thou, serving God in this life, mayest finally be made a partaker of those joys which are in the presence of God -those pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore through the same, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. A. S. We are specially pleased with "The Guide to the Saviour, for the Young." We have long wished the Religious Tract Society to aim at a greater simplicity in the diction of their publications. We hail this as a successful approach to what we consider so important a desideratum. We say approach," for we cannot but think that the admirable matter contained in this little work might yet be made more generally useful, if the language were still simplified. Mr. Dalton's "Brief Words" is a model in this respect. How easy it would be to confine " The Guide to the Saviour" to words of one syllable! It would not lose its interest with those who can manage three or four syllables, while it would thus comprehend a larger range of little readers, and also be a valuable help to bad readers amongst adults. The Bible Reader's Hand Book. By the Rev. INGRAM COBBIN, M. A. London: Partridge and Oakey. This very useful little book combines many of the advantages of a Dictionary, Index, Concordance, Natural History, Geography, and Commentary: explaining the terms and phrases, and elucidating some of the most difficult passages of the Holy Bible: chiefly arranged in alphabetical order. No Teacher should be without it: while at the same time it is specially suitable as a reward book. SCRIPTURE LESSONS. TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 1 SAMUEL Xi. 1. Jabesh-gilead.-This was on the other side Jordan, not far from the borders of the Ammonites; these probably, seeing the weak state of the children of Israel, renewed the claim they had made in Jephthah's time. (Judges xi. 12-23.) 5. After the herd.-After the people had been granted their request to have a king appointed, they seem not to have paid much attention to him, and he returned to his former occupations. God, however, used this as the means of bringing him forward to the post he was to occupy. 6. The Spirit of God.-As before (x. 6.) fitting him for his office, and giving him wisdom and firmness for the duties he had to perform. 11. Morning watch.—The night was divided into four parts, or watches, of three hours each; the first was called the even, or beginning of the watches; (Sam. ii. 19.) the second, the midnight, or middle watch, because it lasted till midnight; (Judges vii. 19.) the third, the cock-crowing; and the fourth, the morning, or dawning: (Ex. xiv. 24.) all four are mentioned in Mark xiii. 35. 13. Saul said.-There is much to admire here in the conduct and moderation of Saul; he ascribes the whole deliverance too to the Lord. He seemed at this time to give promise of being a better man than he afterwards proved to be. LESSONS. 1. How much would men endure to save their lives! what should we not be ready to part with rather than lose our souls? V. 2, 3. (Mark ix. 43-50.) II. If God has any work for his people to do, he will call them to it in due time; and they may be well content humbly to wait his call. V. 5. (1 Sam. xvi. 13. xviii. 23. xxvi. 10, 11.) III. It is a right spirit to feel for those who are in trouble, and to use our utmost endeavour to relieve them. V.5-7. (1 Cor. xii. 25, 26.) IV. Anger is not sinful in itself, but it becomes so when it is without cause-when indulged in to excess-or when suffered to remain in the mind. V. 6. (Eph. iv. 26. Mark iii. 5. Matt. v. 22. Jonah iv. 1-4.) V. It will bring more honour to a man to forgive those who have injured him, than to gain the greatest victories. V. 13. (Prov. xvi. 32.) VI. It is God who gives us success, and he should have the praise. V. 13. (Ex. xv. 1—11.) ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 1 SAMUEL Xii. 1. Samuel said.-Being now about finally to give up his authority as judge, he appealed to the people themselves to bear witness of his integrity: he may have desired by this both to convince them of their ingratitude and to set an example before Saul. 2. My sons are with you.-Being reduced to a private station, you can call them to an account for any misconduct of theirs. Perhaps he would also intimate, if you feel conscious of having illrequited me, deal kindly with them for my sake. 3. His anointed.-Saul. (ch. x. 1.) Blind mine eyes.-Cause me to act unjustly. 7. Reason with you.-His chief object was to point out that God had never failed to deliver them when they called upon him in their trouble; and that he had done this, not by a king, but by raising up judges. 11. Bedan. Or Ben-dan-the son of Dan. Probably Samson is intended. (Judges xiii. 2.) 14. If ye will fear. They were ready to imagine that if they had but a king to govern them, all would be prosperous; but Samuel assured them that their national prosperity would still depend, as before, upon their conduct as a nation. 17. Wheat harvest.-It was very uncommon to have even rain at this season; and a violent storm coming at Samuel's word, seems to have produced a strong impression on their minds. 22. It hath pleased the Lord.-He chose them of his sovereign will, and not for any goodness in themselves—and, therefore, though he might punish them for their sins, he would not finally forsake them. (Compare Deut. ix. 5, 6. Rom. xi.) LESSONS. I. Happy those who, when they grow old, can look back like Samuel upon a whole life spent in the service of God! V. 2. (Josh. xiv. 9, 10.) II. It is a great comfort to be able to appeal to others to bear witness to the sincerity and uprightness of our conduct. V 3, 4. (2 Cor. vii. 2.) III. We may learn much by looking back upon what God has done in times past. V. 7. (Ps. lxiii. 7.) IV. No real happiness or prosperity can be enjoyed, but in the Lord's service. V. 14, 15. (Is. lvii. 20, 21.) V. God's judgments will drive many to tremble and to pray who never did so before. V. 19. (Ex. x. 16, 17.) VI. The greatest sinner need not despair. V. 20, 21. (Is. i. 18.) VII. Though we may receive the greatest unkindness from others, it should not hinder us from praying for them, and trying to do them good. V. 23. (Prov. xxv. 21, 22.) TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 1 SAMUEL Xiii. 1. When he had reigned two years.—This would mean, according to the Jewish way of reckoning, "in the second year of his reign." (See note on Acts xx. 7, in the number for March.) 3. Garrison.-A body of armed men in possession of a fortified place. 4. Had in abomination.—The Philistines were enraged at the attack. 5. Thirty thousand chariots.-The number is very large in proportion to the horsemen, and as compared with other armies—(Ex. xiv. 7. Judges iv. 3. 2 Sam. x. 18. 1 Kings x. 26.)—it is therefore supposed to include their waggons and carriages of every kind. 6. Strait.-A narrow pass, hence taken for a difficulty. (Matt. vii. 14. Phil. i. 23.) To be distinguished from straight—not crooked. 11. What hast thou done?-The command for him to wait had been given by the prophet on the authority of God himself—it was a similar one to that in ch. x. 8.-besides breaking his express command, he seems also to have offered the sacrifices himself, which was altogether contrary to the divine appointment, since he was not a priest. (Compare 2 Chron. xxvi. 18.) 17. Spoilers.-These spoilers, or foragers, going in three different directions, would exceedingly harass the towns and villages of Israel, which were now left without defence. 19. No smith.-Where the Philistines had dominion over the Israelites, they seem to have forbidden any to practise the trade of smiths, (Judges v. 8.) as the Chaldeans afterwards took them all away; (See 2 Kings xxiv. 14.) and the Israelites did not soon recover from this, but took the easiest way of going to the Philistines, who were in the garrisons, in different parts of the land. 20. His share and his coulter.-The iron parts of the plough which cut up the earth. Mattock. A kind of pickaxe. LESSONS. I. If we trust in man, we shall be sure to be disappointed. V. 6, 7. (Jer. xvii. 5, 6.) II. How many fear their fellow-men, while they are not afraid to sin against God! V. 7-9. (John xix. 7—16.) III. God's commands are to be exactly obeyed in all things. V. 8-13. (Josh. xxiii. 6.) IV. An ungodly man may often shew even a superstitious regard for the outward forms of religion. V. 9. (Luke xviii. 12.) V. God notices, and will surely punish, every act of disobedience, however little it may be thought of now. V. 13, 14. (Jonah i. 1-4.) VI. "A man after his own heart." (V. 14.) Is this my character? (Ps. xxvi. 1, 2.) THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 1 SAMUEL XIV. 3. Wearing an ephod.-He is supposed to have been the high priest at this time. All the priests wore an ephod; but that of the high priest was richly embroidered, and connected with the breastplate. It is described in Ex. xxviii. 26-32. 9. If they say.-Jonathan appears to have been acting under immediate direction from God; and this was a sign, which either God had communicated to him, or by which he was encouraged to expect direction. 12. Come up to us.— -Said in contempt. 18. The ark of God.-The ark remained at Kirjath-jearim, in the house of Abinadab, till it was brought away by David. (2 Sam. vi.) This passage, however, compared with 2 Sam. xi. 11. would give us reason to suppose that it was sometimes taken out by the people with their army; unless, as some think, this were the ark or chest in which the ephod and breastplate of the high priest were kept. 19. Withdraw thine hand.-Saul's impatience would not suffer him to wait for God's answer; as before he would not wait for Samuel. (ch. xiii. 8, 9.) 25. Honey. The land promised the Israelites was one "flowing with milk and honey." (See Ex. iii. 8. Num. xiii. 27.) 27. His eyes were enlightened.—He was refreshed, and no longer felt that languor which makes the eyes dim. 28. Straitly.-Strictly.-(See note, ch. xiii. 6.) 32. With the blood.-This was expressly forbidden. (Lev. iii. 17. vii. 26, 27, &c.) 37. Answered him not.-God was pleased to show his displeasure by withholding an answer; not that he was offended with Jonathan for unwittingly bringing himself under his father's rash curse, so much as with Saul, for making so profane a vow; and perhaps to teach the Israelites how foolish they had been, in preferring a wicked king, whose curses brought down wrath, to a pious prophet, whose prayers had often been heard on their behalf. 41. Give a perfect lot.-(Margin.) "Shew the innocent." |