Vers. 4-6.-001Jetousness. It was not for heterodoxy In theology, it wne not for remissness in ritual, that Amos chiefly reproached tho Israelites. It wae for injustice, \'iolenoe, e.nd _robbery; it was for seeking their own wealth and luxury at tho expense of the suffermgs of the poor. Avarice, or undue love of worldly possessions, is a ~~rious vice; co,•etousness, or the desiring to enrich self at the cost of nei11bbours is something very near a crime, for to crime it too often leads. " ' I. TsE MORAL DISEASE OF OOVET0USNEss. The symptoms may differ in different states of society; and there are details in the text which apply rather to tl1._e state of society in Samaria. of old than to the England of to-day. But tho malady is the samo deep-rooted in the moral constitution of sinful men. This sin is: 1. Injurious to th~ person who commits it. He w:ho sets his affection upon this world's good, who carries his selfishness so far as to deprive, or even to Wll!h to deprive, his neighbour of what is his-far more he who uses fraud or violence to gratify this desire--is workin11 his own ruin. He is subverting the standard of value, by setting the material ~hove the spiritual. He is dragging his aspif!l,tions down from the stars above his head to the dust beneath bis feet. 2. Mischievous to society. If all men follow the example of the covetou~, and long for the possessions of others, then human society becomes a ,len of wild beasts bent upon devouring one another, and earth becomes a very hell. Instead of bemg members one of another, in the case supposed, every man sees an enemy in his nei~bour, and seeks his harm. The bonds of society are strained, are even broken. 3. Displeasing to God. In the ten commandments a place was found for the prohibition of this spiritual offence: "Thou shalt not covet." This fact is sufficient to show how hateful is this sin in the eyes of the great Lord and Ruler of all. II. TBE DIVINE REJCEDY FOR ooVETOUBNEss. 1. The recognition of the benevolence and bounty of God. From him cometh down "every good gift and every perfect boon." He is the Giver of all, who openeth his hand3, and supplieth the need of every living thing. He who would she.re the Divine nature must cherish an ungrudging and Ii beral spirit. 2. The remembrance of the "nnspeakable Gift," and of the incomparable i;acrifice of the Redeemer. Our Saviour's whole aim was to impart to men the highest blessings, and in the qnest of this aim he gave his life for us. His constraining love alone is able to extirpate that selfishness which in human nature is the very root of covetousness. 3. The adoption of the counsels and the submission to the spirit of Christ. It was his saying," It is more blessed to give than to receive."-T.
Ver. 7.-The memory of God. This language is actnal truth, although it is based upon and accords with the experience of created intelligences. Memory is one of the primitive endowments of intellect, admitted to be such even by philosophers, who are very loth to admit that the mind of man can possess any such endowments. A man who should never forget would indeed be a marvel, a miracle. But it would be inconsistent with our highest conceptions of God to suppose it possible for anything to escape his memory. In bis mind there is, of conrse, neither past nor future, for time is a limitation and condition of finite intelligence. To the Eternal all is present; all events to him a.re one eternal now. L A GEl!\"'EB.AL TRUTH CONCERNING THE DIVINE NATURE AND GOVERNMENT. Nothing is unobserved by God, and nothing is forgotten by him. All men's actions as they are performed photograph themselves indelibly upon the very nature of the Omniscient and Eternal. Nothing needs to be revived, for nothing ever becomes dim. II. A SOLEKN TRUTH CONCERNING THE CONDUCT AND PROSPEO1'8 OF THE SINFUL. Parents forget the wrong-doing of their children, and rulers those of their subjects. Hence many evil deeds escape the recompense which is their due. But Jehovah, who "remembered" (to use the expression necessarily accommodated to our infirmity) all the acts of rebellion of which the chosen people had been guilty, does not lose the record of any of the offences committed by men. On the contrary, they are written "in a book of remembrance "-a book one day to be unrolled before the eyes of the righteoW! Judge. un. VIII. 1-14.] THE BOOK OF AMOS. 171
Ill. A PRECIOU8 ABBUilAN0E 0ONOEBNIN0 THE GOOD PURPOSES AND ACTIONS WHICH OoD DIB0EilNB AND REMARKS IN RIB PEOPLE. Thus we find saintly men of old in their prayers beseeching the Lord to remember them: "Remember me, 0 Lord, for good;" "Remember me with the favour thou showest unto thy people." He who said, "I know thy works," who said, "I will never forget any of their works," iM a Being to whom we may safely commend ourselves and all that is ours which he himself creates and which he approves. APPLI0A1'ION. 1. lo our confessions let us be frank and open with God, who searcheth the heart, and who forgettcth nothing. It would be folly to suppose that he forgets our sins; it would be wickc,lness to strive to forget them ourselves. "If we confess our sin~, he is faithful and just to forgive." 2. In our prayers for pardon let us bear in mind that there is a sense in which he will " remember no more" the offences of his penitent and believing people. He will treat us as if he bad forgotten all our rebellion, and as if he remembered only our purposes and vows of loyalty.-T.