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might be forced on the conscience of the sinner through the reading or hearing of the Bible. There is one who has done for him what thought cannot measure, ransoming him, by "the death of the cross," from everlasting pains; but he has hitherto refused to acknowledge this Savior, and has given him, in return, only hatred or contempt. So accurately is a case of most common occurrence, that of the unconverted man moved by God's Spirit to give heed to the Gospel of Christ, portrayed in that of the Persian king, prompted, in his restlessness, to hear the chronicles of the empire. And what we would again and again impress upon you is, that you are not to think of recognizing the operations of the Spirit of God by any supernatural tokens, as though, whensoever that agent is at work in your breasts, you must be aware of his presence, and able to distinguish his movements from those of the conscience and the will. The secret uneasiness, the impulse to prayer, the sense of something wrong, the disposition to hear the word of Godthese may not startle you by their strangeness; these may seem to you quite natural, as naturally produced as suggestions of an opposite character

easiness, for which he cannot give any definite reason; it has come upon him, he hardly knows whence; and he turns from side to side, expecting to recover his moral indifference or composure. But still his sleep goes from him, and he bethinks him of measures for wooing it back. When he has been similarly situated before, he has perhaps had recourse to the fascinations of the world; he has summoned pleasure with her lyre, and her syren strains have soothed him into quiet. Shall he take the same course now? It would be natural that he should; but he feels a sort of disposition to try another mode; it is secretly suggested to him that the book of the record of the chronicles might give him some repose, that the Bible might hush his agitation, were it read to him by those whose office it is. to press home its truths. And thus is he literally situated as was the Persian king on that eventful night, when the fate of the Jews, and of the world, seemed to hang upon a thread. He is acted on as was the king; and there is nothing to prevent his resisting as the king might have resisted. He may say to himself, "The Bible is a dull book, preachers are melancholy persons; I will try something more likely to dis--but know ye of a truth, that these sipate my fears, and restore my com- are what the Holy Ghost causes; that posure: give me the romance, or the co- these may perhaps be all which the medy, rather that the book of the chro- Holy Ghost will cause; and, therefore, nicles; give me my jovial companions, that if ye will not yield to these, and rather than the ministers of religion." ." will not act on these, there is a fearful Ahasuerus might have done this, and probability of your being forsaken of thereby would he have resisted prompt- God, and left to your own devices. ings which were not of his own mind, Wait not for miracles-God's ordinathough they gave no note of superna- ry workings are through very simple tural origin, and have lost the oppor- means. We do not read of any thuntunity of freeing his kingdom from a derclap which awakened Ahasuerus; great impending calamity. And the he was restless, but perhaps could give sinner may do this: he may withstand no account of his restlessness. If he a suggestion, which seems only to had been asked, he would probably spring from a disturbed mind, though have mentioned the heat of the weain truth to be traced to the Spirit of ther, or over-excitement, or something God; and thus may he throw away a of which he had eaten. But, all the golden opportunity of learning how to while, God was in that sleeplessness, flee from everlasting wrath. for which so many common causes might have been assigned. And there must be those of you who already know, or who will know, something of a moral uneasiness which might admit of various explanations. There has been no thunderclap-yet the man cannot sleep; and he will perhaps account

The special thing forced on the conscience of Ahasuerus through the book of the chronicles, was, that there was one who had done him great service in saving him from death, and whom he had hitherto requited with neglect. And it is the very same thing which

their minds: they are not disturbed for nothing, but that they may be prompted and urged towards religion

for it from some loss in his family, or some disappointment in trade, or some deficiency in health. But God is in that uneasiness, that disquietude, which no music, no revelry, no blandishshows an inability to settle down in ments: let the records of the chronipresent things, and a secret craving cles of the kingdom of heaven be for higher and better. Well then searched, and they shall learn how the whensoever such a season shall visit snare may be broken, and beautiful any amongst you, let them be special- peace be permanently secured. ly heedful of what may be suggested to

SERMON VII.

THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM.

"And David longed, and said, Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it."-2 Samuel, 23: 15, 16, 17.

We are not to regard the Scriptural histories as mere registers of facts, such as are commonly the histories of eminent men: they are rather selections of facts, suitableness for purposes of instruction having regulated the choice. In human biography, you may say of much that is recorded, that it is inserted only because it happened, and because, therefore, its omission would have destroyed the integrity of the narrative. But we do not suppose that the same may be said of Scriptural biography; a fact is not recorded merely because it occurred, as though the object were to give the full life of some distinguished individual; a fact is rather chosen for relation, out of many which are omitted, because exhibiting some point, whether in human conduct or the divine dealings, on which it is important that attention be turned.

Occasionally, indeed, and perhaps

more frequently than is commonly thought, it is because the fact has a typical character that it is selected for insertion: it prefigures, or symbolically represents, something connected with the scheme of redemption, and on this account has found place in the sacred volume. Neither is it unusual for the recorded fact to answer to both these descriptions: being instructive in itself, and serving also as an emblem of truths that were then taught only by shadows and types. And whether, in any given instance, it be that the thing narrated is instructive in itself, or significative of what God had yet but partially disclosed; or whether it may lay claim to both characters; we ought, at least, to be careful that we content not ourselves with apprehending the facts, but study diligently what lessons they may convey, and what types they may contain.

We make these general remarks

from a fear that, in regard especially of the Old Testament narratives, there is a habit with many christians of reading Scriptural histories as registers of facts, rather than as collections of lessons. The interesting character of the narratives themselves is often likely to induce or strengthen this habit; the mind becomes so engaged with the story, that the instruction is disregarded, or the figure overlooked. There are others besides children who can be pleased with the fable, and never think of the moral. And if we fail to search the Scriptural narratives for lessons and types, it is evident that we shall practically take away from great part of the Bible its distinctive character as a record of spiritual truth; whilst, on the other hand, by always looking for what always exists-material of instruction-we may give histories the nature of homilies, and find the events in an individual's life prophetic of things in which the whole world has

interest.

We hope to show you, as we proceed with our discourse, that the narrative which we have now selected from the Old Testament, forms no exception to the rule, but rather signally illustrates its truth. It is exactly one of those narratives which are likely to be read and admired for the beauty of the facts, rather than studied for the worth of the lessons. It lays immediate and strong hold on the imagination, having about it that air of chivalry, we might almost say romance, which ordinarily so captivates and dazzles the fancy. You can hardly read it and not have before you all the scenery of the tented field, with the mailed champions and the floating banners. The royal warrior, David, is exhausted with the fight; he has been in the thick of the struggle with the Philistines, and is now faint with thirst. In this his weariness and languor, he is heard to breathe a passionate wish for water from the well of Bethlehem, between which and himself lay the Philistines, so that the well could be reached only by breaking through their line. But amongst his followers were men as attached as intrepid; with hearts devoted to their chieftain, and hands prepared to attempt even impossibilities at his bidding. Three of the

most distinguished of these followers heard the wish which David expressed. There was no command given, but with them a wish had the force of a command; and pausing not to count the peril, they rushed against the foe, resolved to carve themselves a passage. It was like rushing on destruction-what will their courage and strength avail against a multitude! they will be borne down in the unequal struggle; and even if they reach the well their retreat will be cut off, and they must perish in the effort to return. And yet-so did the Almighty favor the bold enterprise-they succeeded in breaking through the host: you may trace their course by the stir, the tumult, and the crash; the enemy falls in heaps before them; now they are by the side of the cold flowing fountain: they stay not to quench their own thirst: they dip, it may be, a helmet in the waters, and hasten, with that warrior's cup, to attempt a second time the passage. Perhaps the Philistines scarcely offered fresh resistance; these three men may have seemed to them more than mortal; they may have divided at their approach, and allowed them to return unopposed to the army of Israel.

And David must have been aware of this desperate sally; he must have known that the choicest of his warriors had thrown themselves, to all appearance, on certain death, in hopes of gratifying his wish; and deep must have been his anxieties, and fervent his prayers, for those whom his inconsiderateness had placed in such peril. But the shout of his troops tells him that his brave captains are safe; they approach, stained with the blood of the Philistines, and perhaps with their own: they bow before their king, present the sparkling draught, and ask no reward but the pleasure of seeing him refreshed. And David holds the helmet in his hands, but raises it not to his lips: the thirst consumes him, for it has been aggravated through the feverish dread that the bold men would perish; but the water, fresh and pure though it was, looked to him like the blood of those who had jeopardied their lives; he felt compunction at having rashly given utterance to a wish which had produced so daring a deed;

and he will punish himself for the fault; | to render as little to a master as that

he refuses to drink, and pours the water on the ground as a libation to the Lord.

master can be prevailed on to accept. We need not touch the question as to whether these warriors were justified What a picture! Every one is fami- in running such a risk, whether it were liar with the story of our own warrior, unlawful, or not, to make the attempt who, mortally wounded, and parched to which they were prompted by the with the death-thirst, received a cup expressed wish of David. It may have of water, but observing, as he raised it been unlawful; there must have been to his lips, the eye of a dying soldier a point at which obedience to God rest wistfully upon it, handed it to him would have forbidden obedience to and bade him drink it, as needing it their king; but we have no means for yet more than himself. But we know accurately judging whether this point not whether the history before us do had been reached in the case now benot present a still finer subject for the fore us. We may, therefore, waive all painter. It does not seem as though reference to the right or the wrong, of David had to choose between quench- the resolve to cut a path to the waters ing his own thirst and that of another. of Bethlehem; we have simply to do There may have been no gasping war- with the power which a mere wish of rior at his feet to move sympathy by David had over his servants, for we the glassy eye and the clotted lip. It may hence derive a lesson for all serwas simply at the suggestion of con- vants, whether of God or of man. science that he put from him the longed-for draught; and there was all the more of greatness, because there was apparently so little to prompt the self-denial.

But we need not take pains to give interest and coloring to the narrative. The risk, as we have hinted, is all the other way-that you may be so attracted by the chivalrous circumstances, by the displayed bravery and magnanimity as to think nothing of homely and personal lessons with which the registered incidents are assuredly fraught. We have, therefore, now to engage you exclusively with these lessons. We wish you to observe what there may have been to blame, and what to approve, in the conduct of David; and to note, with like attention, the conduct of his servants. This sufficiently defines what we have to attempt through the remainder of our discourse; we will take, first, the conduct of the three warriors, and, secondly, that of David, and examine what, in each case, there may be whether to condemn or to copy.

Now the three warriors must be surveyed as servants of David, men engaged to obey his commands, and execute his will to the utmost of their power. And their conduct then appears very admirable, as far removed as can well be imagined from that calculating and niggardly obedience, which betrays a disposition to do the least possible,

You are to observe that David issued no command. He might have summoned the bravest of his battalions, and bidden them attempt the forcing a passage to the well; but nothing of the kind was done: he simply uttered a wish, without, perhaps, thinking that he should be overheard, and certainly without designing that it should be interpreted as a command. But the wish was sufficient for bold and true-hearted men, and they instantly faced death to attempt its gratification. And we say of these servants, thus yielding as ready an obedience to an overheard wish as could have been rendered to the most positive order, that they rebuke many of ourselves, who, whether it be their Creator, or their fellow-creatures, by whom they are employed, seem only anxious to reduce their service to the smallest possible amount. There is an example set by these warriors to every man who is called on for obedience, which fits the history before us to be inscribed on our kitchens, our shops, and our churches. The example lies in their not having waited for a command, but acted on a wish; and there is no man to whom the term servant applies-and it applies to every man, at least with reference to God— who would not do well to ponder the example, and consider whether he be not yet far below such a model.

If you take the case of servants, as the term is commonly applied, is not

their service, for the most part, a sort of labor to do no more than they can help, an endeavor to earn their wages with as little outlay of toil as their employers will consent to remunerate? Servants, even servants "professing godliness," seem to have practically but little remembrance of the precept of St. Paul, "not with eye-service as menpleasers." It is almost all eye-service," and flags in proportion as inspection is withdrawn. It is a rare thing to find a servant who will diligently obey your commands; but where shall we look for one who will carefully consult your wishes? And we do not know that a more annoying argument is to be found against the advantageousness of a diffused christian education, than is apparently furnished by a fact which it is not easy to gainsay, that, in place of an improved race of servants having resulted from an improved system of general instruction, we have less diligent, less obliging, and less trustworthy domestics. We are sure as to the unsoundness of the argument, because we are sure, on unassailable principles, that the knowledge of God in Christ will make men, from the prince to the peasant, fitter for whatsoever duties appertain to their station. But, nevertheless, when the appeal is to results, to the testimony of experience, not of theory, it does involve the advocate of national education in no ordinary difficulty, that the opponent can enter our households and ask, with much semblance of truth, what, comparatively, has become of those attached, steadfast, and conscientious servants, who had no interest separate from their master's, and no wish but that of executing his? And servants, who have enjoyed all the superior advantages of modern days, and yet are palpably inferior to the servants of former-restless, rude, dishonestlittle know how much they may contribute towards such disgust amongst the rich at the instruction of the poor, as will prompt an endeavor to re-establish the ignorance which consisted with something praiseworthy, as preferable to the knowledge which threatens to issue in confusion.

Neither is it only to servants, in the common sense of the word, that the example before us applies. The same

holds good generally of the employed, whatever the nature of the employment. It ought to be the ruling principle with him who serves another in any capacity, to serve him upon principle, to identify himself with his employer, and to have the same eye to his interests as though they were his own. If a man buy my time, and I do not devote to him that time, there is robbery as actual as though he had bought my merchandize and I then sold it to another. If he pay me for my labor, and I in any measure withhold it, then, up to that measure, there is as palpable fraud as if he bargained for my goods and I used a false balance. The indolent clerk, the idle shopman, the careless agent-I see no moral difference between these and the grossly dishonest who tamper with the property of their employers. And if a general rule be required for the guidance of those who are in any kind of service, we fetch it from the example of David's three captains, with whom a wish had all the force of a command. It is not that this rule will furnish specific direction in each specific case; but that he, who acts up to it, will be keeping in exercise the motives and dispositions which will ensure the right course under all possible circumstances. He who consults wishes as well as commands, or with whom a known wish is as binding as an express command, will necessarily feel at all times under the eye of his employer; or, rather, will know no difference when that eye is upon him and when turned away. His whole aim will be to act for the employer as the employer would act for himself; and it is evident that nothing can be added to such a description, if you wish to include singleness of purpose, sincerity, diligence, and faithfulness.

And you have only to contrast, in your own minds, the servant who will do nothing but what is positively, and, in so many words, commanded, and another who watches the very looks of his master, that he may read his wishes and take them for laws, to assure yourselves that the feature of good service which we derive from the conduct of the captains of David rather gives the whole character than a solitary mark. Yea, consider men in general as the servants of God-of God

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