THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS Uzziah for presumption,— so now He shows His holy displeasure against these imposters. God is no respecter of persons. The punishment seems severe, hut it was really merciful. He was teaching the Church that discipline was neces sary. It was supernatural, God re sponding to the command of Peter. It created a profound impression upon the assembly and upon the world. Hypo crites were afraid to join the assembly. Lessons to be learned: ■The Personality of the Holy Spirit. He is called God here. He is the Spirit of God,— the Spirit of love and grace, the Spirit of truth, and the Visitor of judgment. The Personality of Satan. He first gets a wedge in and then gets himself in. He suggests, then fills. The devil takes men into partnership. The Discipline of the Church. Its necessity. Peace cannot be kept with out it. Its authority: (1 Cor. 5:2-7; 2 Cor. 11:6; 2 Thess. 3:6; Titus 3:10; 2 John 10.) Its effect: Purifies thought; pleases God; sets a seal to stewardship. The Love of Money. It impairs character, impedes progress in divine life, impels to sin, involves in doom. Contrast the rich young man with Ana nias,— he was at least honest. There were black sheep in the early church— the devil sent them in. There is a great deal of lying in partial sur render, in pretended zeal. Never pro fess more than you mean, or are willing to face. What a man lays down here, he takes up in glory. What he holds on to here, he forfeits in glory. God wants no gifts without the heart. God is a consuming fire. PRACTICAL POINTS. (1) The Scriptures give us many in stances of physical death as a chas tisement: Moses for hasty speebh; Elijah for failure at Horeb; (See
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John 15:2; 1 Cor. 11:30; Jas. 5:15)! (2) In our relationship to God we are children; in responsibility, subject to discipline; servants are dealt with, according to faithfulness. (3) Satan strives to keep eternally those with whom the Holy Spirit strives. (4) Satan desired to have Peter; He will desire every faithful follower in order to spoil their lives.' But he cannot have their souls. (5) Hypocrisy is hateful to God. Jesus pronounced the doom of the fig tree that deceived Him with its profession of fruit. || Subject Illustration— Truth and Hon esty. An American vessel was once boarded by a Malay Merchant in the Indian seas, and almost the first question the Malay asked the Captain was, Had he any tracts to dispose LESSON of? “ Why, what ILLUSTRATIONS do you want with W. H. Pike them? You can not read them,” said the captain. “ True,” said the Ma lay, “ But I have a use for them. If one of your people or an Englishman comes to trade with me, I give him a tract and watch what he does with it. If he reads it soberly and treats it with respect, I take it he is honest, and will not cheat me; but if he throws it down with an oath, I’ll have nothing to do with him, for he can’t be trusted.” Dr. Sargeant states that at* a slave market in one of the Southern States at which he was present a smart active colored boy was put up f o r ’ sale. A kind master who pitied his condition, wishing him not to have a cruel owner, went up to him, and said, ‘,‘If I buy you, will you be honest?” The boy with look that baffied description, replied," “ I
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