them of the ruin they are bringing on society. St. James reminds us that this "undue pfLrtiality," this "accepting the person," this showing preference for the rich, is not confined to judges. It may be observed even in the relations of the Christian Church (see Jae. ii. 1--4). I. THERE IB NO "ACCEPTING THE PERSON" WITH Goo. This is distinctly declared by St. Peter (1 Pet. i. 17). "If ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work." Certain settings of the Christian truth, those known as Ualvinistic, which put in prominence the Divine election, have been used or misused to encourage an idea of" favouritism" in God. It is always better to regard the Divine election as simply the all-wise selection of the most fitting person for the work which has to be done. It is only a subtle form of self-conceit which makes us imn~ine ourselves the special favourites of Heaven. "Goel accepteth no man's person." "The Judge of all the earth does right." II. THERE SHOULD BE NO "ACCEPTING THE PERSON" WITH MEN. This, however, must apply to official relations an,l duties, not to personal feelings and preferences. It is the fruitful source of evils in the family, business, society, and the Church. The least loved and the most unlovely folk in the world are the family pets, the society pets.-R. T. Ver. 3.-The claims of the poor. This-verse suggests four classes. The" poor" are those who have little or no money. The "fatherless" are those who have no defenders and friends. 'l'he "afflicted" are those who have to bear actual sufferin.~. And the "needy" are those who have reasonable wants which they cannot satisfy. And in these senses we have the poor always with us; and whensoever we will ,ve may do them good, The immediate application of the passage is to persons in authority who may defend the poor against private injustice or neglect. "They are to cause the benefit of the administration of justice to tend to the advantage of the defenceless, of the destitute, of the helpless, upon whom the Law-giver of Israel especially keeps his eye." Moses solemnly cursed the man that" perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow" (Deut. xxvii. 19). Matthew Henry has the following striking sentences: "It is bad to rob any man, but most absnrd to rob the poor, whom we should relieve ; to squeeze those with our power whom we should water with our bounty; to oppress the afflicted, and so add affliction to them; to give judgrnent against them, and so to patronize those who do rob them, which is as bad as if we robbed them ourselves. Rich men will not suffer themselves to be wronged; poor men cannot help themselves, and, therefore, we ought to be the more careful not to wrong them." What, then, do the poor in every age reasonably claim from every one who has means, or occupies a position of authority or influence? Put under three terms. I. THE POOR CLAIM JUSTICE. That which is their unquesttonable right, in every case, and under every circumstance. Not merely a right judicial decision in every disputable question. Not merely fair treatment, if coming under any accusation. But social justice-a right share of all citizen-privilege, and a righteous reward for all their fo.bour. It is not justice to take any sort of advantage of a man because he is poor. In these days the poor are learning to make their demand for justice, as between man and man, heard and heeded. II. THE POOR CLAIM CONSIDERATION. If anybody is to have an advantage, let it be the poor folk. In every age there has been the tendency of the well-to-do to claim for themselves all the consideration. The Christian spirit steadily resists this tendency ; and the social movements of modern times may well be toned by the Christian spirit. III. THE POOR CLAIM HELP. This brings in the practical side of their claims, and reminds of their actual sufferings and disabilities. See what help is required by the four classes mentioned above.-R. T. Ver. 4.-The national peri"l in the mal-administration of justice. This subject is illustrated by the rebellion of Absalom. That rebellion would not have been possible if the confidence of the people had not been lost by David's neglect of the judgrnent- seat. Absalom gained favour by craftily saying, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would 182 TRE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB. LXXXII, 1-8.
do him justice!" (2 Sam. xv. 4). Those who search into the causes of great national revolutions find they have always to take account of the influence on the people of nnfsithfulness in the judges, and lost public confidence that the right can be obtained. This is true of W estem nations, but it is more true of Eastern nations, who know of justice as the decision of an official, rather than as the execution of a recognized and written law. Solomon gained public confidence by a wise and quick-witted juditment. He in part lost public confidence by high-handed dealing with the people's complaints. 'l'he prophets, in their complaints of the special evils of their times, give prominence to t.he injustice of the judges, and their neglect of the causes of the poor. Still no crimes are supposed to undermine more swiftly the public confidence, and produce more social mischief, than those committed by mercenary judges, who give decisions in view of their own interests, rather than on the basis of what is just and right. I. Men look for a etandard qf righteousness higher than they can reach themselves. They are taught to look for that standard in the impartial public judges and magistrates, If they find themselves disappointed in them, they readily get the feeling that there is no standard right, and then they lose the check upon their own wilful, self-pleasing doings. Public justice is found to be the necessary foundation and buttress of public morality. 2. National life loses its inspiring example when the king, the magistrate, and the official a.re found to do unjust things. Nations, as well as individuals, must make their ideals, and realize them, or think they realize them, in some individuals. Kings ought to be to their people realized ideals, and so living examples. And in the more limited spheres, so should the judges be. A man easily goes to ruin when he finds his realized ideal fail him. And so does a nation. There seems to be no right when there is no public right; no right in its high places. Nations are rightly severe on all judges who dishonour the seat of judgment.-R. T.