may see that the accomplishment of our life's highest purpose is no occasion of praise to ourselves, but solely of glory to God. . I._ Goo _HAS CHOSEN us. David was called to leave the sheepfold, e.ud re.ised by the distinct will of God to be what he subsequently came to be. Never does ho forget this.' It. wn.s R!l of frre sovereign grace. No conquests over Philistines, no succession to Saul no subjugation of people under him, no lofty piety for the enrichment of the world by its poetic utterances, would have had place but for the Divine choice. It is so of all men after God's own heart. He bath begotten them. He bath made them kings and priests unto himself. "We love him, because he first loved us." Who.lever conquests we achieve in the spiritual life are an outcome of our having that life which, as clearly t.aught in the New Testament, is not of man, but of God (John iii. 6-8). II. IN OURSELVES WE ARE U~'WORTHY OF ANY BLESSING. David knew and felt that there was no worthiness in him that he should be called to be king. Whatever moral and mental fitneas there may have been in him a.s compared with others, it was nll of God, and constituted no more merit than the sweetness of the rose gives merit to the rose. And during his career he fell again and Again, so that his spiritual condition was so far as it depended on his watchfulness and ea.re, not so perfect as it should have been: It wns God's wonderful "gentleness" (ver. 36), and not his &uperior spiritual qualities or natural force of character, that had made him whnt he was. The experience of good men is the same in all ages. The ancient patriarch (Gen. xviii. 27), the evangelical prophet (lsa. vi. 6~, ~nd the Cfiristian_ apostle (Ro_m. xv. 10), are one with the "sweet psalmist of Israel ' m confessmg entire unworthmess of the least of God's mercies. Sell~renunciation before God is essential to true godliness. All the honour and glory are due to him. • IIL Goo PROVIDES THE MEANS BY WHICH OUR ,LIFE'S PURP,OSE IS. WROUGHT OUT. The natural gifts that distinguished David, and the. wisdom to use them, and the disposition to use them for the right ends, were provide<l. for him. The mountain fast- nesses iu which he found a shield from the oppressor, belonged to him who claims the "strength of the hills." The repressive influences brought to bear on the rebellious fact.ions, and the concurrent events which issued in their death or depression, were ordered by a higher wisdom. The itift or non-withdrawal of the Holy Spirit on the occasion of the dreadful fall (Ps. li. 10, 11) was all of pure mercy. And thus it, was through God alone that the tempted, tried, sorrowing king was enabled to pursue his course. In his case we have in miniature an illustration of the great provision which God makes for us. We are stewards only of gifts of God. The life and death of his beloved Son is the great Gift by which all else is guaranteed. He directs .us to the Rock of Ages. Hie Spirit worketh within us to will and to do, The faith by which we cling to him in the dark and cloudy day is his own gift (Eph. ii, 8). I.f we conquer our spiritual foes, it is he who teacheih our hands to war and our fingers to fight. By him alone we are more than conquerors. If we arrive at last "perfect" in Zion, it is because he has led us on by ways we knew not. IV. HE 001''TBOLS THE DlFLUENCES AT WOBK .AGADlST us. The "strangers" and his own "people " are brought under him because there is an unseen power so worl~ing on them that their force is weakened and their will turned. The liie of David is tull of this Divine control of adverse influences. Saul and Doeg were baffled and restrained. Philistines at Gath (1 Sam. uvii 4-7) were favourably disposed to him in the bitter time of his exile. The nation was made willing to accept him in place of the successors in the line of Saul. The wise counsel of Ahithophel wa.d turned to foolishness, and when for a time the chastisement of rebellion seemed to crush his heart, the hour of deliverance came, and the people were made willing to welcome him once more to his beloved Jerusalem. So is it still. Land and sea, men and evil spirits, life and death, arc all alike in the hands of God, and he can say, "Thus far, and no further;" "').'ouch not mine anointed." Our Lord is Lord also of all. Our highest interests are in his holy hall.ds &!id there is nothiou, seen or unseeo, that can sever us from the Jove of God that is in Christ our Lord (Ro~. viii. 35-39). How 11:i.tural, then, tbe words "'l'herelore, l will give thanks unto thee, 0 Lord" (ver. 50) ! "De" ~howeth mercy for evermore.
Additional topiu- L The influence of success io promoting success (ver. 46). err. XXII. 1-51.) TIIE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 617
2. Tho acoelere.ted influences of the spiritual world analogol18 to the !awe of motion (ver. 46). 8. The inherent sense in all men of the majesty of righteoueness (ver. 45). 4. 'l'he powor of reputed character and of deede in extending pereonal influence over strangers (ver. 46), 6. Foreshadows of the final collapse of the forces of evil before the victorious Christ (ver. 46). G The ever-living God the Joy and Hope of the Christian amidst the vicissitudes of life (ver. 47). 7. The adoration of God a natural expression of the sanctified heart, and its Christian element based on ai;i experience of hie mercy (ver. 47). 8. The qualities of the rock as illustrating the Divine perfection (ver. 47). 9, The reality of providential retribution for the oppression of the righteous and the needy, as seen in individuals and nations, and revealed in history and Scripture (ver. 48). . 10. The various methods by which. God acts on human souls to bring them into submission to Christ (ver. 48). 11. The Divine process of brinp;ing souls out from embarrassing circumstances, temporal and spiritual (ver. 49). 12. The concurrence of Divine and human action in spiritual conquests (ver. 49). 13.. 'l'he setting forth of the wonders of redeeming mercy before men who profess no interest in Christ. How to do it (ver. 50). ' 14. .All t4.e.reso,urces of the Divine nature in their pledged relation to the accomplish- ment of the purpose of Christ, the .Anointed One (ver. 51). 15. The inheritance of Christ's people in the resources belonging to him (ver. 61). 16. The permanent character of the. work of redemption (ver. 51).