the flood or the fire, or by making the sea a way for His ransomed to pass over, yet we have full assurance that He will punish and deliver after a manner far more complete. Thirdly, there is a considerable part of the historical Scriptures which contains the law which God gave to His people Israel. Here again there is little difficulty in the broad divisions of the subject, though there may be much in the details. We know that such chapters as the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth chapters of Deuteronomy, which are the proper lessons for three successive Sundays after Easter, are full of instruction, inasmuch as they relate generally to those great moral points in the relations between God and His people, which are the same in the Christian Israel as in the Israel that was after the flesh. Other chapters again, such as the sixteenth, which is the lesson for Whitsunday, give an account of the Israelitish festivals, or other matters which are clearly ceremonial; but in which there were often certain correspondences or likenesses to the great Christian festivals, or to the truths which they commemorate. And the object in reading such lessons in the church is to draw our attention to these correspondences, and at the same time, while we mark them, to mark also the difference between the old institutions and the new; the contrast between them being often not less useful to study than the resemblance. Fourthly,

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there are parts of the Scripture which although they relate the actions of men, yet relate them chiefly as they are dealing with God's people by His command, such as the greatest part of the lives of Moses, Samuel, and Elijah; and here too the conduct is so much more God's than man's, if I may be allowed so to speak, than where it is not matter of example, it is like the actual dealings of God Himself, matter for serious and devout thought and study. Lastly, that I may not weary or confuse the memory by going into every minute division, there remains either the general history of persons or nations in the whole course of their lives or existence, or such parts of the history of either as though done by the command or under the sanction of God are done towards those who are for that time at least in the condition of God's enemies; whether they be strangers naturally to His covenant, or, as in the case of idolaters amongst the Iraelites themselves, had made themselves strangers to it by their own actions. And this last division comprehends, I think, all those parts of Scripture of which the study is most difficult. Of the first kind is the life of David, running through the two first books of Samuel, and part of the first book of the Kings; as well as the life of Solomon, and the kings of Israel and Judah in general. Of the second kind is the greater part of the books of Joshua and Judges, as also very large parts of

those of Samuel, the Kings, and the Chronicles; and of this kind in particular are the two chapters which have been chosen for the two first lessons for this day.

These two lessons then describe a war between the Israelites and the Canaanites, that is, the dealings of God's people with those who were strangers to His covenant. They touch then one of the very points of conduct in which the line of difference is drawn in the very broadest colours between the Christian Israel and the Israel after the flesh. The Israel after the flesh did, and might do lawfully, what to the Christian Israel is a sin. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies." These few words of our Lord's, marking one great point in our moral nature, in which the Christian was to differ widely from good men of the older dispensation, take away at once out of the class of Scripture examples every passage whatever in which good men of the Israel after the flesh are described to us as dealing with their enemies; whether by this term we mean their own personal enemies, or the enemies of their nation and of God.

When, therefore, we read the words of the text, "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent," we have no need, as far as the

satisfaction of our own conscience goes, to make any inquiry whether these words were spoken by inspiration or not; whether Deborah and Barak, in uttering this song, spake as the prophet and prophetess of God, or as the victorious and rejoicing leaders of a people whom they had just rescued from slavery. So far as our conduct is concerned, this enquiry is wholly superfluous. If she whom they blessed was blessed then in truth, yet we know with perfect assurance that whosoever of us were now to do likewise would not be blessed but cursed. There is absolutely nothing in the tone and feeling of this song of Deborah and Barak with reference to their triumph over the Canaanites, which we ought, nay, which we might dare to imitate. Thus much is plain, without a moment's hesitation, that the lesson for this evening's service contains in these points no direct instruction in righteousness.

But what then is its instruction, what its use? It has much of both, but of a kind not easily to be gained, nor by every one, and therefore it may well be doubted how far such portions of the Scripture have been wisely chosen to form a part of our public service. Certainly if scarcely any lessons have been taken out of the book of Revelation, because of their difficulty; if so few in comparison have been chosen from the prophets, probably for the same reason; much more cause was

there why they should not have been taken from the books of Joshua and Judges. For the difficulty in the Revelation and in the prophets is chiefly of a kind which would give to ignorant persons no notions at all; but here there is a worse danger, lest they should fancy that they understand, and go away with notions absolutely false and mischievous. The instruction furnished by these chapters of Judges is indeed great for those who can receive it; but it is not obvious, nor can it be gained without much thought and knowledge. Most instructive is it to see such a state of moral ignorance prevailing as would absolutely have been injured rather than benefited, had all truth been then presented to it. Most awfully does it set forth the toil of our nature, and how great is the struggle, if I may be allowed so to speak, of God's light in breaking into the darkness of our hearts, that they who were disposed to serve God knew not how to serve Him worthily; that they who wished to do good, and to advance the cause of good, had not yet learnt that great law of faith, that good must be left undone, and the cause of good trusted humbly to the hands of God, if we can only do it, or promote its interest, by means unholy and forbidden.

Yet this blessing pronounced on Jael, when taken in its true spirit, is in perfect accordance with God's universal dealings with mankind. I would not blame those, who, as a matter of criti