Ver. 13.-Lost and found: a sermon to young people. The story of Mephibosheth may be used as a little parable of the spiritual history of every one who is restored to God. He was: 1. .A prince. To you belongs a more than princely dignity; for you are all "the offspring of God," and bear on you traces of " the image and glory " of " the Father of spirits." 2. Lost. You belong to a sinful and fallen race ; and your condition is one of deprivation, helplessness, obscurity, and misery. "A true religion ought to instruct man both in bis greatness and his misery" (Pascal). 3. Sought. Infinite piety has sought and is still seeking every one of you, and employs many means to find and save you (Matt. xviii.10-14; Luke xv.). 4. Found; unexpectedly to himself and to the joy of the seeker. So is it when the gracious message of the gospel comes to you," not in word on!.y, but in power." 5. Self-abased; in the presence of the king. When you see the height of Divine greatness and goodness, you also see the depth of your own unworthiness and shame. 6. Comforted. "Fear not; only believe." 7. Exalted ; endowed with more than had been lost; and adopted as "one of the king's sons" (ver. 11). 'l'he gifts of God are wo1-thy of himself. When one, to 2:\0 TtlE StOON'I) :MOK <'F SAMt'J~L. [ctt. t,t. 1.....18.
whom Alexander gave a oity, declined to accept it, o'o the ground that it was unsuitable to hi• condition, be l'lllid, " I ,lo not a.sk what is becoming in you to receive, but what la be!lOming in me to give " (Seneca, • De Beneficiis ').~D. Ver. 8.-" The ln'ndnus of Goo." David, settled on the throne and in hie new melr~- polis, rl'CRlb to mind the fallen bolJ8e of Saul, not to destroy them, as was usual with Eastern monarchs, but to show them kindness for Jonathan's sake. In his inquiry after them be uses substantially the same phrase which Jon&than had used (1 Sam, xx. 14) when he took an oath of him that he would be kind to himself and his family. "The kindness of the Lord," or" the kindness of God," is an expression descriptive of the highest and best kindness possible to man or angel. It is kindness which- I. FLOws FROM Gon. This is true of all the ldndncss which exists amongst men. " Love is of God." All the love of men towards each other streams forth from the. fountain of Divine love, and should be thus regarded by those who nre the objects of it, he being praised for all. But this is emphatically true of Christian kindness. It origin&tes in, and is a manifestation of, the love of God in Christ. It is produced by the Holy Spirit as giTI!n to the disciples of Christ, and by means of the truth respect.: ing him (1 Pet. i. 22, 23). It is a product of regeneration. It is God's love dwelling iu human hearts and revealing itself in human lives. It is nn element of "the Divine nature " of which Christians are "pa.rt.alters" (2 Pet. i. 4). II. Is EXEIICISED FROM REGARD TO Gon. 1. It bas its root, like all Christian gra:ces, in faith towards God (Gal. v. 6). 2. It springs from gratitude and love to him for all his goodness, especially for his redeeming love (1 John iv. 11). 3. H is practised in_ obedience to bis commandments (1 John iv. 21). 4. It aims at his approval, 6. lt imitates him (Luke vi 36; Eph. iv. 32). Hence it- lll. le GoD-LIKE. As it is: 1. Disinterested. "Seeketh not her own" (1 Cor. xiii. 5). Kindness which is exercised with a view to personal advantage· is not kind- ness but policy and commercial subtlety. 2. Ezpansive. Ready to help all'who need, as far as power permits. Not restricting itself to the good and worthy, but "kind unto the untba.nkful and the evil" (Luke vi. 35) ; nor yet to friends, but extending to enemies (Matt. v. 44, 45, 48); nor to one's own sect in religion, but regarding with love all Christian brethren (1 John v. 1; Eph. vi. 24). Yet it is: 3. Discriminating, The Divine love is nnited with righteousness, and seeks righteous ends, Hence it: cannot be the same thing, and displayed in the same manner, toward.a the righteous and the unrighteous, the obedient and the disobedient; and it mainly seeks to promote righteousness and salvation in all, and varies its methods accordingly. Christian love and kindness will be exercised with similar discrimination as far as is possible to men ; and will seek supremely the moral and spiritual benefit of its objects. Indiscriminate benevolence does more harm than good. 4. Unsparing. "He spared not hie own Son" (Rom. viiL 32), and in him the love of God appears as self-sacrificing (1 John iii. 16) and bountifol (Eph. i. 3). Christian love possesses the same qualities of bounti- fulness (2 Cor. viii. 2, 3, !1-11), self-denial, and self-sacrifice. It" endureth all things" (1 Cor. xiiL 7). 6. Oomtant. The love of God is long-suffering, persistent, and eternal (Ps. ciii. 17; enxvi., pa6sim). His children are like him in this re11pect also (1 Cor. xiii. 4. 8, 13). IV. Is NOUB.ISHED BY CONVERSE WITH Goo. The acts and habits or devotion-read- ing, meditation, prayer, praise-bring us into closer co=union with God, secure ue niore of his Spirit, open our hearts to receive the impress of his character, promote in us all those sentiments and principles towards him which issue in hearty love and kindness towards our brethren. Let ue draw nigh continually to biai whose name iii Love, and we sba.11 find it ever more easy to be loving.-G. W. Ver. 13.-Eating at tlie ldng's t<ibl,e. David, out of regard to the memory of his dear friend Jonathan, and mindful of his oath to him, not only restores to his son Mephi- bosheth the forfeited property of Saul, and arranges for its cultivation by Ziba and hie sons, but exalts Mephibosbeth to the position of a. constant guest at hie own table, "as one of the king's soru." So Mephibosbeth" did eat continually at the king's ta~le." The circumstance may servt to remind us of the greater honour which good men enJoy: it iii theire to eat continually a.t the table of the King of kings, Oil. lt. 1-13.) THE SECOND nooK or SAMOEL. 2Gt