"AND THE KING APPOINTED THE LORD ON WHOSE HAND HE LEANED TO HAVE THE CHARGE OF THE GATE," &c.—2 Kings vii. 17-20. We have here an instance of two things "" I. God's PROMISE REALISED. In the first verse of this chapter Elisha had said, Hear ye the word of the Lord, Thus saith the Lord, To-morrow, about this time, shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel.” The morrow had come, and here is the fine flour and the barley selling in the gate of Samaria. Here is the Divine promise fulfilled to the letter. God is ever faithful Who hath promised. If a being makes a promise, and it is not fulfilled, it must be for one of three reasons: either because he was insincere when he made the promise, or subsequently changed his mind, or met with unforeseen difficulties which he had not the power to surmount. Neither of these can be applied to the All-truthful, Unchangeable, All-seeing, and Almighty God. II. God's TRUTH VINDICATED. The haughty courtier said to the prophet yesterday, when he was told that a measure of fine flour would be sold for a shekel, "If the Lord would make windows in heaven, then might this thing be." As if he had said, "Do not presume to impose on me, a man of my intelligence and importance. The intellectual rabble may believe in you, but I cannot." Whereupon the prophet replied, "Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof." And so it became. Here are the flour and the barley, and there lies dead the haughty sceptic. "And so it fell out unto him, for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died." Truth has ever vindicated itself, and will ever do so. Men's un belief in facts does not either destroy or weaken facts, the facts remain. Though all the world deny the existence of a God, moral obligation and future retribution, the facts remain. Homiletical Breviaries. Mean Treatment of an Old Prophet by His People, "AND I SAID UNTO THEM, IF YE THINK GOOD, GIVE ME MY PRICE; AND IF NOT, FORBEAR. SO THEY WEIGHED FOR MY PRICE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER. AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, CAST IT UNTO THE POTTER ; A GOODLY PRICE THAT I WAS PRISED AT THEM. AND I TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, AND CAST THEM TO THE POTTER IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD."-Zechariah xi. 12, 13. Here is an old Jewish prophet honourably putting himself in the hands of his congregation, who is dismissing him with thirty pieces of silver. Observe, I.-AN OLD PROPHET'S MANLY OFFER TO HIS CONGREGATION. If you think good, give me my price. If you are weary of me, pay me off and discharge me. If you be willing to continue me longer in your service, I will continue; or turn me off without wages-I am content. His spirit is (1) pathetic, (2) submissive, (3) magnanimous. II. THE CHURCH'S MISERABLE ACCEPTANCE OF HIS OFFER. "So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver." They accepted the offer: (1) Immediately. They took no time for consideration. The money was ready for dismissal. (2) Despicably. Thirty shekels. (3) Dishonourably. Dismissing an old pastor with such a paltry sum. Parting with the man of God with a sham testimonial. An old prophet, after a long service of usefulness, cast upon the world with thirty pieces of silver. (4) Studiously mean. They weighed thirty pieces of silver." They shamefully put the lowest possible value on his ministry. Three pounds—the price of a slave. No class is so badly paid as the prophetic servant. See the extreme want of appreciation of good pastoral service. Zechariah's ministry was divine. What wretchedness of dealing with the prophetic shepherd of Israel. Salary is no test of a good ministry. Some of the best are badly paid. The geniuses are frequently unworthily recognised by their congregations. Jonathan Edwards was too poor to get paper to pen down his superhuman thoughts in the ministry. Voluntaryism in the hands of congregations is dangerous to the ministry. Voluntaryism is frequently angelic in theory, but diabolic in practice. Angelic without, devilish within. The grand arguiment of some is to starve the ministry. Pastors that are wholly dependent upon the voluntaryism of the congregations, have to be watchful of the motive of their ministry. Pastors are in peril of being more anxious to fill churches than the filling of souls with Christian principles. To have a good salary means often a full house, a crowded audience; and to secure this there is a temptation at times to play tricks, and risk his own soul. Rhapsodic rhetoric, mouthing eloquence, and fawning flattery, how common these are in popular pulpits. Observe, III.—The prophet's MANLY DISDAIN OF HIS PEOPLE'S MEANNESS. "And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter," &c. The act was: (1) Divine. "And the Lord said unto me." (2) Manfully done. (3) A proof of their meanness. IV. An old prophet ROBBED OF HIS JUST CLAIM. (1) Scriptural claim. "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth the corn.' (2) Social. For the "workman is worthy of his hire." (3) Equitable. Every class of people have power to claim their due, why not the ministry? (4) Divine. "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? And who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit," &c. It is nothing but right for the ministry to get and have their due, for the credit of the Church and the good of their successors. Honesty is virtue everywhere. X CONCLUSION.-God frequently punishes publicly mean Churches by presenting them with shepherds of extreme barbarity and cruelty. "For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still, but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces." Even wild beasts spare the hoof and the claws of the spoil; but, alas, these punishable shepherds devour the "very claws to pieces, and annihilate the flock," &c. Meanness will be punished. MORLAIS JONES. An Introductory Greeting. “PETER, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST, TO THE STRANGERS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT PONTUS, GALATIA, CAPPADOCIA, ASIA, AND BITHYNIA, ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT, UNTO OBEDIENCE AND SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST: GRACE UNTO YOU, AND PEACE, BE MULTIPLIED. BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH ACCORDING TO HIS ABUNDANT MERCY HATH BEGOTTEN US AGAIN UNTO A LIVELY HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD."-1 Peter i. 1-3. Here we have I. THE GREETER. Without attempting any glance at the incidents of his life, and the chequered lights of his character, which this letter recalls, we realise much about him as we mark (i.) His Name. "Peter;" i.e., the Rock-Man. For what does his name suggest? (a) About his former life. He was Simon; and some of the fossil of the old weakness is found in the rock. (B) About Christ's knowledge of his capacities and promise. (y) About the ideal of his character. (ii.) His Vocation. "An apostle." Here is (a) Dignity. An apostle is from a teacher what an ambassador is from a king; namely, an authoritative messenger. (B) Brotherhood. An apostle. He is no lordling. (y) Sanctity; "Of Jesus Christ." He is not only his "Friend thrice denied, and thrice beloved," but his Master, Redeemer, and King. Here we have II. A DESCRIPTION OF THOSE WHOM HE SALUTES. (i.) Who are they?" Sojourners of the dispersion." Jewish and Gentile Christians scattered through persecution. (ii.) Where were they? Widely scattered. from under the shadow of the mountains of Galilee down to the shores of the Black Sea. (iii.) What are they? Divinely elected to perfection of character, they are in the condition (i.) Of being made holy, (ii.) Of being made holy by the Spirit of God, (iii.) Of being thus made holy by obedience and consecration. III. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE GREETING. "Grace and Peace." The combined Greek and Hebrew blessing. "Grace," the genius of beauty; so of the glory of God which is mercy and forbearance. Grace is the merciful attitude of God towards man, and His consequent gift to man. It is the free compassion of Christ, and the gift of Christ. "Peace;" this includes, (i.) right relationship with God, between man and his Maker peace; (ii.) between man and man; (iii.) inner place of harmony, instead of an unruly mob of passions and desires; (iv.) and thus for grace and peace ever increasing; "multiplied." Bristol. URIJAH R. THOMAS. Imitation and Commendation. "BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME, EVEN AS I ALSO AM OF CHRIST. Now I PRAISE YOU, BRETHREN, THAT YE REMEMBER ME IN ALL THINGS, AND KEEP THE ORDINANCES, AS I DELIVERED THEM TO YOU."-1 Cor. xi. 1, 2. IN these words we have: I. The PRINCIPLE ON WHICH THE CHARACTERS OF MOST MEN ARE FORMED. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." Men are imitative beings, and from a law of their nature, those whom they most admire, and with whom they most associate, they become like in spirit and in character. The request of Paul here, at first sight, seems somewhat arrogant, "Be ye followers of me." No man has a right to make such an unqualified claim on another. Hence Paul puts the limitation, |