The Pulpit Commentary — Amos — Section 95

be is ready t.o strike. Expostulation would be an anachronism when execution ie imminent. The point at which he will give up the persistent wrong-doer e.nd with- ~lraw all deterrent measures none can fix. But there is such e. point, and, to each of the ungodly, the danger of passing it (Prov. i. 26). Every hour we continue in rebellion is cutting down our chance of being longer striven· with. Those who speak for God to men are sometimes conscious that the time to be silent has come. The t<inner seemi; to have reached a final fixity. In the nature of things he cannot be expected now to change. Paul at a certain stage concluded the Jew to be incorrigible, and turned deliberately to the Gentile (Acts xiii. 46). And like Paul, when it becomes clear that further dealing with men must be barren of result, the servant of Christ will transfer his strength from the hopeless to some hopeful form of effort. III. WHEN IT IS JUST AS LIKELY TO DO HARM AS GOOD. This is no remote contin- gency. Such times are cropping up continually. Under certain circumstances speech: l . .May do harm to men. The trnth of God and the sinful heart are uncongenial. Men love the darkness and hate the light. The truth forbidding all lust is actually through the corruption of our nature the occasion of stirring it up (Rom. vii. 7-9). This, of course, is no reason for withholding it or suppressing our testimony to it. But there are circumstance~ and moods in which this tendency attains its ·maximnm of strength, and it will then be prudent to keep silence" even from good." It is e.s "fishers of ruen" that we speak the truth, and we must justify our claim to the title by presenting the truth in the time and way in which it is most likely to tell. If we " testify" at random, and uniformly, in all companies and on all occasions, we shall oftener harm than help the people whom we wish to serve. 2. It may do harm to the truth. There is such a thing as "easting pearls before swine" (Matt. vii. 6) to no better purpose than the prostitution of sacred things. The difference between truth profaned and necessarily inoperative, and the same truth listened to an,l the power of God, is often the difference between the nntimely presentation of it and the timely. To force it on men when they are out of humour and will not give it a fair hearing is only to bring it into contempt-to lessen its cignity in the eyes of others, and diminish its chance of winning their acceptance. The truth is meant to sanctify and save, and we must be -careful to do nothing that would place it at a disadvantage in the work. 3. It f'Tl,IJY do harm to ourselves without any compensating advantage. " He that reproveth a scorner getteth himself shame "-the she.me of aggravating the case and bringing needless evil on himself. No Scottish Covenanter was called on to enter the camp and preach the gospel of good will e.nd peace to the bloodthirsty troopers of Claverhouse or Dalziel. The thing would have been good in itself, and was deeply needed, but to attempt it meant not merely failure, but death. Ir there was no one else to do it, this work must be left undone. There is room for judgment and discretion in timing and planning the work of winning souls. The most acceptable service and the most useful we can give to God is our" reasonable service." We are not to" count our lives dee.r to us" in comparison with his work; but it must appear that the work demands the sacrifice, and will benefit by it, before we are at liberty to give up the life which we hold in trust for God. Pearls are to be withheld from swine for this e.mong other reasons, "lest they turn again and rend you." The characters of the " time to keep silence" deserve attention uo less than those of the " time to speak," and he has mastered both who rightly divides the Word of life. 1. Si1ence is sometimes a Divine form of appeal. 2. In that case it is probably the -last appeal. 3. Disregarded, it is the lull be/ore the storm. Vere. 14, 15.-The nation with which God will dwell. The opening words of this passage imply a history. Israel " not only did evil, but they sought it out and the -occasioru; of it" (Pusey). Tbey gave evil their special attention, never failing to do it when they had opportunity, and seeking opportunities when none presented themselves. In fuct, they did it with an amount of method and pains which they are now called upon to direct into a new channel, and apply to the doing of good. l. 'l'IlE PRESENCE OF Goo WITH MEN IS THE CHIEFEBT EXPBEIIBION OF HIS FAVOtJ'B. It was the original, and remains the normal condition of human life. 1. II '8 Iha ,restO'l'ation of acceptanu. Sepe.ration from God is penal. God "drove out the man," and we remain "afar otr" because of sin committed. He will dwell with us e.gain OU. V. 1-27.] THE IlOOK OF AMOS. 91>