death, Israel, as usual, returns to idolatry, and shows horrid ingratitude both to God and Gideon, as appears by their base treatment of his family; but Gideon is gone to the heavenly city, out of their reach.

The lesson on the whole is, faith in God, steady, earnest faith. Ye have seen its success in Gideon: go ye and do likewise.

SERMON XXIII.

DECISION EXEMPLIFIED IN THE CONDUCT

OF RUTH.

RUTH i. 16-18.

And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

THE

HE history before us, so far as the text is concerned in it, is as follows. On account of a famine in the holy land in the days of the Judges, when the ancient people of God were in a very profligate and idolatrous state, Elimelech of Bethlehem went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. Whether he did right or not, for the sake of temporal bread, to leave the means of grace, and live entirely among idolaters, I shall not undertake to say, as the rectitude of things of this nature depends much on cir

cumstances, and concerning these the sacred historian is silent. However, the success did not answer their expectations as his wife afterwards owned, she left the holy land full, and returned to it empty. Her husband and his two sons both died in Moab; and his widow, Naomi, after ten years, hearing that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread, prepared to return to Bethlehem. Her two daughters-in-law, who were both Moabites, and both widows as well as herself, Orpah and Ruth, went forth with her. She, commending much their kindness, exhorts them to return to their own country, and not to think of settling with her in a country in which they would be quite strangers. They both reply, "Surely we will return with thee unto thy people." Thus far Orpah and Ruth seem equally firm and determined. Naomi, however, takes pains to persuade both of them to return; shews them in what an imprudent way they would act with regard to their temporal interest; and very strongly sets before them the inconveniences of such a choice.-One is tempted to blame Naomi, for being thus instrumental in hindering two apparently welldisposed young persons from joining the congregation of the Lord and the worship of the true God, the God of Israel, especially as her words prevailed with regard to Orpah: she returned back to her people, and, what is very disagreeable to think of, to her gods. But

one is not master enough of all the circumstances which would lead to a decisive judgment and most probably Naomi took this method to shew whether either of them had any real spirit of godliness,-was really converted, in short, to the God of Israel. There is no doubt both were affectionately disposed towards her; but, unless there was in their hearts a principle of love to her God also, Naomi expected more trouble than comfort from them. If their religion was built only on regard to her, it was not likely to be lasting, nor to profit in the end either themselves or others. This seems to be the principle of Naomi's conduct; and whether she was right or not in it, it certainly in the end gave opportunity for the display of a vigour, steadiness, and firmness in Ruth which deserve to be considered, and are recorded for our instruction. Ruth clave to her mother-in-law: her sister's example, and the temporal inconveniences of her choice, deter her not. treat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her."

"En

We see, in the case of Orpah and Ruth, the difference between a religion founded on merely human affections, and one founded on affection to the blessed God. Orpah seems to have had as much natural tenderness, and carried the appearance of as much regard to Naomi, as Ruth, for a time. She loved her, and from love to her she had a sort of regard to her religion also; but it was not spiritual and genuine. Many, in our days, have a sort of relish for religion in the same manner, because of their affection for persons who are undoubtedly religious. But though for a time it be hard to see the defect in these characters, and they appear as well as the Lord's real people, yet frequently in this life their instability appears, as it did in the case of Orpah: whereas the Lord's real people, whose love to him is created by his own Spirit, and is founded on true views of his glory, goodness, beauty, and the excellency of his salvation, are uniformly his. Temporal conveniences and inconveniences move not them. They have ventured on the God of Israel: the "just God and Saviour" is their portion and hope. Let temptation, affliction, and whatever else of discouragement, come upon them, "Thy people shall be my people, and thy God shall be my God," say they to the Saviour and to his flock. Persecution and prosperity find them equally true to Christ: pleasure and happiness here only they have. Nay, they may be much