A sight of the divine hand in afflictions, sending, proportioning, and over-ruling them, greatly tends to reconcile the mind to the dispensation. It was this which made good old Eli, on receiving the awful message which foretold the final extirpation of his progeny, not from the priesthood only, but from the earth. itself, calmly, though doubtless with a griefful heart, to reply, It is the Lord, let him do whatsoever he pleaseth.' As if he had said, I receive the message as from my God; I know I am guilty with regard to my sons, and fall under his just rebuke. But he is God, and will not do wrong; Jehovah, and cannot err in judgment. Let him therefore do what seemeth good unto him.

It was a custom with the ancients, not unworthy of modern imitation, to give significant names to their children, such names as should be standing memorials of certain mercies received. Hence Rachel named Bilhah's son, born upon her own knees, after a long season of personal barrenness, Dan, which signifies judging; because, as she said, God had judged her, and heard her voice.* How much soever her conduct, in giving her handmaid to her husband, may be deemed reprehensible, her fixing a memorial of prayer being heard, was laudable and worthy of imitation.

The first three names given unto man, are so significant as to make a very important sentence. Adam, Earth; Cain, Possession; Abel, Vanity; which may very properly be rendered, "Earthly possessions are vanity." I pretend not to say, whether the imposition of those names was by the spirit of prophecy, or merely, what we call, accidental, further than observing that, the first was given by God himself, and is suitable to all the race of mankind; therefore it is lawful to infer a possibility of the other names being given, some how, under the direction of influence from above.

Godly parents do well, when they give such names to their children as may be memorials of the providence of God towards them.-See the history and changes of Joseph's life epitomized, Psal. cv. 17, 20, &c. Now after this turn in his affairs, we are told that he had two sons in the land of Egypt; but what were their names? The text answers, Gen. xli. 51, 52. He called the name of his first-born Manasseh, which signifies forgetfulness; and he giveth the reason for it; for, saith he, God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim, which signifieth fruitful; for said he, God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. He was once very much afflicted, and now he was very fruitful; therefore he called the name of his younger son Ephraim, that he might remember the kindness of God to him, as often as he beheld, or spake to, or of, that son. So Moses called his son Gershom (stranger), for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land, Exod. ii. 22. We find names also given to things, as well as to persons, by way of remembrance. Thus, 1 Sam. vii. 12, after a great victory obtained against the Philistines, Samuel set up a stone and gave it a name, he called it Ebenezer, or the stone of help: the reason was, for, said he, Hitherto the Lord hath helped us. The name of the stone was to mind them of the Lord's constant readiness to help them in every strait, and to work salvation for his church to the end of time. So Moses, Exod. xvii. after that great deliverance from the Amalekites, built an altar, and called it Jehovah-nissi, which signifieth, the Lord is my banner, to put them in remembrance how the Lord went forth as a man of war, and mightily confounded their enemies. See Caryl on Job

The import of Elimelech's name, if imprest upon his heart, must necessarily comfort him in his removal from Bethlehem to the country of Moab, when he reflected that, his God was King even in the land of strangers. How happy must that man be whose God is King! he may be driven by famine, by persecution, or otherwise, far from the house of his God; yet he can never be banished to any place, but where God is his King. Every Christian, every regenerated person, may be called Elimelech, and he may justly say, either in a church assembly, on the Exchange, or elsewhere; yea, even on a sick or dying bed; in a dungeon, or at the stake, "MY GOD IS KING." May we not then say, with the Psalmist, Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord, and whom he hath chosen 'for his own inheritance.'

VII. The name of the woman is next to be considered; Naomi, My sweet or pleasant one. What every woman ought to study to be to her own proper husband; therefore there ought to be no forced marriages, let the seeming advantages be ever so great; for how is it possible for a woman to study to render herself sweet and pleasant in the eye of a man for whom she has no particular affection? In such a case, bare civility is as much as a man can expect, and even that must be a force upon her inclination. It is difficult to say who acts the most absurd part, the parent who compels his daughter against her wish and desire, or the man who receives an hand known to be giver. with reluctance.

Every man ought to esteem his wife as his Naomi, his sweet and pleasant one, seeing that in marriage she has sacrificed her all, conscience excepted, to the will and power of her husband. and now looks up to him as her earthly all. Indeed so near i the relation, that she not only lieth in, but actually is the wif of, his bosom, Deut. xiii. 6. and ought to be as dear to him a the heart that dwells therein. To shew the impossibility of relation more near, it is expressly said of man and wife, tha they are no longer twain but one flesh, bone of each other's bone, and flesh of each other's flesh.

The husband may indeed assume a kind of pre-eminence, from the consideration that his wife is but the weaker vessel; but this very pre-eminence of his ought to be turned to her consolation. Is she the weaker vessel? does it not then become his duty to overlook her weaknesses and infirmities? Is she his sweet and pleasant one? will he not then make it one great part of the business of his life to nourish her, and render her comfortable? Happy the man who is Elimelech, and the woman who is Naomi.

The believing church is Christ's Naomi, his sweet and pleasant one, and he is her Elimelech, her God the King. For her he forsook the mansions of plenty and delight---with her he

sojourned in a Moabitish world, amongst enemies to the God of Israel---there he died an accursed death to accomplish her salvation---there he was buried to purify the grave for her use---rose again to trample on all her enemies; and is now gone to Bethlehem, the house of bread, to prepare a place for his Naomi on her arrival from the land of Moab.

The love of husbands to their wives, when genuine, is symbolical of the love of Jesus to his church, deep, steady, and uniform, not like the flighty fits of lust after an harlot. Hence Paul exhorts husbands, Love your wives even as Christ loved his church ;'---a better example for imitation he could not possibly propose.

Isaac's love to Rebekah as recorded, Gen. xxiv. 67, is worthy of our observation, And Isaac brought her into his mother 'Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and 'he loved her.' First, he put her in possession of his mother's tent, with all its appurtenances; then he owned her and treated her as his wife; lastly, he loved her with an increasing love. All of which is typical of the conduct of Christ towards the Jewish and Gentile churches. Dead Sarah was a solemn figure of the former church, when her children made void the commandment to establish their own traditions; and especially when her law of ceremonies was completely abrogated, and her outward pomp departed; more especially still, when her very place and city were taken away by the victorious Romans.

Young Rebekah, who came from a far country, and was put into possession of all that belonged to Sarah, is a striking figure of the Gentile church, which being called from every nation, people, kindred, tongue, and language, is put into possession of the substance of what the Jewish church enjoyed only in the shadow. And having thus loved his own, who were in the world, he loveth them to the end.

VIII. The names of their two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, both significant, and seemingly prophetic of part of this history. Mahlon, a song, infirmity. A song, in the early days of espousal love and domestic prosperity; infirmity, prophetic of the sad events which afterwards took place. Chilion, finished, as both father and children were in almost the opening of this history, and which every thing under the sun must eventually be.

Elimelech's conduct and ena were represented in the names of his two sons. It was great infirmity in him to leave the promised land, to leave even Bethlehem, the house of bread, for fear of the famine, seeing the word is, Dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed;' but outward appearances being so strong against the promise, the weakness of his faith could not surmount the difficulty. No wonder, for the famine drove even Abraham himself from Canaan to Egypt, for which he had

likely to have paid very severely in the loss or pollution of his beloved Sarah. We may truly say, Lord, what is man when left to himself? There is such a thing as fleeing from a lion, and being met by a bear; so Elimelech fled from the famine, and met with certain death in a land of strangers. It is good in every case to have the word, the counsel of God, for the rule of our conduct.

The history of the two brothers seems to be involved in their very names Mahlon and Chilion. From infirmity they both finished their lives in Moab, and with their father made their graves in a strange land. Both were men of infirmity, and both finished their course in Moab. These names are written upon all flesh; numberless infirmities both natural and moral cleave to the best of men. Paul had his thorn in the flesh, Timothy his often infirmities, and the church in general her great tribulations to endure. Moreover, all are hastening to finish their course with Chilion. Good and bad, rich and poor, gracious and profane, are posting towards the house of silence, where there is neither work nor device.

IX. They were Ephrathites of Judah, a name of honourable distinction, Micah v 2. Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee 'shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel; whose 'goings forth have been from of old, even from everlasting.' So that Jesus, the Son of God, was himself an Ephrathite of Judah.

Seeing there was an indelible enmity in the hearts of the Moabites against Israel, it may be asked, How it came to pass that those Ephrathites should not only be permitted to sojourn peacefully among them, for the space of ten years, but also during the whole time to have their wants supplied?

To which we have this encouraging answer. In the time of their distressing exile, God speaketh for his banished people in the very hearts of their enemies: so that it does not suppose the removal of the enmity, but the controul which the Almighty has over the will and inclinations of his people's enemies. In Jer. xv. 11. we have this promise: Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in 'the time of evil, and in the time of affliction.' Enemies still, although instrumental for good to the afflicted saint; and although enemies, under the absolute controul of the God of Israel. An excellent divine thus paraphrases the promise, "If "I do not effectually intercede for the enemies of whom thou art "afraid, never trust in me more." The kind treatment which Jeremiah met with from the Chaldean general Nebuzaradan, was neither less nor more than the fulfilment of this gracious promise.

As the banished ones must both sojourn and be fed in Moab during their exile, we learn, that how dark soever the circumstances of the righteous may be, they shall never be forsaken. He was with Israel in Egypt for their redemption, with the three faithful Hebrews in the furnace, with Daniel in the den of lions; and will be with his needy people to the end of the world. So that although they may be persecuted, they shall not be forsaken; may be cast down, they shall not be destroyed.* The Scripture contains not one promise that we shall be exempted from affliction and temptation, but it abounds with promises of support under, deliverance from, and conquest over; for in all 'these things we are more than conquerors through him that 'loved us.'

DISCOURSE II.

THE CASE OF THE WIDOW AND FATHERless considered, from RUTH, Chap. i. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

two sons.

And Elimelech Naomi's husband died, and she was left and her And they took them wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth; and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons, and her husband. Then she arose with her daughtersin-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab, how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-inlaw with her: and they went on the way to return into the land of Judah.

opening this passage, three heads of discourse offer to consideration.

I. The state of the widow and fatherless.

II. The marriage of the two sons contrary to the law of God. III. Naomi's return into the land of Judah. which God had again visited with plenty.

I. The case of the widow and fatherless.

and the woman was left.

* 2 Cor. iv. 9.

The husband died,