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Ji:mosma|.|,.vt 113 Wist-ly-.solicitous, but ue.tk ^"- •''•""•-^^' i:C Wicke.lan.lwoo-sulMuer.aMl ^"^- •^"^>''^" l,n Flagitious, but p.nitent. '^^^- '■^'"•'' -WIJ Jmpiou.s and unloved. ^,\^^- 'l""'-^" ;{54 I'iou.s and nm,n-n««i,.„ XV'III. ZkdEKIAH 'fi: T'..j... clia.stized ible and deeply Xrx. TAnrANUEL-JEsus. 387 T / Transoendant, efi'ulgent , and an so abidin PREFACE. It may scorn mistaken ;ui(l })ro5;iimi>tU(>us to jdacc a \(tliimi' (if small prt'tnisions licfoi-c tlic jJiiMic ; also, it may M'cm iimn'ccssary, if not somt'what cliililisli, to ad"! (|ilfstiolis to each I'ciLiii. To tlii'X' anticipated ol>jection> we answer: — l>t. All minds aii- not of the highest i:;rade, nor yet are all minds ecjually de\elo|t('d. If oidy Itooks of tin- liiu'liest stamp wei'e j>ulili>lied, the ^enei'al mind could not have the heiiefit oi' the t-njoyment of reaflini:;. Ther(» must he pi'o\ision for the mass as well as for the relinecl ami the s]>('cnlative ; ami we hope there may he some aiiioim' the Aarious <^rades who may iintl these jtaues n<»t unuro titahh 'Jmlly. We fancy that tho added (juostions may ho fnuiid useful to some ])arents who wish to carry foi-\vard the Hihle-education of their youn;.^ people, hcyond the lU'dinary catechisms. The (|Uestions in the oi'dimiry cat- echisms are neccssarilv u'eneral and do. hut to those who have timidly and carefully at- tempted to prepare them for puhlicatioii, the volume is siihmitted to the [tiavi'iful perusal of those; who love, or Would lo\e, to liiid (lud aiii-l his teaching in every part of the word of Life. MEMOIR. Til.. i;..v. J;imrs DmiouiK ;lu5 aiitlioi- of tin's vnlnuw of smnons, was bom oi, tlu' 18ti.ufAi.nl, |S();{,..,t AlMuuk, i'mnty of XorthunilMTl;...!, Kw^Uuul IJis paivnt., Wil- liam and Eleanor Dimcuu, were ir, mUovs of tli.' ScTssion (•ongiY'i,'atiuM thoiv-thcsaiiM' n!)-iv-atioii in uhidi Dr. Kerr, now of Glas-ow, lal.oi.r.sl for .sonic years. With reference to lii-s parents, he too couM well say : My boast is not tli.it I cvn trace my birth From loins onthnmud, (.r rulers of the earth, But higher far my proud i>retensif»n8 rise The son of parents passed into the skies. By the blessing of dud on tlie piotis trainin- under their parental care, and the ministrations of the sanctu- ary, two of the members of the family were led to de\-oto. themselves to the office of the Christian ministry. Wil- liam, the younger brother, a few years ago " hnislu'd his course "in Australia; and James, the older, the subject of this memoir, rested from his labour.-, at tin? c0m.nenc.3- ment of the present year, in Canada. With a view to the otfice of the ministry, James en- tered the University of Edinburgh, pursued with marked succ<-«s his literary and philosophical studies under the distinguished men who at thattinu; filled their respective VUl MKMOIH. fliaii'.s. lie iitNt (iitcicd tlic l)i\iiiity Hall of the tluii Uiiitffl Secession Churcli, aiul passed tlDoiiL^h tlie Tlieoi,)- gical course ^vitll liii^liest credit and picjniise. A xhoi't tniie a t'tei' h le was (luiy ncensed a pieaeiior ot the .l;os| .t' th ■1, and spent a few months lalxmrinu in se\-eial of the \ai'ant cungre<^ati(iiis of the church. He accepted Ji call from the small and ifcently formed congregation of W'arkworth, a (piiet and I'ather pleasant village on till' hanks of the ('(M|n('l lv'i\-er, ahout eight miles distant from his nati\-e town. His oidination took place in (lie month of June \f<'.^^K The entire peiiod of his ministry in England from iS'.ii to till' year ls.")f, when he left for Canada, was drvoted to the advancement of the spiritual interests of this small hut intercstini; coniireuatioii. It has Ix-cn well >aid. that nation is ha[)[)y that has ni hist orv -understand- ing hy /il.sfm-// what has too often jias.scd under tlial name — a record of factions in thegovernmiMit. of intrigues and imnioialities in the court, of civil hioil.^ and foreign wai's. It is no less true of many of the most faithful and honoui'ed ministers of ( 'hrist. they ha\'e lieen lia[>])y in Inning no suchhistoiy. This ha])piness was pre-enunently Mr. Duncan's during the eighteen years of his ministry in W'arkworth, there were no ([uai'ivls in the session, no factions in the congregation, not even one >olitaiy ap|ieal in complaint to any of the chunh courts of the denoini- 1 and oW Ll'ooi nation. Ft could he truly said of them, '• 11 how pleasant it is for Invthien to dwell together in unit}-." The village itself in its ipiiet sim[>le l)eauty (or.e of the MEMOIR. IX many lovt'ly xillagos of olt i'e[>i'esentatiou of tli< peaceful labours autl i-esultsof .Mr. Duncan's ministry amon^ thetn, IT I'atliei", tiiey resemhled the ii;eiitle torm of the river wliich iilided }»ast- — hut a few yai'ds from hisC'liurch and Manse — on its way to the (lerman ( )eean. So |>ass(!d jieacefully alon^ his (piiet untiring labours, with their hle»eil fruits to the j^^reat ocean of eternity. Sahhath after Sahliath you find hiiu in the pul[>it " a scribe \\rll instructed in the mysteries of tiie kingdom of ( lod,"' •• strixing (and nut unsuccessfully, through (Jod's grace) to approve himself inito (Jod a woikman that needeth not to Ik- ashamecl." Wni meet him besidt' the bed of the sick and the dying, poui'ing the balm of Chris- tian consolation into suffering souls, disixdling gloom, ( lit'cring the drooi)ing, inspiring with the spirit of Chris- tian resignation many a troul)leil soul, leading them i(uietly to feel aiul say, " Ii is th<' Lord," " lie doeth all things well," •' V.vrw so Fathei', I'or so it seemeth good ill thy sight." He fails not to visit all the families of his llock, and In- is there, as in the [iul[)it, the man of (rod. No trifling gossip, no fri\-olous (|Uestioiis does hi', discuss. The l)lessing of the Master rested on the labours of the > 'rvant. The congregation, for the most part belong- ing to the liunil)ler classes of the village and immediate neighbourhoud, crowded around him Sal)bath after Sab bath to receive from his hand " the bread of life," look- MEMOIR. iiig Up to him with an admiring al\^ction and respect we have never seen surpassed. Happy above most in his domestic relations, he had married the eldest daughter of Mr. John Jobso i, a gejitleman living in the immediate neighbourhood. And as Mr. Duncan's family increased, great care was bestow- ed in theii- education, which was carried on entirely under the parental roof. This notice of his labours in Warkworth, may be closed by referring to a statement once made to the writer by a very intelligent young man belonging to the village, and wliose connections at that time lay with th(; Church of England. It certainly was one of the finest compliments I ever heard paid to a minister of Christ. This young man, though otherwise intelligent and amiable, had spoken and acted in such a way as to lead his fellow-villagers to cherish the belief that he Avas an unbeliever in Christianity. In conversation Avith him one day, I asked him if it was true that he had lost faith in Christianity. After a momentary pause he replied, " Not altogether, Mr. Duncan — the Presbyterian ministei — stands between me and infidelity. From what I see and know of that man, I cannot believe that Christi- anity is a lie." On inquiry, some years afterwards, about this young man, I learned with pleasure, that he became altogether a Christian on the best grounds, joined the fellowship of Mr. Duncan's congregation, and after adorn- ing tlie doctrine of his God and Saviour, died a short time ago in the faith and hope of the gospel. More than ordinarily attached to his family, as they advanced towards manhood, he saw and felt as a matter ME.MOIK. XI Lme lort Iter n (»f simple tluty, tliat rciniiining in England, they must bo scattenMl, To prevent this, his thoughts were turnel to emigrating to one or other of the colonies, and thus secure a home for them on a farm. He at last resolved on com- ing to Canada, and foillnvith resigned his charge in Warkworth amid nuitual regret. He foiuid a home for his family not far from the shore of Lake llui'on, in the neighbourhood of the \-illage of liaylieM, and oidy a short distance from ofon*; of oiii' congregations, then under the pastoral care of Mr. Logic. A few months after his arrival, the minister of liavHeM Koad (•oni--reL:;ation, on account of the extent of this licld ot labour, felt himself compelled to I'csign his chaigcof the congregation into the hands of tlic Presbytery. Having abundantojiportunity of learning llic ministei'ial gifts of ^^r. Duncan, a unanituous call was tendered to him, wiiich after mature deliberation was accepted. The year 185 t saw him inducted into the pastorate of this conureij-ation. His labours were i)ursued in their midst with th(^ sam(> (juiet diligence on his [)art, and the s:imc unity and [)eace, the same alfectionate respect and contidence on the [>art of the congregation as in Lngland. After a ministry of sixteen yeai's in Canada, increasing infirmity constrained him in .liini^ 1870, to resign his charge. For many years he liad sulfered from a painful atfection in his eyes, so much so, at om; time, as to lead to the interru[)tion of his studies, when attending the Uni- versity, and more or less he continued to feel this weak- ness to the close of his life. A few years ago he was atUicted with a partial failure of memory, which caused XII MEMOIII. him to lay aside his lonnerliabit of preaching from notes, and write liis sermons fully out, and read them to his people. This was tolh)wed no long time after, with a tendency to asthma, accompanied with sucli liodily Aveakness as almost e^.tirely to unfit hini for active exertion. Six months only had elapsed from his resignation when the great summons came, and the tiuKi and the manner most singulai'ly in ai'i'ordanct' with his previously expr«\ss- cd desires. In convei'sntion. not longhi^fore, on death and the well grounded hopes of the Christian in connection withthat (n'ciit, among other remarks he stated that now, since his work and usefulness were well nigh over, he had a desire that his i-elease miglit comt; si)eedily, as he was anxious n(yterian Church at AVaikwortli, for eighti-en years. He was a l)eautiful character, full of manly teiideiness and strength, huml)h', unassuming, an elo(|uent preacher, and a man of rare culture. By his people he was greatly beloved, to all he was a sympathizing father and aide counsellor. lit M'alked very closely with God, and perhai)s all his people were not able to keep pace with his l)rightening spiritu- ality. No doubt he sometimes outsoared their highest flights. But it was his delight to pt>int sinners to Jesus, and this he even did in the simplest and most persuasive manner. He possessed a fine i)oetic genius, and a literary taste almost unerring. He carried off several prizes for poetry during his college course, and Ave have seen notes of high approval appended by the late celebrated Professor Wilson, (Christopher North) to some of his translations of Homer. He published a few sermons and poems during his residence at Warkworth ;but only those who heard his voice Sunday after Sunday coultl form a just opinion of his powers — of the exhaustless freshness of hismintl, and the dignity and splendourof diction which he could command." Yet another brief extract from the same sketch. " Dur- ing his college career he was laid aside for about a year, his sight having almost entirely left him, and it was at one time doubtful whether he would eve)' be able lt» I'e MKMOIR. XVII Slime his stiidie.s. A circiimsUmce occurrod in tliis con- nection worth nothig, evincing as it does Mr. Dunciin's strict adherence to principle. A gentleman wjio kiirw his worth offered him tlie (»flic(i of postmaster of Px'iwick-iipon- Tweed, with a salary of three hundred pounds sterling a year. After deliberation he declined the tempting otVer becau.se it would have entailed upon him some Sunday duty." We extract from another sketch of his life, pu))- lished in the paper of his native town, the following : — " He passed through the literary and philosophical classes of the Universitv of Edinbury:h, and the theological course of the Secession Church with great distinction. In I*ro- fessor Wilson's class he gained the first i)rize for poetry, and his essay on conscience was pronounced the best of the session. A few sermons and poems have been published by him, but they form no adequate representation of his mental power. The news of his death will be received by his old friends with great regret. He was much es- teemed among them for his abilities and the genial kind- ness of his disposition." I may also refer to the testimony borne by his brethren of the Presbytery of Huron, at the period of his resignation, extracted from Minutes of Presbytery. '"The Presbytery, in accepting Mr. Duncan's resignation of his pastoral charge, desire to place on record their sense of the loss sustained by the causes which, in the Providence of God, have led to this step. Throughout the period of his connection with this Presbytery, Mr. Duncan had won, in ever increasing measure, the confi- dence and love of his brethren ; and they cannot allow his XVlll Mi;\ln|l (illicial (•(»init'('ti»»ii with tliiMii to cfasr wiflmiit rxprcssinu' tlicii' i^fatitiidc to tlic (Iivai llraiii;4h'ii('>s nf jaifposc in th<' work <»f' the ministry, should haxc hccii s(» Ion,:;' spaicl in the sci- vici' nld cxpi-css thcif deep sympathy uitli him in the piTsciit state til' hi.-> health, theii' h(tp<^ that a cessatinii tVoia [)nl)lie duty may tend to his impro\-ement in physical eiiei'i;)'. and their prayer that his decliniii.^' years may l»e ei'owiieil with the fiehcst maiiit'ostatioiis ol" the M.istef's presence and t'aNours." 'I'lie (|Ue.-lion may naturally arise in the mind of the reader who, prohahly for the tirst time, may have heard that there was such a .gifted IJrother in oni- ( 'amulian Church. How came he tt* remain in such obscurity I furnishing auuther illustration to the truth : Full many a gem of purest ray Horene, The dark unfathomud caves of ocean hoar; Full many a Mower is Ixtrn to hinsh imseen, And waste its swcotness on the desert air. This ohscuritv aro^e ))artlv from his meekness, I le was one of the most unassuming of men. We ne\'er think' of liim in this light without having the testimony l)orne<(f M ose •resis tihl }• t his own i»nl))it, ' xrcpt hy great pressui'e, and tlien i»nly in a few clvniches ill his iiiinie(liate neighltoui'iiocnh I lis iiun-atteiKhmce in the Church Couits may also in some measure help to actoimt for his heini; almost unknown to the chiireh at lar^e. Hiice calling' his attention to this, hi> (|uiet rei)ly was. '• 1 ha\(' no gift and no inclination that way, I feel giateful that so many of my brethren can make them- sehcs useful ill the ]»ul)lic l)iisim'ss of the clnweh, and .-upply the jil.ice of a sleeping paitiier like my.s(df." A young hrother of the Preshytery of Newcastle once called the iitteiitioii of the ( 'ourt to Ah. 1 )uiican's non-attend- ance. Mr. I'lingle, of Newcastle, then one of the must acti\(' and puhlic spirited memheis of Preshytery, arose and said, "Let Mr. Duiujan alone, he is a man .sv// 7^/,!- '/■/.v, notwithstanding his nun-atteiidance, we ought, 1.- a Pieshytery, to feel grateful that such a man is among us." And after all, may he not have accom])lislied in his comparative ohscurity, more true service for tla; Master than had he occupied a place in the front rank ( May his meekness, couplele di.s- nontlis lliiriicc in favour of the speaker. Rut o\erto)»ping them ill, and ill a hrief spaee sweeping them all out of sight, was that eai'nestne.ss, which seemed to infuse the soul (if tlir si)rak('r, hciicath liis <;-lowinL!' words and Ituniiui; jiriidds, into the \cry hearts of his hearei's. It was tlu' iviiiaik (if a lirotlni'. oil n'tnrning from listening to one of his addri'-srs from tlic }ilalforni, " Is it not a [>ity that such a man sli(»iihl l)e addressing an audience like this, that cannot a[»[)reciate him." So fir as the intellectual -ide of his addri'ss was concerned there may have heeii Miuie truth in this — douhtless the humhlest of his audience may ]ia\'(! fiiled to comprehend some of his language (»r L:ia>i> the ele\'ation of his thoughts, hut the humhlest lailcd not to cat(/h the spirit of the s[)eakei' — ^a sight of their fu'cs set all douhts at rest ; there, on every fice, was ciithidiied th(' excited interest, the rapt (h'light, no douht iniiiLiled here and there with a trace of hewihh'rment. Oncof these plain hearers, on hearing just such an address, iviiijiked to the writer, *• I ncN'er heartl the lik(^ of that hifdir. h.mg as I lia\'e heeii in tlu^ world." As a nuin and a Christian, to know him was to love liitu ; as a hushand, affectionate and sympathizing ; as a t'alhci', hicnding the gentle and the Ijrui; he ruled well ill his (iwii house ; as a lailcr in (oxl's house, faithful, yet drawing liy a singular power of attraction the hearts of lii> people towards him; in the commiiiiity around the ob- ject ul' iiiii\crsal res[»c('t and esteem. A little inciing the sliame, and is set down at tlie right hand of the throne of fJod." NoTK. — Tlu' fori'L^oing ln-ii'f AtcniDir of tliu Kcv. Jiinu's Dnnoan (savi' a few adtlitions) is taken from tlu' July iimnbcr of tlio "J\econl of the Canada PreHbyterian Cliurch," as furnished l)y the Rev. .lohn liO'^ie, Mr. Duncan's predecessor in the congregation of Baytield road. I. DAVID. •I * ', "Anrl David pcrrcivcil tlint the T/ntd Imd i'sta1>lislu'(| liini (^^) l\iiiLC (>\rr Israel, aiiil that \lr had fxalti'd His Kiii;,nl(>iii for V His p(M>i)h; Israel's Hiike. "--11. Suiuud v., IL'. t }f )i /^' ^^"'^ ""' 1'^^^'' '^^'^*^' ^" niiricijvitc tlu' i'liliii'c, \ y k\U / <'itli»'i" '•"' ,i;>">a\id imaiiined, while yet a sliej)- herd lioy. the ANdiuleifiii liistoiy he was to woi'k out. ami the hd'ty honours that -were to attach to this name I Jle was t(» he the toiinder of a I'oyal dynasty : he Mas to he the sweet silver of a re- i covered world ; he was to lie the type and ]irou('ii- J'^ iter (d" a Siiepherd Iviiii:. more glorious and iiioi'o i potent than aUL:ht (d' ulory oiof potency e\i'r know n (iiiji' men : and yet he went in ami out of his father.s ,,.,! ..iw.ii,- ,,,w.',,,.,.;-.,,c. r.r 1,;.. i,.it,- ,],,.*;,,,- 'ii.,.,.„ V ;nii(iiitliin]n- aj))iarently to (Ustiiicuish him from (dher hey>. and yet what an unusual splendour \\as in due <;,"... 4 ..'.,., 1.: 1 1.: — time to cidw II his name and \ii^ memory. His greatness, ho^exor, Avas not sudden ; it trrew upon him ■■••■■'•■" ' ■■'- '•■••1 -- ..-..:-. 1 - ^■->i .1. •■ ' liiiii! IS ^reainess, nowe\ei, was iiol suooeii ; ii uiew u[)ou Liiadiially, and it had not attained its lull de\t'lo[)- ... ut cvt n when lie was suniinoned to tlie I'liseeii, His • iiown is extending- in the earth at the jdcM'iit hour. -iiiktil with the iJivine, his na.me will uo d(/wn with luiiiour to the latest posterity. 'Jhcre is miicli to lie said conceining this illustrious individual, as you very well know; but we would confine It Tin: DYNASTY OF DAVTO. y"iir attciit i(Mi, oii the ])Tcs<'iit occasion, to tliroo things siiijucstcd hy the Wolds of our ttxt, viz., liis muJt'sty, his cnli^^litcniiiriit. iiiid his li(h'hty. /. ///.s' rii(i(h'shi ill T( hilidv fo Ilia cnrn r/vafnr.^s. He li.id now rcarlicd tlic siniiiiiit ol' hiiinaii aiiihition. ifc was iiii(lis|iut('(l Kin^ in Israel : his capital was fi xcd : his |ialacc was luiilt: his kiti^f according- to tho ruled, antl in winch thousands of wai'riors and artizans were ](>ady to do his liiddin;^^ whether in the way of conf|uest Ol' of construction, he exi laimed, "Is this not gn'at IJahvlon, that I have Imilt hir the liouse of the kinf,nlom, hy the miudit of my ])OM-ei-, and loi' the honour of my majesty ?" \'ou se(> the loity l)earine; of the man. It is l)y his (jwn power (as lie su)»poses) that lie hath achieved his ureatness. and himself is the end of it all. And it is not otliei'wise ^vith successful as[)irants after rovaltN' in e\ciy a_ue. though they may not express tliem- pelv<'S so clearly or so ])roudly. 'rh<\v recognise no unseen Power or ProAidence. Th<'y are the ;iititiceis of their own greatness (such at least is theii- assum])tion), and they are their own end. All the resources of the community must })e thrown into their colTers. All the ^^^enius of the gifted must he employed to show forth their greatness. All the skill of the skilful mustlje engaged in decorating I r».\\ ii». things esty, his mihition. •;is fixed: There 1 to (lis- ssagc's of e hei,ii;lits )l'eseiite(l tlio soii- li;^' to tho in to he lini to he /erytliini^; ^ so with 1 himself I'll in his ■Nvliich arti/.ans wiiy of his not of tlie honour le man. lie liath )f it alL its after -s them- II unseen leir own they are lity nuist (.f the reatness. }corating heir palaces or their ]iersons. It is well if they ediitenl |ieiii-<'l\es with li'naliseil exnctiuiis. In too many casses hev •li>play a s|iiiit of ( a|iiice and ciiielty. I need hut (•mind \iin of Nern and 'i'iiierins. fanjieiurs ot" Ilmne. )!' the latter it has heen said : •• lie lived in the dreail 'ill |»i'i\;iey (if siinie faliled deity, and wa-- niily felt at the artlie.-t ends i>\' his Mni]iil'e hy the unhaiipuiess he oe casiiiueil. I'>\' his inuideis and ini|iiis(ininents. and e\cry s]iecie> (if >ntl'eriiiL;, iiieu's lieai'ts and minds wei'c howcd ijdwii heneath this in\ i>i!il(' ami iii-esi>tii»le (i|»|ii'ess(ir." Ill tlie li.uht (if the.^e exampje.s Uiaik" the niddesty of David :-- /•'/'/■.itieil the hatre(l df his ma>t (T t d\\ar( I him. These \(iy excellencies had thus rende!('(l his life nidl'e ]ire- caiKiUs, and his jiossihle elevatidu iiKuc unlikely. The truth is, it was a hii;her hand than his that had |iiU aside all ii\als. It was a mi,ulitier will than his that had cdiitrdlleil the jealousies of the ti'ihes, and conciliatcil their ic^aids tdwaiil hinisell'. lie was not, therefdre, the architect n\' \\\< dwn fdrtunes. liut the fa\(iure(l and hdiidUi'ed diie df an unseen TrdN idence. If it he said, that lie cduld lia\'e less excuse than Nehucliadnez/ar foi' atlriliutiii,^' his elewitidU to his own pnwei', seeinL;- that he was aiidinted to the otlice df Kin- w Idle yet a \ (Uit li, we aii>wei' ill the iii>t instance, that Neliuclia(ln('//ar was the sdii of a kiii,u\ and had thus a startin^u ]»dint for royalty indeiieiideiitly of his own a,i:eiicy. This td him aniiiuiited td a desio-nation as decided as that ,i;i\(ii to l>:i\id. Then, in the second [ilace. the agency of I)a\id liad interwoNcn itself lor years with the Divine i)ur[>os(! and Prdvidetiee. just as in the case of Nehuchadne/zar. \ nil will rememljer that it is natural and easy h»r the heart uf man to overlook, or to foruet altogether, tho f iirr; f»v.\.\stv of p.wik. • '^ f 'i uiisct'ii Pi'dN idt'tiri- (if (hkI, and to ostiiiuito ;ill tliin^^.s by I lie visililf ii<;t'ticy l»y wliidi that I'l-ovidciuM' works, 'riius NrliiicliadiK'Z/ar cstiinatrd Ids (»wii tnrt lines ; and tlius the kiiiins of cai-tli nstially cstiniatr tln'ir own a.i;;- ifi'andiscnicnts and ad\ anta^i^cs. J'.nt not so l)a\ld. lie |icicri\cd the liand of ( lod in Ins clcNatioii. il(!\vas not contml to account \'i>v his adN'anccnimt hy attrihutin^i;' it to his own ahilitics, or to his own jxtlitical sa,i;acity. His achicNcnicnts as ;i wari'ioi-, and his skill in adnunistra^ tion, hail no donl»t contrihntrd to the I'csult ; hut a wider wis(h»ni than his liad I'lirnislied the theati'c, and controlled the elements ot" o|t|iosit idji, and lent facilities, without which he ne\ei- could ha\'e I'eached tlie stahle royalty in which lie now found liiniself : " lie perceived that the I;oi(l had estahlishi'd him KiiiL;' o\-er Israel !" And he had a further perception still. It was, — Srcoinl, that his royalty was ministerial and not ulti- mate. In the words of our text, he perceivcvl "that the Lord hail exalted his kiii!;;(loni for ilis people isi'ael's sake."' it was not simjily, you })erct'ive, that David mii;ht shine anion^- men. It was not simply for David's ])ersonal a,u,ui;indisement. This, of course, would arise by his I'oyal distinctions, and in tlu; })roi^ress of his royal administration, but this was not the ultimatf; ])urpos(^ of his success and glory. It could not otherwist; i)e but that he would become famous and illustrious as the reii;nini>: monarch of a successful and a united peo])le, l)ut this his ulory was lather incidental to his ele\ation than the end aimed at in his elewitioii. lie, as Iving of Israel, was, under (iod, wdiat Joseph Avas under Pharaoh, — he was exalteil foi' the good of the kingdom. I'liaraoh took his ring froui his fingei', and authorised Josejih to act with a view to the ]»reser\ation of the jieojile during the coming famine ; and (iod, in effect, took a ring fioni His finger, and authorised l)a\id to care for dacob His people aiul Israel Ilis inheritance. And David knew it. He per- cei\ed the intention of God in the establisliment of His kingilom,- — It was for Isi-ael's sake. With such a conviction, David could not consistently rf liiii^us l»y <■ works, ncs ; and f own a,L(- vld. Ji(> I' was not iltutini;- it ity. ili.s miiiistra- t a wider onti'ollcd , \\itliont oyalty in that the And lie not nlti- ' that the ! Israel's j David • David's M arise n's I'oyal I'jtose of lilt that I'cii^ning this liis the end U'l, Avas, lie was took his with a coming > liiigei', l>le and He ])er- uf His istently it.w II). 5 ahnse his position to selHsh ends. He conld not make war merely to gratify his own aml)ition. He eould not t'dioe contributions IVom his sultjects mei'ely to ]>lease his own vanity. In one woi'il, lie was not at liherty to |iiel"er his own wish(\s to tiu' interests of jiis kingdom. He was a respoiisihle oflicial. King though he was in i-elation to iiieii, Ik; was still a servant in I'elation to the inis(M'n I'liwt'i' that had elevated his kingdom, and he must u-e his royal power in the interests of that kingdom, lie must eondjine its resources and its chivalry to lice the itiliciifanee assigned to it hy ( iod from enemies and in- truders : he must se(! to it, that the worship of the (Iod of Israel was duly attended to : he must gathei'. as far a-^ he could, the trihes to oiie centre of tice, and education, and temperance, and all other excellencies among the jieople, so far as his e.\am[»le ami his royal in- thlclice extendeil. Such was the modest ])osition and moilot pei'ce|itions of |)a\id in the height of his pi'os[)erity. He \\as King licranse ( lud had made him so. It was not hy usurpa- tion (Ui his jtail, nor yet hy superiorit\- in him. hut hy the will and })ower of (!od. And he was King, not tor his pei'sonal gratification, hut to snhseixc the interests-— llic liheily, the unity, and the .uhancenient of Israel. t'ther Kings may walk loftily; David could not, so long ;i^ lie retaine(l and cherished these convictions. Othei' Kiii,L;s may ahuse their power, and jx'i'vert the I'esources of their kingihuii to selfish aggramlisenieiit ; Haxid iiMild not, so long as he remend>eied hi^ ministerial posi- tion. So far from his elevation, causing i)ride or strength- ening selfishness in him, it could oid\-, with these con- \ictions, give modesty to his thoughts, and righteousness \i> his government And here allow me to oh>er\t', that this nujdest and ministerial style of feeling ought to • liaiacterise all successful men. Success in an\ nnder_ ■ * » 6 Tin; hVNAsTY (IF DAVri). taking, or in any acr aliility, ov pcrfemviTancc on tlic jiart of tlic successful jiaity. There is a ])«'rniis.siv(' or a favoni-inn l'i(»\i(h nee involvetl in that success. An un- seen hand hath withhehl ()|i|iosit ion, or renio\-ed liin- (liances. Many thin_us lieyond the control of the mh:- ces.sfid paity lia\e contrilaited (o the result ; and the le- CMtunition of this fact is calculated to make, or to keep, tlu' successful one huinhle and UKxh'st. It is often other- wise, we know. Too luaiiy, in eveiy walk of activity, ai'(^ disp(tsed to feel if not to speak in the style of Nehuchad- ne//.ai'. 'I'hey '.'eco^nise only their own agency in their ;;(iod foitune, and o\t'i'look the coiicuirini;' and favourin^i;' agencies or circumstances that made theii- success possil)li'. They aic proud in conse((uence, and take far in(»rt' credit to iheniseUcs than they are eiititleil to. Instead of i-rat- itnde to an unseen and coml>ining l'ro\i(h'nc<', they boast of their own skill or sagacity, and forget their ministerial I'esponsihility. Their ac (juisitions are their own, as they .suppose, and tliese aojuisitions ar(^ to he sj)ent or employed solely for their own gratitication <»r aggramlisement. They fail to see that (lod, in His I'rovidcnce, liath made them licli oi' powerful that they may suliserve the ])Uiposes of His goNci'unu'nt, hy soothing the disajipoiut- nients of the less foitunate, or l»y ministei'ing to the maintenance oi the extension of I)i\ine trutli in the I'arth. So far a.- so far : relation awake as' unseen l*ro\ idence is conceiiied, and f ]. IS the nigler ])ui'poses or loving mtelligenct! ni to I nM!'.;)i:ity are ni (|Uestion, tiiey livv as litth as the liil.rioi' creation. They li\'e to themseU'c' alone. They enter not into the thought>of (lod. '1 h''y never tiiink of the ministerial character of their pros- jx'rity ; and they fail, therel'ore, to consecrate their re- soui'ces by an enlightened and devout ust; of the same. 'Tis pity that it siiould be so ; for they lose theicby an oppoi'tunity of ennobling theniseh-es and of mitigating the evils that atfect their rac '. In the language of Scri[)- tnre, — "They sow to the tlesh, and not to the .S[)irit," and they, you know, whu ,suw to the fleslv-shall uf the DAVID. flt.'sh iva]» (.'orruptiuii. Tlu'ir richt's will |)i'i'isli uith tlit'in. Tlu'S'' ricln's, liaviiii,' iiiiiii.stcn'il tu tlirir juidc, and sc'llisiiin'ss, and ohtran^i^ciiu'iit tVoiu ( iod. can liavc no ulterior hciiiL^iiant iiitliu'ticc on thfir lii.stofv. Had tlu'su riflu's Ix'cii cinployt'd in the intrTt'sts >>{' llfavcn had tlit'ir .succt'issl'ul |)o,s.st'ssor sowed to the Spirit, and not- to till! rtcsli, then they had eventuated in a joyou.s in'j;ather- iiiil — even in immortal lite and honour: tor, "Ihithat bnweth to the S|»iriL shall of the Spirit reap life cver- hi^tiiii,^ 1" O that men would he remimled of their true wisdom in thu matter of earthly sueeess I It is not to pi'ide themselves in that success, nor yet to sj)end the re- sources the/uhy gained for their personal gratilicMtioii. It is, on the contrary, to recognist* the gracious Provi- dence that has Messed their elforts, and to use their ac- (luisitions in concui'rence with the higher i)urposes of that l'ro\i(lence. It is to t'ucognisu tlio fact, that they art^ stcnvards of tlu^ All-Contrcdling One, .iiid to help on, as Mis willing and intelligent ser\-ants. His rectifying and healing oix'iations in the earth as fully and as far as their resources will jtermit. This, this, is true iiohility I 'I'his is t(» enter int(j the thouiihts of (iod- lo I'ise ahove self and decay— to concur in the grand puri)oses of the uni- verse — to tind a lofty joy now — and to prepare the way fur a larger and hjftier joy hereafter ! But this leads me to notice concerning David : — 11. This cnli(jhtciuncid lib rclaliuu to the j_nu'i>ost:.i vj Uud ill the earth. He knew that God had chosen a jx-oplc from among the nations to subserve some worthy and Divine pur[)ose. This appears in his c:>nviction conc(!rning the ministerial character of his estaljlished kingdom. It was for " Hi' people Israel's sake." All peoples were (Jod's in tlu; light of creation, but all were not His by miraculous interposition and covenant. This honour bidonged to the children of Israel. They were a chosen generation — a peculiar })eopl(i — an holy nation. David recognised this fact : and he knew, besi.les, that Israel, as God's I: 8 THE DYNASTY OF DA\'1D. i })f'f)ple, wore a blessed people, and that they were not only Messed themselves, Imt designed to l)e, in sonie w;iy, the means (or me(lium) of hh-ssini;; to nuudvind. Tlie tiiith is, David was not nnmindful of tlu; ])romise made to Al)raham : " In thee and ,u thy seed shall all the nations of the earth l)e blessed." Mow this 7Uiri>ose was to be wi()nii;lit out, he niii;lit not see, but the pi'omise Avas to him leliahle and i;laddening notwithstanding. (Jod then had a people in the earth, and l)a\id ai)])re- hended the fact: and God had shown the prcjfoundest intei'est in that jn'ople, and I)a\id knew it. lie had raised ui) Moses in their behalf lb' had l)i'ouiiht them from their Egyptian bondage undei" that leader, and with a high hand. He had legislateil for them --mimitely and a[»i)i'opriat(dy. He had shown to tlunn something of His august majesty at Mount Sinai, ami obtained from them their tonsent to be His. He had led them through the wililerness, and jjlaced them in Canaan — s])ite of armed and apparently uneoncpierahle opposition. I le had raist^l lip (U'liveiei's for them fiom time to time, and now He had eiithroned I)avid in the heights of Mount Zion in their interests. l)a\id recoHnisecl it ail, and ruminated on the wondrous history continually. His Psalms are lull of tlie.sf themes. ^\nd he knew further, that (Jod had ulteiior agencies in reserve in relation to the acconi plishnieiit of His purposes in and by that people. He kut.'W that what had ali'eady Ix-en done was Ijut a pre- paration for far greater things that were j'et to be done. He anticipated the enthi'oiu'nient on Mount Zion of a King; a\ hose power would be irresistible, anatness. He felt himself to be but tiu; svrvant of a higher will than his own. Nay, Israel itself was not ultimate ; its ailvancement and higher fortunes wei-e to be made to liear on the interests of the world. And if Israel itself was jiot idtiniate. nnich less his own rt)yal glory — seeing that he M'as e.xalted for Israel's sake — even for the C(jn- solidation and exaltation of God's people. He was but oiif (if a succession of agents, empl(»yed by God to cai'iy foiward a Divine pni'pose in relation to Isiael, and to the woild through Isratd. JNfoses and Samuel had ])recede(l liini, and how many might follow him befoi'e the advnt ol' th«' Lord of ,uh-. y he could not tell. Mis throne he cli'aily saw \;is = 'bs"r\ lent, and hisgloiy oidy incidental. The supieiMe ihatter was the i»ui'pose of the (!od of Israel. \. ' establi,>lnMl his throne, and Avho nsed him, in coniiiK ;i V "th manv more, to secure results of which he had. and < ■idsi haxc, no ade(|uat(,' c(;n ■'"'' 'U. 'I "his sta e of mind and thought is very diHerent, as you ni'.tst at oree ]»ereeive, from the state of mind and thouglit among ordinary kings. Read the history f/f any of them, t'lpui Alexandri- to Xajx.leon, .-nul tir.d if you can any traces of tlu! enlightenment of whii h we sj)eak. They reeog.'iise not the all-embi'a'';ng .l*r^.\ idence of Hea\en. '1 liev enter not in th'ir].o!Ie\ i'lti tlie thoui;hts of (bid. 'I hey recognise ncjt tlu' fac'. tiiat Goii hath a peculiar pt'ople among men; nor do diey shape their policy with 10 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. II ^ I f an eye to the liberty and safety of that people. God moves in history, but they do not seek to walk in the same line with Him. In many cases, they overlook the fact of God's Providence and purpo-^tvs altog(?ther : nay, sometimes they set themselves in direct opposition to the Supr(;me will. Instead of rememb(;ring and consenting to the purposes of God by His people, they persecute that people, and even seek to annihilate that peuple. And, when they find they cannot succeed in this, they seek by l^ribes to subordinate the Divine element in human society to their own earthly and crooke ! ways. The fact is, they are so beclouded in mind ., to be wlndly unconscious of any thing lilve ministerial ic -ijon- sibility. They live for themselves alone, as we have already said. They tax tlui resources of the nations and the industry of the industrious for their own earthly aggrandisement, and think only to gratify their own pride, and to follow out the dictates or caprices of their own irresponsil)le will. Hence their oppressions at home, and, Avhen opportuiuty offers, their invasions abroad. Might with theni is right, and subjection to a commanding and unseen ])ur[)ose in history is a thing they never dream of This is a matt(M' (k'ei)ly to be regretted. It is the fruitful and endless source of op[)ressions, revolts, conflicts, invasions, and barbarous executions from age to age. conse(pience, am 1 mill ions are e Millions have sutfered in now sufteriniz in many parts of the earth. Were rulers generally enlighteuf'd. like David, in re''ation to their ministcjial and subservient character, they could not tyrannise as they d- ; and weni they aware that a Divine purpose runs through the ages, and shapes itself by tlii' agency of a chosen i)eople, they Avould not dare to oppress or labour to extinguish, as they do, or to pervert, the sacred association. But this subject again belongs to ordinary men as well as to kings. It admonishes us, and all, of things higher and more important than the ordinai\' interc.x:ts of life. It reminds us of God's pur})ose, and of God's ])eo])i(' ; and we ought to reiiiember, that we )'-.ive bettc* means of DAVID. 11 Ifm knowing that purpose, and of ti-acing tlio action of tliat people on the institutions and progress of the world, than David himself had. We arc not unfamiliar with the name of the illustrious Tieader ui' God's people in these later ages. We hear of llim contiinially — even of Ini- inai'ui'K fhr Incarnnfc One — His diseii)l»'« in our own day arc every where. They are found in all latitudes, and they speak all langnagt'S. They are scattered far and near, hut they arc all one iu thcii' ghjrious Chief They c()n!>titutc the spiiitual Israel. They are God's ])coplc, and (Jod's agents for the cnliiihtennicnt of mankind. Their existence and their nnray that all the world may be 1 fi'om idols to th(^ liviiiii- (Jod, and all the world lox's. I turn e( shall accordingly be tui'ued from idols to the living God. The days of benediction are advancing apace, 'i'he i)ro- niise to Abraham shall yet l)e amply fulHllcd, — that in him, antl in his seed, all the world should be Itlesscd. The special seed of Abraham, we know, is the Son of Clod in human natuic, and His true and loving disciples constitute in and w nn lieaven s consecr; iteation and harmoidsation of long-enthralled ami dissociated humanity. ]S'o\v, to kn(jw this is to be enliuhteiied with the enli^ht- i ■ i ^^ 12 'I'UE DYNASTY OF DAVID. M enmeiit of David, and to enter into the thoughts of God. Alas, how many do not ! Ahis, how many liave no ap- preliensioniieyond tlie visible interests of this passing life ! Like tlie kings in their i)alaces, vi.'ry many private men think only of their own advancement, or of how they may mt)st effectually gain advantage against their neighl tours, They have no conc(ption that tiiei-e is a divine interest intei'weavinti; itself with human thiniis — a*" ine interest which demands consideration and regard. The N Ti o\r htiow that there is sucli an association as the Chui,.i!. -ut they never dream of it as a remedial agency for the J 'fication of the world. They regard it rather as a refuge for the timid or tlu' penitent, where personal safety may l)e sought. Encu in this light, they concern themselves little about it so long as they are in health and al)l(^ to prosecute the })rizes of earth; but to regard true Christians as the people of God — as a consecrated agency foi' the <)Utcarr}'ing of divine purj)oses among men — of this they have no aiipivhensicui. Still less do they perceive, that it is tlu'ir duty to strengthen the heaveidy agency by joining tlu^ Church, and by entering into its pui'poses. If you t;i.k to the prosperinis in the spirit of our ti'xt — raying that they have been made pi'osperous, or establi^Iled in their ])ros})erity, for Gotl's people's sake — they would stare or sneer at you as fanatical. But why should it be so 1 If men were as eidight(UU'd as David it would not be so. Is not tlie ])urj)ose of God pressing thi'ough the ages as certainly now as in the times ot the son of Jesse 1 Hath not (iod a peo])le — an Israel — a ))rayerful host — now as surel}'^ as He had then I If that Israel])eo])le is more spiritual and more scattered than foi'inerly it is only that it may be more elfective and more extensisely iidluential, it' God enunciated and conserved Ilis Tiutli in ancient Isi-ael, He seeks to spread it by His modern Isi'ael ; and if David's throni; was estab- lished foi' God's Isiael's sake, why should the pros})erous not reckon that thiii' ])i'osperity hath ])vv]\ given, or estab- lished, in the same interest I \i' they do not, it is because they stand aloof from the sacred i»eople, which is their J. J. j^ m DAVID. 13 flishonnur, or hecaiise thoy are imenlightonofl or apatlictie in relation to God's purposes of mercy toward the e.irtli. It Avere well that the ))n>spen)us should reconsider their prosperity iu the li_i,dit ot" this suhject, ami that all, whether j)rosperous or not, should renietnher that their history ought to he ministerial rather than si'lt'-terminating — in other words, every intidligent man shoidd seek to help on as he may, the work of (Jod in the earth — a work wliich we rei)eat runs through the ages. The ageiK^y of each may he small — may he intiiutesimal — hut it ought to run in the line of the divine pur|)os(»s. And this leads me to notice, in I'clation to David : — ///. His fi'lcIHi/ in rt'Iafinn to fJic kin(jih)rii in the interests nj irhich his throne hml heen estnUisJied. Here observe, that the bent of a man's mind will be seen by his first solicitude when he finds himself at leisure or in possession of j)Ower. So long as circumstances control liini you cannot detennine deciile(lly what he sui>remely wishes ; but let him, by the ac(piisition of wealth, or by the removal of checks and hindrances, })e free to choose, and you will forthwith have indications of his true char- acter. If vicious, he will speedily throw himself into vicious pursuits and vicious companionshi[)s. If viituous, he will seek virtuous associations, and turn to some ap- jiropriate undertaking or puisuit. i\Iore particularly, if he delight in pictures, or in books, or in landscajte garden- ing, he will take immediate ste)»s to fui'iiish his gallery, or his libraiy^ or to have his parks and pleasure grounds improved or extended, as the case may be. This, then, is one way by which Ave learn to know what a man is. Another way is, to mark his history, and to notice what is the ever-recurring and persistent purpose of his heart, lie may often seem to act inconsistently. He may even be forced out of his chosen chainiel fiom time to time, but ever he will find his way back again, and })ress on in one direction. There may be eddies in his progress, and unexpected turns, as in the case of a river, but still the stream of his history moves on, and is not to be per t i i ' _ i , :': ,1 1 i V s ' V !^ I ' . ^ 1 Mi 14 TlfF, D^N'ASTV OF [)AVin. !; 8 I Tuanontly altcnMl Ly oltstaclos lyina; in his -way. Whon, tliorcforo, we can ixtccInc sonic (nri'-T-ccin'rinij:; solicitude in any man's liistory, Ave tliei'cl)}' nndcrstaiid his chai'iU'ter, even tiion^li that character may liave miicli ahout it that is, on a hinitcd inspection, inconsistent with itself: that is to say, ])ersistency manifests charact<'r as well as a first free and voluntary act A. third way of jud;^in:L( of char- acter is — the ari'an,L;ements a man makes at his death. These, if in liaiinoiiy with his ])revious history, indicate very decidedly the supreme solicitude of his heart. Of course, a man m.iy make ari'an,i;einents in relation to his property at his death very difleivnt fioin th<' complexion oT is life. In that case, the ari'anu'cment only indicates fear, or siiperstition, or interested influence over him hy others ; hut wlu-n the ai"rancco(viaiice with the lifediistory, it pjives further evi- (h'lice of the state of the heart. Now, jndi^e of ^)a^■i(^s fidelity to the interests of Israel, and to his sense of the ndnisterial character of his royalty, by these tests, and you will find, we fanc}", something both to he admired and imitated. In tli(> Jirst i)lac(^ : What was his immediate solicitu(h> on findini;' himself securely enthroned on the heiiiiits of Zion I What was the first public care that occupied him when his rivals of the house of Saul were icmoved and his persistent enemies, the Philistines, effectually sub- dued ? Was it some selfish gratification, or some personal ambition I Was it some grand display to daz/le the mind of his subjects, and to impr<'ss upitn them his own glory and greatness 1 Not at all ! It was the upbringing of the Ark of God from Baale (or Baalah) of -Judah (or KhjatJi-jfarim). Now that liis cai>ital was fixed, ho W(Md(l, as the first exercise of his nndisputed royalty, have the symbol of the Divine presence enshrined there. For this }»ur{)ose, he gathered together the chivali'v of Israel — even thirty thousand men — and they commenced the procession with sacred gladness iv\Ci varied music: " All the house of Israel pla} cd befon^ the Lord on all manner of instrnnients made of fir wood — even on harps, ii^ DAVID. 15 and on psaltorios, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on ovrnbals." True, he and they were arrested by tlie sud- den death of Uzzah, who, for irreverence and unper- mitted Hberties witli th? sacred siijn, was smitten of the Lord, and died ])y tlie ark ; but tliat did not vitiate tlie intention of David. It checked his zeal, but it did not falsify his h)yaU.y. It was nu\ant, too, to remind liim of an o\<'i'si-;ht, l)Ut not to disown his sei'vice. In the cn- iji(»ssmeiits of ])ubli(' affairs he had ovei'looked the special diiettions i;iven l)y (Jod Himself as to the manner of carry- ing tlie ark. It was set on a new cart, when it ought to ha\(' been l)oi'ne liy the Levites. Still, the int"ntion of l)a\ id was loyal. He meant to honour the (Jod of Israel ; ami he meant to unite the trilx'S of Israel around the symbol of the Divine presence, as well as around his own throne. He Avas willing to liave his own royalty over- shadowed by the presence of a higher royalty ; nay, he was desirous of meiging his own glory as king in the greater glory of the (Jod of Israel. An earthly-minded and self-seeking king would have preferred to leave the aik in obscurity while he gathered the gloiy of the tril)es ai'ound himself; or, if he brought the ark to his capital at all, it would have been to increase his own glory l»y subordinating its ordinances and ministrations to his ])olicy. But it was not thus with I)avid, He acknow- ledged his elevation to be of God, and in the interests of (iod's p(>o])le ; and while he wished to associate the ai'k of ( Jod with his throne and capital, it Avas in acknowledg- ment of the supremacy of the God of Israel, and of the sultordi nation and ministerial character of his own gov- ernment. Here then was one decided evidence of his lidelity. We have a iSfCdiid, In his persistency as to purpose. Though turned for the moment from his undertaking — l)y tin^ death of Uzzali, he was not permanently so. So soon as his mind recovered its tone after that startling event, he resumed his jiurpose. He made new arrangements for having the ark brought to Jerusalem, and placed in the tabernacle which he had prepared for it. And the JU: 16 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID, iip-TniiiifinG; was a joyous as avcII as a solomn ocrnsion. — • It is said that " David and all tlio house of Isi'acl hroiiij^ht up the ark of iIk; fjOid with shoutiii,^' and ^ith the sound ot the ti'uni]»('t." Nor did he att<'iM[)t to niaice capital out of the occasion in the way of seiuiin,::^ honour to hini- .sf'lf. Instead of this, he actually danced hefoi'e the ark, as an humble attendant, hmciit of his throni! was fbi' the honour of God — his ]M'rsislent sidicituik; through lil'e was for the honour of God — his latest solicitude and directions were still for the honour of (,!od. lie wished, with a view * this honour for ''the building of a house for the ark of the Loi'd which should be exceeding magnificent, of fame, and of glory, throughout all countries," and he devoted uii/llons of n-iidtli for the purpose, as well as employed workmen to }trei)are stones and other materials for the undertakinrr. David had his faults, and they were serious faults too; B 18 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. I f but iKilt'-licartcdiR'ds in tlu' ^^ervicl^ of Guil was not onaven ami humanity. But the whole matter lies in the state (jf the heart — he that lovelh little will give little, wdiile he who lu\ eth much will uut be content willi small u'ivinus ! DAVID. lU m ft ono of TNiitictn; !vi(U'nc(i LU'C'StS (»f )e found liim 1)0- iik you, ;i\(;n, as all their lUU'llt of ill they ■cuuuila- -'ill they stent rc- , as Da- in this David's I fellow- liat they mdanee, iisiou of loving- )e(.'uliar. like us income le took le voted th hiui, f, but, a 1 honias y, .i^ave ell ions, ie had llea\'en slate (_)f lile he living's i QUESTIONS OX DAVID. To what oiuiuuuee did David ultiaiatuiy attain i He became uudispiitevl master ill Israel. Jle tixed hi.s cajjital on Mount Zion, and all the tribes gathered loy- al 'y around his throne. What was the sentiment of Nebueha(ln(;zzar when he t'DUiul himself uiuUsiiuted master in Babylon i Pride anu self elation. "Is this not great Babylon," said he, "which I have built for tlie house of tlie kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty." Is it not very generally with the lloyal and the Imperial as it was with Nebucliadnezzar I History seems to say so: — Whether Persian, Maoedonian, Koman or Modern. But was it so with David in the heights of Mount Zion ( No : Ids convictions were those of a man who lecognised a i)ower higher than his own. What did he perceive conceriung his royalty / That it was of God and not merely by his own prowess or genius. Had not his own prowess and prudence contributed to the re- sult i Certainly : but he saw at the same time, that a wider wisdom than hi.s own had made tlie necessary cumbina- tious and secui'ed success to his agency. And what did he understand to be the oliject of God in mak- ing him king i Tu prouKjte the interests of Israel : " He perceived that God had made him king for His people Israel's sake. Was his reign in acccn-daiice witli this [)erceptiou i For the most part it was : — He fought the batUt-;? of Is- rael — he arranged according to divine directioii i nc wor- shi[j of Israel — and he made it his supreme care t(j pre- pare for the erection of a su[)erl) Temple as a centre of wi>rship for the sacred tribes of Israel. What are the lessons wliich this style of feeling and acting on the [)art of D.ivid when crowned with success siiould teach to successful men { A uDdest estim ltd oi tlioir own agency in relation to their success, and a desire to understand how God would iiave theui use tlieir actiuisitions in His service. hi If » ! : i- \'.: 20 TTIE DY^TASTY OF DAVID. H f, ! I I Is it tisnally tliiis witli anccossfiil men ? We fciir not : too niiuiy such attrihnto their success to their own skill or sagacity, and, forgettini,' their niinia- terial rt;H|)(insil)ililit;s, employ their ac([nisitions for ' ' •^ratilication of tlieir own iminoiirs or aniliitiotis. What in that case is tlieell'ect of their success on theirnaturo and history ? Tt re-acts disastrously npon both, Tt deliases the one and darkens tlu^ other. Fn the languaL(i' of Sri'ipture, "They sow to the flesh, and of the Uesh they reap currup- tion. What on the other hand is the elfect, or re-action, of pros- perity, when successful men regard themselves as sei'vaiits and stewards of (lod ? The use they make of tlieir wealth in that ease ennoldes their nature and l)riL,ditens their history : "They sow to the spii'it, and of tlie s^iirit they reajt life everlasting." To what extent was David enlightened as to the purposes of (;od i He knew that the Holy One had chosen a people f i aruong the nations witli a view to ulterior [)rocee<.l Me knew most of tlu; miraculous history (»f the ]»eo^..^, and he ruminated upon the miraculous history contin- iially. He knew also, that aii illustrous Triest and king was yet to arise among that peoi>le to bring ahout the times of universal benediction promised to Abraham : " In thee and in thy seed, shall all the nations of the eai'th be blesstul." What is noteworthy in this enlightenment on the part of David I That he entered thereby into the thonghts of God — not oidy in relation to his own royalty, but alst) in relation to the pco[)le over whom he ruled, and to the entire world indeed through th;u peoi)le. Is such enlightenment conui.on among Rulers now ? Far from it : Rulers generally overhxjk the fact that (Jod hath a people in tiie earth, iind that through that people He is seeking to prepare the nations for their high- er destinies. What is that too, in relation to their office, which Rulers very generally foi'get >. Its ministerial and responsible character : they very generally think that the resources of the nation are for their aggrandisement, and not that their ollice is for the good of the nation. DAVTD. 21 What aro sf a flinscn |i(M»pU% wuidd they pL'i'srcutc or .siiiv in hrihi; lli;it chust-n pi!t)ph', as they HO often do ^ No inchjud : thi-y would not (hiru to inirrfi'i'c witli ho inipnftant and hi> nai-ivd an aucnc-y. iJnt'S this snhji'ft of i-nlii^hti'mm-nt an (o the purposcH of (lod Ix'lon;^ to ordinary men as well as to kini^s '. Certaiidy ; it is inipoi-tant that all should know that (jiud hath a ]iet'uliar people anionic men tliat tlu! tril)i'S of that pi'euliar peo[»le are led l>y Immannel -that the intluenee of that peofdo at the court of lli-aveii is avail- ing—and that that peo[)le eonstitute, in CDnneximi with their ^L^reat chief, (liod's con.secr.i ted host for the rect ili- eatioii of the wurld. And is it enough meri'ly to know that there is such a people I No: (!Very man to wlmm tiie testiiiiMuy of (iod coiin's is under obligation to join this people, and to help on thoii* great i)inp((se. Isit necessary for che poor and the unintluential as well as for the niling and the successful to do so > Yes: every intelligent IjeiuLT, however Innnhle, ought to help on as he may the work of CJod in the earth. How did David show his zeal for the cause of (»od on his tind- ing himself established in his kingdom >. By his ])rom[>t attempt to bring np the ark of (Jod to his ca[tital thus, marking the suboJ'dination of his throne to the God of Israel. He failed in the attempt, as you know. H(nv did he furtlier show his devotedness / By renewing the attempt soon after : and especially by his humble and worshipful bearing on the occasion. How next did he manifest his enlightened zeal for God's piu'poses in Israel i By pro[)osing to build a Temple of unusual magnificenco for the ark. When ai-rested in this by Nathan, how did lie still more strikingly manifest his suiireme and persistent solicit- ude forthe honour of God and the unity of the tribes ? By putting aside all the spoils of his ci>nlon\on, ' Fora'^^Mueh. as this i> from thee, and will x-ive ^^ it to thy ser\ant.' '"—(I. KinLCs, xi., 'J, 11.) ,T is not safe to judiio of mf.i, or of tlieir Iiappinoss, l)y apjx'ai'am'es. This every ono knows in words. Imt vei'v many disre^'ard it in fact. Th(\voui\L;, (\<])ecially, fancy that the rich iTiust h(^ liJippy, and lia])py because of their M . riches. Thev foriii't or oveilook the unseen ele- 'T[^ ments that belong to the question, and attach an unibie importance to the one element that addresses itself to their observation. Solomon is a striking instance of this. Tie was distinguished in his day l)y his wisdom, and l)y the splend(»nrs of his court. Kings and ciiiefs came jf from all the regions around Palestine, (or sent their A ambassadors) to behold his grandeur, and to listen 4 to his utterances. His palaces were superb ; the i Tem])le of Jeliovah, built by him, was pre-emin*'nt among human erections, ibr its golden beauty and mag- nificent site. He !iad added ornamental bui Mings besi(h^«; all around his ca])ital (to say noi-liing of Tadmor in Hie wilih'rness) ; and all his a[)[)ointments, as to shiidds and thi-(»nes, and drinking vc^ssels, and horses and chariots, Were of the most co>tly description. Ilis. indeeil. would soeni to have been the golden age, ami himself the must sumptuous of monarchs. !' mm r\ m 24 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. i I II i^' } If riclios and splendour could secure happiness, then Solonidii must be re^^ardcd as hap])y ; and, viewed i'r()m a human ])oiiit of slight, lie was i^ally jx'onounced to be so by his coiitcni|)oiai'ifS. 'J'lit' C^)ue('u of .Shcl)a ,^ave utter- ance to the convietKju of his numerous visitors when she exclaimed in his presence, " Happy are thy men (O King I) and haji}»y are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear ■"' wisdoiu !" This Avas but an indii'ect aud delicate a y of saying, "]ia)»py art thou, (J Solomon !" Such was this prince as seen to the eye ; he Avas the greatest and hai)piest of nu-n : and yet at the very time an nn.-ieen chiud rested U2)on him. Th*' frown of Jehovah daikeiied all his glory. If men, dazzled by the visible, and but i)ai'tially iulbrmed, pi'onounced him hai»py,the enlightened servant (jf the Divine judged and decided otherwise. The gland essential of liapi)iness was not the!i his. The comi»lacency of the Eternal was not resting lik«; sunshine upon his heart. On the con- trary, " The Lord was angry with Solomon." It is not pleasant to live under the anger of a fellow-mortal, how much less pleasant — (nay, how ])ositively painful !) to live under the frown of the Almighty ! The admiration of the C^ueen of Sheba, was a small set-off against the disi)leasure of God. Pity for Solomon ! We would have expected better things concerning him, had we known only of his conduct and })rayer at the dedicati(jn of the Temple. And how weak is human nature, when so wise and so promising a king shouhl have so far for- gotten himself as to incur the anger and disapprobation of his father's Almighty Friend. In further lujticing this prince, we shall remind you of the reasons of God's displeasure with him — ^ f the sad consequences of his folly — and of the use of his story to us. /. 'The reasons oj God's displeasure leith Solomon. These were, in general, the countenance and encourage- ment he gave to idolatry. He not only tolerated idola- SOLOMON. 25 tP^iis worship in Jernsal(>m (and tliis had l"»eon V)ad entingh), he actually enicaLjcd in such vv'orship himself. '' He went after Aslitoretli, tlu^ (Joddess of the Zidniuans, and after Milconi, the ahonunation of the Amniniiites :" Nay, more, " lie built an hii;li place f(»r Cheniosh, the aliouiiuation of Moah, in tin? hill that is Ixd'on' Jerusa- lem, aud for ^loloeli, the ahnuunatiou of the childnui of Amnion : and likewise did he for all his stran_iL;"e wives, wliich l>ui'nt incense aud sacrificed unto their ;4'ods." I su]>[»osc he would think this A\'as liberality on his part, and a proof of that superior wisdom for which he was fame(l. It is thus at least with many woulibbe-wise ones in our own day. They }>ut truth and error on the same foot iiu;, and crv out aLrainst those who olniM't to their action as bi^^oted and narrow-minded. They pride ihemselves in being free from what they regard old-fasli- i(tiied prejudices, and fail to perceive that their fancied liberality in n-lation t(j error, is really injustice and trea- son in relation to truth. The earth-born has no riirht to he ])Ut iiixui the same footing with the heaven-descended, and Solomon at least was in circumstances to know the, (lili'ereiice. He knew very well that the (;Tod of Israel was the true God, and that no god could confer benefits or answer prayer save Jehovali Himself alone. He knew this, not merely tlie(»retically and historically : he kmnv it by personal experience as well : and, therefore, he was the more; inexcusal»Le in his defection. Hi; built high places for false gods in the very presence of the Temple of the true God, and thereby diminished the glory that ought to liavi^ been su[)i'enie in Jerusalem ; ami, thereby also prepared the way for division and confusion, and every evil work, where only unity and harmony, antl the fruits of righteousness, ought to have l)een found. No wonder that God was angry with liim. Even as an indi- vidual, apart from the res})onsil)ilities of his position, his ceiiduct was unworthy and base ; but it becomes far more reprehensible, and even ab()minal)le, when you con- sid(n' his position, his privileges, and his distinctions. Think yiVo>/, of his obligations as the favoured one of I 26 TTTE DYXARTY OF DAVTD. Gofl. u God had ap])pai'e(l to him twice." God had . ; departed in liis favour from His ordinai'V style of dealin< "with men. Only eiKh-avour to iv^dise the fact : the Aui;nst One who dwclh^th not in teinph's mach' M'ith hands, and wliose over-flowin_ti; j^lory is such, that the heavens of heavens cannot contani it, — this ^i^rcat and August One liad actually deigned t(5 comnume with Solo- mon individually, lie appeared to Solomon in Gihcon, in a di'eam by ni.ijht, and said, " Ask what 1 shall <;'ive id wlien Solomon asked wisdom to ru'(\ He said, ai the-^ " Jjehold, I. have done accordin_ii; to thy words. Lo, I have given thee a wis(> and an understandins; heart, so that theix^ was nonc^ like thee liefore thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee : and 1 Irne also j^ivcu thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches nnd honour : so that there shall not be any amonti; the km(>;s like unto thee all thy days." Such was (JimI's tirst ap- pearin,^ to the favoured kin^ti; : and he ajipeannl a second time to b.iui alter tlu^ dedication of the Temple, and assured him of His continued regard : and the Lord said unto him, " I have heard thy ))rayer and thy supplica- tion, that thou hast made Ix'fore m(> : 1 have hallowed this house wliich thou hast built, to put my name there for ever : and mine eyes and my heart shall be there per- petually." iSow, what miij;ht be expected from Solomon after tliis ? was it a meet rctui'n on ins ]iart that he should l)ecom^ indifferent to the Tem])le, where God had promised to have His eyes and His heart continually 1 Still more, was it a meet return to build opposing shrines in the very presen-e (*f that Temple 1 Was it not rather in- gratitude — shameful, indescribable ingi-atitude ? Though God had bestoAved on him no such kindness, and no such distinction, as that of appearing to jum personally, it had been ungrateful ui him to have acted so, considei-ing what God liad done foi- his nation and for his fath(>r's house; but, wdien you add his peisfjual obligations to his national and ancestral obligations, you cannot but perceive his enormous ingratitude. A\'hy .should he of all men prove SOLOMON. 27 rerroant and for2;ptfiil in relation to divine condoscen^sion and kindness 1 Why shonld he, the most favonred man of Old Testament tinu'S, he nnmindi'nl of his lieavenly Benefactor 1 O, why should Solomon insult tiod I One would have thou.^ht that such conduct would have been impor;sil)h> in his case. Listening to him in his earlier and better days, when he so gracefully and devoutly dedicated the Temple in the midst of his hiyal and re- joicing people, we would liave thought that tlu' absurdi- ties and abominations of Idolatry could never have ap- peared to him other than rej)ulsive and offensive I And we would have ex])ected, and especially in view of God's special kindness and condescension to himself, if tempted to ])ati'onise the shrines of idols, he would have exclaim- ed, in the language of Joseph, " 0, no ! Other men may listen to you in this matter, but for me, so fully informed of the truth, and so specially favoured and honoured 1)y the Cod of Israel, the thing is impossible ! Wliilo memory lasts, I can never forget the visions and the promises of the Almighty : and, so long as these remem- brances fill my consciousness, you ask in vain from me any tiling that would dishonour His name. He is n)y (lud, and I am His servant-king ; and no shiine shall arise in my kingdom, so long as I rule, to dim the glory of His Temple ! I can never honour Him enough for His distinguishing goodness to me, and 1 would not be found ungrateful for His mercies." This, 1 say, we miglit have expected in the case of Solomon : but what instead do we find I Why, base and scMiseless defection, — shameful forgetfulness I — inex- cusalde trifling I His heathen wives wish one thiuG;. and his divine Benefactor wishes ant)ther : he yields to his wives, and forgets his Benefactor I \\'ithout benefiting his wives, he dishonours his matchless Friend, and lays himself open to the charge of dark and inexcusal)le in- gratitude. The heathen, who know Ood's eternal power and glory only l\v creation, are said to have been vithmit exrvse when they sought false divinities, what then can be said in extenuation of Solomons Idolatry, who not « 1:1, 1 ^ 28 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. : ' ' only knew God as revealed to Moses, and in the history of his nation, hut wlio also knew Ilim l)y personal inter- course and iiit'\iiressil»l(! favours ? No lau^ua^c can ex- press the turpitude of his (h'fcction, or ade(|uately repre- sent all his ciiniinality. But thiid-c — SecoinUij, of tiie chai'^^e committed to him as the king of Clod's people. In tin. capacity (I mean as king in Israel), he had two iiuportant things to care al)out ; — the one was the honour of (Jod, who had chosen him to the kingdom ; and the other was the peace and hannij.iy, aud imi»ro\-enieiit of liis suhjects. In relation to the tirst of these, viz — the honour of Clod, he nuist steadily keep in view the ])eculiarity of the kingdom ovei' whicli he }»resides. It is the kingdom of Clod as distinguishetl fr(jni all tlu; kingdoms of nu n. It is a kingdom meant hy Ilim who selected and located it, to he a i)rotest against the Idolati-\ and unrii-hteousnessof all surrounding!; and contem})oraiy kingdoms. It is a kingdom meant to revi'al to men tin; supremacy, the holiness, and the mercy of the true God. Nay, it is i kingdom meant to piepare for the illumination of all nations and all times ! A kingilom whose ultimate ]»ur[)oses were the incarnation of the Son of God, as a di\'ini'. and com])etent Saviour, and the utter and ahsolute abolition of Idolatry and un- riiiliteousness fi'om all the continents and islands of the earth ! All this Solomon knew, in a measure, from the writings of Moses, and from the sacred compositit^ns of his father — com})ositions in ]»er[)ctual use in the worship at the Tem}>le ; and all this he ought to have kept before his mind. And accordingly, knowing this, his first great solicitude, as king of this kingdom, ought to have l)een to kee]) his kingdom entirely and saci'edly free from Idolati'}'. Then, his second great solicitude ought to have been the ])eace, the harmony, and the religious im- provement of his people. It was by these that the imnu'diate i)urposes of the kingniies of God. He used the resources of the sacred kingdom in the interests of the very irreligion which that king- dom was meant to op]>ose. His fault was no common fault, you perceive. It was not sim])ly a case of unfaith- fulness ; it was unfaithfulness doulded and comi)licated. It was using the resources placed at his disposal as king, t m ! i 30 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. to sub\'i;rt the very ])urpose.s of his royalty. No wonder that God was angry with him ! Any man would be deeply angry with a fav(jured servant, who not only dis- regarik^d his master's interests, l)ut actually stole his master's money U) give to his mastcjr's enemies, that these enemies mitilit l.»e the better able to subvert his master's most cherished purposes I Any man would frown upon a trusted subordiiuite who proved himself not only indillerent to the peace and unity of the I'amily of his superior, but who actually gave himsc^lf to pi'ac- tices which necessitated the disunion and dishonour of that household. And this ^^olomon did in relation to Israel. He gave himself to Idolatry, and that on a scale that is })erfectly astounding. It was not merely one idolatry that he countenanced ; it was many. He built shrines for the abomination of the Zidonians — for the abomination of Amnion — for the abomination of ^Vloab — and for other stranii't! urods. Wonder it is that he did not, aniong all his saci'<;d en,'ctio .s, build an altar to Dagon, the hsh-god of the Philistines. It was no want of complaisance on his ])art if he did not. It only arose from the fact that he luui not got a Philistine princess among his wives. 0, but he was strangely and indescrib- ably unfaithful to the charge committed to him in rela- tion to God ! And he was not less unfaithful in relation to his sub- jects. Instead of studying to promote their unity and improvement, he took the most eifectual way to divide and degrade tlu'in. Instead of i;athei'in'' them a;ouud the Tem[)le, tluit they might exert an eidightening influence on surrounding Idolatry, he actually brought Idolatry into their midst — thus weakening their power of testi- mony, and destroying their iulluence for good. Besides, instead of using the resources of the kingdom, which as king he was enabled to gather from all the tribes, forthegt)od of Israel, he spent these resources on himself He cared only for his own aggrandisement. He gathered around him a disproportionate and extravagant court. He multiplied to himself wives, and horses, and i^ SOLOMON. 31 all inanii(;r of luxurious equi])meiits. He acted as if I^srael were nothiiiii;, and liiuiself everytliing, — or rather, as if Israel had been made i'or him, and I'ur him ahjue. Instead of endeavourin^i;; to till worthily the righteous thr<.)ne of David, he became the sellishand oriental despot. He laid heavy taxes on his |)eoi)le to maintain his extra- Aagance. Instead of })ressing lit^hlly on his subjects, as any wise ruler would do, and securing theii loyalty by consideration and moderation, he liad them, at the period of his death, at the very pcnnt of rebellion by his excessive exactions. What think you of the wisdom of this wisest of men I Surely you must acknowledge that his selfdove had turned it into folly : and you cannot wonder that God, who gave him that wisdom for the best of pui'poses, should have been grieved and angry with him when He saw His precious gift so shamefully perverted I But think, Thirdli/, of his privileges as to religious knowlele of Israel. (!od, indeed, tlireateued to dismendx'r the kingdom, and to cast His ])eople out of His sight, and to overthrow the Temple, if Sohuuon and his sons should act disobediently : and it miiiht seem at iii'st si^ht that these things would accrue fn nil iritliout, as it were, in the way of penalty and jumishment ; but the ti'utli is, they arose from within, that is, from the veiy folly of Solomon itself. And this leads nu! to notice — If. Tin' skjI ('(inffrqiicnccs of Solnuiiiiis CoHihirf.. See /7/-.v/, the case of liis peo[)le. They Avere in a state of bitter dissatishiction at his (U-ath, and reaily for revolt, as already observed. That dissatisfaction had been grow- ing for years, and it cotdd no longer I)e I'epressed when Ifehoboam ascended the throne. The tiui tribes esjx^ci- ally deniaiuled, in unmistakable terms, a I'elaxation of their l)ui'(h'us. The truth is, the old jealousy of i*4)hraim against Jiulah had been thoroughly awakened by the self- ish and extravagant administration of Solomon. It took l)a\id seven years to harmonise the tribes, and to gather them into one homogeneotis ])eopl(^ ; but Solomon undid all the lal)oiu', and all the patience, and all the nuignani- mity of his father in this matter. For the sake of his own seltish aggrandisement, and for the gi-atitication of an inordinate love of display, he overtaxed his subjects. i o 'iiii; itVNAsiv or i».\\ii). I le he had been enable(l to build surrounded his name with glory, and furnislu'd a brilliant centres (»f union for the tribes — though all these things were in his favoui', he failed to leave a united and a satislied people when he died. 1 lis exti'avagance and his sellish ness had ruined all. 'i'lnis with his kingdom : 'J'hen thiidc— SccomUij, of his son. Instead of a spirit of conciliation, liehoboam manifested a ^\nv\i of haughtiness and i)ride. When asked to relax the burdens which his fatlier had im])osed, he threatened to increase them. One might have expected something like modesty, and a wise I'egard to the voice of his subjects, in a young rulei- just taking possession of his throne ; but there was no such thing with Kehoboam. ][e treated his ])eople as if they hail no riuhts ; ;ind he felt concerning himself as if he h 'd "a riuht divine to govern wronsj;." He had no i ' a right of judgment, or of interference with his .iiis- tration, on the pait of his subjects : they had siu,^ v to contribute toward his gi'audeur without complaint -no matter how excessive the imposts ho might cause to 1)0 levied upon them. The possibility of any of the tribes renouncing their allegiance never seemed to enter his mind : and when ten of them deckirod themselves to SOLOMON. i5 this cllrct, lie set liiiiiscll' to it'diici' them to siihjcctiini hy i'dirt'. He was jUTcstcd in this, as yoii know, luit his a(;tion,.so far as it went, only cniliittcivd the scccdt'd trihcs tlir more, and fonfirnicd tiic disnicinlx'iincnt «.!" liis kin^,^- (loin. What pity, we c-annt)t hi-Ij) cxchiiniini;, that lie did not listen [o the counsel of the (»ld men, and nse •^entli; words to the dissatislied tribes ! Jle niight thus have l>i'eveiited tlio Schism ; and then, by a conciliatory and economical adniinistration, he niiL;ht have undone the mischief which his father's folly had occasi(jned, and brought the tribes again into unity and loyalty. JJut while wo grieve for his conduct, we can scarcidy wonder at it when we think of his father's administration. He had seen how Solomon treated and estimated his sub- jects. Ht! had sec Injw the wealth of the nation had been collected for }'ean to swell the i>oni[» of his father's estab- lishment. He had learnt from his fitlier's example to consider himself everything, and the nation nothing. It had l)een strange if he had learnt moderation in the ostentatious court in M'liich he had been brought up : and still more strange had it been, if he had learnt t(j think of the throne as established for the good of the commun- ity. 0, no ! The community was out of the question altogether — except as a means of sustaining the tlirom^ and pouring the results of its labour into the iup of him who sat upon it. Solomon himself might have some lin- gering notions of right in this matter — notions of his better years not yet fully extinguished, but Ke- liol)oam had none such. He accepted the practice of his father as his rule, and not his i)recei)ts or theoretic utterances. This, you know, is but tooconuuon with young })eople. When their parents are partly wrong and partly right, they adopt the wrong and drop the right. Thus Solomon's folly and false estimate of his po'iition rea})peared in Kehoboam Avithout any of the lingering remains of those juster views which might still cling to the ehler Sovereign. In one word, the style of Solomon's court in the latter years of his reign almost necessitated that haughty and unreasonable demeanour of 4 ^\\ ir I ~ . . 'i i ■j ( ■ ■ ,. p w ^u THE DYNASTY OF I)A\TD. It('li()l)()am toward liis sul)jects Avliicli complctcil tlu; dis- nu'inhennciit of tlie kingdom : tliat is to say, the dissatis- faction of the tribes, and the lianghty sellislmess of tlie your.p; king, are both to he traced to the same cause : Soh)m()U was the fault in 1»oth cases. But the conse- ({uences of his folly (h) not terminate here : they extend into sultsequent ages. Think — Till nil 11, of his dynasty : or ratlier, of the dynasty of David of which he was an im[)()rtant member. He de- l)arted from the hiw of that dynasty. He introduced a new style of action into the sacred and royal family : and that, not only as to extravagance, but also as to worship, — his h(Mrt went after other gods. David's mind was single: Solomon's was not. What then might be ex})ected in th.ci subse(|U(!nt occupants of the sacred throne 1 Kot unifoi'in and consistent piety surely, after the (U'fection of so im[)ortant a nu'udjer of the series. Evil you know is more easily and more readily imitated than good ; and what mor(! likely than that sul)se([uent and inferior kings should imitate tlu; errors of Solomon rather than the pii'ty of Davi('. ? Tiue, David was the proper type of the dy- nasty, but Solomon's glory had in souk; measure eclipsed the glory of his father : and their descendants, when disposed to Idolatiy, would be very ready to take encour- agement in their folly, and to excuse themselves for it, by referring to the case of Solomon. Had that prince been true to the David style of character, the joint inHuence of father and son might have gone far to stamp the true character on all the men^bers of the dynasty; but, l)y being untrue and unfaithful, Solomon broke and weakened the intluence for good, and gave encouragement to lax and inconsistent courses in his succ(>ss(U's. And such was the result in fact. JMost of his successors were tainted with the evil of Idolatry, and some of tliem Avere fully given to it : — Jehoram was so; and Aliax, and Anion, and Zedekiah. Some one or two I'everted to the David standard of piety, such as Hezekiah and Josiah ; but it was only by s})ecial divine grace that it was so — grace counteracting the natural intluence of Salomon's folly over I ♦ SOLOJIOX. 37 tlic cli.iracter and history of his (IcsccniLints. Thus you soe tliat Solomon injured l)y his inexcusahlo coniUv.t not only his kin;j;(h>in and liis S(ni, l)ut aU'o his dynasty for many ages after his d its ascemlancy in Israel, hat in the days of Zedekiah, the son (d" Josiah, that Ten!])le was overshadowed and fiu'saken. The evil heart of hjolomon had l»y that time hecome the evil heart of the nation, and God was constraiiu'd to deal with it accordingly. After four hundred nnd tweiitydour yeais from its erec- tion, Cuxl summoned the avengers of lli.> injured honour to (overthrow the sacred house which Solomon had huilt, and to hui'ii it with fire. It had had various fortunes hefore that, in conse(pU'nee of tlu; evil leaven of Idolatry inti'oduced by its huildei-. Thii'ty years fVoni its comple- tion, it had heen desjtoiled hy Sliishak, King of Egypt; and it had heen pilhiged and profaned from time to time because of, or by reason of, the growing evil ; l)Ut at last, the (>vil had assumed such dimensions as to require more decided demonstrations on tlie part of (iod. AcciU'dingly, Xebuehadnezzar a})peared before Jerusalem with his ruthless soldieiy : — the city was overthrown, the tenqde destroviMl, and the inhabitants carried awav into can- tivity I i\.nd all this was ])ut the consuinmatio:i of the sin and folly of Solomou. I do not forget that thousands besides SoL)mon concurred and helped on the devehq)- nient, but Solomon nevertheless commenced the move. i\ ■:„« Mm i 38 THE DYNASTY OF DAvlD. mcnt that sj^rcad so widely, and terminated so fatally. No Avonder that God was aii'^'v with liini ! I have now to notice, in the way of conclusion and im- provement, ///. 7'Ac use of Siiloiiwits sforij fo u.-^. AV(! have not thus gone over tlie faults of Solomon, and the sad consequences of his folly, either to gratify a malignant feeling or a self-com})laisant on(\ W^o do not condemn him under the flatterina: thoudit that we are better than he, or that we are incapable of such unworthy conduct. No ; the very contrary is the fact. It is because the folly of 8t)lomon abounds in our own day that it is right to review his story as an apju'opriato warning to ourselves. We can commit substantially the same faults as he, and myriads do commit th(3 same faults as he, even in this nineteenth century of the Christian era. Only think again what his faults were: — they were, ingratituch; toward the condescending Divin(\ nnfaitlifuliu\ss t(j the Kingdom and purjioses of God, and inattention and disol)edience to the written directions of heaven. Now we affirm, in connection with his first great faidt, ri:., ingratitude to the condescending Divine ; that Go A hath been more condescen(lin2r to us than He was to Solomon. Doi!S this seem an unwarranted statement ] It is not so : oidy remember the lucnrnidkm. Here is a stretch of condescension far beyond that shown to Solo- mon. God appeared to Solomon twice for a few brief moments : He hath appeared to us through all the years of a human life. He appeared to Solomon in vision only: He hath appeared to us in hum;ui personality — just as men aj)pear to each otluu-. He appeared to Solomon as a superior asking obedience : Ho hath appeared t(j us as a companion and an example — taking us, as it were, l)y tlu; hand, and olfering to lead us through tlui intricacies of life with all tenderness and brotherly sympathy ! O, if the condescension of God to Solomon in appearing to him in a vision laid Solomon under obliiration — far more does ' SULU.MUX. ;]0 the a[)i)oai'in<4 of God to us in human nature lay us under ohlii,Mtion. The only (Ulleren(?.e in favour of Solomon is, that the appearance to him was personal and immediate, wliile the appearance to us is L,'en('ral and indirect. JJat evtm this is in our favour if ri,i,ditly consitlered. It eiiahles us b(!tter to understand the greatness o:' the kinve tlie Divine, as it efful^es in the Incar- nate One ! And tlie more so, because of tlie manner of this revelation of the Divine. The Son of ( Jod appeared in lowliness that lie might conciliate and bless, lie shrouded His glory that lie might not terrify or consume. Wc ought to love and admire llim for this ; and we ought to yield ourselves to the constraining intiuencc of this love and condescension ! l^ut to revert to Solomon, his second fault was unfaith- fulness ; and I say, that God hath given to us, to every one of us, a charge to keep as well as to Solomon. We may be unfaithful in relation to that charge as he was to his ; and many, very many, alas, are so. Godhathnotgivenus a king- dom to control, nor the resources of a king lorn to ex;peiid ; but lie has given to each of us our own nature to control, our own history to regulate^ and a portion of His pro- perty to employ or to disbursi^ And here we might say that, thou. W^; have, each of us, reason rightly to use. AVe have, each of us, mighty passions to hold in check, and to regulate in their action. We have, each of us, a half-creativi' power of imagination to wat(;h, lest it become deliled and de'tiling. Wc, have, each of us, a will to harmonis(> with the Will that is ai)solute and infallible, xsay more, Ave have, besides, each of ns, a temple to build for the inhabitation of God as well as Solomon, — not, indeed, a material tem[)le in the midst of an earthly kingdom, but a spiritual tem[)le in our own spiritual nature. This work needs all our attention, and all our solicitude — not for seven years alone, as in the building of Solomon's Temple, but during all our earthly .SOLOMON. 41 \ lives. And tlion, ^\■]nh tliis toin])lo is hiiilding, we have our lives to rei,ail;ite socially in all the relations in which we stand. "We must live for Ood, and not for ourselves. '\^"e must attach ourselves to the faithful, and not to the unfaithful, and that, spite of apparent interests tlicrehy disreji;ar(h;d. And Me must he careful to exert only ;i healthful influence, riy,ht and left, aim along the whohi jiath of our earthly progress. Tliis fsr.rely is not a small charge ; and no one lU'ed envv Solomon hecause his was to appearance greatei-. Each will find his own enough, especially if he add to his nu'utal responsibilities tlic res})onsil)ility attaching to the use f)r dishursement of that portion of (Jod's property ])laced at his disposal. This each is under oMigatimi to use for Ilini wUo gave it. Now, who can say that he hath been fiithful in all these respects, and up to the measure of fidelity which (Jod has a right to (>.\pect 1 AVho can trutidully say that he is building a temple for the inhabitation of (rod in his own unseen nature ? Or, that he is using his in- fluence as a son, or as a father, or as a neighbour, truly, consistently, and lo\-ingly f)r (Jod ? Or, that he is ex- })euding his earthly resources with a view to the [)ur|)oses and ai)probation of the Most High I I fear that many will have to acknowledgi^, that tiny are not l)etter than Solomon; — not better as to tin; consecration of tlieir own heart to God — not better as to the use of their influence — and not l)ett(!r as to the disbursement of their means. We blame SoIoukju. We an^ indiiiiiant with Solomon. Can Ave not learn to turn our blame and our indignation upon oursi'lves ] Van we not take wai'iiing, widle there is op])ortunity to re[)ent, and give ourselves to faithful- ness under the throne of Ood — faithfulness as to our affections, as to our influence, and as U) our })(jss(\ssioi!s 1 Ihit once moiv, Solomon was inattentive and dis- obedient in I'elation to the ^\litten re\elations of (lod. Auil I remind you, that that sanu' ctuidescending One hath given written direc ions to us far more complete, and f ii' more fully illuminated, than those given to Solomon, And how are we walking in relation to these directions I Are » 42 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. WO study in,i^ tliom daily ? Arc avo loving tlie law of tho Lord, the coiiiiik'tcd, the luininou.s law of tlu^ Lord, us David loved the ty'j)ieal and uiifiiiislu'd revelation given to him ] Can we truly say, each of us, as he said — *' lu)w 1 love Thy law ; it is my meditation nil tlu; day 1" Or, M'e wo not rather like, Solomon, wlu) fancied himself so wise as to render constant att'-'Ution to tho Divine writings unnecossarv, and thereby allowe(l tlm truth to slip from his memory^ or who fancied himself so important a ])ersonage as that he might transgress tho Divine diroc- tioiis with impunity ] Let us beware of such folly ! Let us 1)0 reminde(l of our privileges in this respect. They ar(3 more am})le than tlujso of Sohjmon himself ! And let us assure ourselves, t))at we can make our way really and ultimately prosperous, only by giving constant atten- tion, earni'st faith, and willing and consistent obedience to tho word of tho Lord ! Do not think ya:)ur own wisdom or your own strength sufliciont, else you may, like Sohj- mon, dishonour your profession, and injure the Kingdom of (iod among nuMi. You need — wo all need — Divine Avis(h)m to guide and sustain ! Sec that you seek those daily ; and seek them, nc^t only l)y jirayor, but also by a proper and constant attention to tho heaven-sent direc- tions furnished in tho sacred volume. Had Solomon attended to the dii'octions given to him ho could not have erred so fatally. \\'ill you ro[)eat his folly I QUESTIONS ON SOLOMOX. Wliy was God angry with Solomon ? JJecausc he encouraged and practised Idolatry : " lie wont after Ashtoretli, tho goddess of the Zidonians, and after INIikioin, tho goddess of tlie Aniniouites. " IIow niav we suppose Solomon blinded himself to his folly in tliis I He would fancy himself liberal, and free from narrow l)reindieeH and national exclusiveness. Are there not many in our own time who act in a similar spirit and comfort themselves with a similar self-tiattery I YoK ; very many. They place truth and error on a com- HOLOMON. 43 mon footing, and fancy tliemsclvcs eminently candid in doing so. What special faults did Solomon commit by thus lending him- self to Idolatry ? He showed himself to be ungrateful, unfaithful anJ dis- obedient. How does his ingratitude appear ? By viewing his conduct in the light of God's special con- descension to him : " God appeared to him twice." How does his unfaithfulness appear ? By his violation of the duties incumbent on him as king of the sacred people : he neither guarded the honour of the God of Israel, nor yet consulted the interests of the people of Israel. How does his disobedience appear ? By his disregarding God's express prohibition of idolatrous intermarriages : he had many strange -.vivc^. How may avc suppose him excusing this violation of the divine prohibition ? By his ofticiid elevation probably : he had gradually Ci)mo to think himself as above law — an idea wliioh is very common with the socially elevated. Such individuals think it all very right that the common people should attend to the Ten Commandments, but they think that these commandments may be liberally interpreted, or even set aside altogether for their convenience. Apart even from divine prohibition, what appears in S(j1o- mon's accumulating so many wives, and keeping up so extensive an. establishment I Enormous and overgrown egotism. Were the consecpiences of his presumption and ingratitude inconsidei-able or limited ? By no means : they were serious and fai'-spreading. Mention some of the parties and interests aliected by his in- consistency and folly. His kingdom : his son : his dynasty : and the beautiful Temple which he had been honoured to build. How did his folly affect his kingdom I His burdensome court created universal dissatisfaction, awoke the old jealousy of Ephraim against Judah, aud issued under Rehoboam in the disaiemberment of the tribes. How does Solomon stand contrasted with his father David in this ? David by prudcnco aud conciliation united the tribes ; ' ■ 1 1 1 M 44 TIIH DYNASTY OF DA Nil). Solomon 1»y extravagance and love of display tlivided tluini. IIow did Solomon's nnwise magnificence aflect his son ? It cneonruu',e •^ (^ And Solomon slept with liis fiitlnTw, and wan Imrifd in tlio City of J)iLvid liis fiither ; and rkoholioam his son rt.'iL;ni'd in his i-.Jj' stead.--!. Kings xi., 4;5. ().MI'] lacii (livaiii of (Icvelopment ii.s tlio gi'eat secret of citation — of ever-advancing excellence — of a necessary progress to per- fection ; but the idea has small countenance from the moral history of families and nations. 'I'rue, there is a providential advancement in the history of mankind, hut that is, in spite of the waywardness and Avilfulness of men, and by ag<;n- cies which usually have to fight for footing in human society. The improvement is from without, and not from within. It comes by the interposi- tions of God, not by the evolution of native virtue fin man. This is strikingly seen in the history of . the Jewish people. Selected from the nations, and T favour((d with spcscial legislation and specual securi- T ties, one might have expected in them, stability in goodness, if not continual ascent toward a higher i)lat- foiin. l>ut what do we lind ] Just perpetual decline and demoralisation ! It matters not how often they are lifted from the pit of bondage and sorrow, they siidc continually into it again. It matters not what warnings iu\\ given to them, or what judgments are poured out n[)on them, so soon as they have opportunity they are U-rovelling ai;ain in the mire. And it is not otherwise in the covenanted house of David than in the general history of Israel. So long as the members of that house are merely human, so long RKlIOIiOAM. 17 tlicy arc pcrpi'tually .siiikin.ti;. Now ;m»l llicii a ^ood kiiij;' (Iocs arise by tin' .special ^]'at'(' of all ])ro- prietv, from had to woise. Tliouudi favoured in their foundei', though under special covenant with Heaven, though honouivd to l)e the guardians of the hojie of the world, aye, and though every possihle inducement to fidelity is brought to hear uj)on them, it is all to no pur })ose : — They give themselves to evi-r-increasing disobedi- ence and f for the typical ollice and honour of his dynasty. /. T/ie clinrarfcr of ///.s i'i'Ii/h. That was anything but pleasing. It was, on the eon- trarv, darki-ned and irritated : and that from the beiiin- iiing to the end of it. (Unless you exct-pt the first three years, when the good people Hocked to derusalem from tlie dissenting and inisiruided ti'ibes ; but even these years can scarcely be excepted.) There was iu)t even an (jccasional light, or an exceptional buist of glory, during its continuance. From first ts and ohscnrity. Tlie lofty cavalcades, and ihie Ioiil;- irii- inu's of tho Kinus of the East and of the Sonth, in* lonuer d. ■lindtetl the heiuhls of soui;'iit the V ity ot -lei'iisalein, or cnniiuMi tiie nei;j,iiis oi Zioii. One nii^lil ha\i' expected that some of the gloiy of his father, ihoii^h diniinish»>d and declinin,^', ini.^ht ha\e attached to the l•ei^^•n of K'eholioain ; hut it was not so. Tlui cloud had ali'eady l>et;un to gather when S()lo- nion died. They forthwith (»versj»read the heavens as Jiehoboani stepped into the throne ; and they ne\-er lifted again during tlu' st'Neiiteen years of his reign. jMor(^ l)aiticnlaily, Fiist, tho reign of kehoboani coininenced with dl-oivui- hcrinciit. He was not dethronetl, hut t<'n pai'ts of his subjects out of twi'iN'e renounced their allegiance. 1I<; still held the inelropi litaii city, and the royal palaces of David and Sohnuoii, Imi his subjects were gone, all hut a fraction. A rival king now occupied a large part of tiie .sacred territory, and he found liiinscdf shorn of the greater })art of his royalty. This must have been veiy galling to him. How could he recover or retain the prestige of his house with so narrow a domain i Had he lost two tiibi'S and retained ten, the evil, however disa- greeable, might have l)eeii nioi'e eiidiiraljle ; but to lose ten out of twidve, was almost next to extinction. And then, he had calculated long on the wlioU; dominion. For twi'iity years at least, that is, from the time of his own majority, he had looked tbrward to the hour when he Avuidd occu[)y the [)lace of his fath.-r. The thought of losing a large part of what he considered his patri- mony had never once crossed his thoughts ; and we may \ H 1 llKlIonOAM. 10 !■. '• I well Ix'lievo, on tlin other hand, tliat liis flattorcrs had filltMi liis iniai^Mnatioii with the ^t^lor-it's dF his ciiniiiii^ icinn. With cvi'iy ncu' niaMilVstation ot" the ^'raiuhiir and inMiK'iico of his fatlicr, liis heart hail .swollen in its ]»ri(le and ex})eetati(>n, and he had admitted no liadow (•!• niis^iving to darken tiu; jtrospcct. ilow contn'.nided tlieii iiow ji,rie\-ed -how iiidi,^n;iiit e\'eii, he must ha\o felt when he saw iiimsrlt' so hopelessly Weakened aiul rt- duced as a kini,' ! The irlory of his father, which here- tofore had nourished his pride, now only ein])ittered his heart. Had he been Ixtrn in humhle eiicumstances, and ele\ated like Jeroboam to royalty, even two tri!)es woidd have seemed to him a not unworthy kiugro- voked Him to jealousy with tlu'ir sins Avliich they had cfnuiuittL'd aliove all that tiieir fathers had done. For they also ])uilt them high places and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. And there were also Sodoniitcs in tlu? land; and they did aecordi ng to all tlie ahominations of tlie nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." — I. Ivings xiv. , L'H-l'-t. W'liat an abasement was here ] •' They did according to all the alxuninations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." These nations had been sunk in the very lowest de})ths of immorality, so low that they only detiled the land on which they dwelt ; ..nd yet, Israel, called to sui)ersede them because of their -vileness, had actually sunk to the same al)ominations — to ihe same low and dishonourable level — and that under I i il t »i llEIIOBUAM. 51 the grandson of David ! Surely there was small honour to the king of such a ])eople, who resisted not, if he did not countenance, sncli practices, grand- oi of David thou'di he was ! A\']iat more t)f evil could the son of a lieathen prince or savage have done or permitted I Ihit a further dishonour overtook this sad reign : — Tliirdhj, it became darkened by hmh^lori and iinpo/yr- isliinciit. " And it came to ]iass in the fifth year of King Kehohoam, that Shishak, King of Kgypt, came up against Jerusalem : and he took away the tnnisures of the house of tlie Lord, and the treasures of the king's house ; he eN'cn toitk awa} all : and he took away all tlieshit, so far as we know, and had given no offence to thai court ; and yet Shishak came with an overwhelming force, and h('lp('(l himself to all the remaining wealth of Solon.ou. We can have no doubt as to the true reason, thomi;h the i)roxim.itss ness of resistance. Foreign pressure was removed, but sunshine did not return. Oh I but the experiences of Kehol)oam wei'c gloomy and sad ! Victories cheei-ed the toils of David, and uncommon honours shone u])on the liead of Solomon, but neither victories nor honours cheered the royal days of liehoboam. No sunshine rested on his throne, and no flowers sprung in his path. He was con- versant only with privation and bitter annoyance. Now, it is M'ell to mark the I'eason of this as well as the fact : and that reason, we think, will be found in his mistaken choice, which we come ne.\t to notice: — //. TJie Jolbj of his choice. That choice is not set forth in words, as in the case of his father, Solomon, but we think it is clearly implied in 9 54 THE DYNASTY OF DAVlD. the account giv(.'n of liis ])areiitage in connexion "witli his sad reiii;n. It is onipliatically said, and tM'icc witliin a iew verses, tliat " his mother's name was Naamali, an Ammonitess." Inow, this Naamali, tlie motlier of Keho- l)oani, nii^lit be a proselyte, hut we fear that, if even it Aveie so, her attachment to Isi'ael was only nominal, and that she retained many of her superstitions and much of the spirit of her idolatrous ancestry. Assuming this, the choice of Keholjoam was between the faith of his father and the superstitions of hismothcn- : and he seems to have chosen the latter, lie certainly Avished the throne of Solomon, but not in connexion with the faith and habits of David. lie would have the throne of his Hebrew father, with th(^ traditions and licence of his idolatrous motlier. He would rule for himself, and not for the good of Israel. He mi<2:ht e of his fither's ])rayei', and no token of power like that of thi^ ai'k deposit<'d in the most holy place, and no sujieruatural or luminous cloud like that which filh-d the tahernacle ! Tliere were clearly here materials for thought and inquiry, and solemn impression, on the part and on the mind of tlu! youthful prince ; and this of itself was enough to decide his ciioice, as he grew older and more fully ac(piaint- ed with the exercises of the Temple, and the historical past which that Teni]ile emljodied. But further, — Sccondljj, he had heard the earnest and enlightened instructions of his distinguishe(l father. Solonuin could n(»t leave his son and heir untaught, and wo know the; spirit of his teacliing. Hear a specimen of his tender and urgent addresses : — " My son, if tluni wilt riirivu luy words, And incline thiiR' oiii' unto wisdmn, And SL'ck for lici- iis thou f-'cekest for liid trcasui'o, 'riiL'u slialttlio.i under.stiind the fear of the Lord, And find the kuu\vk,'d'-ro uf God." |i J 5G TTTE DYNASTY OF DAVIT). Again,- " 'Sly son, f(irf,'(-'t not n>y law, But U;t tliinu huart koep my cniniuandinents, l''f tlaj'S, ami loii:^' life, and peace, thcu." sliall tlit'v adil to Airaiii, " ITappy is the man that fin(h'th wisdnm, And till' man that ^'etteth uniU'istanding." "All th(j tliinys that thou can«t desire are not to l)e compared to her." " Tier ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are i)eaoe. She is a tree of life to them that laj' hold npon her I'' Oiicc more, — " M.y rjC.n, attend unto my wisdorti. And how thine ear to my understanding,- 'I'liat thou mayt'st regard discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge." Surely such addresses, and sucli assurances, ought to have heen irresistible in tlio way of (leterniiniug tli(; choice and inquiries of Kelioboam : and the more so, as coming from a fatlier so exalted, and so wise, and so devoted to the God of Israel at the time of their utterance. It vas during Sohjmon's Ix'st years, be it rememljei'cd, that these instructions were tendered to Kehoboam ; and what could Jiis mother, Naamah, say in opposition to them ? Or what could she urge in favour of her idols at all to compare Avith the representations of Solomon concerning the poAver and holiness of the God of Israel ] What I Just nothing at all ; or, what was worse than nothing at all, she could only speak of cruel rites, or meaningh'S.s ceremonies, or iiri worthy practices, or povverless objects of worship. But further, — T//irdli/, Iiehoboam must have heard of his grandfatliei'. David. He had rot known him personally, as he was. but an infant of a few mo.iths when I)avid died ; hut lie must have heard of \:i~ e^M,ioits juid of his victories, Avrought and achiev» u uuth-; iw guidance or in the name of the God of Israel. He must liave beard of the oA'er- REiionoA^r. 57 'g 1 • \ tlirow of rioliath, and (tf David's forboaranco in relation to Saul, and of his foilx'arauco, (^r [)atienco rather, in rela- tion to the kinirdom — ruling for seven years in Hebron, • 111 waiting God's time for liis enthronement over all the tribes. And he nnist have known how God opened np his way at last, and made a covenant Avith him and his house for ever, and how he <;ave him Solomon to succeed him, — investing him with unusual glory, and giving to him unusual wisdom. Knowinii; all tliis, he ouijrhtto have found oltligation resting on lum to inquire after, and to abiih' l)y, the God of David hisgrandfatlier, and Solomon his father. A\'hat ancestry could his mother point to as compared to this ? And what divinity could she report as compared with the God of Israel 1 She could only set legends against facts, and small and absurd legends against great and imjiressive facts. Once more : — Fi)iirthhi, Kehoboam must have been acquainted with tlie history of his country. He was under obligation to copy and study the books of Atoses as heir to the throne of Israel ; and Solomon no doubt directed him to this duty. But, even though he neglected it, h ' must have heard the story of Aliraluim, and the stories of Joseph, and of jMoses, and of Joshua, and of Samuel. He cannot bo supposed to have been ignorant of the wonders in the land of Ham wrought l)y God in favour of Israel — of the wonders t)f the wilderness — of the wonders of the conquest and settlement of Canaan — or of the story of the Judges. He would learn somewhat of those things, if from no other source, from the sacred compositions of his grandfather, as used continually in ])ublic worshi]). And what story could his mother })rescnt as comparable to the recoids of Israel ? Where would she find tokens of Om- nipotence or of mercy in the history of the idols of Amnion at all fit to be compared with tlu; interpositions of Jeluivah ? She could not : the thing was impossible ; and therefore Ilehoboam was under (jbbgation to prefer the faith of his father and the knowdedge of the God of his nation. He was under obligation, wc say, " to prepare his heart to seek the Lord." » 58 TllH DYNASTY OF DAVID. T>ut this lio (lid not do. Ho yicldi'd liinisclf to the iiilhioncc of his iiiothci', and {urL!;ot oi'(h'si)is('d the instnic- tions of his fatlici'. l\v lidd hxjscly to tlic fasliions of his 'ather's court for tho lirst three, years of his reii^n, Lilt he ke])t himself aloof from tiio knowledge of the true (Jod : and in this you see the secret of tly leaving heavenly wisdom unsought, ami unapprii- priattMl, h(3 failed to find the, tree of life and the paths of pleasantness. ]jy failing to devote himself to the service of the True, he faileil to lind the imp('rishal)le and the satisfying,. "Them that honour me," says Clod, " 1 will honour : wliile they that despise me shall be lightly esteeniejt the inlhieiices which woi'.ld draw us away from them. If Kehohoam had mighty inducements to choose right, wo have still miiihtier inducements than he. If ho was in- excusable for resisting the e\i(k'nco of di\'ine foithcoming, we will be still more so if we tui'U away from Chiistian- ity. Wo h;ivo not only all the i)reliminary histoiy and manift'station which ought to have swayofl liehoboam, wo have also actual manifestation of the divine in the human to intluenco and sway us. Wehave evidence abounding and beyond measui'c, that (Jod hath s]ioken to us by His Son — that lie seeks to detach us from all false ivfuges — that Ho is prepared to bless us by turning us away from our iniqui- ties — that He seeks our confidence and labours for our good — and shall we, or, to change the person, will you refuse Him your attention, your faith, your gratitude, your obedience 1 ^^'ill you rather abide by the delusive, the debasing, and the destiuctivo, than give yourselves to your Ivedeeming Creator ? 0, it will be infatuated and ungrateful thus to act ! It will be to cast in your lot with the dishonoured Rehoboam, and to renounce the for- tunes and the companionship of the divine David. Be I llKHur-OAM. Gl ! sure tliiit }(m mulct' not thi.s mistake. Listen not to tlu^ Mandishmeiits of society, nor yet to the prejudices of education : l»ut ^ive vonrsolve.s to tlie Tiutli, e\-en to the iui,L,dity and merciful Saviour. Too many iiave mothers like Kehohoam— fraULiht with sniiersl ition and i^noi-auce of di\-iue thiu^^'s ; hut the inllueiice of such oUL;ht not to stand in the way (»f the deuionsti'ations of Heaven. Let niotlieis he holidUl'eil, hut Hot to tlli' disJlonoUl' of (!od I Let mothers he hououreij, hut let the di\im' Savi(Uir he jioiioured niiu'e. He can do for us what our niothi-rs cannot. ile can save to the uttermost all them th;it comt! unto (iod hy Him. If there he h,; who |»i'efer father, or mother, oi- wife, or child to llim. tie)' tliereh)' show that they are iiotwoithy of Him, and can have no j>artici|»ation with llim. He leads to life and hoiioui', Init they who keep aloof from llim will lind themselves in the way of death, im])overishmeiit and dishonoui-. He is the Light of the world, and they that follow after Him shall not walk in darkness, l)ut shall hav(! the Iii.:;ht of life. Let every on(( heware how he neglects so great a Saviour and so great a salvation! But to return to I'ehohoam, we notice: ///. Ills idler uiijilncss far the fi/j)ical oj/ires ai'd honour (if hi.i house. You will rememher that the royal house of David was meant to he a ty^x; and h)resha(h)wment of the true and divine King of Israel. It was the honour of the succes- siM' kings of that house (that is, if oljedient and faith- ful), not only to rule o\er their contemporaries, hut also to prefigure the ghjrious and di\ ine. Th'^ excellences of that "loiaous and divine One are manifold, and each king in his day, might have, any character of his i ! ! IM V, <^ //, ^\ *? O //a IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) !.0 '-' iiy iM '" IM |||||Z2 I.I i4£ 2.0 1.8 PhotogiHphic Sciences Corporation // ./<' '^. § 1.25 1.4 16 ^ 6" - ► ^ ^ \ iV # ^\ ^9) V ^ ^ ^ <■. 6^ ^^ '<<^^*^ '^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (7)6) 872-4503 6^ G2 TIIH DYNASTY OF DAVID. II r('i,i,'n. l>iit wiiat shall wc say of Rt-lioboam 1 Did ho foreshadow in himself any of the excelltMiccs of ]\ressiah — tho tluMi to b(^ revealed khig of the Israel of (Jod ] Or ilid his gf)veriiineiit giv(^ any intimation of the peculiari- ties of Clod's reij^n upon the earth? Not any as you must clearly perceive. So fai' from this, he was in direct antat^onisni to tin; ^i^i-eat anti-tyj)e of his house, and to the peculiarities of the rule of that anti-type. Kehohoam was ])i'oud, o])pressive, and unpacific. Hi; met the reasonable demands of his subjects with hani^hty refusal. Instead of relieving or lessening their burdens, he proclaimed it to be his ])urpose to augment these burdens : and instead of studying the things tliat make for peace, he had con- tituial wars with his neighbour Jeroboam. How unlike in all this was he to the Prince Divine who was yet to spring fi'om the royal family of Judah ! How uidike his answer to his oppressed subjects to the invitation of Messiah addressed to the estranged and tlie sorrowful ! "JMy father chastised you with whips," said Rehoboam in his pride, "])ut I will chastise you with scorpions!" " Come unto Me," says Messiah, " and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of mo : fori am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Rehoboam would not redress unmerited wrong : -lesus is prepared to relieve and to remove merit- ed sorrows. Rehoboam fancies that he has "a rii^ht divine to govern wrong," but Jesus walks righteously, tenderly and sympathisingly. Rehoboam would lay and increase heavy burdens upon his subjects ; Jesus removes burdens from His, and that by taking them Iliniself. Rehoboam irritates and disnu'mbt-rs : Jesus soothes, heals, and re-harmonises. IIow unlike the one to the other ! lIow little fitted was Rehoboam to foreshadow the sentiments or the reign of the Just One ! His nanu) was ai)i)roi>riate, and might have suggestetl to him a hai)pier course. It means, as is said, "one who enlarges or gives libel ty to the people." Had he listened to his subjects, and relieved their burdens, he might have justi- fied his name, and retained his i)lace among the royal •^^ KKHOIJOAM. typos of Ills lioiiso. JJut lio did not. Ileliad not cau^u;lit tlio spirit of the coming,' cciitro of salvation, nnity and poaco, wiiich was yet to ai-iso in his family. The hut the light of Messiah shines in all directions, and it is m(>ant to be reflected from all His attendants in whatever position they occnp}'. If it was right and necessary that friends and attendants pre- ceding His inanifestalion should foreshadow His excel- lences, it is equally right and necessary that His friends and attendants following that manifestation should imi- tate and reproduce them. If it was necessary that David and Solomon should be lovers of righteousness and lovers of peace, it is erpially necessary that we shouM be hners of righteousness and lovers of ])eace ; and if Keho- boam forfeited his honours and his jnivileges as a liar- bingt-r of Messiah, l)ecanse of his want of conformity to Messiah, so we in like manner ninst not be suri>rised to be exclude(l from JNb'ssiah's retinu(% if we remain nnre- nt ,'ed and unlike Him in s))iiit and ])urpose. He is the first })orii among many brethren, and He is the standard of character for them all. Every discii)le must be con- formed to his chief — must be like his chief (modified in Vv. ■ 'I fr ;. 5 i ! H ill- i J s ' t «- m .■■i F 1 . "; . 1 Ml iii .J VT_ !F Gl THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. I H H each, of course, because of tlie fraguientary nature of creature life, ami because that each has an a]t]U'()priate jdaceto occupy in the one harmoniscMl and bcautitied mys- tical body of Ciirist), and each nnist be wholly separated fioiu evrry thiui,' opjiost'd to tin; charactci- and purposes of his chief Look then to the Chief : lie is meek : lie re- lieves the burdened : He makes jx'ace : and every one who truly belongs to lliiiimuMt, in like maimer, be meek, considerate and pacific. W we walk otherwise — if we walk in [nide, if we refuse i-tdief to tlui burdened when we liJive {\w power to lu'l[), if we selfishly perturb and irritate when we ought to soothe ami to pacify, — then we just repeat the folly of l{eh(»boam, siidc from the di^nity and benignity of true disei[)leshi[), and show to all enlightened ones that we do not belong to the heavenly Kingdom. You would not wish to be excludeil from heaven at last. You would not M'ish to have ad- dressed to you the cutting words : " Depart from Me, ye workers of iniipiity : 1 never knew you." You would iu)t wish to be t(jld by the great Kedeemer, and at the threshold of glory, " You never jfavc any evidence of love to Me, or of sympathy with My purposes. You were self- jtleasing and i)roud, when I wished you to take on my yoke of meekness and lowliness. You were oppressive and unkind to your fellows, when I wished you to undo the heavy burdens, ans tlicre- (if, \vc may say in <;tnfial that tho reason will liu found in liis wroiiij clioici;. Wliat wroii!^ flioici' did lio make ] He jinfcrrcd llie sniicistitionH of his mofhcr to the faith of his father. In otlier words, he preferred Amnion to Israel. TIow does tliat ajipear ? It is expressly said in Chronicles, after a repi'tition of liis Amnionitish maternity, that " he did evil" (or preftried idolatry) " because he ]»repared not his heart to seek tho Lord" (or Iteeause lie was a\t.'rse to, and did not ehoose, the serviee of the (Jod of Israil. What render.s his conduct in this respect incxcusahle ? lie had am[ile opiioitunities of knowing the true from the false. What striking event occurred when he w;is ahor.t nine or ten yeai's old / The dedication of the heautifiil and golden Temple Imilt by his father. What snjiirnatural token was given on that occasion ? The Sheehinah-cloud took jiossession of the most holy jilaee, and the youthful prince must have lieard of tho fact. Had this prince any privilege beside, as to early instruc- tion i Yes ; the most ample. Solomon, while yet nnsulxlued himself liy evil, urged on Ivehoboam the transcendant importance of heavenly wisdom, saying, "My .son, get Avisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding. " He elsewhere defines the wisdom thus recommended, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Had Rehoboam any ancestral reasons for choosing the fear of the Lord I Ccrtainl}' : he couhi not be ignorant of the character and writings, and covenant distinctions, of his grand- father, David. And wfre there no national considerations binding him to the same course / Yes : very many, and veiy decided. The miraculous history i/f his nation was something unique and com- manding, and it ought to have secured his ;vcce[itance in preference to the id:e stenies of superstition. JIKIIOUOAM. G7 tho tlMlC- ilned idaiit get idcil, ; foar i-iicter L-aiid- nu to corn- ice in IIow (lid Reliolioam respond to all thcs(3 advantages and ol)li- gatioUH / lie yavi' liiiiiself to itlolatr)' in tlio face of them all. Anil hi>\v «lid this decision on liii part tell nn tjic conipUxioti of his rci^n / It neci'ssarily rfntltrt'd it L^loomy ami cheerless. (Jod is tlie centre of light, ind they who turn fiom Jlim must walk in (l.ukncss. Dues the fault of his father giving liim an AmuiDnitisli mother excuse liis fault / l'>y no means : he was houml ti> pn-fer tlie true to the false when he had tlie means of knowing the one from the other. Many are in far worse circumstances than he for making this choice, and yet they are hound to make it. r.ut did the defection of liis father in tin; latter jiart of jiis reign not excuse in .some measure the conduct of Ke- hohoam / Xiit at all. It .should only have made him more circum- spect, and more tenacious of the David-style of worship anil government. What does this mistaken choice of Rehohoam teach to tlie young of all suhsefiuent generation.s i T>. reject evil, and " to prepare their hearts to seek the L.)rd." What is the character of the ohligations resting on the yoting who live inider g(jsi»el-testimoi'y in relation to thi.s choice / Overwhelming on the side of Christian piety ; and to dis- regard them will only he to incur greater condemnation. If the reign of Keliohoam was un.sunny because of his wrong choice, the life anil fortunes of the unl)elieving now must be dark, dark indeed. l>ut w.'iat if maternal inllueiice be on the side of superstition or worldliiiesH / It must be set aside or disregardetl. Nothing can excuse us for trifling with the communications and claims of (iod in I'hrist. What was the consequence of Relioboam's mistaken choice in relation to the typical honour of his house ? It neutralized for him that honour. He could not be a type of tho true and the transcendant King of Israel. What was expected of the successive kings of tho liouso of David / A, I) Illy i 5 ! i 11; ^W^i^^ m 'WW. DWASTY 01'' DAVID. w Tliiit each hIiouM foreshadow' sojue oik? or more of tho cxcclh'iicicH of the crowning' priiici) of that hotiso. How far Difl Kchohoani iiicct tliis e,\)icctatioii / ^lot at all. So far from doiip^' so, ho was in direct antag- oiiiHin to tlie u'reat aiiti-ty|>e of his lioiiso. Mention some partieulars in which he dillcred from tho groat andconiiiiijSoii of I)avi(l. In hishanteiir, nnicason, and violence. Do sul)se<(Ueiit a,L,'es evi'r tui'n t() IJeholxmni t(» iiotc^ the cor- rnscations or l)oauties (tf the then nnrovoaled lumi- nary of tim(^ \ No : the light of that luminary is not rellected from him. \Vhat is t'X))ected of tho followers of Messiah now, sooini; that l»y their position in rilation to His incai'nation they cannot tyjtify His excellencies / They are to imitate and reiiroduco those pxcollencios. What an; tlu! excellencies which Christians must imitate and rejiroduco as suirL^'csted by the story of Kehohoani / Meekness, ready helpfidness in U'lation to tho hurdeiied, and pejicefnlness with all aroiuid, as far as may bo, and with a due reu-'ud to faithfulness of course. What will he the Ititter end of jirofi'ssors who are found tube unlike the great centre of light at last \ They must forfeit the honours of the family of CJod. oven as Itehoboam forfeited thehononrs of the family of David. What in geiua-al are tho lessons taught by tho story of Keho- boam ] Flr.sf. That young ixMiple should be incited to make a right choice between Truth and Error. Both press for attention, and every man nnist make a choice— not to choose at all is in ellect to abide by the wrong side. /SVcr»j/(//i/. That ])rofessors should remember the indispen- sable i)roprieties of the house and family of (jod if thoy woxdd not forfeit tho honours and prospect.-s of tho same. 11 m II IV. AIUJAll. "And Ti»']i()]»nain slept witli liis fjitliirw, (iiul waslniriiMl in tin' city iif I);i,vi(i; uiid Aliij.ili liis son ri'l^nnl in liis stead. " 11 I'liiun., xii., l(i. *=^^'»"1rX ^^^^ Vv'wwo was srarccly soaU'il on liis tlinmo P>y% wlicn he- IouikI liiriisclt' in (.'litical circmn- '^ stances, lie inherited with liis i>alriiiii»ny the enmity of JtM'ohoam. "There was war / 'between lieholtoani and .lerohoam all their days :" and so soon as Ahijali oc('iii)ied the seat of his father hi' liecanie a tii^nre in the politics and spe- ^ dilations of Samaria. Jeroboam by this time had /|;^ become more audacious than M'lien lirst he jjained his throne. His (!.\'[)erieiico had grown, and liis un- godliness. He was now ])re]>ared for aggressive iiioveiiients in relation to the house of Daviil. At first, and while Kehoboam liveut this was just a step too far, and he was doomed to overthrinv and disa[>pointnient. So long as he kept within his own domain, he was allowed to shape his policy as he thought best ; but so soon as he attempted to subjugate the house (jf David and the tribes that still owned the sway of that house, he found himself checkmated in a way which he did nut expect. A M h I , I tj -^WTS^ TO Tin: DYNASTY OF DAVID. TTcrciniiids lis in (jiis respect ofPIiilij) IT. of Spain. Tliat j)iiiice \\as ]ieiinitte(l to woi k his own cruel ami \vicknt out the li,^dlt and joy of truth and liberty in Uritain, lu; foinid nnlooked for reverse. This was, as in the case of deroboani, just a step too far. Ahijah in tliis relation occupied the ])osition of Eliza- beth of Eni;land. The interests of mankind werc! wra])pe(l up in the safety of both these rulers — each in his and her own a^'e. Neither tlu; one nor tln^ othi'r was fully aware of the (pu'stion involved in their ]'esj)ective circumstances, but both wer(! )>artially enli,iL,ditene(l. Both made memo- rable and I'ecorded sj)eeches when the ci'isis overto(»k tliem ; not indeed to tin? same ])aities, but both appiojtri- ate, — the queiii, as we thiidc, the less faulty. Abijah's address Avas to the enemy ; that of Klizabcth was to her own suppoiters. And this address of Abijah's Me have reason to belit'vu is reliable. It is not the practice of the sacred historians, as with the writers of ordinary history, to niamifacture the speeclu's of the actors in their narrative. No, they report what was ai-tually said ; and this makes it safe to draw inferences from, tlu-ir reoided woi'ds. It is iui])ort- ant to remember this in the present case, as it is chietiy from his address that wo are enabled to understand what Sort of pei'son Abijah was. In noti(,'ing this rei<;n we shall turn your attention to AV)ijali"s greatness— to his ti'ue character, and to his early death. /. Ills (jreaUicss. It is said by the sacn^l historian that he "■ waxed mighty," and one instance! is given of his success in arms. lie broke the power of Jeroboam ; he s-cittered the war- like array of that monarch \ he took cities fromliim ; and AI'.I.IAII. n so rfTt'c'tUiilly liimi1»l«'il liini tliit lie iicviT «•• c ivcifil stiTiijL^th aijaiii in tin- tiays of Al>i.i.!li. \oi- was .It'i"ol»oaiii an iiisi;^niilii'aiit iMictiiy. TIhtc is little i^loiy, you know, in coiniiiiTiii'^ tlic t't'cWlc ; Idit.Ici oltoatii was not trcUU'. [[v liu I li;i(l Iku.^ cxix-iit-ncc in wai'. For iicaily twiMity years lie Irul wifMcd the icsonr- ces of ten out of tlu; twclvf tiiln-, in Israel; and now, wlitii l»ron;;lit into collisinH with Al»ijali, ho could luiii:^ into iii'M nearly a inillioii of nu'U. It was no small niattei- to couteij!! with •^ui'h an anti.; mist. It was no small ,:^loiy, speaUini; after the manner of ordinary history, toeoinjuer so redoulital)le a ehii'f, and sustaine(l hy such a mimerous following,'. No douht, the men of that time lool<<'d with interest and astonishment on t'lis aehievemeiit of Ahijah. The ol)senre and unillumin ited days of Isratd, which had prevailed under Kehohoam, ceased tor tlie time l)ein,i;, and a new era of gloiy seeniiMl to hav(! ilawned for the throne of Jerusalem. The memory of i)avid's vietoiies was revived, an 1 it ajtpeared as if the spirit antl powtT of that illustrious kimr were a'Miii in the ascendant in the son of Kehob<)am. And yet it was not so. This greatness of Ahijah's was meteoi'ic and ailveiititious ; it harowess of David. It ditl not expire with the conquest of Goliah, but marked all his subsequent * 1 1 i 1 , l^'l^ •I mm \B ^^K h ^^^Hi ^^^ 'fi: i .!!} i ■'fi 4 •■ ' ■ i ■- ■''■S i'_ ] ', 1 r m jk 1 li^ 72 TIIK DYNASTY ()F DAVID. II li f f career. It is ever tluis with true ;;reatiies.s ; it uiowsand uii!ul\vledj.,'o only enli.inecs its claims on admiration. Hut it is not tluis with the ,i;i-eatness of .\l)ijah. That j^reatness did not ^mow. nur re-manit'est itself. True, ho had hut Uriel' opportunity to show what he was, as ho was eaily cut down. Still, his victory over .lerohoani was followed only by events which small men are e.jual to. Jle increased tlie numliei" of his wives, and allected j;i'eat state and imiMntaiice. His mightiness was not the mightiness of a commanding; intellect —swayin;; Ids con- temitoi'aries for good, and moulding the masses to har- mony or to excellence ; hut it was tlu' mightiness of Ori- ental luxury anrince were perfect, and must have resulted in triumph for his arms had no unseen causes controlled the event. He had brought an overwhelming force into the field, and he made such disposition of his forces as to take the troops of Abijah l)efore and bt'hind at the same time. According to all ordinary calculations, Abijah's case was hopeless. He was in the hands of a superior general, and his resour- ces were only half of those of his greater antagonist. Only AIUJAU. 73 us '111- i»rc iin. TO •iiis liul ido of Illy m u inir;ifl«' coMltl s;iv(( liiiii, ami »lial niiraili' wa> itnlffd wnm^lit. The Itt-lca:,'!!' ml party pn'vaili'tl, the inrniui- ^.liiifd tlic ctdwn ; ami tlx- iiiiiilitin- Imst was scUtrnd and dixM'inlitcd. And wliy / Not l»fcau>o of AMjah's goodness, l>ut bi'cansc (}od saw nuct that it should he so; and souH' ri-asons for (Jod's decision in tlic matter iiv not far tost'(d\. First, It w.is l)t'(';mst' of the cries of the piiMi-i in Ahi- jah's army. Hear the naiiative : — " And wli-'U .riiil;ili lidiki'd Icu'k, lu-buM, tlu" liiitllf w;is l)cfn the liord (iod of their fatm.. ■..'" (II. Chron. xiii., 1 1-1.').) Voii will remeinher that the ^reat majoi'ity of the truly good iu Israel at that time were under Ahijah.and many of those, no dou^t, were in tiie army, i iu-re were not only the pious helon,u;inj4 to the two tribes, hut also tlic pious belonojiig to tlie ten ti'ihes. Tiui time-servinii in Israel had gatlier(!d arijund den)h()aiu and his gojih'ii calves; hut tiie pious and enh;;hteurd h;id i,Mthel'ed to the Temple and to the liouse of David. 'I'hr two armies represented, spcaiiinj^ in j^eiicral, the ehilf and the wheat in Israel. Jeroljoam headed th(^ more numerous, ungodly and self-seeking, while Ahijah led tlie less numerous godly, who sought the honour of (Jod and the preserva- tion of tlu; Temple. \\\ this liLcht vou will not wonder that the victojy should be found with Ahij.ih — not for his own sake, nor because of any generalship on his part, but for the sake of the pious who crowded or followed his standard. These had forsaken their homes (many of them) to escape the golden calves, and it did not com- port with G.: I's purpo.ses that these golden calves shoidd prevail over the territory to which His servants had be- L ■ !i 1 1 I i : t ■u^_ u THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. taken tliomsolvos. As for Al)iJ.ili liiinsclf it is to lie noticed, th;it Ik; l»o;ist('(l of (lod to -Fcrolx);!!)! 1)('f)r(^ tlie biittlc, l»iit it is not said that lie cried to the; Lord when th(! crisis aiose. ]t was tlie men of Jiuhdi that cried. Further, it is specially stated that he slew, Imt others ]>rayetl. He is inealioiied in connection with the slanuht- er, l»iit not in connection with tlu? (le\'otions or the divine r liance. (17, IS.) Seroixlli/, It was for the sake of Jerusalem. God had not for[>ai'eiit, ami yet tliey are reasons wliich warriors in general apprehend not. 'J'hest' warriors can count tlu'ir troojjs, and com- pare their cannon with thost; of the enemy ; they can make mathematical calculations concei'ning the weight of their artillery, or the range of their weapons ; l)ut tiiey compute not the force of prayer, nor the interests of God's cause among men — -nor yet the bearings of events on distant ages. No doubt Jeroboam was sur])rised at his discomfiture, and well he might, considei'ing the eh;- ments in his fa\our. I>iit ha I he seen and undiTstoo I all, his sui'pi'ise would have abated, or, at least, have taken a new shape. The truth is, he would havt' IxM-n ama;u!d at his own temerity, in I'ushing agamst the thick bosses of the Almighty's buckler. And so with many warriors besides Jero])oam ; were their eyes but ojiened to the tiue caus(\s of things, tlu'V would judge otherwise than they do : they would learn that it is not by cliance that battles ai'O deciiety, ami jjiolesses to chei'ish the expectations of tlie ])ious. Jlear his liiiging sjieech t(j ierobuain and his army hefoi'c joining l)attk3 : — " Anord, tlie sons of Aaron, and the licvites, and have made you priests after the m nmn' of the nations of other lands ? So that whosoever cometh to conse- crate himself with a youn,^' bullock ami seven rams, the same may be a i)riest of them that are no i^ods. JJut as for us, the ]jord is our (Jod, and we have not f(n'saken Him ; and the i)riests wliit-li minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the JiCNites wait njiou their iiusiness; ami they burn luito the Lord every niornini,'' and evi'ry eveniiiLf burnt sacrilices and sweet in- cense ; the shewliread also set they in order upon the juire talile • and the candlesticks of i,'old with the lanqis thereof, to burn every eveniuLf ; for we keep the charife of the Lord our (.Jod, but ye have foi'sakcn Him. And, behold, (iod lUmself is with us for oiu' Captain, ;ind liis jiriests with siiundin,L;-trum])ets to cry alarm .-I'.^'ainst you. () ehildven of Isiael, ti.^ht ye not •c.^'ainst the Lord (Jod of your fathers, for ye shall not jirosper.' " (IL Chron. xiii., 4-1 L'.) Who \voul(l ex])i'ct anytliinghut goodness and holy obed ience after such talk ? And yet it was far otherwise with Ahijah. IJis piety is like his mightiness, it will not l)ear e.xaniination. M\en though we knew no nu)re of him than this speech of his I'eveals, \\a might well douht the genu- ineness of hi.s goodness. ^Notice particularly : — FivHt, There is a merging of imjxirtant facts in the statements of this speech. Jle makes no mention of, or reference to, the conditions attached to the occupancy of the throne hy the sons of David in the course of it. Ac- cording to him, it would seem as if fidelity on their ])art was a matter of no consequence. They may do as they *-4.. AiiiJAir. 77 will, — tlioy may l)c ctinsisteiit or inc()nsist(.'nt, tlicy may be faithful or iiiifaitliful, — and still claim tlu; honours and immunities of the throne of (licir ^^'eat ancestor, llo, takes no notice of the unfaithfuhu'ss of liis grandfather Solomon, and none of tlie i)ride and haui^litiness of his fatlier Kehohoani. Ihul he been truly i»ious, he would have grieved that his house; had given occasion for the disarrang(Mnent and disnu'udx'i'ment that had arisen, and his grief and penitence would ha\'e withheld him tVoni every thing like presum]>tion and self-assertion, oi- funily assertion. Jhit he had no such regrets. He was a de- scendant of David, — that was enough, as ho thought, to put down all oii[)osition to him. We seems t(j ha\'e hdt just as Ivehoboam felt when asked to lessen the burdens of the people, viz., that no one had a right to question his rule — tliat indeed, he had "a right divine to govern ■wrong." This is not like tlie sentiment of the tridy pious. ^'ou will notice besides, that Abijali takes no notice of the riiiht of -Jeroboam to govern the ten tribes — a right conferred by the same a\ithority as that by which the family of David held the two ti'ibes. He treats Jeroboam as a mere usui'p(,'r, and actually misrepre- sents the case as between him and liehol)oam. He pre- tends to say, that Jerobixim took adva'itage of the youth and tenderness of his father — gaining his royal positi(»n in Samaria when thei'e was no one in Jerusalem experi- enced enough to cope A\ith him. Now, to us it seems strange that he should talk so, Avhen we know that Ixeho- boam was more than forty years old at the death of Sol- omon. ]ielioboam was in his maturity when the ten tribes gathered around Jerolxtain. There was neither youth, nor tenderness, nor humility about Jit'h(»boam to touch the sensil)ilities of his oppressed jteoplc, or to stay the ambition or the determination of his lival. He was, on the contraiy, haughty, oltstinatc . and bent on subju- gating the disatl'ected, if only he had had the jiower ; and that, Avithout listening to their reasonable demands. In one word, the statement of the case, as between Jero. ■f '4 ! P ■» 78 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. l)().iin and tlie tliroiu; of JtM'Usalein, iiii])lios pridti and luifairiios on tlui ])ai't of Aldjali ; and ]>rid(! and nnfair- ness aro inconipatihhi M'ith true i)iety. i3ut furtlR'r, con- corning this spcecli, tliere is, Sccoiidlj/, An undno inipoi'tance attached to external observances of it. He hoasts of *he Teni])le at .lerusa- h-ni, and the olferings, and the h'gitiniate priests, and the trunipet-hh)\vings, as if these ahjne constituted religion and secured the presence and favour of God. He seem.s to liave liail no misgivings as to th(; jiresence among Ins jx'oph^ of the si)ii'it of true faith and (hivotioii ; or rather th(.' truth seems to l)e, he liad littU; ith-a of the existence or need of such a spirit at all The external rites weie everything in his eye. These being observed at his ca})i- tal, and not at the capital of Jeroboam, he felt confident that God would intei"i)ose for hini and his people, and not for Jeroboam and his peoi)le. Now, true piety is not thus ; it sus[)ects its own short-comings, and has no con- fidence in its own peiformances. It is Avell pleased to observe the order of divine Avorship as to externals, but it knows that the heart is not always true even when the forms are unexcei)tionable. It is not, therefore, ready to l)oast of its own observances, or to take encouraire- nient from its own fidelity in externals. It rather looks to the grace of G(k1, and C(nnmits itself, A'/hen any great crisis arises, to the wisdom and determinations of Him Avho knows how to temper his dispensations to the state and circumstances of His people. Abijah, however, seems to have had no such refined or spiritual ideas. He "was familiar with the visible and the literal ; and he Avas con- tent to know that the true priests officiated in Jerusalem, Avithout concerning himself to inquire how far a spirit of eidightenment or obedience prevailed among his peo- ple. JS'ay further, avo fear avo must charge him, in this vaunting speech of his, Avith, T/tirilli/, Sheer hy[)ocrisy. He talked as if he Avere a true son of David, and a loyal observer of Heaven's di- rections, Avhile all the Avhilo he Avas a renegade and an idolater. We have another brief notice of him in the <-JL ABI.IAJI. fiftceiitli of Fir.^t Kiiii,'.^, and wliat do wo find rcjjortod of liiiii there ? Wliy thus, " That he walktMl in all the sins of his father, which he had done Ix-fore him ;'" and wo know that his father, when estahlished in the kini^Mhrni, forsook tho law of the Lord, and all Isi-ad with him; and we know that Judah nnder his father's reii^ni pro- voked tho Lord to joalonsy al>ove all that their fathers had done. A\'as there not hy[ioeri.sy then in this speech on the part of Abijah ? Jfe was no devijtee of the (Jod of Israel, and yet he talked as if Im W(!re. lie walked in the nnlioly and heathenish practices of tho time, and yet ho claimed and expected tlu; protection of tho (Jod of Israel. Ilt^ cast scorn on Jeroboam for his false priests and his fjoldon cah'os, and yet ho know himself to bo tho ad- herent of yet more heathenish priests and idols. In one word, ho did evil in tho si^ht of tho Lord, and used all liis royal infhionco on the side of evil, and yet ho talked as if ho wore faithfnl to Isracd's God, and wholly devoted to tho service of Israel's LJod. (10-12.) Yon see then tho trne character and position of Abijah as exhibited in this speech. Ho was unfair t(j Jeroboam, he was overweening in his judgments concerning tho house of fathers, ho was materialistic in his views of re- ligion, and he was hypocritical in relation to God. In one word, he knew the riles of David. This was truly offensive. It was almost worse th:in the total apostacy of lf<'hoboam. That })rinco, when once established in J(!rusalem, forsook the God of his fathers, and talked no more in tho lanii;ua!j;e of the ]»i{)us in Israel ; but Abijah retaiiu-d for special occasions tho language of piety, while ho walked after tho manner of tho surrounding heathen. That is to say, ho would hold God to His covenant, as it were, but regarded him- self at liberty to violate that covenant as his convenience might dictate. Ho would be free to transgress, and yet ho would claim the protection of Ilini Avhoso government he rejected. You can understand how oifonsivc this I't ■ \l ~^ —r 80 THE DYNASTY OF DAMD. AvouliI ])(' iK'twccn man and man. Siipjioso any one of you had a(loi'.son — promi.sinj^ to make him yourlieir, on condition that lie sliould cont'onn himself to your -wishes, and devote himself to your service. You would fei'l very grieved if 3'ou found him, fiom day to ilay, disrei^ardiiiii; y(jur wi.dies, lending' himself t(^ ])ur- })oses or ^to i)art.i('.s whi( h wcrci Avliolly opjx'scd to your honour and your life, and utterly indilfcreiit to your fetd- iii,gs and remonstrances ; hut, if grieved for this con- duct, how would your indignation he rous'jd if the same party still claimccl the fullilmcnt of your engagement to enrich or to emiohh! him. With the heart of an enemy, how could he claim the privileges of a son ? And how could he thiidv to hold vou to your eiiLra^ement when he liad himself hi'oken tin; tie that ))ound his interests with yours ] Better that he should hreak (.)if altorether, and make no uni"easonal>le claims, than that he should hreak off aud yet claim to possess the forfeited inheritance. ]>ut this was really the conduct of Al)ijah. True, God did deliver him from Jerohoam, hut that was not for his goodness, nor yet for his vaunting and hyjjocritical speech : the Holy One of Israel had other reasons for His inter- position on the occasion, as we have seen. And this style of character very much prevails wher- ever divine knowledge is enjoyed. And you ought to note it especially as you youi'selves are in great danger of adopting it — professing, as you do, the knowledge of God's gospel. You will ohserve that Ahijah had know- ledge, hut he was not under the influence of his know- ledge. He had seen Solomon, his grandfather, and he lit'ard of David, hut ha was not emancipated from the evil social influences that surrounded him. He did evil hecause evil was fashionahle, and his knowledge was in- opeiative in ijractice. He could talk of David, hut he fell in harmony with the irreligious })ortion of his contem- poraries. Had his knowledge heen so commanding as to tear him from the social ungodliness of his time, and to constrain him to think ami feel as David thought and felt, his character wouhl have heen single and consistent, hut, 1 AUIJAII. 81 a.> tilings wcro, his cli.irartcr was liypocriticiil and incon- si.striit. He t'lainicil tin' iiiniiiinitit's of a sad'cd tliront; while lio walked iu h:irninny with the uusacivd and idol- ati'ous portion of the connnunity. And how is it with many prot'ossors in onr own time ? They have knowh'dge ; hnt does tliejr knoudedi^e nionld, i'ei;idate, or enianeipate them? Tlie (lospel of (Jod'.s i;iaee sliines over thein, hut a (Jod lui'^ettin;^' Avoi'ld sur- rounds them ; anil where ai'e their sym])athies ? Tlio irosiiel tliev know in a general wav: hut ai'e tliev delivered hy it IVom this )»re.>ent e\il world ? Tliey have heard of the di\ine David, hut does tlieir kiiowled^'e of Him so ])ossess them as to enahlo them to disrei^ard the vain jtui'sni s a'^l mistaken prin<'iples of a ( Jod-forgetting society ? Alas, no I They yield themselves to the evil in- fluences of a self-seeking and self-serving generation. They are the slaves of the visihle. They are hound hand and foot hy the present, and have no thoughts for the august future, or foi' the I'nsecn Divine, They are the servants of the woild ; and yet, when a crisis in their liistory arises, they would enjoy the immunities of the diviiu; fimily. They harmonize with the idolatrous and the Mtirld gi'as[)ing, and yet they would l)e saved with tlu; pious and woild I'enouncing. The resti'aints and pecu- liarities of th(i gos[)el they have ever disregarded, and yet, Avhen di>ol)edience is no longer ])essihle, they would have all tht^ lih'ssings that are assoeiatid with oi- tliat arise from these resti'aints and peculiarities. Is this rea- suiiahle 1 Is it likely that such expectations will he met and realized ? (), no I Such conduct l)Ut insults (lod, while it displays ignorance and inu'ratitutle. If any oiu; Would enjoy the immunities of the tli\ine family, let him yield himself to the principles and hahits of the divini^ • tamily. If any om> would slmrc with the true David, he must he delivered from this jucseiit evil world, and yield himself to the commanding iiiihienc(> of h(\'ivenly know- le(l^•e. If anv one W(»uld he a partaker with Christ, he must be conformed to Christ. The eye must ht' single ; the heart must be ore and imdividtxh There must be no p I I 82 TllK JA'NASIV OF DAVID. ffi alteinpt to serve coiitiary maslcis. All things must 1)0 accoiiiitcd loss for the <'Xc'fllciicy of the kuowlt'dgc of .Irsiis Cliiist — the isvvdt Loiil and oiiI\' Saxioiir I Von should each, look to himself in this respect. Tin; knowledge that leaves a man in hondage to the woi'ld is not saving knowledge, and will he of no avail in the end. Christ gave Ilinisclf to deliver us fioni this ]>resent evil woild, and it is only Avhen so di'liveicd that we have evi- dence of heing His. It is not enough to be al)le to talk fluentlyand piously, we nmst walk at lil)erty,kee]»ing God's commandments. Abijah could talk, but Al)ijairs life was not in harmony Avith his talk. AVe must not oidy talk l)iously, we nmst feel, act, and breathe piously. " We must deny ungodliness and Avorldly lusts : Ave must live soberly, and I'ighteously, and godly, in this pi'csent world — looking for that ble.-^sed hojie, and the glorious ai)[)ear- ing of the irreat God and tiur Saviour Jesus Christ — who gave fJimself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." Then, there, we shall know the sweets of piety, and enjoy the serenities and glorious im- munities that attach to it ! Jjut to return to Abijah, avc notice concerning him, ///. The hrcrifi/ of his reign. He reigned Init three years in Jerusalem. This Avas but a brief period to enjoy his royalty, his greatness, his victory, and his dreams of aggrandizement. We say not that brevity alone is either dishonour or punishment. AVe know that some of the best and the fairest have passed speedily aAvay from earth. Manifold considerations and reasons circulate around each individual, and give variety and m}stery to the stream of being as deve- loping itself in each. AVe cannot judge by single ele- ments, and as for the Avhole of the encompassing ele- ments, Ave cannot comprehend these. God only knows fully the reasons that determine the length of life, or of otlicial distinction, in each man's case. Still, Ave are not Avholly in the dark in this matter, and may not unprofit- ^.JU ARM Alt. 8.1 give deve- ! ele- ; elc- nows or of e not )rofit- al)ly iT'st oil it fur a iiioinent. If a good man may ]h' s]i('('a(l one, M'e can imagine, or apincliend in some degree, tlie reason of the (livei>ity. \\ hen a good man dies pre- maturely (that is, ])i'ematurely in our view,) it is, either there is evil iiui»endiiig, or because theie are felidlies more exalted awaiting him. His early death is thus a kin-lness to him. Wnv his life })rolo!iged, unloolij;\li Lcforo ns wc; may not unsafely pro- nounce tliis as one of tlie causes of liis eaily removal. His son Asa was a better ruler tlian he, and ho, was put asi(l(! accoriliiii^dy. Asa was, indeed, far from the true standard. His career, instead of giowini,' in lu-i^ditness, became darkened towards the close. Still, it is said he ting reign. If Abijah's removal made way for a Ix'tter king, the suc- cessive deaths of all the merely human occupants of I)avid's throne have made way for a permanent and per- fect rulei'. There can be no altsoluti; perpetuity Avithout absolute rightt'ousness. David and Solomon rei'^ied long, l)Ut neither the one nor the other was fitted for per- jx'tuity. There has, however, arisen in that family one whose reign may not be measured by years nor yet by centuries. His name sh;dl last as long as the sun and the moon endure. You know to whom I i-efer. The angel in announcing His birth said of Him, " He shall l)e great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." The royalty of David teiniinates and abides on Him. He concentrates in Himself, and intensiiies the glory both of David's and Solomon's reigns. Nay, He rises to the spiritual and the divine, and accumi»lishes that in the universe, and in the si)irits of men, which David and Solomon accomplished only locally and typically. Humanity finds its ultimatum in Him. No higher development of human nature than that secured in Him is either possible or desirable. AIU.IAH. 85 Man's hi^'host t^lory is to be conformod to Him, and to be ruled by Him. Tlific i.s ab.soUite safety umb^r His trovci'imiciit, as well as absobite ex Ct'lIrlKM^ lllK b-r II IS lll- ibn'Mce : and tlii'n* is it'unioii and barniouy for the nations undrr His secptie. lit; is not simply Kin_<^ of tlie Jews, He is Kim; of saints ; and tliese are gathered fioni all nations, and kindreds, and peojilcs, and toni^iies. He is ;i lii^ht to lighten the (leiitiles, as well as tbc f^lnry of Clod's people l.-rael, and lu; cannot be supei'seded or set aside. Al)ijali must <;ive i>lace to Asa ; and Asa in bis turn nuist yield the throne to Jeho.shaphat ; and so of all the merely human sons of David— but Jesus, the son of David, and the divine oe('uj>ant of David's thi'one, yields to none ! He I'et.iius His dignity and authority throned) all ag(\s. He has neither successor nor rival ; and tlie nations will find rest and bope only as they yield themselves to bis rule. Tiiere is pleasure in ehan;^e, but there is also satisfn tion in permanence A succession of rulers has its advantages, so long as tbese riders are imperfect and un able to meet the wishes or the wants of their subjects ; but let a ruler arise wbo is absolutely perfect, and who is fully competent to meet all the claims and necessities of his government, then there is no longer need for change. There is nothing in that case to be gained by change, and oidy the unwise would wish it. The Perfect is necessarily permanent, even as the Imper- fect is necessarily tem[)()rary. Ibuice the removal of A])ijab and of all the sons of David until He came wh(jse rule is righteous, and whose administration is faultless. He can not \n', set aside : and it is not desirable that He should. He must reign until all His enemies are put under His feet. He can meet all the necessities of His goveruuu'ut and all the wants of His subjects. And these His subjects, enjoying even now all the satisfaction of a permanent and jierfect reigii, have no need to desire a change with view to governmental improvement. They already jiosscss in tbcir permanent King all that tliey can wish, or desire, or imagine of good, Hi ' rl]i -I il ?! l\ w^m 86 TMK DYNASTY OF DAVID. W Ifc rail deliver tliein fioni their spiritual adversaries, and sustain tliein ainiil tlnir carthlv trials, ile can defend tliein absdlutel}' and .save th' in eternally. His i,'overn- nient is all that suhjccts can wish — heini; lovini,', tender, cuniin'teMt, and wiso. He draws His suhjects within the circle of life and ])eace, presents theni to His Father with- cut spot, or wrinkle, or any such thiuL,', and hinds them to all that is hlissful, and pure, and rejoicini,', for ever. Tlieic is neither di'fect, shortcoming.;, nor for^etfulness iu His rule ; and His resources are inexhaustihle. There are ever )>erniauent and inexhaustihle reasons why His suhjects should j^doiy in Him, and C(»mfort themselves in tilt! th()Ui,dit of the per})etiiity of His thi'oue, and the ix'rfection of His character. The removal of such a ruler, well! such a thini; pos." Nay, It is lili>s npnii Miss — it is Miss in fact, liliss in inosjK'ct. aiul Miss in assured st cui'it y and coii- tiiinai.KM' I And this Miss tin? <;r<'at Sun of Havid ^ivcs and ,i,'uaianti'('s to tlmsc who yi"ld to llini as tiicir Kin,^'. lie leads tlieni, and nionlds then, to peitection, ami then (.■lianj;e in relation to them Iteconie. tot- i-ver nndesirahlt^ and unnecessary. Would you not \vi.>h to hcconn' tin' suhjeet of this Kin;^', it' you are not alrea ly so i Would you not wish to 1)L' in ju'eseni evil world, and cannot mount up with win;.;s as eaL;lrs toward the Perfect and thi! ^n(lyin^. Your oidy \\()\h' is in the divine Son (»f Havid. He is the livin;^ One, and His life is the Li.^ht of nnMi. IJecanse He lives, they who embrace the truth eoiu'ernini; Him shall live also, "(lodso loved the world, that He crave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life !" Ho only hath made an end of sin ! He. only can transform the nature ! He only hath opened th(^ gates of Pai'adiso for humanity ! And He oidy can .secure that pei-ff^ction of nature which fits for the enjoyments and e.\:ercis(.'s of Paradise ! Look to Him : Seek emancipation from sin through Him : Seek nnder Him to be perfect oven as your Father in heaven is perft^ct ; and then you shall find the perpetual ami inexhaustibh^ joys of divine love : and early death in that case, should it be so ordered, will bo early immortality. ^m . t IS ! r 1- . m * 88 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. H QUESTIONS ON ABIJAIT. What brief expression describes, or cliaracterizes, the reigii (jf tlie prince ] ITe " waxed great," it is said. What great achievement suggested this statement concerning liim i His victory over Jeroly.iam, Wliat was there remarkable in tliis victory I It was gained by an inferior general, with an inferior force, over a superior general with a vastly superior force. What was the character of Abijah's greatness notwithstand- Meteoric anil adventitious. How does this api)ear i By his subse(pient career, in which we find only what small men are e([ual to, wilhout any indication of super- ior [lower tn' superior wisdom, How did he follow up his success ] Just as the low-minded and self-centred would do : by increasing the nuud>er of his wives, and all'ecting great state and importance. How then do y(»u account for the victory I God had reasons for giving the victory to Abijah apart altogether from Abijah himself. Mention some of these reasons. The prayers of tlie pious in Israel — most of whom were in Abijah\s army : the safety of Jerusalem, which, for David's sake, might not at that time be wliolly ecli!)sed or subjugated : the interests of unborn generations — which were wrapp-ediip in the fanuly of David. Is it oouiinon for w.irriors to take considerations like these into account Avhen calculating the chances of war I Not at all, though these considerations substanHally (viz., Prayer and God's covenant purposes) still play a controlling part in human, and even in military, his- tory. If warriors were more fully enlightened as to the moral and providential government of God, would they attach as much importance to themselves as they often do I It is not bupposable that they would. Take Abijah us a m ABIJAII. 89 •■?i ■k f an example ; and see how little ho really was while he took (tn liim the airs of a ^roat conciueror. Had he heun more enliL^ditened ho could not have boon so in- flated. But wliat of Ahijah's piety ? We fear it will not bear examination. Like his great- ness, it was more apparent than real. What do you notice in tliis respect in his speech to Jero- boam I A want of honesty in relation to God's covenant with Daviil : a want of candour in relation to Jerobijam ; a want of spiritual perci![)tion in relation to divine W(n'- ship — and a hy[)ocritical profes.sion entirely at variance with his habits and character. What was there pciculiarly offensive in his pious talk ? It claimed for him as king of the sacred people the pro- tection of (Jod while ho was wholly unmiiulfnl of the claims of God on him as the occui)ant of that throne. How cam } it tint hiskuinvledge and his practice were at vari- ance ? He j'ielded hiuiself to proximate and fashionable influ- ences, and not to tho.se of Heaven. His knowledge of the divine ought to have controlled him, whereas tho idolatrous fashions of his contemporaries did so. Is this style of character not prevalent in our owa day ? Far too much so : many know the Gospel, but yield not tliemselves to its commanding influence : they sail with the world rather, And what is the unreasonable expectation of such when some crisis in their history arises I Like Abijali, the}'' look for the deliverances and consola- tions of that gospel which they have habitually disre- gai'ded in i)ractice. When is gospel-knowledge saving-knowledLre ? \\ hen it connuands the character, and breaks the habits of worldliness and sin. What should the young be taught to remember on this point ] That Chi'ist gave Himself for us, not merely ta enable us to talk ])i<»usly but to deliver us from the present evil world : and that "ve have true i)articipation with Him, only when divine knowledge controls ns and not the imgodly fashions of tho men among whom we live. How l(Mig did Abijah reign in Jerusalem I Only three years. 1 *: f \i ^^9^ 1; 90 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. Is early doath always dishonour or punishment ? ]Jy no means. Many of the best have been early removed. Do we know any reason why the good should sometimes die early / Yes ; when calamity is impending; they are in many cases taken away from the coming evil. Can you mention another i-^ason / Yes : the divine love toward tiiem. Their heavenly Father is in haste to introduce them to the felicities of His household Avlien important considerations prevent n(jt. But h(^w is it when wicked men are early removed ? They are removed in displeasure, and to make Avay in some cases for better men — as in the case of Abijah and Asa his son. A\'hat great truth is suggested by this law of removal and succession in the house of David i Its perpetual arrest in the case of the cro.vning Prince of that house : He hath neither successor nor rival. What makes thejierpetuity of His throne a blessing ? Its absolute righteousness and competency : The imper- fect cannot be permanent, while the absolutely perfect cannot be set aside. And what distinguishing-blessing does this pei^fect and abid- ing King of the Ikjusc of David confer upon His sub- jects / He confers perpetuity as well as onjoj's it. He gives unto His sheep eternal life — nxaking them joint heirs with Himself. And what should be the desire and laboiir of those who have such a faith and such a hope i Entire freedom from sin in all its forms, and over-in- creasing meekness for the inheritance that is immortal. What in general are the lessons taught by the story of Abijah I That there are unseen reasons for the decisions of Provi- dence, Avhich the proud and self-centred never dream of — reasons arising from the house and dynasty of David; in other words, from the cause of God in the earth : that piety is something than mere talk ; and that early death can be interpreted onij^ in connexion with character, and not always even by that : many social and provi- dential consideratioi\s alFect the (piestion in each case which Ave, in the meantime, can not perceive. ■jI V. ASA. " So Aliijah flt'pt with his fatliers, ami they l)urietl him in tli(> city of J)avi(l ; and Asa, his son, I'-.-iyned in his stead." II C'hion. xiv. I. HERE is a wide cirouinrcrencc of u^kno^vn ^^1^^ a.i;-(Micy l^'yoiid the hoi'izon of each iiulivi- ISfj-^ dual, be he Imiuhle or exalted. From this ^^ uiiknoAvn circumference dangc^r or difficulty may / spring up at any time. Usually, there is enough to perturl) and to exercise every man Avithin his own limited horizon ; but though all should bo serene and unthreatening within this line, Ave are not, therefore, to think ourselves secure. The ex- terior and unseen agencies may be pre])aring for, or actually executing evolutions, which may threaten or seriously com[>r()mise our safety or the safety of our friends, or even our own life, before another year has run its course. This, King Asa found in the early part of his reign. All within lus horizon seemed ])eaceful — was in- deed peaceful. Samaina was not in a condition to annoy him. Abijah, his father, had weakened the militaiy power of that people but a f(nv years before, at the great l)attle of Zemaraim. Jerol^oam, its warlike king, was now broken in spirit, if not actually dead. Tiie other neighbouring peoples were all quiescent. The political sky seemed wholly untrou1)led and peaceful all around ; and yet danger was near. A storm was gathering in the south, not yet visible on the horizon of Jerusalem, but destined ere long to break ovei' the saci'ed tei-ritory. Zerah, an Ethiopian conquc^ror, had already gatln-red, or was now gathering, a mighty army for aggressive pur- I i » ' • ,i ^!^^^" 92 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. H M posos. Soon reports of his approach, -with a million of soltliers and tlireo hundred chariots reach Kin,<( Asa, There was alarm in Jerusalem then, no (l()ul>t. Hastily, however, the youthful king collected his forces, and met the invader in the valley of Zephalhah. TIk^ conflict terminated in favour of the men of Judah, and the tio})le : and it was right in the eyes of the Holy One of Israel. Then, He sought to improve the peace which God had given him to strengthen his kingdom, and pre})are for possible contingencies : " He built fenced cities in Judah : for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years, because tlie Lord had given him rest. Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls and towers, and gates, and bais, while the land is yet before us." He knew the hostility of the house of Jeroboam, and he had not forgotten the eight hundred tluusand warriors that had been led against his father Abijah but a few years before. I'robably himself had taken part in the engagement on that occasion. He would provide as far as possible against the recurrence of such an invasion, by building fortified placets where he thought them likely to be most serviceable, for the protection of his own territory, or for holding his adversaries in check. He "Wouhl not wait for the tornado ; he would provide against it M'hile all was yet serene. Some monarchs ■would have given themselves to present enjoyment and display — leaving the future to take care f)f itself, but Asa Avas wiser: he looked to possibilities, and wished to be provided against them. Not only the ten tribes might f I \ ^«»H|P 94 THE DYNASTY OF DA\'li). a,i;ain invade Lis doniiiiioii, after a few more years had repaired tlieir resources ; but there were other enemies to Jeiusalem, and to tlie dynasty of David, r.ot very far away. lie Icnew not uliat nii^lit arise, and lie did not ^vi!5ll to l)e un])i'ej)are(h ^^']lile, tlierefore, lie made an end of idol-cdidces and idol-groves, Ik; ein])l()yed hi.aself further in increasing the fortifications of his kingdom. Xor was it long ere the Avisdom of this course was made appi'rent, though the danger came from an unex})ecteij;di cried not to God, hut left that to others, Avhile he ntteicd vaiintiiily to God Avhen Zerah, the Ethiopian, invaded his territory with an overwhelming force, lie listened to tJod^ by his prophet Azariah, and renewed the covenant with Heaven which his fathers had broken ; and he was imp;;r- tial and persistent in his reforming administration. Here is much to admire, and God looked on approvingly, and God gave him peace round about. AVith the exception of the invasion of Zerah, wdiich Avas permitted probably to test the siiicerity of his professed adherence to the good and the right, he had no wars for five and thirty years of his reign. All that time he was left free to en- gage in the pursuits of peace, to strengt-hen his kingdom; and to cultivate and extend the knowledge of the holy. It is wonderful, when we consider that these ages were the ages of conflict, and when we renu-mber that the ele- ments of conliict were numerous and active around him and his people, it is wonderful, I say, that he should have enjoyed so long a national repose. Eat God, the God of Israel, can hold the elements of dispeace and confusion in check when He sees meet, and so long as He sees meet. He secured forty years of peace to Solomon, and He almost repeated the same kindness to Asa. "When a man's ways please the Lord, and when a king's policy is in ac- cordance with the mind of the Most High, he can make the very stones of the earth be at peace Avith the one, and G f 11^ mm it b r : : I-^IW r 98 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. tlic tiubulont nations around to ho at peace with the other. 'I'lic distresses of war have a dee])er cause than t'le and)itions ot" men. God uses tiiese ainl)itions (without in any way approving of them) to punish or to scourge wlu're He sees need for punishment or for stripes. And so witii peace. Its l)k'ssings have a deeper cause than the poHcy or the ])0\ver of nations, (lo(l gives it when He would hless, or wlien he would prepaie agencies or imi)rovements for His ulterior purposes. It is well to seek i)eace, hut it is also well to rememher, that only (Jod can secure it. And it is well to escape from the horrors of war, but it is also well to rememher, that they have no right to ex])ect such escape whose ways are ])er- verse or disobedient in the presence of the Most High. So far our notice of Asa has been only pleasing, but tliat which follows is of a diiferent characti'r. There was inconsistency and serious faults, even with Asa. While we cannot but admire his decision, and the })eacefulness of the greater part of his reign, Ave are constrained to wonder and grieve over his later history. L>ut l)efore noticing this nuitter, we would remind you of the lesson which his history thus far furnishes. ^Ve too should be true to Heaven. If we live in days of unfaithfulness, we should resolutely return to the good ohl ways. The writ- ten woi'd is before us : and therein, the Living- Word is set forth in all the glory of His divinity, and in all the fulness of his grace. He is to us far more than David was to Israel. He is the centic of life, and the true JBe- 1 )ved of the upright. If Asa sought to bring back the days of David, we ought, in like mannei-, to fall back on t'le principles and the })Ui-poses of David's son and David's L )rd. We are not of the literal family of David, nor are Ave kings among men ; but, if truly believeis in Jesus, Ave belong to the family of God, and to the royalty of heaven. It is meet that Ave should be faithful and grateful as Avell. It is meet that Ave should repudiate all inferior and o[)posing authorities, and give ourselves Avholly and thoroughly to the obedience, and service, and imitation of our true King. It Avere as truly our honour to Avalk so, a r. ASA. 09 i. i as it was the hoiKtiir uf Asa to do that wliieli was ;4-oo(l and ri^dit in the eyes of the Lord. Society lias a perpe- tnal tenih/ncy to diift away tViiin the holy and the heavenly, and m'c slmnld ever he, (tnonr ^nard in relation to this tenih'ncy. We should hold last our profession, and the poculiai'ities thereof, without wavering, and that, spite of the ridicule, or the contrary fashions of the un- believing or the worldly. And it is thus that we may look for Inng peace and o]>portunity f(^)r heavenly impro- vement. In yielding to the fashions of the world, and in forgetting the divine and the immortal, wv. are in the way of di.speace, irritation, and disappointment ; but iii dwelling habitually by the living Temi)le, and desiring to sec and to be C(jnlbi'med to the beauty of the Lord, we are in the way of peace, and solace, and hope, and inelfabhi Joy. Trials we may have in this way, and in the mean- time, but consolations shall not be awanting — consolations apviroi)riatc, adecpiate, and sustaining ! What pity that Christians ar(; not more thoi'(nighly Christianised ! There cannot be I'ulnes's of divine consolation where there is not fulness and entireness of consecration. Be persuaded then, all ye who have caught a glimpse of the Truth, to seek, and to abide by the Lord, with all }'(>nr heart ans. wlitii l'>;iasliii liciinl it, tliat lie left dtl" liuiiiliii_,' (if llaiiiali. and let lii-i work ccast'. 'I'licii v\wa tin- Kill^' toiiU all .Imiaii ; ami tiny canifd away thi' Htoiifs of |{.miah, ami tlu' tiiiiliiT tlnrt'nf, wliiTiuith ISaasha was luiildiiiy : and liulmilt tlu'i'L'witli (Iclia and Mi/pc-h."'— xvi. 1-0. Jiistciid, y;i;i.slia soll^lit t(» ilijlll'c liilii. MS lie (lid wlicli Zcl'iili. the I'lt liiopiaii, ciiiiu' a;;aiii>t liini, he lirtnok liinisclt" to Lioii-hadad, \\'[u<^ of Syria, niid hrilx'd liini to invade tlio torritoi'ics of I'aaslia. The inoNciiifiit was successful, and Asa was relieved of liis advei'sary ; Imt what wuh tlie i'ev<'lation as to the state of Asa's heart i Why this : that he had foi'sakeii (1()<1 as his dejxndenceand })rotector. lie nii^ht still maintain the tonus of tlie tnu; wor.sliip, but lie had fallen lioni the life of jiiety. lie was no huij^cr strong' in faith, i;i\inL;' i^h'ry to (hid, Imt a niei'e worldly [)olitician. Jle no lon,i;er refericd himself and his kiiii;-dom to (lod, but took the burden of his safety .and of that of his kingdom upon himself. Jit; ])ut his own wisdom in the l)lace of divine Providence, and Avithheld from God an o|)])ortunity of shewing Himself .strong in the interests of his })('(. j)le. This had 'oeen veiy bad and very i)i'e- sum])tuous in any case, but it was six-cially so in tlu; case of Asa. Asa had already proved the faithfulness and the powered' (lod in the matter of the Ethiopian invasion. AVliy should he aaasha's in- vasion was not so serious as that of Zerab's, that Asa I'elt himself competent to deal with it without applying foi- divine help, and that he meant no dishonour to God by adopting appropriate means to checkmate the King of f M ASA. lOi Siiiniiriii. IJiit CJod liiin^fllMitl iiot \ ii-w llic iiiitlrr tliiis; Hciii his pi'opht't oil tlio occasion : '* AihI at that time I Ian. mi, the seer, cam*- to Asa, K'lw^ of .Imlali, and said nnto liini, Ix-causr tliou lia^t iclird on liic Kin;; of Syiia, and not on tlic liord thy < Jod, thiTcloic is t lie host of the Kinir of Sviia csciixmI ont of thine iiand. Were not tho Ktliiopian.s and the Lnltiins a ini^'c ln)st, with very many chai'iots and iiorscnicn i Vvt, Ix.'caust' tiiou didst icly on th'.' Lord, 111' (h-livcriMl thcnt into tldnc haml. I-'or thf ryes of th(! Lord iim to and IVo thinnudiont thf wlioh; earth, to siiow himself sti'on;^ in the hehalf of tlieni ^vilose lieart is perfect towai'd Him. Ileifin thou hast (h)ne foolishly : therefore, from hencefoilh tliou sh;dt havcf Avais." And what was the conduct of Asi under this )'el)roof? it was simply outrageous. Instead ot aeknow- ledging his error, and howing to tln^'eproof of Heaven, he flew into a I'age, ordcrcil tlio ])ropliet to prison, ami walkence and by prayer, so far as we know. David's piety shone Inight, as he neared the sepulchi'c, but Asa's lamp had gone out ere he I'eached the verge of the shadowy land. lie might find his way through the darkness, guidiid by an unseen and a a;(MU'rous hand, l)ut wv cannot sav that he did. Here, then is a <{uestion which we would do well to ponder. How came it that Asa, so distinguished for {)iety ami for pi'iuciple in the eai-ly years of his reign, became so self-wiUed and mistaken in the latter years of his reign '? ^Ve would be disposed to answer, that he sunk in character umk'r the inliuence of a long-continued ])eace. He forgot in some nieasure his de[)endence while Ood held back the agencies of amioyance ind danger. He lost sight of God as liis refuge because there was no enemy threatening him, or pressing upon him. A child, or young pei'sou, who ilees to his parent in danger, will sometimes forget that parent for long hours, or even for days, while all is sunny and un+hv.'itening around him. Thus we fancy it was wit!:. /vs~ T!ie dilhcultii's of the fii'st years of his reigr. ]\vi)[, Ids spirit tender, nnpresuming, ami wilHng to avail i'i;i.('lf of divine aid. Tht; invasion of Zerah, again was so alarming, that he could not deal with, it himself He mu.s;, seek the shelter of the Om..\,.-Lent Friend of Israel, o; !v' ovei'wiielmed. So long as dangers ])ressed upon hiui, he felt his need and acted accordingly ; but after twenty year^ of unbroken |)eace, he felt altogether other- wise. A great change had imperceptibly crepe over him during the quiet and untNjubleu years of prosj)erity. Ho iiad suidc into the rcgl<^n of ordinary and self regulating life. He felt no »!y have sunk into the ordinary style of thinking and feeling pr>n'alent in the world around them, ^sot that i)rosperity is unl'avonrable ta piety, if men were not so pi'one to self-dependence and creature-satisfaction. Prosperity is calculated to strengthen gratitude and animate piety, if only a sense of dependence can be retained ; bu' the sense of dependence becomes attenuated or overlaid Avhen peace and prosperity aliound, and then the meicies that ouu;ht to stimulate and nou isli piety only minister to self-conceit and self-dependence. A\'e would do well to take the warning that this sub- ject presents. Vse have had long peace and external comfort. Have these very great mercies inci'< a>ed our gratitude and devotedness to God] It ought to have been so. It is not by skill of ours, if the so'„ial elenicnts have been unperturbed around lis. It is not by power of .iL 1 ASA. lo; t ours, if tlieecarth luive Lroiiglit forth abiUKlantly for man and for beast. God Himself hath been working for us ; have we been grateful accordingly? Or have we not rather l)een — like Asa — unmindful of our benefactor, and dis- posed to take the credit of our cond'ort to ourselves, as Avell as to take the burchni of our safety into our own hands \ Beware of this mistake, ^^'e are all prone to it, and our peaceful, prosperous circumstances, in connexion with our disposition to forget God. have a powerful ten- dency in tiiat direction. S(H'k to walk on the high places of faith, and avoid the low-lying intricacies of mere human jjolicy. liefer yourselves to God in sunshine as well as in storm. If you call on him in danger, be not less sed- ulous to praise Ilim in prosperity ; and never assume that you are competent to manage your own atfairs without reference to your heavenly Friend. "In all your ways acknowledge Ilim, and lie will direct your steps !" In this, Asa failed in the latter years of his life, and by his failure we ought to be warned. Rut concerniuLC this kinir we notice : — HI. His shortconiinrj as a tijiie of l/ic true Kiu'j nf Jsrui'L lie reversed the order of excellence, and therel)y failed as a type of the excellent. He began well, but he ended unworthily. There was much in his long reign that miglit fitly foreshadow the Prince divine, but he marred it all by the concluding cha[)ters of his history. Like David, he was a victor in the eaiiy part of his reign, and like Solomon, he was a Prince of Peace during the greater part of his adnunistration. By the strength of (.Jod he conquered, and by the grace of God he enjoyed peace, but he yielded his hold of the strength of (rod in his latter years, and forfeited the peace of the divinely-approved. Instead of growing in faith and heavenly d(>i)ondence, he sunk to the arena of ordinary policy and self-dependence, as we ha\e seen. Instead of drawing nearer to God, he fell away from God. Instead of holding on in his upward path, he began toward the end of his i-eign to descend to the common l(;v(d of the ungodly and the unbelieving. 'ff-f \\\ t " \}\ lOG THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. And how far he sunk from loyalty and submission in the presonce of God appears by liis actually impiisonin^ii; the Pioi)het who was conimissiontHl to remonstrate with him for liis unwise course. His conscience must have told liim that the woi'ds of TIanani were the words of God, yet he dared to imprison the messenger of Heaven. Alas for Asa ! His history was inconsis! ent ! And wliat is worse, it ^nded in darkness ! He dishonoured himself, and ''M'oud(;d his claims to be a ty))e of the Holy. As a mem .• (.♦^"tVi*- royal and coni-en'ated house of David, he on<4liu J . vc foreshadowed his j^r.-at descendant ; but, like mauj ■ 'lers of that family, he walked unwisely, and f(»rrt'ited this honour. The true Prince of Israel and crowning sou of David made no stej) liackward. He lieM on His way, — his up- ward way — and was never found sinking to conformity with the unbelieving and disobedient. His path was the ])ath of the just ; and the path of the just is as the shining light wliich shineth more and mort; unto the perfect day. Of Him his forerunner declare*!, " He must increase." There is nothing without Himself that can effectually arrest His ]irogress : and there is no weakness or iitfnl- lU'ss in His own nature to turn Him aside, or to draw Him downwards. He is firm to His ])urpose, and unde- clining in his progress. Very unlike in this, not only to His })rogenitor Asa, Init to very many of the sons of men, and veiy many of the great ones of earth. They begin well, but they end in gloom or despair. Th(\y mean to hold an ascending course, but hindrances or tem]itations arise, and they sink from their former selves. New cir- cumstances present new prospects, and fornuu' pur]>oses are forgotten. They are deflected from tludr course, and they terminate their race of life far away from, or far be- neath, their original goal. Adam in Paradise began W(dl, and y()u know how he ended. KiugtSa'd l)egan well, and you know how he ended. And so with myriads besides. It is far otherwise with jMessiali, the son of David and son of God. He never goes backward, as I have said, and He Uijvergoes downward. He holds on His unhesita- ASA. 107 11, tiny and lUKlcik'cliiig way. See Him in His liiiinan his- tory : His first roconled utterance is, " Wist ye not that I must be a1)out my Fathei-'s bu.siness," and one of His latest is, " Father, if thou wilt, let this eu[) j)ass from me : nevertheless, not my -will hut Thine be done I" Though straitened unutterably to meet His l)iiptism, He set His face as a flint to go up to Jeiiistilcm whcrr II(> nuist experience and fulfil it. Darkness indeed gathered around His closing hours, but it was not the darkness of unfaithfulness or merited disluuiour. His fidelity and devotodness only became the more manifest and the more illustrious by I'eason of tlie clouds that wrapped I lis cross. He submitted to ignonuny and crucifixion, but His path was still onward and u|)ward : and so faithful and so unfaltering were His ascending ste))s that His Father smiled on His progress, set Him at His own right hand, and gave Him to be; Head over all things to His Church. And His work is still onward. Hntlironed, and honoured beyinid thought, and Avrapped in the peace of the heavenly and unperturbed Paradise of ( Jod, and that for long ages, He still seeks the honour of His Father, the down-i)utting of rebellion, and the recovei-y of the lost. Prosperity and peace have not vitiated Him, nor caused llim to forget the consistencies or the; pro- jirieties of His position. His excellence, as His glory, is unclouded, aud He nuist reign till all His enemies are put under His feet. Asa ouiiht to have foreshadoweil ami symbolized tins persistent and alI-con((ueiiiig goodness ; but he failed to do so ; and he thereby darkened his place among the sacred ancestois of the great King. Thoiigha better Prince than either his father, Abijah, or his gi'and- father, — Pehoboam, he is still of little accou!it in the esti- mation of the successive 'fenerations of th" children of God. Had he filled his ty[)ical place ai'ight, he W(juld have been honoured aud celebrated through long ages ; but, because he proved unfaithful aad inconsistent, liis name is barely remembered, and but little estcmed among the loval ones of heaven ! Let Christians be reminded by this of an essentuu B! ) I'' f ft -T' 108 Tin; DVNASTV 01" I)A\TJ>. cluiracterihitic of true faith. It is meant to Ije, and oiiL;lit to Le, progressive and ascending. It Avas so in the Head : it is meant to V)e so in tht; members. Tlic right- eous hohls on his way, and he that hath clean hands grows stronger and strong.;r. "We are made partakers with Clirist, if we hohl fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end." It will not do to stop half way in the Christian ]Hlgrimage and still expect the crown of fidelity. It will nut do to follow the divine Leader half way through the wilderness and then return to Egypt. AVe cannot in that case expect to reach the Inheritance. Vio ''Hist abide by the tents of the pilgrim-people— we 11.11 -t continue to follow the divine Shepherd of Israel — we must keep on the high ridges of faith and godliness — (p. ' sir' 't g to the lowdying-region of human policy and seU-deprndence) — if we would enjoy an abundant entrance into the heavenly kingdom — nay, we must not only keep by the footsteps of the flock, we must also add virtue to virtue, as M'ell as grow stronger and stronger in every virtue, if we would prove ourselves the heirs of glory, and the children of God. It is not by indolence, nor yet by inconsistency, that tlic heavenly prize is to be won. Paul l)ressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ; and he urges diligence and per- sistency on the disciples ; " Be not slothful (says he) but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit tlu! promises." " Let us labour, (he says again) lest, a l)r()misc being left us of entering into rest, any of us should even seem to come short of it." We must not only begin well, we must also end well. AVe must not only begin in the spirit, but we must also Avalk in the spirit: and we must aliide therein to the last. "On- ward !" must be our motto continually, if we would not be of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them who believe to the saving of the soul. And need I remind you that there is that in the divine life which necessitates advancement and development. The labour of the faithful, therefore, will not be in vain. Life is not a stagnant thing in any case : eminently, the II "«sr ASA. 100 'g it, a us not not the On- not loni (livinc! life is potent and progressive, lie who Ix'gins a good work in any heart will carry it on unto tlie day of Christ. Without relieving the ])arty from respousil)ility and diligence, the divine life in the heart is essentially a trunni)hant and controlling thing. It is not to Ik- pcr- niaiu'utly quenched or overborne. licstrained — or shrouded it may be for a tinu", but, when genuine, it wUl conf|uer and subordinate all to itself at last. Be diligent then, ye who have entered on this heavenly life, and Aveary not. Your laljour shall not be in vain. You hibour in a line with the operations of divinity. It is (Jod who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good })leasure. Oidy wait on the Lord, whether in peril or in ])eac(% and, instead of making the mistake of Asa, you shall renew your strength, and mount up with wings as eagles. You sludl run, and not bo weary. You shall walk, and not faint. jNIeantime, work and watch, and be warned of tlie danger to spirituality in. lung-continued peace and prosperity. If you feel drowsiness creeping over you in relation to divine things, hasten to the throne of glace, and seek power to shake yourselves free of the; enchantment: or, if you feel a S})irit of self de))endence stealing over you, pray that the spell may be broken, and that you may not be left to a misplaced confidence, ^'imr help is in (lod, and you must seek it there. In oiii' wold, you must seek to gr(j\\' in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, it is by grtnvtii in the heavenly lite that the princi[)les of a nu'icly earthly liie will be weakened or diminished with- in \du. And it is bv enlarged knowledge of the divine lledeenier that faith will be strengthened, and a return to men; human policy or cieature-dt'pendence will be- come with you less and less possible. If you can o ily AYID. Like Asca, then, in tli(^ cai'ly part of his reign, see that you fall back njion the divine standards, and let your hand b>3 perfect in tiiis respect all the days of your life ! But, unlike Asa, let not [jrosperity beguile you of your faith, or cause you to forget y(Hir divine dependence. He fell short as a Type of Messiah. See that you fall not short as disciples of the great and divine Instructor and Chief. If yUKSTlOXS ON ASA. Wliat was the character of the greater part of this roign i Faithfulness and Peace. How did Asa regard the fashionable idolatry of his time ? AN'ith uncoinprounsing hostility. How did lu. employ the peace vouchsafed him I In diligent preparations f(jr possible invasion. Dwelling amid tlie hostile and the unscrupulous, he knew not how soon he might be summoned to conflict. Did events speedily justify his preparations ? Yes ; Zerah, the Ethiopian, came against him with a host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots. How did Asa conduct himself under this visitation { He l!•' 1>.V\II). :li at tlic sjuiie time the l)urclcu and the responsibility of their own safety. IIow docs Asa stand as a typo of the trne King of Israel I He reversed the order of excellenee, and thereby full short of the honour ; he began well, but ended unworthily; ■whereas true goodness grows better and butter. "What is the truth concerning the crowning Son of David in this res])ect ? His path is that of the just ; it shone more and more unto the i)crfect day. His crueitixion but gave occasion for its richer and fuller display. And what is the fact concerning His true disciiiles and follow- ers, generally speaking ( They go from strength still onward unto strength. ]}ut does the divine life in the heart of the ()uliever not admit of retrogression ? Not permanent tjr final. He who begins this good work will carry it on to the day of Christ. AVhat then ought to be the appropriate desire and aim of every true Christian ? To grow in grace, and in. Christian knowledge and exper- ience. And how is it with those who thus grow in grace and Christian exi^erience in relation to human policy or creature- dependence ? They become more and nu)re estranged from these, and more and more fraught with the divine. Instead of des- cending to the earth with Asa, they ascend to the heav- enly with the triumphant and the immortal. What, in few words, are the lessons Avhich the reign of Asa teaches I That prosperity is not the natural ally of piety. ■> That continued prosperity is dangerous to natures that are not yet perfect, — cud That true excellence is necessarily progressive. 41; of .ll'O IV. JEIIOSIIAPHAT. And tlio'TiOnl was witli Ji'liosliapliat, because he walked In I the first ways of his father, David, anil soni^dit not nnti> I'aa- / lim : hut .S(niL,'ht to the Lord (Jnd (if his father, and walked in His eonmiandTnents, and Udt after the d^lia])lKit, his son, riso.^ ill splendour. There is no hesitiincy or un- certainty in the. decisions of tiie youthful He. has no afliiiity with Baalim : lie gives himself wholly to the Lord Clod of his fatlu'is. IIo walks in the first ways of David, and his heart is lifted up ill the ways of the Lord. There is elasti- city ill his })iety, and buoyant gladness. While others grope in wrong ways, or go heavily in right ones, Jehoshaphat .soars upward with wings as an eagle, and hears rejoicingly onward toward the faulth'ss and the true. We wonder at the sound of his wings, and at the grace of Heaven bestowed U])oii him. " The Lord established his kingdom : All Judah brouglit him presents, he had riches and ^ honour in abundance, and his heart was lifted ii[) in the ways of the Lord." This was a noble beginnir.g : And 0, In -^ i. had been well if his circumspi^ctioii had been erpial to his zeal. Had he been as careful to shelter his family from evil iii- tluences as he was anxious to have his sul)jects insti ucLcmI in the divine law, the fortunes of his house and of his kingdom would have been very ddFeinrnt from what they were. He failed, as we shall see, in strict attention to that very law which he was so earnest to have promul- gated throughout his dominions, and thus allowed Sama- ria to conquer Judah in a way that brought utter cou- K ji ItHt m 9 ! \ 11 1 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. fusion on his family as \w\\ as on liis realm. What Jorolioam cm mid not do uitli eight hnndrod thousand men, that Ahab did uilh one fascinating daughter ! It is dillidom, noi abide by oiders. If men as Jehoshaidiat and Solomon erred by such oAtisight, what may be expected from less eidightened ami less devoted men ? In noticing more particularly the story of Jehoshajihat, we shall call your attention to — his solicitude in peace — his refuge in trouble — and his weakness and want of dis- c.'imination in the matter of character and companion- ship. 1. JU^ solicitude in -peace. That was tbe enlightenment and piety of his subjects. He did not neglect subordinate matters. He cared for defence, and was active in matters of improvement and larger social accommodations. " He strengthened himself against Israel, and he })laced forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the hand of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim." Besides, " he built in Judah castles, and cities of stone ; and he had much business in the cities of Judah." He neglected nothing which a prudent ruler generally attends to, with a view to the I il JKlIOSH.'/rU'. lin iiccs the t men fisight, ibjects. red for it and limself cities nd in iJudali ess in lich a the safety and Avell-heing of liis suhjects ; but lie did not re->t in material good. He aimed at something iiigher ut the same time. He wished, along with the safety of his sul)- jects, for their enlightenment : and he songlit, together with social improvement, the more general recognition on the part of the people of the laws and claims of God. With this view, he appointed a commission to perambu- late the country under his 8way, and to teach every where the people concerning and out of the law of the Lord : — " It) the thinl year of liis reign lie sent to his princes, oven to Ben-hail, and to Ohadiah, ami to Zechariaii, and to Xa- thaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the citifs of .Indah. And with tliem he sent Levite!<, even Shetnaiali, and Na- thaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Sheiniramotli, and .lehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tohijah, and Tob-adonijah, Lcvites : and with them 'linham and ilehorani, priests, Ard they taught in Judali, and had tlie book, of the liord with them, and went alxuit throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people." — 7-l>. Now, this was at once, wise, becoming, and most season- able at the time. It was ivise — even though he sought nothing higher than the unity and coherence of his kingdom. To teach the people the law of the Lord was to teach them at the same time their own miraculous history as a nation. The law was given by IMoses, and given to them as the descendants of Abraham. Moses brought their fathers out of Egypt, and to Mount Sinai, that they might receive it. Moses led them through the wilderness besides, and l)y a pillar of cloud and tire, and preparod the way for Joshua who settled them in Canaan. And Moses had left a promise of another prophet to arise among them like unto himself — only more potent and more glorious — who should give a higher freedom, and conduct to a })urer inheritance. Now, what more suited to inspire patriotism and national sentiment than to be reminded of these things 1 God had not dealt so with any other people. Their history had been peculiar and illustrious, and the knowledge and remembrance of this was fitted to keep them true to their national institutions, and to . u no THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. I.' prevent their mingling lliemselves np with the less hon- oured nations around them. The more clearly they saw the peculiarities of their law and theii- national history, and the moi'e fully they apprehended the claims of Him who had chosen and watched over them, the more likely were they to abide l)y their national standards. In short, to teach them the law was to bind them to the Temple at Jerusalem ; and to bind them to the Temple at Jeru- salem was to bind them to the throne of David, now oc- cupied by Jehoshaphat himself It was wise then in him to teach the people the law. And there was the more need for it, since the ten neighbouring and revolted tribes were now far gone in a})proximation to heathen- ism. Already Ahab had brought Jezebel to Samaria, and with her the wickedness of Baal-worship. AMiat moi'e likely than that the errors of the conterminous Israelites niii-ht infect the men of Judah 1 What more likely than that the sultjects of Jehoshaphat might inter- marry and have interconnnunion Avith the subjects of Ahab, and thus the Temi)le-serviees would be forsaken, and the throne of Jehoshaphat proj)ortionally weakened 1 We know how easy it is for the privileged to foiget their })rivileges, and to yield themselves to the debasements of the ungodly and idolatrous. Nay, we know, that this l)rocess is inevitable if there be not watchfulness and ear- nest adherence to the truth. Was it not wise then, even on the score of policy, that Jehoshaphat should cause his subj(>cts to be instructed in the law of the Lord. This indeed was bettcu' far than all material defences. It was his most potent weapon against the inroads of the ten tribes. Had he neglected this, and allowed his people to forget the law of the Lord, the errors of Israel under Ahab Avould have suljdued Judah more effectually than many armies. The possession of the law of the Lord was the grand distinction of his government, andtheknowledge of that law by his people, and their enlightened obe- dience to it, was his l)est security for their unity, and loy- alty, and fidelity. It Avas wise in Jehoshaphat therefore, to send commissioners through all his territory to teach •U 'W JEIIOSIIAniAT. 117 U>(^ 111!* This t was ic ten )le to under y than cl was wU'dgc I ube- a by- Tc'fure, teach ! and to enforce their natural peculiarities. AVithout neglect- ing tlie material defences of his kingdom, its best defence Avas the general knowledge and reception of the law of the Lord. But, even apart from policy — It was hccoming in Jehoshaphat to cause the law of tl)(» Lord to be taught to his subjects. His people were a sacred people, and his throne was a sacred throne. His people had been ])laced in Canaan that they might keep tlie law of the Lord, and he had been placed on the throne to see that they kept the same law ; or, at any rate, to see that they had an opportunity to know and keep it. It was his duty to banish and jjut down idolatrous shrines from and in his territory : and, when he did so, it was but meet that ho should attend to the claims of God's law. It had l)een but imperfe(;t servic(; to :'^emove the evil without l)ringing into i)i"ominence the good : and it had 1)eeu to little purpos(! to do the one without doing the other as well. A\'ithout the good, the evil would have re-appeared forthwith ii: sonu; new shajie. When, therefore he took away the high places and tlu^ groves (as it is reported he did), it was only carrying out his ini})ortant undertaking to send commissioners forth to testify concerningthe claims of God's law, and to sum- nu»n the people to the worship of the true God. Besides, ho thus became a true Kim; of the house of David, and a ty[)e of the coming Prince in whom the glory of that house was to centre and remain. The divine Scui of David, seated on the throne of David, and ruling over the house of Jacol) forever, sc-nds forth messengers atvl commissioners ps it were f(n' the eidight- enment of the world. From age to age he renews these messengers, and, testifying by them of the grace of God, tiu'us the attention of men anew and continually to tlu^ law of the Lord. lie would turn men from iuiipiity : He Avould disenchant them of error ; He would draw them around the tiue temple of the true God, and He would thus deliver them from the evils of estiangement from heaven, and secure for them the delights and the stabilities of the Goddoved and the God-sheltered. And (oitf ' \ ■ 1 1\ '■V : I 118 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID, m this is just what Jehoshaphat did in his day on the small and typical arena on which he moved. He thns fore- shadowed, in so far, the great Teacher of nations, and the King of saints. He, like David and Solomon, was thus the type of Messiah — David by his victories, Solomon by his temple-building, and Jehoshaphat by his labours for the enlightenment of the people ! It v"* becoming then, on the part of Jehoshaphat, both as a ,ng of the sacred people, and as a prince of the typical liouse of David, to send forth, and throughout his kingdom, commissioners and agents, to teach the people the law of the Lord, and to enforce the claims of that law. But it was seasonable as well :— Seasonable, I say, and necessary even, in the light of the reigns that preceded his. These preceding reigns had given great advantage to error, and the people had fallen back from the habits and usages of the times of David and the earlj' years of Solomon. To say nothing of the latter years of Solomon, we know that the reign of Rehoboam was almost wholly in favour of idolatry. So Avith that of Abijah : and if Asa's had been of a better complexion, it was rather ne- gatively good than positively so. He took away the Sodomites out of the land, and he brought dedicated things into the temple, but we hear of no positive efforts on his part at public instruction. The Levites, no doubt, had fallen from their duties as public instructors during the reigns of Reholioam and Abijah, and we know not that Asa did anything to bring them up again to their appropriate service. The probability is, that they had become themselves unable to instruct the people in the law of the Lord. They had allowed that law to fall into forgetfulness — themselves had forgotten it — and Judah was in effect without instructors. It was needful there- fore, specially needful, that Jehoshaphat should adopt some unusual means for the purpose of meeting the cir- cumstances. Had the Levites, scattered through the ter- ritory, been competent for the work, the King would liave found it enough to issue orders to these parties ; but because they were unable to meet the crisis, Jehosha- \l le, how enlightened, and how devout, his prayer was. He said : — " O Lord God of our father.^, ai'tnot Thou fJod in lioavcii? u Kiiii,' flehosliaiiliat, tliussaith tlie J.ord unto yon, I'e not afraid nor disniayed liy reason of tin.s icreat nuilti- tnde ; for the battle is not your's, but (rod's. 'I'o-nioi'row ^o ye down a,:,'aiiist tliein : behold, they cfuue up by the elilf of Ziz : and ye shnll find them at the end of the biook, before tlie wilder- ness of Jaruel. Yo shall not need to ti.urht in this battle : set yourselves, stand ye still, i'nd see the salvation of the L n'd with you, O Judali and Jerusaletn : fear not, nor bi; disniayed ; to- morrow go out against them : for the Lord will be with you." And the deliverance occurred accordingly — Jeliosliaphat and his jieoph; went out against their ^.nemies: they went out in faith, and with the voice of song and grate- I'ul worship. Weapons they needed none, for the advanc- ing enemies became their own executioners. Amnion and Moalj turned their swords against each other : and Jeliosliaphat and the men of Judah, instead of sinking before their numerous foes, had only to gather the spoil of their slain enemies. And so great was the spoil to be gathered, of jewels and i)recious things, that it took them three days to gather it. '• On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of IJeraehah : for there they blessed the Lord : therefore the name of the same place was called the valley of Berachah unto this day." " And they came to Jerusalem with psaltery, and harps, and trum])ets, unto the house of the Tj(n'd." They bad called on God in trouble : (iod had delivered them : and they now gioriiied Him I Here you Avill observe, that Jeliosliaphat and his people, in this resort to God, Avere only acting out the jiroprieties of their position as Israelites. Only think how Jacob, the father of the tribes, came to be called Israel : — It was because of his urgency and success in prayer : " thy name (said the mysterious and divine visi- tor) shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel : for, as a i 1'^ ) 12G THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed." And what is implied in the extension of this name to the descendants of Jacob if it be not, that they should all be men of prayer ? The tribes of Israel means, the tribes of the prayerful — the tribes of the powerful in prayer — the tribes of God, having their strength and refuge with tlu; Eternal — the tribes to whom God has drawn near, and whose privilege it is, to wrestle with Him in their distresses, and to find the deliverance or the shelter which they need! Thus Jeho- shaphat and his subjects, as children of Israel, availed themselves of their privilege, and found the value and comfort of that privilege. And still more particularly in the case of Jehoshaphat Avas it becominn; in him to draw niy the incarnation of His Son, He liath condescended to become cognizable, acceptable, detainable, and impressible by urgency and felt need. To the unbelieving, who by the way are not of Israel, He is still hidden, inacccssil)le, and intangible ; but to the believing, who constitute the spiritual Israel, He is ever near and approachable. Holding by His living robe, even by His incarnate Son, they can tell their troubles, or their terrors, and find the sympathy or the deliverance they need : " God is a refuge for them, a very present help in trouble." Their enemies may be mighty, but they have a mightier friend. Their weakr.ess may be great, but they have an adequate support. Tlu^ floods may descend, and the winds may blow, but their Kefuge can neither be invaded nor swept away. More particularly still, they belong to the I'oyal house of the divine David — the Beloved of the Eternal : and God hath made a covenant with their great Kepresentative \U m ii:! f i : i i ' 1 ill 128 THE DYNASTY OF D.VVlD. A and Cliit'f: ami tiny arn indiidod in tliat covenant. Tliat covciiMiit is ordt'i'cil in all things, an privilege : and daily they giv(! them- .selves to it. They canutjt live witlujut it, and their standim;; orders arc in accordance with the necessities of their being. They aio directed to pray without ceasing. They are i)ermitted to ask what they will : and they are assured that their prayers shall not go unregarers of the lioiise of David). Y.m see tlie liappiiies- of Jehosliajjhat as a son of the prayerful. Vou see liis hai>piness too as a member of the sacred, royal, covenanted hou.se of David. God interj)o.ses for him. God hears his prayer, scatters his enemies, fills him with joy, and enriches him and his concurring' subjects witlisj)()il ! Are you, as thej)ro- fesied members of tiie si)iritual Israel, and the followers and represented ones of the Beloved Mediator, are you using, improving, and enjoying your privilege of acce.ss and communion with the Eternal I Are you laying hold of His ''r.be daily, and nrging your want.s ujton His atten- tion continw I'y 1 You need to do it. Your spiritual adversaries ire mighty and subtle. You cannot yourself conquer them. ^«^iy, you cannot stand before them. Jchoshaphat could not have resisted thtile and deiiiading service. It is almost incredible ; Jehoshaiihat, who had ])i('j)ared his heart to sei'k the Lord, and who was so zealous foi' the instruction and ])ietv of his peojile, this sjiUie Jt hosh;.ph;il miti<:rnig in the I'cstn itit's of the eoiiit oi' Ahab and Jezebel with- ctut bcniple and without piotest ' l!ut even this is not al). Ahab is involved in war, and what does Jehosha- % JEHOSHAPHAT. 131 phat do but identify himself and his people with Ahab and his people. When asked to assist in the war, his immediate answer is, " I am as thou art ; and my people as thy people ; and we will be with thee in the war." Nay, still fai'ther, when Ahab's idolatrous prophets said one thing, and a true prophet said the contrary, Jeliosha- })hat actually yielded to the false and disregarded the true ! Foolish and infatuated Jehoshaphat, we would How are we to explain all this inconsistency 1 I can see no other explanation of it but either extreme weakness or uiiworfhtj polici/. It was not for Avant of zeal for God, for he was zealou^' ; nor could it be for want of know- ledge, for he knew the law. He who was so anxious for the instruction of his people in the law of the Lord, no doubt himself read that law. And he must have known that idolatrous marriaL'es for the sons and (laughters of the sacred people, and idolatrous conviviiilities, and idolatrous alliances, were wholly against the mind and will of God. Why then did he act so 1 It might be as a matter of policy. He might fanc}- that thereby he would brniir back to his family the ten revolted tribes. He might sui)pose that the two houses of Samaria and Jeru salem being once united in marriage, the chapter of ac- cidents, or the providence of God, would remove any re- maining obstacles to the reunion of the tribes. Aiul the thought was good enough. It was desiraV)le, so far as human views went, that the tribes should lie re-united, l)ut how could he think to gain a right end by disolx'di- ence, or by improper means 'I If he did, he was most childish and mistaken in his views. The means must be in harmony with the end, if a good end is to be truly and satisfactorily gained. But we do not tlii.ik this is the explanation of .Jehoshaphat's very foolish and inconsistent conduct. "We ^Mther attribute that conduct to weakness, and what the world would call '' amiable yielding." We le. Aye, and it is thus in fainilic'S, even where God's word is accessible, when that word is habitually neglected or set aside. Alas for the young, whose start in this important life of earth is so shroudeil auil so inauspicious ! But it was n(jt thus with Jehoram, the son of Jehosha- phat. The circumstances of his early life were not un favourable to his making a right choice and i)ursuing a wise course. The very contrary was the fact. ITe had every external inducement aud assistance m the direction of the right that any on^ could wish. He knew the right, and his circumstances were not only favourable for entering upon it, and pursuing it, but were all but irresis- tible in pressing him unto it. Notice some of the circumstances : — First. — His father was a good man. Flis fiither not only did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, but, it is said, the Lord was with him, aud his heart was $ -i ;|i- i'..|i ■& t f 140 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. lifted up in the ways of the Lord. And he lahoiired for the enliti;liteMnu!iit of his j>e()))le. He setit commissioners through l.is territory to teach tlie hiwcjfthe Lord. Nay, he went liimself from lieersheba to Mount Kpliraim, to brin<^ back the people to tlie CJod of their fathers. While othei' kin^s mak(! royal })ro<^resses through thcii' kingdoms to display their grandeui', or for political pnrposes, Jehoshaphat went thi'ough his kingdom as a missionary from Heaven — [)repared to use his royal influence in the interests of the God of Israel. And the conduct on the part of the king decidt'd, for the time being, the com- plexion of society in Jmlah. Now, Jehoramwas a youth then, and what more natural than that he should take impression from the character of his father, and fj-oni the fashion of his father's couit ? Was it anything oth(;r than might l)e expected, if he gave attention to the law of the Lord so (sarnestly urged upon the attention of the nation 1 The children of the contempoi'ary couit (^f Alial) and Jezebel gave favourable attention to the lites and practices countenanced by tlu'ir ])arents. ^^ hy then should not Jehoram give favoural)le attention to the rites and written laws countenanced by his father ? A youth's course or convictions, we know, are not to be overborne by th<^ faith of his parent ; but the faith of a parent is entitled to examination because it is the faith of a parent; and if, on examination, it l)e found in acct)r(lanc(^ with right and righteousness, it beconu's only the more obliga- tory for being the faith of a parent. The son of Ahab might, with reason, have dissented from the religion of his father had he been better informed ; but the son of Jehoshaphat could not lightly dissent from the religion of his father, because no information could make it false. It was ani])ly authenticated, and had been over and over again vindicatetl against all rival or opposing claims. Jehoram, therefore, Avas not swayed in the right direction by the faith of his father, and by the fashion of his father's court, but he was also under obligation to adopt a religion so recommended and so vindicated. But — Secondly. — This Prince belonged to a sacred and fav- JEHORAM. 141 oured nation. Tho ,'inopstors of liis people had been specially cared tor, specially deliven-d, — specially watched ovej-, and specially located. Tin' Mighty One that claim- ed their allt'^iaucc, and that had intfiposed so etlectually on their behalf, had shown and evidenced JJis divine and sn])renie excellences over and over aj^ain in their history. He had made it exidcnt, that there was no ])ower or an- thority like to His power and authority — that, in short, He was the tnu; and only living (lod, who made the heavens and the earth, an(l wdio sustained and coiiti'olled all things. And this JehoraTn knew. The knowledge of the law which \w certairdy possesse(l involved the know- ledge of (Jod's interpositions on behalf of His people : — for that law was set, as it were, in a historic frame, and could be stmlied and known only in connexion with the miraculous and gracious history of which it formed a pai't. Yes, Jelioram knew that there was no (iod like to the God (^f Israel, and this knowledge ])ou)id him to the ser- vice of that God. Oljedience is not a matter of fancy or caprice. It is a matter of evidence. Reason must bow to fact and eviilence, or, declining sulijection, it must take the consequences. Jehoram theivfore was bonnd in reason toacce})t the authority which had proved itself to l)e snpreme. He was, in effect, constrained to walk in the way of obedience and heavenly wisdom, though the constraint was of such a nature as to admit of resistance if he so determined. His father's character, and the fash- ion of the times under his father's influence, and the knowledge of the truth which he possessed, left him no choice, but that of wilfulness in opposition to the claims of the true God. Then, still further to shoAv his obligations : — T/iirdl)/. — He was a Prince of the house of David, and a special covenant guaranteed per})etuity and glory to that house ; in connexion, of course, with loyalty and sul)ordination on the part of its members. Here then was personal and dynastic inducement added to general and national considerations. Hew could Jehoram bring himself to disregard the honours c»f his house, as well as i; '■'f f, . .; i ' PI! ■ 1 * ■ ,t 1 !i;!iill ._!_. ^ um I'l 142 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. the propriotios of his nation 1 "We cannot say, unloss it wcw t,li;it, like .Vhijiih, iii> LTifat-i^fainU'ithiT, ht^ tnoiii^ht to hoM (J(»'l to tilt' cMVcuiiiit Mi:ulf with D.ivitl, whilt^ ho hiiii.st'lt' took tho lih.-rty of cli8i'('L^,u' iiMilcr ohhj^.itiori to att^Mid to that covcJiant ; and thi.s very ohhi^atior^ to;,'('riit'j' with tlie covenant from Avdiich it s|niuiLC, fin iiishi'd t'lutlier favourahlc inrtr.-'iicos to a ri,ii;ht coiii'sc in his cax-. And thci't' were otht-r consideration'^ und circumstances afFcftin^ iiim — all caloidate I to ilrterinine him to take the right cniifsf as a I'ation il b(Miig and an accountahh' and favonrcd Prince. This for fxainph' : Ifcdwclt under the shadow nf ih.' magniticcnt 'rfUiplc of Solomon, and he cannot he suppost'd to iiav«* been ignorant of the character and career of that distinguished ruler. Ffo must hav(3 lieartl of Solomon s glory, aiul of Solomon's mistakes, and of Solomon's dishonour. He must liave heard tiie reason of the dismendx-rment of Solomon's kingdom. Had Sidomon onlv Ix^en faithful, and the in- tervening kings also faithful, dehoram kiu'w that himself would have i"igned over all the twt'lve tribes of Isi'ael, and not l)een »■ udined to the government of two. But SolonK)n was u'd'aitiiful, and lJehol)oam unwise, and therefore the patrimony of the house of David was cur- tailed. A\'as this not further reason, besides the reasons ali'eady nu'Utioned, why d^'horam should have given him- self tiuly to the service of God ? Fuither disobedience might bring further curtailment; while attention and obedience wt)uld bring stability to what of good and glory remained, if not expansion of authority and retui'n to happiiu- fortunes. One would think interest alone, ajiart from gratitude and worshipful love, would have bound Jeluuam to the throne of God, and kept him from the unpr(»litable service of idols. Sill fui'ther, he had seen the refuge and deliverance of his father when imatled ))ythe eiunbined i'oi'ce of Anuuon, and Moab, and Mount Seir. He knew how Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord when the danger was re- ported to him, and how he proclaimed a fast, and how he ^r* ■p* JEIIORAM. 143 prnyod in tho miil-;t of tho pooplo, jiirl how ho vrn.% cn- C'MiiML;t'il)ility of .lelmvah. One othei' fact may he mentioned — showing liow many wove tlH> circumstances surroundm u' hit 11, and constrainincr liiin, to (h'termine right, and to at>i(h' hy his (h'termina- tion. No more were nee(h'd than those aireadv m en- tioned,hutmore were aihled. 1 fere is the one I speciall\' lo- fer to ; he was contempojary with tiie pro[>liet.s Elijah and Elisha, and he mii>t have heard tell of tii em. \V may allow that hewasuninfornie(l of much that transpired under, oi" l»y, the agency of the.se distinguisjied men, hut lie could not l»y pos>il)iJity he igncrant ot all. He could not. for exann»l( , he ignorant of the denmnsti'at ion hy Elijaii on Mount Cai-niel. Nor can ^ve lielieve tliat he was ignorant of the translation of that proj)liet, Now, if he knew of the demonst ration on Mount C'arniel, and of the national coiniction then expressed l)y the ten trihes that the Lord was God, and of sia uuht er o f tl le priests of ISaal, and ot the downjjonring of liie needed and precious lain at the intercession of J']lijali, ^low could he hut >ee, that it was his interest as we as Irs diitv t o ahide hy the Mighty and the True, and to keep ah. of from the powerless and the injuihais i And Elijah was taken up to h(>aven 1 While the hones of the- idolatrous juiests of Samaria were bleaching on Mount Carineh Elijah, the repiesentative of the (!od (jf Israel, was walking on the high place.s of the universe. Ilovv could Jehoraiu have fi ■ ! ! ri 9 144 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. any hesitation as to the course to be chosen 1 All things, It is clear, pointed in the same dirc'ction :— the character of his father, the history of his people, the peculiarities of his dynasty, the events transpiriug under his own ob- servation, and the reports of Propliet-action and Prophet- denunciation in a neighbouring region. All things, I say, pointed out to him the M-ay of safety and honour. Every influence around him was favourable to his making a right decision. Only perverseness and wicked-.short- sigiitedness could enable him to choose wrong. If many men are so placed in infancy and in youth that it is scarcely possible for them to find the right, Jehoram was so situated and encompassed while yet young that one would have tliought that it was scarcely possible for him to miss it. He must shut his eyes and close his ears ere he can prefer the wrong. He must put aside what he knew to be true ere he could possibly get hold of the un- true. The right confronted him ; the right encompassed him ; the riglit pressed itself upon his attention ; the right held out every inducement for its own acceptance, and he must actually break the cordon of right around him ere he could attach himself to the wroi.g ! So favour- able were the conditions of his youth for a righteous and happy history ! Other men must press thiough encom- passing evil if they would lay hold of good ; Jehoram had to j)ress through encompassing good ere he could attach himself to evil. And Jehoram did burst through all the favourable constraints that -were around him. Pity for the infatu- ated Pi'ince ! He tore himself away from the cpiiet and the desirable, and attached himself, and that wdth his eyes open, to the degrading and destructive. He re- nounced the ways of his father. He renounced the peculiarities of his nation. He renounced the law of the Lord — (the })recious law which enlightens the eyes and enlarges the heart.) He renounced for himself the cove- nant made with David, and all the honours aud consola- tions thereof He renounced the h(ipe of the world and the blessing-bearing seed of Abraham. He renounced all, i I 1 JEIIORAM. 145 11 things, character uliarities own ob- Prophet- gs, I say, r. Every Halving a ed-short- If many hat it is )rani was that one ; for him 1 ears ere what he f the un- )m passed ion ; the 3eptance, aronnd ) favour- ous and encom- am had d attach onrable intatu- uiet and ith his He re- ced the iv of the yes and (' cove- consola- )rld and iced all, and hcrnnio the devotee of idolatry, immorality, and un- godliness. His yiosition. if he could liavo seen it, was awful. H<» was witlunit (iod. without Chi'ist, wlio is the help of the fallen, and without ho])e in this workl. Nay further, he was the dupe, of ei'f(tr, the victim of den)ons, and the heir of darkness and incalculable dis- honour ! We may well pity Jehoi'atn, the son of Jehoshaj)hat, while we cannot l)ut condemn him. And we would do well to take Avarning by him. Our ]»rivileges ai'e even irreater than his. l\' we attach (tui'selves to evil after all the light, and truth, and love, which ha\-e been set befoi'e us, and poui'ed around us, we u ill incur a manifold and fearful condenination. " ow shall we escape if we neglect" ;dl the revelations and demonstrations of New Testament times 1 But we would notice concerniui.' Jehoram, — 11. lli.^ Ill /■•<«' I'dJJr ilinj ir'ii-L'cd iiiijii. That is one of the saddest and darkest cha])ters of his- tory. Its years were not long — only eight-bnt \ery much daring crime was pressed into those years, and very much intense annoyanci? was experienceil. K't-lio- boam's ici.ai was nnilhiminated ami unsnimy. but deho- ram's may oe .said to have been wholly in night oi- dee]) shado^v.',. I'lie daylight passeil from his horizon \\i;h the death of his tathcr. ami thr night settled o\ci' him as he commenced his independent reign. ( )ne of his first acts was to slay his i't' r(diLi,ion. !l is true thai many oriental jirinces beside,- delioram have si lin thi'ir l Uad not the privilege.s of Jehoram in their youth. riieir MSSSBSnOBCV ik; THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. natures were not enlightened, nor their consciences armed, by the hiw of the Lord, as in the case of the son of Jehoshaphat. They stuml)led in darkness, and knew not all the enormity of their deed. Even they could not be easy under such a remembrance, but Jehoram must have been agonized. The memory of his father must mingle itself with his consciousness, and this memory, uniting itself with the thoughts of his murdered breth- ren, must have caused perpetual irritation in his nature. No sweet hour of silent self-communion could he ever enjoy : and no true peace could ever after brood over his being. He might hide it under smiles or fair appear- ances, but the bitter conviction was ever underneath, and makini;; itself felt all the while. Then, his subjects revolted, and he could not re-subject them. He attempted it in the case of Edom, but failed. They made good their independence. The truth is, he had weakened himself by slaying his brethren, and the ))rinces whose vi'r tlie Lord stirrcil iiji ;i;;aiiist Jclioriim tlic st>ii'it nf the I'liilisMrics, ami of the ^\raliiaiis, tliat wvrv near the Mtliiop- ians : And tlii'V caiuc up into .liidali, ami broke into it, and car- ried awiy all the sul>staiice that was found ni tlie kin:,''s house, and his sons also, and liis wives : So that there was never a son loft him, save Jehoahaz, the youn;,'est of his sous." (10-17.) How Athaliah escajx'd in this confusion does not ap])ear. She may have been on a visit to her mother Jezeljel, or otherwise out of the wa}'. However it was, she was eithei' not carried away, or she recovered her freedom, for she reappears on the stage after this, and acts a not in- conspicuous part in Jerusalem foi' a time. But think of Jelioram : how sad and how desolate his position ! \\'ith a mind ill at inise — (h-nounced by heaven — rejected by his own sid)j'ects — reft of his family and royal })ossessions — solitary in his [lalace — and without hope of a ha])py I'everse in his fortunes — is he not an object of pity ? AVliere can he look for solace 1 — not to the ])ast, that only repi'oves him : — not to the Unseen, for Ik' hath no friend thei'e :— and nut tn the futui'e, for that for him is l)i<' with terror I All is midnight dark- ness Avithin him and around him. He eoniplains. but his comjdaints aie unheeded. His very servants shun him. JJut his cup of tronlde is not yet complete. Disease develops itself in his body. Painfully for two years he laliours under it. Mitigations there arc n^ne to him. His bodib. disteni]»t'r is dily added to h ; -riefs. He has no coi. t'oits to !-*-t agfiinst his , ,. .vs. His mind is wo.urwl^tl ; Uis d<*»ijr-sti( ati'ections are lilightrd : his royal h nour . 'Ion i,-(,:.. and tramj)le««1\, :he la-t refuge of any thing like health or weH being alxnit him, is racked with pain or tossed \\ith lestlessne?.*-. 'Idie weary 'lays flow on. and n JEHORAM. 151 the weary nights. The weeks t,a'ow into months, and the painful months extt'nd over two y(;ars, and then the sad consummation comes. His physicians are foiled : his last liopes are gone : his agonies increase : and death lays him low ! Nor is this the end of his dishonour : '" He tlics with- out being regretted." The most u/.nvorthy have generally some to Tiiourn for them : Jehoram has none. Tin; most unworti ' princes have generally a royal burial at last : not so dehoram. He is not indeed buried beyond the city walls, but he has no ])lace among the kings. Hear the record of his last days : — " So he died of sore diseases : and his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. Thirty and two yeai's old was he when he began to riMgn. and he reigned in Jei'u- salem eight years, and departed without ])eing desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sei)ulchre of the kings." (19-20.) What an end for a ])rince, and a prince whose life o|)ened under such favoura]>le auspices : — a son tA' Jeho- shaphat, a prince of tin; house of David, an heir of divine promises, and privileged with ample means for knowing his distinguished obligations, and for finding the favour of the Eternal, as well as for blessing the people over whom he was set, and for leaving an honoured name behind him ! What an end for one so favoured I He dies without being regretted : his peo})le make no burn- ing for him like the Inirning of his fathers : and his remains are excluded from the sepulelire of tin; kings ! Whence this reverse 1 How came it that his fortunes w're so dark 1 0, how came it that he lost his way while light was shining all around him ? And how came it that he refused warning when dangers and distresses were crowding his steps and destroying his peace ? This leads me to notice — ///. The great cause, or, at least one great muse of his wickedness, his incorrigihility^ and his ruin. That was his unwise and irreligious marriage. He J. 152 THF-: DYNASTY OF DAVID. marri<^'il the clauti;liter of Alial) and Jezebel. How ever such a miidu could he jtropo.scd or thought of hy the hoi;se of .Icho^haphat we cannot iuianine. The hiw of (lod was exphcit, that no marriaj^^e alliances should he entered into by Israel with those wh(» served strange gods. In this way, (Jod assured them, their hearts ■would he turned from Jfim, and His anger would l)e kii'.dled against them. iS'ow, Ahah and .Jezehtd sei'X'ed strange gods, even the gods of the heathen : and their ious wife J Not at all. Though he had tui'Ut'd aside from God, oi' bi'i'ii less devot d than his father, lu? could never have f:;oiie the Icuuth he did, cousidci-inti; his (Mhuation, if he had not allit'(l himself to an idolatrous anr. 160 answer, anrl thnf was to tell mo, that St. Au,mistine'H motlici' mtu'iicil licf hnshaml hcfurc liis cojivn'sioii and aftrrwaiMls cotivcrtid liini. Surrly, if tlii^ is the excep- tion, that eKee])ti(»ii |ti'uve,s tlie rule.'' — (Bivn'ii/oiv JVoiih, in Fdini/i/ Tmi.^ini/.) ^^)ll see, then, that tile hope of eon vert Jul:; tlie irreli- gious alter niarria;j,'e is a slender one indeed, and you see that the advant!i'j;e of these ill-assorteil niarriai^'es is ever on tlie side ot' irrelii^ion. 'I'hey injure the parti(;s t'orm- iiii;' them, and lliev streni'then the canst; of evil anion*' men. It was so amonu; the Antediluvians. It was so tlirou,i;li all the history of the de ws. ai id it is s(j still. No w oiider if the Apostle warns a.sijainst them, sayii B ye not une(|ii;illy y .k.Ml with nn hel le\-ers The truth is, iiiarria';,-e re((uires eompiomise ; and, if the parties ho not one in religion, the ('omproiiiise will ever Ix; found t(t the detrimeiic of relitiion, and to the injury of the re- ligious )>arty inakini;' the concession. They, therefore who, iieiuL; themselves religious, care any tliiniL; for their own safetv, or for the interests of the heaveiilv kinu;dom, Avill not enter into ;dliance with tl \o irreIi.:(ious. X matter for wealth, or status, oi- hi'illiant heautv, or de CK led alt lit, they will ])i'efer fidelity to the kiii,i:;(lom to their own personal or temporary j^ratification. And they will thei'el)y avoi ^* J^/ / o / /A Photogiciphic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER. NY I4SB0 ( 716) 872-4503 ^^^^ ^. #" 150 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. ants in their midst, thus tostifios : — " Mixed marriages are a cU'.ar ujain to the Papcy. The children, in almost every instance I have known, are Itroniiht np Tapists. In no household is the power of the i)i'iest tlirough penance and the confessional so intensely felt. ***** No incident esca])es liini. Me knows every visitor. He is acfjuainted with the secnits of the chanilxT, anil I'eii^Mis acc(iisons, — time, nature, hjve, HullViing, will not cur(! it — nothing l>ut a miracle of grace ! I have .seen it alienate daughters from their par- ents, brother Irom brother, friend from fi-iend — disrupt- ing the holiest ties, and l-ii dling fires of hate <»tdy to be extinguishe(l in the grave. The rancoui' pioceeding from this suui'ce is singularly bitter. The malevolent tempers which it evokes are implacable !" '• 0, (say.s he in another jdace) if I could descri'ie the misery which I have seen in hous(;liolds whei'e the Romish intluence began to be felt I 1 have stoo(l at the death- beds of nuMi whose wives imp<'lled them in the last mo- ments to ap<»statize, and have watched, with melting pity, their sun setting in P(t])eiy ami despair. 1 have called on servants wh.t were cajoled, bribed, and coerc<'d into the I'apacy, by families of i-ank and intluence. who seemed to thiidv that their glory in a future life dependecl on changing their poor maid into an idolatrous devotee of the Virgin Mary. And 1 have seen young brides dragged into the Church of Kometi'om the very altars, whei'e th* ir misery liegan, by a system of tei'rorism which it would have re quired the spirit of a martyr to withstand '" t i JEHOKAM. 157 There is surely sometliiiifi; in this which claims the especial attention of youn^' jx'ople. An«l I would o ly say in conclusion, if the youui; have themselves caught a j^limjjse of the truth in any (le^'rce, let them heware how tlu'y ally themselves witli those who wouhl ])Ut su- perstition in th(! plac(! of it, and who would drai; them therehy into ajiostacy and woe I Let them thiidv of Jehoiam and Athaliah, and let them ])refer siny his father and his people from the cond»ined forces of Amnion, Moab, and Seir, ami he nuist have been ac([uainted with the demonstrations of Elijali in the neighboiu'ing territory. How did these favi)urable conditions alfect his ccmrse of dis- obedience I They aggravated his criminality, and rendered him vitterly inexcusal)le. Are the privileges of young i)eoi)le brought up under Chris- tian parents, and in connexion witli C'lristian ordi- nances and Christian literature greater than tho.se of Jehoraiii / I! I 1 > \ i. ' 1 ,' 1 i ,. lit { t . KEft Ik ] {■ mflvi i ffiill \i K» 1 .' Km 1 ' ffiBny I .1 .j if L- I:' 158 THE DYNASTY OF I>AVT1). Yes : and that V)y many dc^'rees. What tluMi must, he stiid <>f .such if, in tlip fai-n of all their i>ri- viiu^es, tht-y chooso the service of the world in j)re- ference to the service of (iod I Tliat their folly and danger are heyoud all titterance : " How can they escape wIkj neglect so great a salva- tion I" Was Jc'horam's reign a hapjiy one / The very contrary : Scarcely anything can he conctMved more distrt'ssiiig. What hlcjody deed darkened its connuencement i The murder of his six hrethreii. How did this atl'eet his peace as a man / It renden^d calm self-consciuiisness and pleasing memories imi>ossil)lc for hiui. What annoyed him as a King / The loss of Kdom. and the revolt of the men of Lihnah — a city almost within sight of his capital. Had .Jehoram any right to complain of the revolt of the men of Jjilinah I No, surely, when liimself had revolted against the ossihIy explains the revolt of tlu- men of LiWiiah / His (the Knig's^ despotic 'evi()\"'(l ahi'itivc, and as if all the sulicit- nde and Idve w Inch liad heen e.vereiscd (•(niccnnni; them anfortunes of .Ichorani's rei<;n. Any way, th' v ini,i,dit reasonaldy anticij)ale a long reiyii in the case of a Sovei-eii^n so yoiuig. But no : the axy the high i)laces in the mountains of Judah made b}' his father, and to su- 11^ I vi I, 162 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. pprsfde pvorv '>ffiff»r of tlie Govprnment who had anj' .sym|);ttliy with the d.ivs of ,7ch()>liai)liiit. He WdiiM, pr(tl>,il»ly, iu»t tliiiik of llic Tt'inplr and its a|»|)r<>i>riate st'r\ic'S. tlioii.iih lie had \n'vu horn undrr its .sha(h»w ; hut, ifhf did, his coiiiist'Uors would tell liim that that was now out of the (|U('sti()ii. Tlic iv^c, tht'V wouhl say, liiid (tut- prown that hiiidt'iisoiuc aud i('stii(;tiv«^ ccfciiioiiial. It lui^ht ht* tolcrat'-il auioiiif a rudr aud isulatfd pcoph', thry sviiuld aduiit, ]»iit it was wholly uusuitcd to lsia narrowui'sses and restrictions of tlie ])ast, and why shouhl not the remaining fracti(Ui of the natiiMi enti'r ui)on tlu^ sanu; career of liberty and j)ro- gress ? Samaria was now in harmony with 'I'yre and Sidon, and Tyrc^ and Sidon were now in cotunninieation with all the woild, and why should -lerusaleiu he a peojile by herself --sin ill, despise I, unfashionable, and auti((iiat- 0,(1 I Why not put asidi' her pcculiaiitics, which only made h<'r i-itlicidous, anil become a ))art of tlu^ wide- spread family of humanity i Jerusalem, they would urtce, would thus become more honoure(l, and more Ire- quented, and her inhabitants would enji>y more fre(dy the |)leasures of life. Comnu'rce would grow ; riches Would increase, and luxurious gratifications would be multipli«'d. "Look, "they would say, ''at Tyre — goi-ged with riches — the em[>orium of tin; world's resources — the mis- tress of beauty and boundless enjoynuuit ! Wcuild you not wish to ])articipate in her riches, and have a share in her enjoyments. Then, t' that lit' was cxvusaith' tor liston- itii,' to it. It is ditlifiih, they will rt'iniiid you. tor a yitiuij; man to set liimsclt' in o|»|>(»siii(iM t<» his seniors and his relatives, ('s|)ei-ially when these si'iiiois and relatives 0('en|)y K)t"ty places in society. We admit the dillicnlty, hnt still we hold that Aha/.iah was iiii'.irKsuhlc {'ov yieldinu; to sucli advice. It was not with him as it is with many in lieathen nations, wiio aie trained in id((latr\ , and kept in ignoiance, and who have no means of asc( rtainini^ or knowint; the truth. We dare not jnd^^' hai'dly of such, but Aiiaziah was not such. lie had known the more- e.v- cellent wav. lie had s<'en the davs of .bliosliaidiat. lie must have been about fourteen years old when .lehosha- pliat died; and ho must have kn(»wn how eai'uest his grandfather was to have the people taui^ht the law of the Loid, and to have them ivl)ide in the service of (Jod, and in the peculiarities of their national life He had known too, how great and how prosperous his grandrath<-r had been wdiile walking in the ways of the L<»rd. And he had seen, as iie grew into manhood, how ditfeient the fortunes of his father while (levoting himsell to the sei\ice of liaal. Instead of piesents and fru-ndly eml»assies from the east an(i from the west, from Arabia and fioin IMiilist'a, as in the times of his grandfathei', his father had been sid»ject- ed to invasion, spoliation, and dishonour. The Arabians and the IMiiiistiiies had come into dudah, and broken into it, and carii r ( lint >n|i|)()si!);^ that tlioso ,i1»oiit liim attciiiptccl to ac- count loi- tilt' t'ortuiH's (if" liis latlifr in souk- otii way — 1.1; lUHJiii Ins siihonlniatfs, nr Jii.>o\\n want o| ^cnciaNliii), (»!■ Ins lashiios as a statesman —how nm l.l A la/iali listen to tliein when he liail the writin;^' sent hy I-ilijah the pro- |iiiet to his latlier^ lie could scaicely he ij^iioianl of this (jocnnient hein^ a Prince in his teens when it was de- livered, and can>-inLr. as it iiodnuht uid. no little sen>atioii or specidat inn in the ('nuit circle at the tinn'. Anil how ]»lainly the ddcunient s|tala\i(l tliv fiitlnT, M'l'illlSt' tlloU liast not ualkt (1 in llir \\a\s of .lt'linslia|iliat thy fatlnT, nor in tlic \va\s of Asa. \\\\\,.' of .hidali. Imt liast walked in tlii' way of tiit' kin-^s of Isiat'l, ami liast niailr .fmlali ami tin' inlialiitants of .Iciusalt in to i,'o a wlioi in;..', lik<' tlic u lioiidnnis of tlif lioiisc of Ahali, ami also hast slain thy Idcthrcn of thy father's house which were lietlei' than thyself : lieholil. with a ;,'ieat j.lau'ue will the ll\t' him in like tionlile ] Even tliouuh ^^1|•^ Iv 1 le was niexcusalde III dollii:; so inued l»y his own mother, he ouoht t(t have rejected it. The will of Heaven is somethin,^' hi.uher and ni(»re aiitho- rilati\(' than e\-en the \i\'\vr of a niothor ; and Ahaziah t lia\(' known that the will of Heaven was in opposi- mus tion to the counsel of Athaliah. Hut evt n tliouuh kejit in ioiioianc(> of the writinir of Elijah sent to his failier, he must ha\'e known something history of his nation ; and, conse- .f t: le miraculous quently. he must have heard of the sujucnie power and supreme claims of Jelio\ah. A C(»niem|i(irai"y of Joho- shr.phat, ami in communication with that Piince, he must AllAZIAH. 1 c>r> have liciird t»t' tlic law of the Lord ; a I'rincf ot" the liuiisf of I'aviil. lit' iiiu^t li:i\(' licaitl aci(»iiiits of iln- >^Wd\ ami distiimiiislu'd foiiiidri' of his lioiisc ; a witness of tlic {^fiamlciir of Soloiiion's 'rcm|»li'. lit- iiiii>t liavr IhmkI of the wisiloiii ami inistakrs of that Piiiiff. Nay. iicontriii jKtiaiv of Mlij.ih's. he tiiiist have hcanl of tht; (Ifiiioiist ra- tion on Moiiiii Caiiiicl, aMil of llic iiiiri- pown Icssmcss of tht' |ific.Nts of liaal ! Nay, furthi'i. a contriiiiioiaiy of Elisha'>, wh<»s(' inthirnc«; was frh cmii in Sainai'ia. ami to whom ai>o the Kin^s of Syiia listrncd, and wlio.x- tidt-iity to Isiarl's (Jod, and o|)|io>ition to tin' Had worship of his kin»' for ids listciuni; to th>' connx'I ot' his nioihcr ami his idolatrtoiy, liis interest in the joundi'r of the dynasty to which he itelon^cd, his knowledLte of Elijah's (h'mon- 8trations, and denunciations, ami translation, anwledi,'e of tin' character ami niiraele sustained authority of Mlisha, — all, all ou.i;ht to have hound him to the(!od of his people, and to the services of His temple in deiusalein I I le could not |ilead ii,'norance as an excuse for his departure tVoiu si(»nsand |)re- fereii'cs, no doid)t h'' would have judged more wisidy ; hut he w, s hims(df at heart an ihii). He was willing theicfor*' to \u- mis- led. H(» listened to the counsellors that suit«'d his own ■wishes— not because he knew them to he li^ht and safe, f.: II i m] i'i^ I i ■ 166 THE DYNASTY UF DAVID. but l)t'<,*aiisi' tlu'ir views harmonized willi his own. They C(»un'iflle.telie(i, an content to yiehl hinist'lf to proximate inllnences ami advice, l)ecau>e tho>e infhiences and that advice wefe in accordance with his own nnworthv preferences ; and he was iii(.r('iis(ih/r in vieMini; himself so. Me was to l)e pitie(l ji.s the son of an nnworthy niotin-r and couns»dlor, hut he was also to hi' l)lamed and con(h'mne(| for walking; in the connsel of that nnworliiy mother, wiien he had th«' me.ins of knowing; tlial lier counsel was wronj^ and ruinous 'rims with Ahaziah : hut d oes .Miaziali stand alone in th s respect / Are there no Ahaziahs in our own time / Alas, theic are \-ery manv, ai'tim; just as .\ha/iali acted. Theii- immediate surroundings are all in favour of woild- liness ar.d self pleasin<^r. Theii" parents and cousins, it may he, ai'e all, as in the case of the youthful Ahaziah, for jtresent enjoyment, ])resent j)rolit, or Wiuldly honour, md tl lev take these in i ll'ect lis their miiih es and (;ouns( •1- lois. Any way, they i'ollow tlieai in thi-ir own stdf ])leasing ways thou<^h they know that there is a hetter course. They have heai'tl of the Bible, and they know Somewhat vi' its demamls. They know too, that there is a minority who yield tlnMiiselves to its influence ; and they are called on to join that minority — evt-n the fiurch and people of (rod — and to adopt their faith ami counsel if they Would lind safety, eiili^litciimetit, and immortal hope, jhit this minority is not fashionable, and the pi'actice of its membei's seems riicid and Ibrltidden. Be- sides, th(! fashionable world ridicules ijiis minority and its h.ibits, and accounts association with it as low and disro- 1)11 table. The glories of Tyre are not found there, nor is tlu' license of the world admissible there. What is the conse(pience ? Why, that very many, unpr«'pared for s«*lf-deiiial, and loving the ways of license and self-pleas- ing, decide, like Ahaziah, to abide by the counsels and AHAZIAH. 167 tho rrnidanco of tlioir worldly and faslilttnal)!*- r«'lativ»»8 mid tViciid.s. TIm'V cariimt iciioiiium' the « uiniiit'jc*' or the coiii|iaiiiuii.s|ii|) ot Tyiv. 'I'licv (•.iiiimt t'oit'i;(i ilic lirciisj^ otX'l.-pli-asiiig. Tln-y cannot alddt* l»y ihe oUarinc and tilt' dfspist'd. Tlify d»'cid«' tliercCon' to j^o willi the tit ream, to cast in tliiir lot with tli»' niajoiiiy, and to fol- low lilt' conn.^t'l or the condui-t of t lif irrt'liL;ious. Ahaziah- likf, they |>it'ffr thr ait|>ai'<'nt and dflii>ivf to tin- siil»>t,in- tial iind ciiiioMiiij^, And Ali.' ' lilikf, tlit-y will yrt Ijnj how foolish the) have hcen in tin ir iircfcrt'iice ! Be snr«', we would say to those win* are willing to listen, that you make not his Mustake IJe sure that you yield not to proxirnaLe or worlllv intlnenoes unfav- uural)l(! to .Jesus and ..alvation. No malter for earthly ad\anta;^es or disadvantages. Seek the coini»anionship and the counsels of the believiiii,' an. Ixeinemher, oiii'. th'iiKi is need/ til ! And that one needful thin;.,' is. the divine favour and friendship) ; and know as- suretlly, that the divine favour and friendship are not to be had in the self-pleasin.i^ ways of the world. It is lo be hatl only in connection with faith and self-denial. It is to be had only in and through the crucitied and e.xaltcd Son of ( iod I Ihit this will appear more clearly as we attend further to Ahaziah. And we notice : — //. ///'.■; choice as to hi^ destiny. That destiny was suffioieiitly sad, .is already noticf'(l in GUI- inLi'odiictory rem u'k. We cannot but hunent for it : and the more so, that he seems t<» havt; l)een an ami iMe and friendly prin >■ within his earthly and chosen circle. But for his kin Iness and frieii lliness in lee. I, he had not met with so early a death. He had gone to visit his cousin iwt .Jezreid liecaiise that cousin wis sick, and while there bccauie alarmed for liis own safety by reason of the I :'M... i \ \ 1G8 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. V movements of Jehu. He fled to Samaria, and hid him- self in that city, supposing, or liopiiii;, that the storm wouhl l)l()\v ovei-, or that lie would liud some way of reaching his own capital in the course of a few days. But lie was fhat. should thus fall in the l)rii(ht morniiiuof his lifi; ! 15ut it was of God that it should be so : we can see reason for it, and it is easy to point that reason out. It lay with Ahaziah himself, and is to be found in the choice which he made as to his destiny. Noti(;e, — By his parentage he was the heir of two very different fortunes. As the son of David, by Jehoram, Jeho- shai)hat, and Solomon, he w\as heir to the richest pro- mises ; wlnle as the son of Ahab by Athaliah, he was heir to the most overwhelming denunciati(*ns. Hear the words of God concerning these two houses : first, cou- cernint; tin; house of David : I. " I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, — Thy seed wid I estahiish for ever. And build up thy throne to all generations." * * * * " My covenant will I not break, Nor alter the thing tliat is gone out of my lips :— Once have I sworn by my hoUness, that 1 will not lie unto David : His seed shall endure for ever. And liis tlu'one as the sun before Me. It shall be estaltlislied for over as the moon. And as a faithful witness in heaven.'" (i's. Ix.xxix. 3, 4, and ;m-;}7.) Then, secondly, hear the words of God by Elijah in rela- tion to the house of Ahab : " Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, (Ahab,) And will take away thy posterity. -i ni-:i AHAZIAH. 1G9 And will cast off from Ahab every male, And liiiii tliiit ir: sliut up iuiil k'ft in Israel- And will make thy him.-ie like the house of .lerohoam the sou of Xalu't, And like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, For the i)rov<>e ition wl.erewith thou liast pnunked me to anger, and made Israel to sin." (I. lviiii,'.s xxi. •_'!, "J'J.) See then the position of Aliaziah, — he w.is Itoth of the seed of David ami of thu posterity of Aliil). lie was heir to tlie covenant of p('r|)i*tiiity on the (Jiie haml. and heir al ;o to the sentence of exteriniii.itioii on the other. Which shall pre\ail I lie cantiot inherit hoth. lie must either be |)reserved with Daviil. or desti'oyed with Aliah. Which shall it Ije l Why, that niii^t depend on his own choice and })roce(liire. li' he choose the fortunes of David's h(juse, he must ke«^p aloof fi'om the doonu-tl house of Ahal) : but if lu' choose to abide by the house of Ahab, he thereby loses or forfeits his fortunes in David. Ami you know what his choice was. He had Athaliah and his relatives of Samaria for his counsellors. He in elfect renounced I *avid and took the side (jf Ahab. Havii g made his election, he was to all inU'iits and pur- poses a part of the doomed posterity of Ahal>, and he perished accordingly when that house perishecl. He was young to die, but he had ventured within the ranges of the storm that iiad aiisen against the idolati'(jus and wicked court of Samaria, and he fell beneath its sweep. N(jr was he unapi)rized. He might have known, if he did not, that the stoiin might arise any day ;dter the death of Ahab. It was only deferreil because of tlie humiliation of that king. It had to ai'ise in tht; d.ays of Alial)'s son, and Allah's son was now sick in Je/.reel : and what more lik(dy than that the agents of vengeance, beimi' human and wakeful, would avail themsel\-es of this Nickness for the overthrow of the doomeil house ? And what was Ahaziah to ex[)ect if he threw hiinsidf into the arena of the storm 1 If a man will attach himstdf to, and identify himself with, a doomed and ih-miumtd riice, even though not a member of that race, he may e.\i>ect to share in the desti action when it coines. Still more so, 1, In I I i ;f ti! n 170 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. if he be really of the denounced race, ind if he volunta- rily astjuciate himself with tlu; denounced race, what can he "xpect but to share tlicir fate ? Ahaziah thfrcfore had no right to complain of his early death, nor may we comi)lain concerning it. His fall was certainly swift, am', sad, and a{)j)arently uncalled for at the time, but we can- not object to it. We can only pity and lament. What briglit, and hapi)y, and useful day.s he might have had iti Jerusalem had he but chosen to abide by the house of David instead of identifving himself with the house of Ahab I Had he but kept at Jerusalem, and not gone to Jezreel, he would have been safe for the time being at least. He would not then ha\e l)een in the way of the hurricane that arose against the royal house of Samaiia. But his sympathies were with the doomed : his presence was determined by his sympathies, and his eai'ly death was the inevitable conseipienci'. How different had it been, had he oidy preferred the dynasty (»f David instead of that of Ahab ! He was heir, as we ha\(! seen, to the fortunes of both. At Samaria, as a symjiathizing branch of the idolatrous house, he was certain to incur destruc- tion : but at Jerusalem, as a sympathizing branch of the covetuinted and the loved, he would lia\e enjoyed secu- rity and honour. Instead of perishing in his youth, he wouhl have lived, and waxed great like his grandfather, and transmitted his crown in due time to a mature and com[>etent prince and succi'ssor. But he torsot)k Jeru- salem, and hastened to S.imaria, just as the thun(lerl)olt fell that was to overwhelm all the posterity of Ahal). He thus forfeited life and honour, and incurred death and overthrow with the condenuied. While we lament for his intatuation, let us be remind- ed ot our own circumstances. These are strikingly ana- logous to those of Ahaziah. Like that prince, we are the heirs of two very dilfereiit styles of ftjrtune. Human- ity, you know, hath two very ditferent re[)resentative3. The one is condemned and death-doomed : the other is acct'.])ted, beloved, and em[)owered to confer eternal life on His followers. The one is earthly : the other is ,.. -I AHAZIAH. 171 heavenly. The one is powerless, though pretentious : the other is able to save utito the uttermost, though shroud- ed and undazziiiig to the worMly eye. We are called on to make our el(;('tiou between these two represfuta- tive.s'. We grieve tor the mistaken decision of Ahaziah, as between David and Ahab : h't us beware how we repeat the mistake as b(!twt!en the first .Vdam and the secoiui. We are the heii-s of the hrst Adam, and also of the second : but W(^ cannot iidierit with both. The in- heritaucos are so diverse that we must abide by the one or the other. With th(> one is comlemnatiou : with the other is justification and ])eace. We must make our choice. If we abide by the first Adam, and give our- selves to disol)('dience and woi'ldliness, we nuist sink beneath tin; waves of wrath which ai't; ev 'U now sweep- ing the unforgiven to perdition, antl which will m.uiifest them.selves yet more fearfiUlv in the world to come. If, on the (jther hand, we ))refer the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, we shall finl shelter, acceptance, and love. The matter is as plain to us, as we can now see it was plain to Ahaziah. It was S.imiria or Jerusalem with him: it is the world or the Saviour with us. It was with him, renouuc<^ Samaria and its idolatiy, and give yourself to the i)iety and the principles of the dynasty of David, antl live; or, renounce David and Jemsalem, and die I And it is now with us, the world w'lh its un- lawful and uusauctifiiid enjoymetits, or the Saviour wntli His immoi'tal purities and [)leasures. In otht.!r words, it is tile world or the ('liurch — the self-pleasing worll, or the Christ filled and Christ-controlled (Jhurch ! Every man nmst abide by the one or by the other. No man can iidierit with both. Prefer tlu' world, and you will perish with the world : but abide by the Christ-filled Chui'ch, and ycni live with Christ, and Ix'coiiie partakers with llim — or, in other words still, abide by the Cod- forgetting and self-pleasing witrhl, and be swept away l)y the deluge of wrath that is about to rise agiiust the un- gollv ; or, enter the ark of heiven an 1 survivti the storm ! The unhoused and unsheltered world must suc- ■!;-lf II J 172 TIIH DYNASTY 01" DAVID. ciiiub to the tfiiipcst, but tlu- CliiMsl-l)uilt ark will ridf it out, and all who are within it will he uiiharnKMl, The w«»il(l-liniiiietake yourselves, each of you, to the one hand or the other. Vou nnist move in one direc- tion. To stand still is ecjuivaleut to niovin:;' wroiiir : — to stand still is to share with the condemne(l. Pity if, like Ahaziah. you choose Samaria in prefficnce to .'eru- salem, and Aliali latlu-i' than l)a\id ! I'ity if you jucfer a covenant that is broken and condemnatoiy to the cove- nant that i.s ratified, and oi'deied in all thiui^s, and suri; ! Oh, ])ity if you prefer the brief and cloud}' present to tl le unendin<; an< d unci jioudet 1 fut ure And thi'it! is danger that you will make a wrong choice. You ought to be warned, ami aroused to con- sideration. Myriad-s have made the mistake, atid so may you. The truth is, pio.ximate and congenial influences ai'e against vou. Seinors and friends have in manv ca.^e.s alreadv dfcH h'd wron o' d uul Vou are ai> .t, Al lazia hlik( to take them for vour counsellois and guides, it le-cds efl'oit and selt'-sarrifice to prefer the light I But you ought not to hesitate. ]\Iake the eflbr' and the sacrilices forthwith. The interests at stake are too impoitant to be tiilled with. If the world pi'esses, so does the divine I If the world iiiviti'S, so does tlie heavenly I 11 the W(trl the i)erinaiUMit lustre and satisfying evolutions of thi^ throne of David as the 1 1! fide it The ■ aik mil Ix' AIIAZIAH. 173 anointpfl one of Gorl ! If, however, you -will not he warned, you nui>iety can find no com- fort in rei)eating it. Not only heaven, I'Ut all on earth in subse(]Uent ages — all at least whose blessing is of any value — icgard his memory with displacency. The un- godly caie not for it. and though they did, their benedic- tions would go for nothing : and the godly cai'. oidy dis- approve and reject it. Who of all the struggling and sorrowing sons of nu'U, I sluaild like to know, renu-m- bers Ahaziah with esteem 1 \\ ho linds cond'ort or in- citement to good by recurring to his history 1 The memoiy of David hath been a bh^ssing to many, and many have blessed his name as they read his })salms, or thought of his pious disinterestedness ; but who hath blessed, or been blessed by, the memoiw of Ahaziah 1 The faith of Abraham again hath instructed thousands, and elicited benedictions on his name ; but the defection of Ahaziah hath neither blessed nor awakened blessings "r> AHAZIAII. 175 among his siiccpssors on ratth. Tho early rloath of Ahel, too, ttiuchcs with tt'iidt I'lit ss till' lifarts of men oven to our own time and awakens hlcssinLjs on his nicnioiy ; hnt the early deatli of Ahaziah awaheiis hut a tjansicnt, though deep. ]uty, with no hcuidic tion or sympathizing love, 'lilt' tiutli is, thf iianif of this youthful victim to Jehu's zeal is now ncdhiiig anioiig men. Jt ni; y Ix^ said to he a iilauk as well as a hlot on the ])age of history, and the woihl rcmrnihers it not. It stands as a link in the posterity of David, hut without any of the sanctity attaching to it winch helongs to that sacrt-d house. It is a name unsaci'ed and a memory uid»lessed :-- that is, no one hlesses it, and no oue is hlessed hy it. And it is a nieniory uiilitioi/K/if as well. A t''m]>orary cloud may fill upon a worthy luemoiT, and its claims may f'l- a time Ik- forgotten, hut time ami ciicumstances KWcej) aside the chjud, and the nienioiy ic-appeai's with its claims and recommendations undiiiiitiished : or, a name nuiy he suhmerged and dishonoured for a time, and yet come again to the surface, and c(»mmand tlu' attention and oteem of thousands, oi- of ag«'s. ^^'e could point to names in modern history tliat have heen hecloudcd and i'alsitied for long yeais, and yet have now emerged agai into daylight, and enjoy the high esteem of the enlightened and the candid. But, alas, for Ahaziah ! His name hath no huoyancy. It hath " suidc like lead in the mighty waters," and there is no ])r()spect (»f its re- appearance at the surface. He detached himself from the huoyant, and he saidv without hope of recovery. Had he ahode hy .Jerusalem, and David, ami the covenant of perjietuity, he would have heen hoiiie up and sustained. Had he enil)raced the hope that cheered the heart of his great ancestor, and foreshadowed liy lidvlity, and right eousness, the coming iVIessiah and King, he too would have become immortal. He woidd have hecome buoyant "with the buoyancy of the divine ! He might have sunk for a time, like David hims(df, amid the ()hscurities of death, but he wouhl have reajipeared in the retinue of the Triumphant at last, when the pageant of earth shall Iff ' I I i n' II' i 176 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. havfi passod away. But, by (lotacliinfif himsolf from I)avi(l in favour of Ahal), he det.iclK'd liiinsclf from ])a\iove all height. He hath bi'oken the 6])ell and the i)ower of the grave. He hath emerged from the dark waves of ol)li\ion, which roll over the toml^s of the ages. He hath ascended above the changing and mortal atmos])here of earth. Nay, He hath ascended above the regions of all change and vicissitude. And He hath ])ledged Himself concerning His believing people. As He lives, they shall live also. As He hath been brought again from the dead, they too shall be raised at the last day. As He hath taken His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, they too shall he. pi'esented to the Father without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. His will is, that where He is there they shall be also, — that they may behold His glory and be made partakers of His divine life. And He hath power to make good His determination in this, as in all othej n^spects. He is not done with our world, though He hath retired from the visible inhabitation of it in the meantime. He is coming again. He is coming in glory. And when He who is the life of His people shall appear, then shall they also appear with Him in glory. Then the buoyancy of their memory "and of their being shall be made manifest. Bound to the Triumphant, they too shall be triumphant ; i AIIAZIAII. 179 Abiding by the beloved, they too sliall bu beloved ! And lii'ing pai't and parcel of the retiimrot the Jlhistriniis, they too shall be ilhistrions ! And their honour shall be eternal I And their grateful joy shall be niialloyed with any grief! 0, liow ha[»i)y to bt; buoyant in memory through the buoyancy of the divine .Nlessiah ! And to be blessed in memory with the blessings wjiich fall upon Him ! Jjut only they who live by the faith of Him, and in imitation (,f Him, can rightly expect tlu; telicity. If, like Ahaziah, you jjieter Aliab to JJavid, you forfeit all. You can then be neither blessed nor buoyant in memoiy when you die. In other words, if you prefer the world, with its duiilicities and delusive prizes, to the loyal, and loving, and self-denying lunleemer, you nnist make up your minds to dishonour and overthrtnv ! Without Him, you can neither have the blesshigs of Heaven, uor the ljuo}ancy of immortality ! ' QUESTIONS OX AIIAZIAH. Wlio were Ahaziah'.s counsellors ? His niotlior, Athaliah, and his kindred of Samaria. Were these friends his safe ct>unsellors ( The very contrary. They were the worst advisers ho could have listened to. What may we suppose was the burden of their advice / To renounce the peculiarities of his nation, as narrow and antiipjated, and to place himself and his (Jovermiieut in sympathy with Tyi'e and the (jutlying nations. Was it excusable in him to listen to such advisers ] Not at all. There were weighty reasons to the contrary, and he knew them. Mention some of these reasons / 1. He hail known his grandfather, Jehr>Hhaphat and seen something of the happy fortunes of that kiwj; as a servant of Israels God ; and he had known the contrary expe- rience of his father as a devotee of the idolatry recom- mended by his relations. 2. He had heard too of the denunciations of Heaven by the writing of Elijah delivered to his father, and seen their fultilment in his father's history. 3. And he nmst have heard in the court of his grandfather much of the miraculous history of hia nation — as well as [J sill :( 'fit I r 180 THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. il< fl «>f ilie utterances uiid deiaunatrutiuns uf Elijuh and Elislm. Why (lid Aliii/iiili disroj:,'ard tlieso considcratioDH ? lieoause lie preferred the present and the fashinnablo to tlio unseen and the true. Hi.s heart was earthly, and his chnice was accordingly unwise and foolish. Are there not many in our time actinj; the jtait of Ahaziah / Veiy many. 'J'lieir chosen companions and counsellors are Worldly and their desires are worldly. 1 hey have heard indeed of the Hook of CJod and of the Church of (iod, but these been unfashionable and opj)osed to the pride uf life, they silently evade or openly reject them. What should young people remember as a protection against this mistake / That "one thing is needful." What if a nuvu "gain the whole \v(jrld and lose his own soul." How l(»ng did Ahaziah live and reign / He lived forty-three years, reigned but one. Is theie not something sad in his early death I Inexpressibly m) :— Early death is ever sad, but more par- ticularly so in the case of the royal and exalted. Can you account for his early fall ? To a certain extent. Tell how it was I He was the heir of good as a descendant of David, but the lieir of evil as the descendant of Ahab. His own choice must determine the party with which he must partici- pate. He chose Samaria and therefore perished with the royal family of Samaria. Having associated himself with Ahab and idolatry, could he reasonably expect to escajje the destruction denounced against that party ? By no means : he must share the fortunes of his chosen associates. Is there any analogy between our circumstances and those of Ahaziah respecting heirship ? Certainly : we too are the heirs of two covenants — the one broken and wrathful — the other established and re- plete with blessings What then is demanded from us in these circumstances ? To choose aright between the first Adam and the second. To refuse the counsel of our Samaria of this world, and to abide by the Christ of God, who is the wonderful counsellor and an infallible guide. To disregard the contumely of the unbelieving and to cast in our lot with the spiritual Israel. AHAZTAH. l«l But does this matter holont? to na ? *Yt'.s : to every one who hears the gospel. No ono can bo ne\itral. To aV)iilo hy the first Adiini is, in effect, t(» choose wrath ; and to ])i)sti)ono a ri^lit (U>cision is, in efft.'ct, t<» make a wron;; i loiee. Is there danger for each of na, — that wo will make a wron^,' choice t Yes : proximate and congeninl inflm iices are in favour of the wroni;, and we are all imlisposed to the self-sacrihco which a ri'^'ht choice rcijuiri's. What do they forfeit who make a wroni,' choiee I The treasures of heaven and the experifuce of immortality. What have you to remark concerniiiLj the u»emory of Ahaziah i That it, is unhlest and unhuoyant. There was none to bless his memory, and then* is no possibility of his name «!ver ai^aiii rising tf) the surface. But his njime has survived the lapse of ages ? Yes : but not with benedictions. It survives as a link in the posterity of David, but no ono blesses it, ami none are blessed by it. What do you call a blessed memory ? The echo of a gentle and loving life. And tins cannot ho when the life hath been rude, selfish, and wicked. Is the echo of a gentle and a loving life confined to earth ? No. It is reverV)erated in blessings h'om the angelic world and from the divine throne. And have these blessings on the memory any significance as to the future ? Yes. They are the harbingers of a bright and blessed innnortality. But what do you mean by a buoyant memory / A n\emory that cannot be permanently sulimcrged. What is the only security for a V)uoyant memory i The same as for a blessed memory : —even union to the divine. Without this we nnist sink hopelessly, but with this a triumphant reappearance is certain. " When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory !" What then is the general lesson taught us by the story of Ahaziah ? To prefer Jerusalem to Samaria — the second Adani to the first — and the consolations of Christianity to the pleasures of the world. i' ,i;il ii « }iM( Vim I ] f tmmmsgsmiBaa IX. JOASH. " Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and giivc liini thi' testimony and niud'^ him king. And .lehoiada and liis sons anointed him and said : God save the king."— II. (hron. xxiii. 11. • " >i ^T was sad to see a cliaracter like that of Athaliah, trained under evil influences, and determined to abide by tlie wronji; at all haz- ards. She was brought within the range of happier influences, and but for her pride and preju- (*i dices might have attained to the knowledge of tlie ptrue God, but she scorned and hated when she ougiit to have inquired and prayed. Nay, she sought in lier seU'-will to disarrange the puiposes of Heaven, and she was cast aside a wretched and ruined thing, It is sad, I say, to contemi)late such a character and sad history. - Ihit it is almost sadder still to follow the story of Joasli ; nxue h.appily trained than Athaliah, and more favonrably situated for attaining to true know- le(lg(! and true excellence tlian she. His end was not better tlian hers. With greater privileges he must incur yet deeper condemnation. No doubt she had access to the fountain of divine knowledge as well as he, but her nature was pre-occupied with error before she became a queen in Jerusalem : when as his nature was, as it were pre-occupied with good ere he had opportunity to come in contact with evil. — And so nmch the more criminal was lie in his infatuated and inexcusable choice of vanity and idt)Iatry. But if Joash was worse than Athaliah, the unfaithful members of Christian families are worse still. The light they enjoy or have enjoyed, is greater by far than that ^^ JOASH. 183 enjoyed by Joash. The manifestation of divinity, and of tlie way of safety in Clirist J^-sus, places all former re vclations in s^liadow ; and tliey who disre^inrd those mani- festations, and give themselves to worldliness and st-lf- pleasing in spite of tlie-^i, incur a criminality beyond all description great. " How shall sve escape if we neglect so great a salvation 1" If it was unsafe to despise the servant Moses, wliat shall be thought of those who reject the Son of God himself ] We are ready to condemn Athaliah, and to lift our hands in horror at the infatua- tion of Joash, but we would do well to look to ourselves, and see if we are not more monstrously unwise than even they. That we may be aided, or stimulated, or warned aright in this matter, we shall remind you of his pre- servation in infancy, his prime minister and adviser and his unworthy and disastrous end. /. His Preservation in Infancy. That was very remarkable as you must at once per ceive. He was completely in the hands of his grand' mother and her agents. And there were no tendernesses nor scruples about her heart to y)lead for the helpless in- fant. She was determined to make a full end of the house of David, not only of those of them who stood innrediately in her way co the throne, but of those, also, who might arise to question her right to rule. There might be some- thing like revenge in the way, as Avell as ambition. She miglit think thus to cast defiance at the God of Israel, by whose prophets her father's house had been doomed and denounced. While Jehu slew her children at Samaria, she would give blow for blow, as she might think, by slaying all the sacred family at Jerusalem. Jehu had spared none, and she would spare none. She would maintain the contest so bitterly prosecuted by her motiier Jezebel against Elijah, and against Elijah's God — even the God of the Jewish people. " If (we can conceive her saying, when the news reached her of the bloody tragedy in which her mother, and her son, and all her kindred perished) — if the house of Ahab has become extinct, — so ^ Vin ill 184 v THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. 1 shall the house of David. I can issue cruel orders as well as the flustering Jehu, and it shall not he said that my mother Jezebel died unrevenged." Under this firm deter- mination she ordered tiie immediate destruction of every male member of the royal family ; and there were plenty of ready instrument.^ to execute the order. How then could Joash esca])e 1 Who could be expected to have courage to attempt his rescue ? Still less, who could have power or resources to effect his deliverance in the face of one so powerful, so ruthless, and so unscrupulous ? We could not have anticipated for him any human inter- vention in the circumstances. Yet such was found. His aunt Jehoshabeth, and her husband Jehoiada, both dared and succeeded in the attempt. They withdrew him from the palace, ere the sword had reached him, and secreted him and his nurse in the temple ; and they kept him there, and nourished him, and watched over him for six years without any one ever suspecting the fact of his pre- sence in the sacred edifice. Had they hastened him away in the midst of the confusion, and hid him in some dis- tant hamlet or fortress, his safety would have seemed less wonderful ; but they kept him in the immediate neigh- bourhood of the palace of Athaliah. He was never be- yond her reach for these six years. She could have slain him at any moment during the progress of these years, if only she had known of his existence. There were neither scruples, nor distance, nor want of power to prevent, Only the screen of the temple wall was between her and her victim ; but that slender sceenwas found sufficient in the providence of God to ])rotect the j^nuthful Joash until the hour of retribution arrived, and then the sword of destruction fell u))on the proud and defiant queen, and not on the powerless boy. Nay more, then the defiant queen was swept out of life, and the powerless boy estab- lished on the throne of his father David. This was remarkable — but it becomes still more inter- esting when we remember how much hung on the life of this child. He was now the only representative of the house of David, and the hope of the world was wrapped JOASH. 185 up in that house. Destroy that child's life, and (miracle apart) the li^dit of prophecy expireii, and the hope of the future is no more ; kill loash and the channel of " the seed of woman " promised in Paradise is cut off, and all the quickening influences to spring from the incarnation will be looked for in vain. Only think of it, the forth- coming and invaluable blessing, intended for the nations checked and turned back on tiieir soui-ce, and the subse- quent ages left to the unrestrained action of the cruel god of the darkness of this world ! What a triumph for Satan, if it could have been achieved ! And what a mis- fortune for the world ! One wonders that the dark enemy of goodness did not find some way of indicating to Atha- liah, the important secret that a Prince of the house of David was still untouched by her sword. No doubt he tried it ; but his subtilty failed in the attempt. A higher and a benignant power counteracted his machina- tions, and shielded the precious life. God was not to be foiled in his gracious purposes ! Nor was the world to be left permanently in the grasp of the usurper. Even as Joash supplanted Athaliah, so will the Illustrious one on whose account Joash was preserved, supplant in due time the power that prom])ted her, and used her for its dark jiurposes. The promises of God must be made good, and therefore Joash lived and triumphed. True, God could still have made good His promises, even though the last of the sons of David hadfallen, for He couid have raised this same one, or some i.ther member of that house, to life again ; but His wisdom and all-embracing providence are more fully dlnstrated and honoured l)y His preserving the links of His mighty and benignant purpose through the most threatening dangers. And not on this occasion only has God preserved His cause in the earth when it was all but extinct. Think of the Antediluvians, when Noah alone, of all the crowd- i.ig myriads that then filled the earth, feared God, and testified of His righteousness. How easy then, one would have thought, for Satan to complete his triumphs and forever arrest the progress of good in human history! i ■ 1 ' ■, ' f i ti • y-; : f 'isiU 1 m THE DYNASTY OF DAVID. I- I A dagger planted in Noah's breast would have finished the strife between light and darkness on earth, and banished heaven from the abodes of men. And there were ])lenty f>f unsciiipulous agents of evil then avail- able, when violence at'tually covered the earth. Hut Noali was preserved spite of all, and in the midst of all. He was as safe amiil the sweeping waves of violence, as afterwards amid the sweeping waves of the deluge. Amid the violence, the favour of God com- passed him about as a shield : and amid the waves, he was sheltered and borne aloft in safety by the buoyant ark where God had shut him in I Thou