prevent the eliene.tion of land from the families to which it orginally belonged. The son might inherit permanently; but the servant could only receive a gift of land for a time, which would cease at the year of jubilee. Here was a marked distinction between the privileges of sonship and those of service. Now St. Paul draws attention to this distinction from another point of view, when contrasting the gospel with the Law. There is a religion of worship, and one of service. I. THE LIFE OF WORSHIP HAS A PERMANENT INllERITANCE. Thie is the case with the spiritual experience of Christianity. 1. The OhristWITI, is a son. (1) He is begotten by God. (2) He is adopted by God. (3) He owns Christ for his Brother. (4) He is admitted into God's presence as a child at home. (5) He has the liberty of a son and his privileges. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him." God makes his counsels known to true Christians. 2. The son's inheritance is permanent. (1) For life. The grace of God given to the true Christian child will not desert him in after- years if he still looks for H and follows its guidance. God does not treat his people as the favourites of a day, whom a prince pampers while the whim is on him, and then capriciously flings aside; his favour is enduring like his dternal love. (2) After death. The Christian inheritance is but tasted on earth; the better part of it awaits us beyond the grave. It is like the inheritance of Israel, a small part of which was on the coast of the Jordan, while that river had to be crossed before the main portion could be reached. "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that no,v is, and of that which is to come" (1 Tim. iv. 8). We do not resign our Christian inheritance when we lie down to die; on the contrary, then we prepare to enter into the promised land in all its length and breadth. II. THE LIFE OF SERVITUDE HAS BUT TEMPORARY PIUVILEGEB. 1. The promises of the Mosaic religion were for this world, as Bishop Warburton proved with redundancy of argument, in his famous book on the 'Divine Legation of Moses.' Therefore the Jew stood below the Christian in regard to his prospects of future good. But there are far lower lives of servitude than that of the pious Jew. 2. Christ spoke of the slavery of sin (John viii. 34). Now, this degraded servitude has its rewards. Sin gives gifts to its slaves. But they ere not enduring possessions. 3. The bondage of worldli- ness holds many men. This thraldom promises great rewards. Riches and pleasures come in its train. The chains are forged of gold, e.nd at first the weight of them is not felt. But the rewards of sin e.nd worldlines!l are of brief duration. Their fruits may be sweet at first, but the after-taste of them is unendurably bitter. Even if no dis- appointment is met on earth, the worldly inheritance must be resigned at death. The slave of sin and the world can carry none of his treasures with him to the unseen future. Ver. 18.-.A warning to the great. I. THE GREAT .A.BE BEBPONSmLE TO GoD. The prince is the leader and &upreme ruler of Israel. His rank and privilege lift him into the most exalted position. Yet he is responsible to God, and his duty is definitely marked out for him. Even the most "irresponsible" ruler of a despotio state cannot escape from responsibility in the sight of Heaven. Prince as well as peasant will have to give account of himself before the judgment-seat of God. Moreover, God directs and controls the movements of the most powerful earthly magnates. He who said to the see, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed,"" put his hooks" in the proud ruler of Egypt (eh. xxix. 4). II. THE GREAT ABE TEMPTED TO EXCEED THEIR RIGHTS. Men who enjoy the largest scope and who own tho widest possessions must come to the confines of their territory. The biggest park has its Cenco. Now, a common temptation is to despise the best things within a man's right, in envy for whet lies beyond them. Thus, with all the wealth of the royal demesne, Ahab is sick with covetousness for Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings xxi. 4). The possession of considerable power aggravates the temptation of the great to go beyond their rights. It is difficult for the despot to avoid degeneratin.,.0 into a tyrant. III. THE GUEAT .A.BE WARNED AGAINST OPPBEBBING THE PEOPLE. The danger of power passing over to tyranny is the besetting temptation of persons in influential positions. This danger alone raises a question as to the wisdom of entrusting over- much power even to the best men. In the abstract, an irresistible paternal government 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [arr. XLVI, 1-24.
might seem to be likely to secure the greatest good of a nation. But for this to be i;atisfactory we must not only endue the ruler with supreme wisdom, we must also eliminate from his character every atom of selfishness. IV. THE GREAT ARE NOT MORE FAVOURED BY Goo THAN ABB OTHER PEOPLE. They have unique privileges, but these are bestowed in the form of a solemn trust. God is no res:pecter of persons. He cares for all bis children. He is the people's God, and the Friend of the poor. They who can find no earthly protector may look to Heaven for deliverance, for he who heard the cry of the Hebrews when they groaned under the oppression of the Egyptian bondage, and saved them from Pharaoh and his host, is still mighty to help the needy. V. Goo's EQUAL GRACE FOB THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE GBEAT SHOULD LEAD ALL TO TRUST HIM. If God only favoured the so-called privileged classes, the multi- tude might well turn aside from religion in despair. But since God has ever been on the side of the oppressed, and has ever cared for the people, it is foolish to distrust him, and ungrateful to disregard his goodness. Whatever else the great may seize upon, they cannot take away the poor man's religion. Here is a prize of permanent posseBBion, It would be well if all knew and loved the God who cares for all.