. Its aupreme Head, Lawgiver, and Judge was JEJiOVAH; its ,;ubjeds were his chosen people Israel Having revealed himself to them as the one livina and true God, and redeemed them out of bondage, he made a covenant with them, and became to them all, and more than all, that a human king was to other nations (Exod. xv. 18; 1 Sam. xii 12; Zeph. iii 15). " He raised and consolidated hie universal rule into one of a special nature" (Kurtz, 'Hist. of the Old Covenant,' iii. 107). The J>flf'Bonal, relatioo thus formed between him and his people was designed to maintain among them his exclueive worship, to keep them separate from the idolatrous and corrupt nations around them, and to make them "a kiogdom of priests and a holy 011, I. 1-27.J THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 17