Ver. 27.-A good messenger of good news. "He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings." Underlying this phrase is probably the feeling that there is a. con- gruity between good tidings and a good man. David may have thought that such a messenger as Ahimaaz would not have been sent with bad news; and, indeed, Joab was unwilling that he should run with the news, because he knew how grievous part of it would be to David. It may be permissible to take these words as applicable to the proclaimers of the heavenly good news-the gospel of God. It should be true of every Christian minister and teacher, yea, of every Christian, that" he is a good man, and cometh with good tidings." We are the more readily led to such an accommodation of the words, because the terms used throughout this section of the narrative are in the Septuagint identical with those (evcineil.,ci, •vcineil.l(w) with which we are so familiar in the New Testament. I. THERE ARE GOOD TIDINGS TO BE PROCLAIMED, Christianity is pre-eminently ''gospel" (equivalent to" good news"), and is often called by this name. It is good tidings from the region and the Person from wbence we might reasonably expect bad; and about the Being and the things which are of most importance to us. It declares to us the love of God to sinful men. It announces the coming and the work of a Divine Saviour; the reign of a Divine King; an all-sufficient propitiation for sin; a full and free redemption; an almighty, most loving and ever-a.biding Comforter and Helper. It proclaims pardon for the guilty, cleansing for the impure, life for the dead, comfort for the sad and sorrowful, Divine righteousness for the unrighteous, Divine strength for the weak, peace and joy on earth, perfection alike of holiness and happiness in heaven. It offers all these blessings on the simple condition of " repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts xx. 21). Il. THESE GOOD TIDINGS ARE COMMITTED TO GOOD MEN TO MAKE KNOWN, Only good men, real Christians, have a. Divine commission to engage in this work. God does not need the services· of his enemies in the work of turning enemies into friends and ministering to their good. No unconverted man, no one that is carnal, worldly, unholy, can be a ~rue Christian preacher or teacher. 1. Only good men really know the gospel. (See 1 Cor. ii. 14; Matt. xi. 25.) We need to be•• taught of God" (John vL 45) in order to our real reception and underst.anding of Christian truth. 2. Only good men can rightly make it known. We cannot tea.oh what we do not know; we cannot teach aright that with which we a.re out of harmony and sympathy. The work of teaching the gospel requires love to God, to the Lord Jesus Christ, to the truth, to the souls of men ; sympathy with the mind and heart and purposes of God as revealed in the gospel; a. character consistent with it, and adapted to illustrate and recommend it; and the earnest and believing prayerfulness which secures the Divine aid and blessing. "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?" (Ps. l 16). III. Goon MEN SHOULD MAKE KNOWN THE GOOD TIDINGS ZEALOUSLY. All Christians should do this according to the measure of their abilities and opportunities. They should be incited to do this by : 1. The nature of the tidings. With which only intense earnestness in the messenger is in harmony. 2. Their personal obligations to th8 redeeming love which they announce. 3. The unspeakable blessings they have received through the knowledge of them. 4. The commands of their Lord. 5. The natural impulses of the Christian heart. Which are the promptings of the Holy Ghost. 462 THE SECOND DOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. xvm. 1--33.
6. The good they can thus oonfe>· on their fellow-mtm. Good of the most important and le.sting kinrl, &nd of whioh they e.re most of all in need. IV. THOSE WHO UAKE KNOWN THE GOOD TIDINGS OUGHT UOl\B AND 11101\1!1 TO BECOME GOOD. 'l'he work of learning and teaching the gospel ought to greatly bonefit the teaohera. It is &de.pted to do so, on account of: 1. Tl,e nature, of tl1e gospel. Its t,,•ery trut~ i~ se.n~tifying. 2 .. The_special character of the _work. It ei:ercises e.nd trains e\'ery Chnst1e.n virtue. It brings into close commumon with the lnfimtely Good, who is also the lnEpirer of all good in his creatures, 3. The regai·d for consistency wllich the worker .:S likely to cherish. 4. His desire for suoce.,s in his work. '1.'his will increase his desire and endeavour e.fter greater person&l consecration and holinllBs, 6. The concern which he wi,U feel to be accepted of God. "Lest that by any me&ne, when I have preached to others, I my~elf sbould be e. castaway" (1 Cor. ix. 27). In conclusion: 1. The subject appeals to all who have part in the teaching of Cliristiantty. Not only preachers, but parents and other teachers of the young, district visitors, etc. 2. Some n8'!d to be 1·entinded that the Ohi·istian religion is not all of the nature of qood tidings to each one to whoin it comes. If it says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," it says also, "He that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark xvi. 16). If of the righteous it declares, "It shall be well with him," it also says," Woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him!" (Isa.. iii. 10, 11). But its tidings of evil, as well as of good, need good men to bear them properly. It needs faith and faithfulness toward God, tender love and pity toward men, to uUer them aright, and with probability of success.-G-. W.