The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 19

of idolatry between Israel and Judah. Lying in the Shephele.h, a fortified plaoe of great importance, she was the first city in Judah that waa led away by the sin of Jeroboam; and from her the infection spread till at length it reached Jerusalem itself. In the prospect of a sudden attack, it behoved the inhabitants to use all despatch in rC'moving their families and what property they could take with them to a distance, L0cl1ish was besieged by Sennacherib before making the threatened attack on Jerusalem" (2 Kings xviii. 14). Our subject is promptitude in action, "Bind the chnriot to the swift beast." I. BE QUIOK IN TOUR MATERIAL ENGAGEMENTS. Man has material duties; these are e.s sacred and as binding as spiritual ones. Indeed, the distinction between the secular and the spiritual is not real, but fictitious. A man should be quick in e.11 his legitimate temporal engagements, whatever they may be. Whatever is to be done must be done at once. "Be diligent in business." By quickness I do not mean the hurry of confu- sion, but adroit expertness, skilful promptitude. As Shakespeare says, "What the wise <lo quickly is not done rashly." 1. The quicker you are, the more you will accom- pli'.sh. An expert man will accomplish more in an hour than a slow man in a day. 2. The quicker you are, the better for your faculties. The quick movement of the limb is healthier than the slow; the quick action of the mental faculties is more invigorating than the slow. As a rule, the quick man is in every way healthier and happier than the slow. 3. The quicker you are, the more valuable you are in the market of the world. '!.'he skilful man who cultivates the habit of quickness and despatch increases his commercial value every day. Those trades unions that enact that all of a craft should be paid alike, however they work, enact an absurdity and an injustice. One quick and skilful man may accomplish as much in one day as six slow men, though equally clever. Be quick, then, in business. "Bind the chariot to the swift beast." IL BE QUICK IN TOUR INTELLECTUAL PURSUITS. You have an enormous amount of mental work to do, if you act up to your duty and discharge your mission in life. You have manifold faculties to discipline, numerous errors to correct, vast and varied knowledge to attain. "The soul without knowledge is not good" (Prov. xix. 2). No, not good either lo itself or others. Be quick. 1. The quicker you are, the more yo'II, will attain. The more fields of truth you will traverse, the more fruits you will gather from the tree of knowledge. Some men in their studies move like elephants, and only traverse a small space. Others, like eagles, sweep continents in a day. The quick eye will see what escapes the dull eye; the quick ear will catch voices unheard by the slow of he.a.ring. 2. The quicker you are, the better for your faculties. It is the brisk walker that best strengthens his limbs, the brisk fighter that wlns the greatest victories. It is by quick action that the steel is polished and that w'eapons are sharpened. Intellectual quickness whets the faculties, wakes them keen, agile, a,nd apt. "Bind the chariot to the swift beast." IIL BE QUICK IN YOUR SPIRITUAL AFFAIRS. 1. Morally you have a worlc to do for your own soul. It is in a ruined state, it is like the " field of the slothful" and the "vineyard of the ma.n void of understanding" of which Solomon speaks; it needs culti- vation. The work is great and urgent. 2. Morally you have a work to do for ot~ers. There are souls around you demanding your most earnest efforts, etc. (1) Be quick; the work must be done during your life here, if ever done. (2) Be quick ; your_ life he~e is very short and uncertain. (3) Be quick; the longer you delay, the more difficult 1t is to do. Be quick: "Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might; for there is no knowledge nor device in the gra1'e whither we are all hasteuing." "Bind the chariot to the swift beast." .. Oh, let nil the soul within you For tbe truth's sake go abroad; Strike! let every nerve and sinew Tell on ages-tell for God." (A. 0. Coxe.) D. T. OH, II, 1-13,] THE BOOK OF MICAH. 17