2 Chronicles 1:1-12 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom.The splendid beginning I. Solomon’ s succession to the throne was providentially secured: “ The Lord his God was with him.” II. Solomon’ s claims to the throne were sanctioned by a representative assembly. III. Solomon’ s accession to the throne was signalisd by solemn acts of worship.1. In obedience to Divine law.2. In appropriate magnificence. IV. Solomon’ s accession to the throne was in a spirit of devout supplication. When Victoria learned that she was about to become Queen of England, her first words to the Archbishop of Canterbury were, “ I beg your grace to pray for me.” Together they knelt, and the new reign began with prayer. V. Solomon’ s accession to the throne was unequalled in splendour (2 Chronicles 1:12).1. Outward splendour: “ Riches and wealth and honour.”2. Moral splendour: “ Wisdom and knowledge.” (James Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 1:7; 2 Chronicles 1:12 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.Solomon’ s choice I. The address which God made to Solomon, “ Ask,” etc., He does in effect make to each of us, especially the young. II. Though we need not the qualification which Solomon required for kingly office, yet we all need spiritual wisdom and understanding, and may therefore imitate his example. III. God is pleased with those who make the choice and offer up the prayer of Solomon. Because--1. It is the effect of His grace.2. It indicates feelings and opinions similar to His own.3. It indicates humility.4. It shows a benevolent concern for His glory and for the happiness of their fellow-creatures.5. It actually tends to promote His glory. IV. All who make this choice and adopt this prayer shall certainly be favoured with a wise and understanding heart. (E. Payson, D.D.) How to get the best blessing For the acquiring the highest wealth, “ asking” --1. Is the simplest method.2. The Divinely appointed method (Matthew 7:7; Mark 14:38).3. The only method. Purchase is impossible.4. The certain method. 5. The abundantly enforced method. Enforced by the whole Bible.6. Has ever been the abundantly successful method. (R. A. Griffin.) Solomon’ s opportunity We speak chidingly and upbraidingly of men who have had what we call their chance and have not availed themselves of it. Should a man come to poverty, we review his life and say, “ He had no opportunity of doing better; he has made the best of his circumstances, he deserves sympathy; let us extend our help to him.” Or we say, “ He has had his chance; he might have been as high as most of us; we remember the time when his life was crowned with a gracious opportunity; he was slothful, incapable; he was busy here and there, and the king passed by; and now we do not feel any kindling of real regard and interest in relation to hun. God gives every man his opportunity. (J. Parker, D.D.) The prayer for wisdom The pious prayer of the youthful Solomon at the beginning of his kingly life! There is in this narrative a blending of the natural and supernatural which surpasses all power of fabrication; in itself the high degree of fitness which marks the Divine manifestation here recorded, combined with its striking simplicity, reveals to us the personal intervention of Him “ who dwelleth on high, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.” That the highly-lauded wisdom of Solomon had not originally the religious character which is ascribed to it in the text is indeed easily asserted, but is far from proved, and is moreover at variance with a multitude of facts. It may even with reason be doubted whether a wisdom and knowledge such as this King of Israel must have possessed in his day can be explained upon purely natural grounds; assuredly it is somewhat simpler to find, with the sacred writer, in Solomon’ s own experience the ground of his utterance, “ The Lord giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” I. “ Come and see” a youth who at a critical moment is found in prayer. It is true every moment of this fleeting life has its own significance; but yet there are single hours which more than other cast a heavy weight into the trembling scale. What a difference between that which Solomon has hitherto been and that which he is henceforth to be; and how much depends, even for himself, upon the spirit in which the first step on the new path is taken! Until now child, boy, youth; nursed indeed in the bosom of luxury, but with a David as father, a Nathan as guide; beloved and happy among his brethren, but yet to a great extent on an equality with them. Now suddenly king, and--free; free from every bond. In a simple trait a whole difference of character and principle is sometimes made manifest. Thus it is in the conduct of Solomon at this hour, as compared with that of his brother, Adonijah but a few short months ago. While the latter, even during David’ s lifetime, grasps at the throne, he prepares only a banquet: as though he would at once be able as from the table to ascend the princely throne. When Solomon, on the other hand, after David’ s death assumes the reins, there is prepared almost as the first act a religious festival of homage and coronation. With what hallowed emotion this day fills his heart will be felt by every one who perceives yet in his prayer by night the after-vibrating of the finest chords of his heart which had been touched by day! Not so attractive for him is the cedar palace in Jerusalem as this simple hill without, where the name of the God of his father is called upon. It is too little for him that his exaltation bears the stamp of human approval; he must consult the Lord in the palace of His holiness, and place himself with all his future under me gracious hand of the Holy One of Israel. Heart-gladdening sight--a king who feels himself God’ s subject; a youth who feels that his path cannot be pure unless he directs it according to Jehovah’ s Word! Is it not the ease that sincere piety, however often derided and disowned, is yet something glorious and fair; the ornament of every condition, and most of all of the highest; but especially amiable and august in the young man who with whole and joyful heart has chosen the service of God? It is true, when an aged sinner bows his head in penitence before God, Satan loses his prey; but when in a youthful heart a voice is awakened which cries for the living God, then angels give thanks to God around the throne for their new-born brother on earth, Oh, they know not what they say who assert that early piety has about it something unnatural and narrow-minded. How many a youth is at this hour brought to the decisive turning-point in his life, but who begins his course altogether differently, and who therefore very soon makes a progress entirely unlike that of Solomon! How many a bark, lightly laden and fairly equipped, leaves the secure haven and dances over the rippling waves, and seems for awhile to distance others, but anon with the turn of fortune falls quickly behind, and entirely loses her course, until, become a plaything of the storm, she is dashed on yonder rocks and disappears in the gloomy abyss! What wonder, the inexperienced steersman had thought of everything except the indispensable compass; had taken counsel with every one except that One who says, “ Mine is the counsel and their strength” ; had counted beforehand on the haven, but not upon the storm and Him who alone can quell the storm. There is now a fable going its round in the world: unbelief has invented it, and scepticism now whispers it from the mouth of one schoolboy into the ears of others. It is this--that for the whole doctrine of childlike prayer there is no longer any place within the compass of the modern view of the world. Thus sounds the gospel of despair, hailed by many a child of this age as the highest wisdom--a gospel before which the angel of prayer within flees from the unhallowed sanctuary; while in his place the genius of passive subjection, with rigid gaze, takes his seat by the grave of departed hope. Poor man, poor youth especially, who have all that is needful for outward life, but have lost prayer! “ In all, thy ways acknowledge Him” . II. Come and see, in the second piece, a king’ s son who prays exclusively for wisdom. Assuredly, before the presence of the Infinite One the prince is no more than the begger; but is not the former exposed to far greater temptations? “ Ask what I shall give thee.” What a word, and how great the concession contained in that word! All the treasure-chambers of God’ s infinite favour opened up before the grasp of a single hand! “ Ask of Me,” says the Possessor of all things, “ and choose thyself the blessing which thou desirest above all others. Shall the cedars of Lebanon fall that in thy capital there may arise an edifice of unrivalled splendour? Shall the laurel adorn thy brow, intertwined with the roses of love? Shall thy name be borne upon a thousand tongues, even to the Tigris and Euphrates? and a patriarchal age crown all these blessings?” Who does not involuntarily tremble at the sight of the hand in which such a decision is placed? “ Give Thy servant an understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:9); and the meaning of his prayer may be easily conjectured, especially when we remember the sense in which Solomon in the Book of Proverbs constantly makes mention of wisdom. He means by it no mere learning, which may be attained to in another way; and just as little that acuteness, versatility, polish, which frequently is almost entirely disconnected with the first principles of moral life. He desires on the other hand, that practical wisdom which qualifies in every ease for the recognising, choosing, and accomplishing of the right, the true, and the good. If he has only wisdom, what does he need besides? Happy Solomon, who hast understood thy deepest need; but who at the same time knowest where satisfaction for this need is to be sought. III. Come and see here a humble one, who prays not in vain. A humble one: upon that word I lay stress, because it is the key to the whole. How strikingly this humility expresses itself, especially in the words of the prayer as preserved in another place. First, thanksgiving for what is already bestowed or promised; and then, further, “ And now, O Lord, my God” --the “ my” of a humble faith--“ Thou hast made Thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child, I know not how to go out or come in,” as my position requires. Solomon, at least, has certainly experienced the truth of his own words, “ With the lowly is wisdom,” but also at the same time learnt that God will give grace to the humble. Immediately he receives the answer, “ Because this was in thine heart the wisdom and the knowledge is granted unto thee. “ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraids him not; and it shall be given him. But--the condition is equally simple as it is reasonable--“ let him ask in faith, nothing doubting.” How prayer is heard no one may be able fully to explain; but that it is heard is for the thoughtful faith raised above all doubt. “ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with Mine eye.” Not that you are to look for inner light apart from God’ s written Word, and still less that this heavenly instruction is to release from the necessity for your own labour and exertion. In the realm of true wisdom no one is crowned who has not in childlike spirit bowed before God. IV. Come and see here a favoured one, who receives much more than he asks for. We have as yet listened to only half of the heavenly response: thus it continues, “ Therefore will I give thee riches, and wealth, and honour,” etc. No, He who gives that which is of the first necessity also refuses not that which is less so. Solomon had not even thought of temporal gifts; but his God forgets nothing of all that which may augment the lustre of His throne. “ And Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dream.” But what a dream; and what an awakening! The morning hour of a new life has dawned upon him, and while this master-dreamer descends at once from Gibson’ s crest, it is only very soon to rise to a more glorious height before the eye of his own and neighbouring nations. That which the king has received redounds, spiritually and materially, to the good of the nation, which shares in the benefit. God in answer to prayer usually gives the indispensable first; but straightway also adds thereto the useful, the agreeable, the comparatively superfluous. The Lord gives grace, and in that one thing all things lie hid; yet He adds to grace also honour, and withholds no good thing from them that walk in uprightness. “ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding . . . She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdeth her fast.” V. An unhappy one who by his own fault has forfeited this blessing of his prayer. (J. Van Oosterzee, D.D.) What shall I ask? It is an excellent discipline for such as would pray aright to begin by hearing God say to them, “ Ask now what I should give you.” Think with yourself before you kneel down to pray, “ What shall I ask; what wish is upon my heart; is there anything distressing, vexing, paining me at this moment which I can ask God to alleviate or to remove; is there anything which I very much desire, anything which I think it would make me happy to have, anything which to be denied would embitter or desolate my life?” “ Ask what I shall give thee,” God says, and let Him not find silence, or find a double tongue in him to whom He says it. All this points to what Scripture calls “ the preparation of the heart” for prayer. How different would be the very step of the worshippers as they left their homes, how different would be the very look of the countenances aa they came within these doors and took up their places, if each one felt that God was here, and that He was saying to each one, “ What shall I give thee?” There is a moment in most lives when the question of the destination of the life is put to them, and must be answered. Even the destination of this life is very important. Often it has the destination of the other life in it. To s young man, the question takes the form of “ What shall be your profession?” In proportion as the field of choice is wider and broader will be, of course, the difficulty and the gravity of the question, “ What shall I make my life for the service of God and of my generation?” This is the most direct example to be found in our day, perhaps, of the young king in one of my texts. And what shall be the answer? Shall it be,” Give me wealth” ? shall it be, “ Give me honour” ? shall it be, “ Give me a front place in the ranks of fame, or of such repute and respectability as takes the place of fame among the lowly; give me success, give me applause, give me rapid progress towards a satisfactory position; or, give me a portion among them that know, that amass information, that write or make books, that are called men of literature, men of science, men of culture, men of education” ? or, shall it be, “ Lord, make me useful in my generation; let it not concern me whether I am great or small, may I but help a few others to know Thy comfort, may I but bring peace into a few unhappy souls or guide a few stray lives into the way of holiness” ? If there were such a heart in us, how rich would be the reward! “ The speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.” There are times when the question, “ What shall I do, Lord?” comes very prominently into view. It is so with the young Churchman at the season of confirmation; it is so at the first and at each successive communion; it is so when the hand of God is laid heavily upon the life in sorrow; it is so when sickness comes, not unto death; it is so when the formation of new ties, or providential disruption of old ones, compels a man to stand still and settle with himself--what shall the tenor of my life be, what the course, and what the goal? Happy if he can cast himself believingly on Him who is “ a very present help,” and say, “ Give me understanding, give me grace, give me a useful course and a blessed end.” (Dean Vaughan.) Solomon’ s choice Nowadays it is impossible to say that God never does speak to men in dreams, but it is not often that He does so. For one good reason--the Bible is now complete, and there His will may be learned, and there it is made known. Yet there are some dreams that certainly are remarkable!” I. First let us talk s little about the permission: “ Ask what I shall give thee! Suppose I were to put this question to each one here present, what a lot of singular requests would be heard. One old woman was once heard praying thus: “ O Lord, give me plenty to eat and plenty to drink, and that’ s all I want.” God wished Solomon to ask himself, “ What do I really need most of all?” Of old the shopkeepers used to cry aloud, “ What--do ye lack?” This is a good rule in prayer, to say, What do I actually want at this very moment? If you find out in what you are most deficient, you will learn your true character. Look around, and say now, “ What do I really need? What ought a boy or girl just beginning life to possess? What--do I lack?” Perhaps you do not know how much you need some things, nor will you without inquiring. Tradesmen fill their shop-windows with toys, pictures, books, and dresses, so that people may feel inclined to want them, and come in and purchase. The Bible is full of descriptions of things that every one should require. Look at what it says, and you will find out what you want most, and first of all II. God asked this question of Solomon for another reason; He desired to show us the true way to obtain what we require; that is, by prayer or asking. Solomon had received great gifts from his father David without asking for them. God, too, had given him many most valuable blessings, many of them without asking. “ Now,” says God, “ ask and you shall have.” You cannot purchase some things with money; no rich man has sufficient wealth to buy health or happiness. And you cannot buy the blessings of the gospel; you must receive them as a gift from the Lord Jesus. (N. Wiseman.) The prayer of King Solomon for wisdom to govern his people Whatever in later life may have been Solomon’ s deviations from duty and from the fear of the Lord, the early years of his reign evidence a mind keenly alive to all the necessities and responsibilities of his station, and a heart sincere in love and loyalty towards God. This prayer of Solomon displays the spirit proper for every young man especially for every Christian young man--in entering upon the responsibilities of life. There are three prominent characteristics of the temper of his mind that are pre-eminently worthy of regard. I. His preferment of the welfare of the people over whom he ruled above any gratification or interest of his own. From the manner in which the Lord offered the king any gift that his heart might desire, it is evident that Solomon was at perfect liberty, if such had been his choice, to request the fulfilment of some purely personal or private end. If such an offer had been made to any of the mighty kings whose names are blazoned in history, what would his choice have been? What prayer would have expressed the heart’ s desire of Alexander, of Hannibal, of Caesar, or of Napoleon? Alexander would have asked for another world to conquer; Hannibal would have sought satiety of vengeance in the extermination of the Italian foes; Caesar would have demanded admittance among the gods and the perpetual worship of the citizens of Rome; Napoleon that his family should ever rule the destinies of France, and that France of all nations should ever be foremost and supreme. But the spirit of which the Lord approved in Solomon was free from all taint of ambitious or selfish or merciless desire. Would that all to whom the interests of others are committed were ever animated by the spirit of Solomon. II. The hearty conformity to the Divine will of his wishes in regard to his position. When God promised any of the kings of Israel or of Judah the establishment of his throne and aid against his enemies, it was always provided that that king should diligently observe the statutes and commandments and ordinances of the Lord. When He rejected Saul from being king over His people, it was not because he had proved himself unfaithful to the nation’ s welfare, but because he had rejected the word of the Lord, and had not kept the commandment which the Lord had commanded him. And when David was raised to the throne of Israel, it was because of this testimony, given him of God: “ I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will.” Hence in the lips of Solomon this prayer for wisdom had a most peculiar and comprehensive significance. Its spirit was not ambition to be the wisest monarch of his day, nor servile anxiety to secure the favour of a powerful friend; it was the desire to do the will of his gracious Father in heaven. This same spirit of loving and hearty conformity to the Divine will has controlled the prayers and the lives of God’ s true people in all generations--Abram; Moses; Joseph; Paul; the Redeemer Himself. Oh, what comfort in affliction, what support in trial, what delight in duty, spring from the thought, “ It is the will of God” ! III. His recognition of himself as weak and liable to err, and of God as the great source of wisdom and strength for the discharge of duty. In the humility and diffidence of Solomon, we have an example of what seems to be commonly the case, that men of worth and of ability are the most deeply conscious of their deficiencies and faults. Utterly different from such a spirit was Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon on assuming the sceptre. Solomon evidenced his sense of weakness--not by shrinking from his duties, but by seeking God’ s help for the performance of them. Elisha, trembling to think how soon he should be called upon to wear the mantle of the greatest of the prophets, besought a double portion of his master’ s spirit. In a similar frame did Solomon pray for an understanding heart to judge the people of the Lord. (E. I. Hamilton, D.D.) Wisdom Wisdom consists chiefly in three things.1. Knowledge to discern.2. Skill to judge.3. Activity to prosecute. (T. Watson.) Solomon’ s wisdom He showed his wisdom by asking for.wisdom. (Dean Stanley.) Divine wisdom needed Every man needs Divine wisdom m order that he may do well his earthly work. You would light a lamp better if you first asked God to show you how to light it. (J. Parker, D.D.) The responsibility of a sovereign “ Now you are Queen of the mightiest land in Europe, in your hand lies the happiness of millions,” said young Prince Albert to Victoria in his letter of congratulation. He was going to Italy, in the freedom of a life less burdened, less full of splendid care than hers, yet not without a thought that his very wanderings were some time to be of service to her. “ May Heaven assist you,” he adds, “ and strengthen with its strength in that high and difficult task.” Solomon’ s desire for wisdom and the use he made of it 1.The practical wisdom by which we conduct the affairs of every-day life comes from God. Let us seek it, then, from its true source. If we seek to be wise without God, even our worldly wisdom will turn to folly. 2. We make a grand mistake in separating religious and every-day affairs. I do not mean merely to press the somewhat trite lesson that the morality which religion teaches must be practised in daily life. There are many who act up to this, yet still do not bring their religion enough into their daily work. Their trade or their business occupies them during me week. It is put away at stated intervals, to make room for higher thoughts; and these higher thoughts again are laid aside when they return to business. They cannot understand doing all things to the glory of God. The effect of this is twofold. First, it makes religion very weak and puny; instead of doing all things to the glory of God, we do a few things only to His glory. Secondly, it will mar our work; for nothing is really well done unless it is done in a religious spirit. But if Solomon exercised hie God-given wisdom on such matters as bringing up linen yarn from Egypt, why cannot we, too, understand that in our commerce, and other ordinary business, we are using God’ s gifts, and doing work which may and should be so done as to be to His glory? (A. K. Cherrill, M.A.) The best motives to action unselfish In private life, and in all life, the best motives to action are those which lie outside of salt and its supposed interests. To build the ship staunch and safe and the house firm and healthful for the sake of human lives that will be entrusted to them, to administer justice because of its equity, to heal disease and teach sanitary laws for the sake of suffering humanity, to cherish in every employment some glimpse of, and interest in, the good that it is to produce in the world, introduces a finer element into the labour and actually brings forth a better quality of work than can be educed by the mere hope of personal benefit to the worker. (Great Thoughts.) The folly of relying on our own wisdom in the conduct of life. A few years ago a most painful sensation was created in the public mind by the intelligence of a distressing and fatal accident which had happened to a distinguished Archdeacon of the Established Church. This gentleman, eminent alike for his character and his writings, was spending a short time on the continent, and, having with some friends ascended a mountain, expressed a strong wish to return alone by a new route. His companions remonstrated, pointed out the danger of attempting to follow an unknown path, and urged that at least their friend would accept the services of a guide. Unhappily he would not be persuaded, and presently commenced his perilous descent. The rest of the party reluctantly pursued their course, and waited his arrival at the inn. As time passed on, and the Archdeacon did not appear, their fears were re-awakened, and search was ordered to be made. Soon they were horrified, yet not surprised, to hear that the lifeless body of their friend had been found beneath a precipice over which he had fallen in his attempt to reach the inn. How striking an illustration does this sad incident afford of the fatal obstinacy of those who persist in relying on their own wisdom and strength of purpose in the journey of life! What can await them but destruction if they refuse to accept guidance? Yet a guide is not enough at all times. Only recently a party of travellers on Mont Blanc, accompanied by skilful guides, were overtaken by an avalanche; and not only two of their number but one of the guides also perished in a moment. We need an unerring guide; and where shall it be found but in Him who is infinite Wisdom as well as infinite Love? (Experience.) The fruits of prayer “ Do you really think that God will hear your prayers?” said a sceptic to a poor Christian woman. “ Yes,” she replied, “ you might as well tell me that that ship, just arrived from a foreign port, was never there at all because I was not there to see. You believe it was there because of the things it has brought, and so I do not think God hears my prayers, I know He both hears and answers them, for I have fruits of them in my possession.” (J. Nicoll.) Importance of knowledge The following words are from a letter written by Miss. Willard’ s mother to her children when they were quite small: “ The dearest wish of my heart, except that my children shall be Christians, is that they shall be well-educated. A good education will open the world to you as a knife opens an oyster. Riches will not do this, because riches have no power to brighten the intellect. An ox and a philosopher look out on the same world, and perhaps the ox has the stronger and handsomer eyes of the two, but the difference between the brains behind the eyes makes a difference between the two beings that is wider than all the seas. I want my children’ s brains to be full of the best thoughts that great minds have had in all centuries; I want stored away in your little heads the story of what the world was doing before you came--who were its poets, its painters and philosophers, its inventors and law-givers. I want you to know what is in its noblest books, and what its men of science say about their study of the earth, the ocean, and the stars. I want you taught to be careful, and exact by your knowledge of figures; and, most of all, I want you to learn how to speak and write your own noble English tongue, for without the power of expression you are like an aeolian harp when there is no breeze.” God’ s overflowing gift When the ice breaks up in Russia, the Czar goes in state to drink of the river Neva, and having drunk, it was long the custom for the Czar to return the cup to his attendants full of gold; but year by year it became so much larger that at length a stipulated sum was paid instead of the old penalty. But, however large the vessel we bring to God, and however much it increases in capacity with the discipline of years, God will make it to overflow with that peace and faith and love and joy which is better than much fine gold. (Sunday Companion.) 2 Chronicles 1:7; 2 Chronicles 1:12 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.Solomon’ s choice I. The address which God made to Solomon, “ Ask,” etc., He does in effect make to each of us, especially the young. II. Though we need not the qualification which Solomon required for kingly office, yet we all need spiritual wisdom and understanding, and may therefore imitate his example. III. God is pleased with those who make the choice and offer up the prayer of Solomon. Because--1. It is the effect of His grace.2. It indicates feelings and opinions similar to His own.3. It indicates humility.4. It shows a benevolent concern for His glory and for the happiness of their fellow-creatures.5. It actually tends to promote His glory. IV. All who make this choice and adopt this prayer shall certainly be favoured with a wise and understanding heart. (E. Payson, D.D.) How to get the best blessing For the acquiring the highest wealth, “ asking” --1. Is the simplest method.2. The Divinely appointed method (Matthew 7:7; Mark 14:38).3. The only method. Purchase is impossible.4. The certain method. 5. The abundantly enforced method. Enforced by the whole Bible.6. Has ever been the abundantly successful method. (R. A. Griffin.) Solomon’ s opportunity We speak chidingly and upbraidingly of men who have had what we call their chance and have not availed themselves of it. Should a man come to poverty, we review his life and say, “ He had no opportunity of doing better; he has made the best of his circumstances, he deserves sympathy; let us extend our help to him.” Or we say, “ He has had his chance; he might have been as high as most of us; we remember the time when his life was crowned with a gracious opportunity; he was slothful, incapable; he was busy here and there, and the king passed by; and now we do not feel any kindling of real regard and interest in relation to hun. God gives every man his opportunity. (J. Parker, D.D.) The prayer for wisdom The pious prayer of the youthful Solomon at the beginning of his kingly life! There is in this narrative a blending of the natural and supernatural which surpasses all power of fabrication; in itself the high degree of fitness which marks the Divine manifestation here recorded, combined with its striking simplicity, reveals to us the personal intervention of Him “ who dwelleth on high, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.” That the highly-lauded wisdom of Solomon had not originally the religious character which is ascribed to it in the text is indeed easily asserted, but is far from proved, and is moreover at variance with a multitude of facts. It may even with reason be doubted whether a wisdom and knowledge such as this King of Israel must have possessed in his day can be explained upon purely natural grounds; assuredly it is somewhat simpler to find, with the sacred writer, in Solomon’ s own experience the ground of his utterance, “ The Lord giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” I. “ Come and see” a youth who at a critical moment is found in prayer. It is true every moment of this fleeting life has its own significance; but yet there are single hours which more than other cast a heavy weight into the trembling scale. What a difference between that which Solomon has hitherto been and that which he is henceforth to be; and how much depends, even for himself, upon the spirit in which the first step on the new path is taken! Until now child, boy, youth; nursed indeed in the bosom of luxury, but with a David as father, a Nathan as guide; beloved and happy among his brethren, but yet to a great extent on an equality with them. Now suddenly king, and--free; free from every bond. In a simple trait a whole difference of character and principle is sometimes made manifest. Thus it is in the conduct of Solomon at this hour, as compared with that of his brother, Adonijah but a few short months ago. While the latter, even during David’ s lifetime, grasps at the throne, he prepares only a banquet: as though he would at once be able as from the table to ascend the princely throne. When Solomon, on the other hand, after David’ s death assumes the reins, there is prepared almost as the first act a religious festival of homage and coronation. With what hallowed emotion this day fills his heart will be felt by every one who perceives yet in his prayer by night the after-vibrating of the finest chords of his heart which had been touched by day! Not so attractive for him is the cedar palace in Jerusalem as this simple hill without, where the name of the God of his father is called upon. It is too little for him that his exaltation bears the stamp of human approval; he must consult the Lord in the palace of His holiness, and place himself with all his future under me gracious hand of the Holy One of Israel. Heart-gladdening sight--a king who feels himself God’ s subject; a youth who feels that his path cannot be pure unless he directs it according to Jehovah’ s Word! Is it not the ease that sincere piety, however often derided and disowned, is yet something glorious and fair; the ornament of every condition, and most of all of the highest; but especially amiable and august in the young man who with whole and joyful heart has chosen the service of God? It is true, when an aged sinner bows his head in penitence before God, Satan loses his prey; but when in a youthful heart a voice is awakened which cries for the living God, then angels give thanks to God around the throne for their new-born brother on earth, Oh, they know not what they say who assert that early piety has about it something unnatural and narrow-minded. How many a youth is at this hour brought to the decisive turning-point in his life, but who begins his course altogether differently, and who therefore very soon makes a progress entirely unlike that of Solomon! How many a bark, lightly laden and fairly equipped, leaves the secure haven and dances over the rippling waves, and seems for awhile to distance others, but anon with the turn of fortune falls quickly behind, and entirely loses her course, until, become a plaything of the storm, she is dashed on yonder rocks and disappears in the gloomy abyss! What wonder, the inexperienced steersman had thought of everything except the indispensable compass; had taken counsel with every one except that One who says, “ Mine is the counsel and their strength” ; had counted beforehand on the haven, but not upon the storm and Him who alone can quell the storm. There is now a fable going its round in the world: unbelief has invented it, and scepticism now whispers it from the mouth of one schoolboy into the ears of others. It is this--that for the whole doctrine of childlike prayer there is no longer any place within the compass of the modern view of the world. Thus sounds the gospel of despair, hailed by many a child of this age as the highest wisdom--a gospel before which the angel of prayer within flees from the unhallowed sanctuary; while in his place the genius of passive subjection, with rigid gaze, takes his seat by the grave of departed hope. Poor man, poor youth especially, who have all that is needful for outward life, but have lost prayer! “ In all, thy ways acknowledge Him” . II. Come and see, in the second piece, a king’ s son who prays exclusively for wisdom. Assuredly, before the presence of the Infinite One the prince is no more than the begger; but is not the former exposed to far greater temptations? “ Ask what I shall give thee.” What a word, and how great the concession contained in that word! All the treasure-chambers of God’ s infinite favour opened up before the grasp of a single hand! “ Ask of Me,” says the Possessor of all things, “ and choose thyself the blessing which thou desirest above all others. Shall the cedars of Lebanon fall that in thy capital there may arise an edifice of unrivalled splendour? Shall the laurel adorn thy brow, intertwined with the roses of love? Shall thy name be borne upon a thousand tongues, even to the Tigris and Euphrates? and a patriarchal age crown all these blessings?” Who does not involuntarily tremble at the sight of the hand in which such a decision is placed? “ Give Thy servant an understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:9); and the meaning of his prayer may be easily conjectured, especially when we remember the sense in which Solomon in the Book of Proverbs constantly makes mention of wisdom. He means by it no mere learning, which may be attained to in another way; and just as little that acuteness, versatility, polish, which frequently is almost entirely disconnected with the first principles of moral life. He desires on the other hand, that practical wisdom which qualifies in every ease for the recognising, choosing, and accomplishing of the right, the true, and the good. If he has only wisdom, what does he need besides? Happy Solomon, who hast understood thy deepest need; but who at the same time knowest where satisfaction for this need is to be sought. III. Come and see here a humble one, who prays not in vain. A humble one: upon that word I lay stress, because it is the key to the whole. How strikingly this humility expresses itself, especially in the words of the prayer as preserved in another place. First, thanksgiving for what is already bestowed or promised; and then, further, “ And now, O Lord, my God” --the “ my” of a humble faith--“ Thou hast made Thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child, I know not how to go out or come in,” as my position requires. Solomon, at least, has certainly experienced the truth of his own words, “ With the lowly is wisdom,” but also at the same time learnt that God will give grace to the humble. Immediately he receives the answer, “ Because this was in thine heart the wisdom and the knowledge is granted unto thee. “ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraids him not; and it shall be given him. But--the condition is equally simple as it is reasonable--“ let him ask in faith, nothing doubting.” How prayer is heard no one may be able fully to explain; but that it is heard is for the thoughtful faith raised above all doubt. “ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with Mine eye.” Not that you are to look for inner light apart from God’ s written Word, and still less that this heavenly instruction is to release from the necessity for your own labour and exertion. In the realm of true wisdom no one is crowned who has not in childlike spirit bowed before God. IV. Come and see here a favoured one, who receives much more than he asks for. We have as yet listened to only half of the heavenly response: thus it continues, “ Therefore will I give thee riches, and wealth, and honour,” etc. No, He who gives that which is of the first necessity also refuses not that which is less so. Solomon had not even thought of temporal gifts; but his God forgets nothing of all that which may augment the lustre of His throne. “ And Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dream.” But what a dream; and what an awakening! The morning hour of a new life has dawned upon him, and while this master-dreamer descends at once from Gibson’ s crest, it is only very soon to rise to a more glorious height before the eye of his own and neighbouring nations. That which the king has received redounds, spiritually and materially, to the good of the nation, which shares in the benefit. God in answer to prayer usually gives the indispensable first; but straightway also adds thereto the useful, the agreeable, the comparatively superfluous. The Lord gives grace, and in that one thing all things lie hid; yet He adds to grace also honour, and withholds no good thing from them that walk in uprightness. “ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding . . . She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdeth her fast.” V. An unhappy one who by his own fault has forfeited this blessing of his prayer. (J. Van Oosterzee, D.D.) What shall I ask? It is an excellent discipline for such as would pray aright to begin by hearing God say to them, “ Ask now what I should give you.” Think with yourself before you kneel down to pray, “ What shall I ask; what wish is upon my heart; is there anything distressing, vexing, paining me at this moment which I can ask God to alleviate or to remove; is there anything which I very much desire, anything which I think it would make me happy to have, anything which to be denied would embitter or desolate my life?” “ Ask what I shall give thee,” God says, and let Him not find silence, or find a double tongue in him to whom He says it. All this points to what Scripture calls “ the preparation of the heart” for prayer. How different would be the very step of the worshippers as they left their homes, how different would be the very look of the countenances aa they came within these doors and took up their places, if each one felt that God was here, and that He was saying to each one, “ What shall I give thee?” There is a moment in most lives when the question of the destination of the life is put to them, and must be answered. Even the destination of this life is very important. Often it has the destination of the other life in it. To s young man, the question takes the form of “ What shall be your profession?” In proportion as the field of choice is wider and broader will be, of course, the difficulty and the gravity of the question, “ What shall I make my life for the service of God and of my generation?” This is the most direct example to be found in our day, perhaps, of the young king in one of my texts. And what shall be the answer? Shall it be,” Give me wealth” ? shall it be, “ Give me honour” ? shall it be, “ Give me a front place in the ranks of fame, or of such repute and respectability as takes the place of fame among the lowly; give me success, give me applause, give me rapid progress towards a satisfactory position; or, give me a portion among them that know, that amass information, that write or make books, that are called men of literature, men of science, men of culture, men of education” ? or, shall it be, “ Lord, make me useful in my generation; let it not concern me whether I am great or small, may I but help a few others to know Thy comfort, may I but bring peace into a few unhappy souls or guide a few stray lives into the way of holiness” ? If there were such a heart in us, how rich would be the reward! “ The speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.” There are times when the question, “ What shall I do, Lord?” comes very prominently into view. It is so with the young Churchman at the season of confirmation; it is so at the first and at each successive communion; it is so when the hand of God is laid heavily upon the life in sorrow; it is so when sickness comes, not unto death; it is so when the formation of new ties, or providential disruption of old ones, compels a man to stand still and settle with himself--what shall the tenor of my life be, what the course, and what the goal? Happy if he can cast himself believingly on Him who is “ a very present help,” and say, “ Give me understanding, give me grace, give me a useful course and a blessed end.” (Dean Vaughan.) Solomon’ s choice Nowadays it is impossible to say that God never does speak to men in dreams, but it is not often that He does so. For one good reason--the Bible is now complete, and there His will may be learned, and there it is made known. Yet there are some dreams that certainly are remarkable!” I. First let us talk s little about the permission: “ Ask what I shall give thee! Suppose I were to put this question to each one here present, what a lot of singular requests would be heard. One old woman was once heard praying thus: “ O Lord, give me plenty to eat and plenty to drink, and that’ s all I want.” God wished Solomon to ask himself, “ What do I really need most of all?” Of old the shopkeepers used to cry aloud, “ What--do ye lack?” This is a good rule in prayer, to say, What do I actually want at this very moment? If you find out in what you are most deficient, you will learn your true character. Look around, and say now, “ What do I really need? What ought a boy or girl just beginning life to possess? What--do I lack?” Perhaps you do not know how much you need some things, nor will you without inquiring. Tradesmen fill their shop-windows with toys, pictures, books, and dresses, so that people may feel inclined to want them, and come in and purchase. The Bible is full of descriptions of things that every one should require. Look at what it says, and you will find out what you want most, and first of all II. God asked this question of Solomon for another reason; He desired to show us the true way to obtain what we require; that is, by prayer or asking. Solomon had received great gifts from his father David without asking for them. God, too, had given him many most valuable blessings, many of them without asking. “ Now,” says God, “ ask and you shall have.” You cannot purchase some things with money; no rich man has sufficient wealth to buy health or happiness. And you cannot buy the blessings of the gospel; you must receive them as a gift from the Lord Jesus. (N. Wiseman.) The prayer of King Solomon for wisdom to govern his people Whatever in later life may have been Solomon’ s deviations from duty and from the fear of the Lord, the early years of his reign evidence a mind keenly alive to all the necessities and responsibilities of his station, and a heart sincere in love and loyalty towards God. This prayer of Solomon displays the spirit proper for every young man especially for every Christian young man--in entering upon the responsibilities of life. There are three prominent characteristics of the temper of his mind that are pre-eminently worthy of regard. I. His preferment of the welfare of the people over whom he ruled above any gratification or interest of his own. From the manner in which the Lord offered the king any gift that his heart might desire, it is evident that Solomon was at perfect liberty, if such had been his choice, to request the fulfilment of some purely personal or private end. If such an offer had been made to any of the mighty kings whose names are blazoned in history, what would his choice have been? What prayer would have expressed the heart’ s desire of Alexander, of Hannibal, of Caesar, or of Napoleon? Alexander would have asked for another world to conquer; Hannibal would have sought satiety of vengeance in the extermination of the Italian foes; Caesar would have demanded admittance among the gods and the perpetual worship of the citizens of Rome; Napoleon that his family should ever rule the destinies of France, and that France of all nations should ever be foremost and supreme. But the spirit of which the Lord approved in Solomon was free from all taint of ambitious or selfish or merciless desire. Would that all to whom the interests of others are committed were ever animated by the spirit of Solomon. II. The hearty conformity to the Divine will of his wishes in regard to his position. When God promised any of the kings of Israel or of Judah the establishment of his throne and aid against his enemies, it was always provided that that king should diligently observe the statutes and commandments and ordinances of the Lord. When He rejected Saul from being king over His people, it was not because he had proved himself unfaithful to the nation’ s welfare, but because he had rejected the word of the Lord, and had not kept the commandment which the Lord had commanded him. And when David was raised to the throne of Israel, it was because of this testimony, given him of God: “ I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will.” Hence in the lips of Solomon this prayer for wisdom had a most peculiar and comprehensive significance. Its spirit was not ambition to be the wisest monarch of his day, nor servile anxiety to secure the favour of a powerful friend; it was the desire to do the will of his gracious Father in heaven. This same spirit of loving and hearty conformity to the Divine will has controlled the prayers and the lives of God’ s true people in all generations--Abram; Moses; Joseph; Paul; the Redeemer Himself. Oh, what comfort in affliction, what support in trial, what delight in duty, spring from the thought, “ It is the will of God” ! III. His recognition of himself as weak and liable to err, and of God as the great source of wisdom and strength for the discharge of duty. In the humility and diffidence of Solomon, we have an example of what seems to be commonly the case, that men of worth and of ability are the most deeply conscious of their deficiencies and faults. Utterly different from such a spirit was Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon on assuming the sceptre. Solomon evidenced his sense of weakness--not by shrinking from his duties, but by seeking God’ s help for the performance of them. Elisha, trembling to think how soon he should be called upon to wear the mantle of the greatest of the prophets, besought a double portion of his master’ s spirit. In a similar frame did Solomon pray for an understanding heart to judge the people of the Lord. (E. I. Hamilton, D.D.) Wisdom Wisdom consists chiefly in three things.1. Knowledge to discern.2. Skill to judge.3. Activity to prosecute. (T. Watson.) Solomon’ s wisdom He showed his wisdom by asking for.wisdom. (Dean Stanley.) Divine wisdom needed Every man needs Divine wisdom m order that he may do well his earthly work. You would light a lamp better if you first asked God to show you how to light it. (J. Parker, D.D.) The responsibility of a sovereign “ Now you are Queen of the mightiest land in Europe, in your hand lies the happiness of millions,” said young Prince Albert to Victoria in his letter of congratulation. He was going to Italy, in the freedom of a life less burdened, less full of splendid care than hers, yet not without a thought that his very wanderings were some time to be of service to her. “ May Heaven assist you,” he adds, “ and strengthen with its strength in that high and difficult task.” Solomon’ s desire for wisdom and the use he made of it 1.The practical wisdom by which we conduct the affairs of every-day life comes from God. Let us seek it, then, from its true source. If we seek to be wise without God, even our worldly wisdom will turn to folly. 2. We make a grand mistake in separating religious and every-day affairs. I do not mean merely to press the somewhat trite lesson that the morality which religion teaches must be practised in daily life. There are many who act up to this, yet still do not bring their religion enough into their daily work. Their trade or their business occupies them during me week. It is put away at stated intervals, to make room for higher thoughts; and these higher thoughts again are laid aside when they return to business. They cannot understand doing all things to the glory of God. The effect of this is twofold. First, it makes religion very weak and puny; instead of doing all things to the glory of God, we do a few things only to His glory. Secondly, it will mar our work; for nothing is really well done unless it is done in a religious spirit. But if Solomon exercised hie God-given wisdom on such matters as bringing up linen yarn from Egypt, why cannot we, too, understand that in our commerce, and other ordinary business, we are using God’ s gifts, and doing work which may and should be so done as to be to His glory? (A. K. Cherrill, M.A.) The best motives to action unselfish In private life, and in all life, the best motives to action are those which lie outside of salt and its supposed interests. To build the ship staunch and safe and the house firm and healthful for the sake of human lives that will be entrusted to them, to administer justice because of its equity, to heal disease and teach sanitary laws for the sake of suffering humanity, to cherish in every employment some glimpse of, and interest in, the good that it is to produce in the world, introduces a finer element into the labour and actually brings forth a better quality of work than can be educed by the mere hope of personal benefit to the worker. (Great Thoughts.) The folly of relying on our own wisdom in the conduct of life. A few years ago a most painful sensation was created in the public mind by the intelligence of a distressing and fatal accident which had happened to a distinguished Archdeacon of the Established Church. This gentleman, eminent alike for his character and his writings, was spending a short time on the continent, and, having with some friends ascended a mountain, expressed a strong wish to return alone by a new route. His companions remonstrated, pointed out the danger of attempting to follow an unknown path, and urged that at least their friend would accept the services of a guide. Unhappily he would not be persuaded, and presently commenced his perilous descent. The rest of the party reluctantly pursued their course, and waited his arrival at the inn. As time passed on, and the Archdeacon did not appear, their fears were re-awakened, and search was ordered to be made. Soon they were horrified, yet not surprised, to hear that the lifeless body of their friend had been found beneath a precipice over which he had fallen in his attempt to reach the inn. How striking an illustration does this sad incident afford of the fatal obstinacy of those who persist in relying on their own wisdom and strength of purpose in the journey of life! What can await them but destruction if they refuse to accept guidance? Yet a guide is not enough at all times. Only recently a party of travellers on Mont Blanc, accompanied by skilful guides, were overtaken by an avalanche; and not only two of their number but one of the guides also perished in a moment. We need an unerring guide; and where shall it be found but in Him who is infinite Wisdom as well as infinite Love? (Experience.) The fruits of prayer “ Do you really think that God will hear your prayers?” said a sceptic to a poor Christian woman. “ Yes,” she replied, “ you might as well tell me that that ship, just arrived from a foreign port, was never there at all because I was not there to see. You believe it was there because of the things it has brought, and so I do not think God hears my prayers, I know He both hears and answers them, for I have fruits of them in my possession.” (J. Nicoll.) Importance of knowledge The following words are from a letter written by Miss. Willard’ s mother to her children when they were quite small: “ The dearest wish of my heart, except that my children shall be Christians, is that they shall be well-educated. A good education will open the world to you as a knife opens an oyster. Riches will not do this, because riches have no power to brighten the intellect. An ox and a philosopher look out on the same world, and perhaps the ox has the stronger and handsomer eyes of the two, but the difference between the brains behind the eyes makes a difference between the two beings that is wider than all the seas. I want my children’ s brains to be full of the best thoughts that great minds have had in all centuries; I want stored away in your little heads the story of what the world was doing before you came--who were its poets, its painters and philosophers, its inventors and law-givers. I want you to know what is in its noblest books, and what its men of science say about their study of the earth, the ocean, and the stars. I want you taught to be careful, and exact by your knowledge of figures; and, most of all, I want you to learn how to speak and write your own noble English tongue, for without the power of expression you are like an aeolian harp when there is no breeze.” God’ s overflowing gift When the ice breaks up in Russia, the Czar goes in state to drink of the river Neva, and having drunk, it was long the custom for the Czar to return the cup to his attendants full of gold; but year by year it became so much larger that at length a stipulated sum was paid instead of the old penalty. But, however large the vessel we bring to God, and however much it increases in capacity with the discipline of years, God will make it to overflow with that peace and faith and love and joy which is better than much fine gold. (Sunday Companion.) 2 Chronicles 1:13-14 And Solomon gathered chariots.Solomon’ s wealth I. Wealth derived from trading speculations. II. Wealth acquired in opposition to God’ s commands (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). He must trust in the Lord God, not in chariots and horses (Psalms 20:7). III. Wealth therefore risky in its possesion. Prosperity of Solomon his great misfortune. The smallest departure from rectitude may lead to grievous errors and fearful miseries. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 1:16 The King’ s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. The king’ s merchants I. The advantages of commerce. In softening manners and breaking down prejudices, in helping industry, promoting peace, and stimulating into Nature’ s resources. II. The blessings of the nation whose sovereign takes an interest in commerce (J. Wolfendale.) . 2 Chronicles 2:1-16 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord. Solomon’ s predestined work Solomon was born to do this work. There is no need for the rose to say, “ Now I am going to be beautiful and fragrant.” There is no need for the nightingale to say, “ Now I have fully made up my mind to be musical and tuneful, and to fill the air with richest expressions and melody.” The flower was born to bloom, and to throw all its fragrance away in generous donation; the nightingale was made in every bone and feather of it for the sacred singing throat to sing to astonish the world with music. Solomon came into this work naturally, as it were by birth and education. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 2:5-6 And this house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. The house of God 1.The worship of God, the creator and governor of the world, commenced with the creation of man; but in the patriarchal ages it partook not of that formal and settled character which it afterwards, by God’ s direction, assumed. Nor, as far as we can learn from ancient history, does it appear that there were ever any regular buildings erected as temples before the Jewish tabernacle was set up. Noah, and the other patriarchs, appear simply to have erected altars for their sacrifices, and these often only for immediate and temporary use; or to have planted groves, as Abraham did in Beersheba, “ and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.” But when God had chosen a people to be called by His name, and had given them His law, and taught them to offer Him regular stated services, He further commanded that there should be a particular building set apart for the same. Now, the objects of all such buildings are twofold. They are to be built to the honour of Him who is to be worshipped therein, and they are to be used by those who are to meet there for the purpose of joining in that worship. 2. And this feeling which led Solomon to build “ a great house because God was great above all gods” has had its proper influence in all ages and countries, and is based upon true and proper principles of religion, as well under the dispensation of the gospel as under that of law. History, no doubt, tells us that in the days of persecution the faithful were wont to meet for Divine worship amidst the tombs and burial.places of the dead, or in the secret eaves of the earth. But, when persecutions cease, and days of prosperity come round, when, as David says, they themselves begin to “ dwell in houses of cedar,” then surely it is “ no longer meet that the ark of the covenant of the Lord should remain under curtains.” When mansions of costly price, and embellished within and without with all the skill of experienced artists, grow up on every side--when the halls of justice, the palatial buildings of the money-changers, the marketplaces, and public works which denote and advance the worldly greatness and prosperity of our citizens, are multiplying around us, then too, surely, it is meet that the house which we build for the service of God should be great and, as nearly as we can make it, the chief glory of all; reminding us, by its beauty and magnificence, of the greatness of our God, who is above all gods. 3. It has been too much the custom, in the age in which we live, to endeavour in every way to serve God at as cheap a rate as possible, at the same time that men serve themselves willingly at the costliest sacrifice. While in your private lives luxury has been increasing, any expenditure in connection with the building of a church or the service of God is too often denounced, very much in the spirit of Judas, as a waste of that which might have been turned to better account in some other way. Now, for myself, I wish loudly to protest against such a system. 4. What use are we going to make of the house of God, now that we have built it? “ If there is one thing more than another for which we have a perfect loathing,” says an able lay member of the Church, “ it is that most disgusting of all unrealities which attempts to make things external and earthly the substitute for what is internal and heavenly--which considers fine churches and complex services a sufficient compensation for general laxity of morals--the formalism of lip-worship an atonement for deadness of hearts and unrestrained luxurious living.” All the outward acts of s religious life may be performed, where there is an established character, and yet every one of them be an offence to God. They hear sermons, join in a litany, join in Divine worship, come to the communion once a month--all like a decent garment: things outside, nothing within. God forbid that such should be our case: that we should allow any self-complacency on account of this house which God has permitted us to build for Him, or any admiration of the services to be offered therein, to blind us to the depths of our sad spiritual necessities, or make us indifferent about these necessities being supplied. And when we draw nigh to offer our own sacrifices, let us ever bear fresh in our stricken hearts the recollection of that One Great Sacrifice once offered up as a peace-offering for us all, and which alone gives any of us sinners the right of access to the throne of grace. (Bp. Fulford.) A great house “ The house is great, for great is our God” --that is the reason. That is the key of all Christian life. Our conception of God controls everything. A little God means a little life, a little morality, a little service, a little petty, miserable effort altogether; but a great conception of God is a great life--great loving, great service for others. I do not fear about God in the Church. God is great. We have dismissed Him from our thought. We are agnostics without the courage of our convictions. We say “ God” ; but do we mean it in all its light and music and beauty and moral necessity? Is not the Word of God a mere convenience in speech? We must put it in. Is it the ruling thought, the dominating idea, the sovereign force? Christ never ignored God. Christ lifted up the Father, the God, the Sovereign, When you get a real conception of God you will preach well. There will be no fear of man before you. Do not sit back and say, “ We cannot know Him.” That is intellectually true; it is sympathetically false--we cannot know God intellectually. No man’ s eyes can accommodate the whole sky, but we know God lovingly, pityingly, healingly, forgivingly; we know Him intuitively. The sun rules all things. Haste thou, take heed of that, O man! It is the sun that tells them what coat to put on; the sun tells them what to eat; the sun cures and smites, and rebukes thy poor botanies and minor sciences, showing them that the Kew Gardens of one nation are the weeds of another. The sun tells you when to go out and when to hasten home again. And as that teaches you, so the great Teacher of the mind, the Spirit of God, will teach them, control them, guide them! We “ live and move and have our being” in God. The house is great, for great is our conception of God. God is greater than our conception--we struggle towards Him, and our struggle is victory. A great God means a great morality: Shall I tell you of the knaves that are trying to carve morality for the people? They have schedules and stipulations and social arrangements and indications and manifold endeavour and effort after something that is to be millennial and glorious. If that is morality, we can make it, shape it, manufacture it, sell it, appreciate it, prize it, barter it, nail it to the wall like a wooden idol. Talk they of morals? Oh, Thou bleeding Lamb, true morality is love of Thee! If that were morality which I have just described in my own words, it would be worthy of its own little etymology--an attitude, a manner, a posture, a trick. Away! It is a soul, an inspiration, a flame, an incarnate holiness. “ Mr. So-and-so is a good man, though he is not a Christian.” No! he is not a good man. “ My neighbour is an excellent man, though he does not believe anything about God.” No! he is not an excellent man. There thou art in the little etymological morality, the manner, the attitude, the posture. All thou seest is silver, but the base metal is inside. To be silver-covered is not to be silver. He only is good who is the temple of God by consent, by honour, by daily worship, by continued trust in His name and service in His kingdom. A great God means a great service--not a little service written out on the paper as to what shall come first, and next, and last, but an enthusiasm that dares the sea, the wilderness, and the place of danger, the cannibal, the savage, the devil “ Why, missionary, dost thou so go forth? Remain at home.” “ I cannot.” “ Why not?” “ God is great; my service for Him must be great also.” Your house exists for one thing--you must find out what that one thing is. You shut the window for some one, you keep up the house for some one. It is always an impulse. We must find the motive and governing thought. Only let that be worthy, and all the rest will come. “ Oh, my Father, the message preached was poor and feeble, but Thy broken-down old servant could not do better.” He says, “ That was the best discourse thou didst ever deliver; it shall be made mightier than the others on which thou hast lavished thy poor vanity. It was the best thou couldst do, and weakness may be strength, poverty may be wealth.” Oh, to do the best you can! that is to do a great thing in the esteem of God. And that mumbling, stumbling prayer of thine at the family altar--only God knows what that prayer cost. Can you tell me the meaning of the word “ great” ? I will ask my young friends to tell me what great means, and to illustrate it in some general way. I hear the answer already--the mountains are great, the sky is great, the sun is great! There is the great mountain, and here at its base is a little child picking spring’ s first daisy. Which is great? The child! And a man standing on the great mountain says, “ That is greatness. What am I, a poor little creature compared with that great rock?” Why, that great rock is insignificant, and thou art majestic. Thou canst tunnel it, bore it, climb it--that is greatness, not magnitude. Get the right definition of greatness, and all your troubles will subside and all your love will fall into its right prospective, and you shall say the Lord reigneth. Now I will tell you where greatness is to be found. It is to be found in compassion. You said great mountain; I say great pity--“ And his father saw him whilst he was yet a great way off, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” All the consolidated planets never totalled up to that greatness. And thou canst be great in that way. I will tell you what is great--great patience, patience that sits up all night and says, “ He will be here in the morning; he has been mistaken as to distance, but he will be here in the morning” --a patience that looks at the midnight clock as if by chance, as if it did not mean to look, but simply got its tearful eye on that significant dial. Patience says, “ The child will do well by and by. He is poor at his learning now, but he is going to be a good scholar in a year or two.” Ay, that is greatness; not the rocky mountains of the Alpine heights--not these, but heights of patience, depths of love, rivers of tears. “ The house is great, for great is our God.” This house will be famous for the deliverance of great messages. This house has no small message to deliver. The messages delivered here will deal with great subjects, with God, and blood, and sin, and pardon, and holiness, and destiny--themes that cannot be discussed anywhere else. They would be out of place in the Lyceum, in the political hall, in the House of Parliament. I speak of this house not in its locality, but in its typical relations. This house must be unique in its messages. Men must hasten to God’ s house to hear God’ s Word which they can hear nowhere else in the same sense, degree, and quality. My brother ministers, you are not hardly driven for subjects; the Cross still stands. You need not look up a paper to see what is the question of the day. The question of the day is, “ How can a man be forgiven, how can a broken heart be healed, how can the lost be brought home?” --that is the question of the day. This house will be great in its welcomes. There will be as it were a genius, a spirit at all the doors, saying, “ Come and welcome; O every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.” Great welcomes will make the house warm--people love welcomes. Speak God’ s welcomes to human hearts, and men will bless thee and mothers say there never was such a man. And this house will be known as great for its great remedies--the house of God treats nothing superficially. There be those in the world who cry “ Peace, peace!” where there is no peace. There be those who say, “ There, that will do,” when they have not touched the heart-sore, the devil-spot. The remedy declared here will be the old, old remedy of blood. And this house, though great, is not final. Nature hates all buildings. Nature hates everything that does not grow. We know Mother Nature is very gentle to a nettle, and gives a nettle room and says, “ Let this nettle grow” ; but Nature has already begun to take off your roof. Long before you have paid half of your £9,000 you will have a bill sent in for repairs. Nature will not let the place alone--she will take it down. Build thou in God, build thou the temple-life. Every man is the living temple of God that cannot be taken down--that is a house not made with hands. (J. Parker, D. D.) Sermons in stones So far as we are able to discover from archaeological research and the details in Scripture, it seems beyond controversy that the temple of Solomon was the most splendid and magnificent building the world has ever seen. There have been larger buildings, but no building represented in itself so much splendour. The gold and silver and precious stones, besides the marble and timber and workmanship, amounted to about £100,000,000 sterling, equal to the annual revenue of this kingdom. And so far as we know, with all this luxurious outlay, there was no one in the congregation of Jerusalem who raised the Judas cry: “ To what purpose is this waste?” Solomon said, “ The house which I build is great,” and he gave as a reason, “ because great is our God above all gods.” What did this temple mean to Solomon? I. The temple was great to Solomon because it stood for the visible sign of God’ s presence among the people. God had forbidden the children of Israel to make any image representing Himself. Yet there is an underlying spirit of worship that is inherent in all of us, a longing for some objective thing upon which we can cast our eye. Out of that desire, which seems to be a very part of our nature, and not a result of superstition, has grown, by the misdirection of it, all idolatry. God manifested Himself early in the garden of Eden with a flame of fire. When He spake with Moses He appeared in a burning bush. It was an objective sign of His presence. Consider how natural it is to build such signs as these in the land. We have on the Embankment a great Parliament House, a magnificent building, one of the finest in the world. That Parliament House is the visible sign of the sovereignty of the people. In the same way Buckingham Palace stands as the visible sign of royalty. The Courts of Justice in the Strand are a visible sign of the rights of man and the defence of man in his rights. So we might go all through the land and note that the great manor houses and castles are the embodiment of that subtle thing which we call nobility. Everything in this world has its concrete sign. We look upon the things that are seen, not as being the actual thing, but as the sign of the thing. II. When Solomon said, “ The house I build is great,” the inadequacy of his ability to express his idea was also present with him. How shall I build a house great enough for the great God? The only justification of the Infinite falling short of any house is that it shall be a place where we shall come into His presence and offer sacrifices to His great name. That purpose sanctifies the inadequate efforts we make to embody our ideal. God does not receive thanks from us because they are worthy of acceptance, but because they are responses to His grace. Little things become big, and sometimes great things become very small, just as their attitude is towards God. Bethlehem, for instance, was the least of all the cities, and yet it became great because it was sanctified and glorified by the birth of the Son of God. It was not the town, but what was associated with it. Nazareth was a despised, contemptible, mean little village; so contemptible that it came to be a byword, and yet Nazareth is one of the famous towns in the history of the world, and always will be. The things we offer to God are great, not because of the money they cost, not by the splendour of them that may meet the eye, but because they are given to God. God makes them great. III. The temple was great because of what it symbolised. It was the great type of the Incarnation. There is instinctively in man a spirit which craves for an objective representation of God. But for us Christ is the real Incarnation. Our churches stand as an embodiment of our thankful recognition of promises fulfilled. We meet for instruction, for prayer, for praise, for fellowship and goodwill, and to give forth our witness to God. It would be an irreparable loss to us if Westminster Abbey were rased to the ground; and so with all the old cathedrals of England. They are an embodiment of doctrine in a sense. A true cathedral is laid out on the plan of the Cross, the nave and the transepts making a cross. The spire tells of the aspirations of worship, and if we come into the choir we have an expression of praise. The old mediaeval idea was to work out in stone and in building the foundations of our faith. I would fill the land with buildings that should be in the highest sense great buildings, expressing the great inheritance which has come to us from God by Jesus Christ. (G. F. Pentecost, D.D.) Solomon’ s conception of God By the sentence, the heaven and heaven of heavens, that is the heaven in its most extended compass, cannot contain God, Solomon strikes down all rationalistic assertions that the Israelites imagined Jehovah to be only a finite national God. The infinitude and super-mundane exaltation of God cannot be more clearly and strongly expressed than it is in these words. That, however, Solomon was addicted to no abstract idealism is sufficiently apparent from this, that he unites this consciousness of the infinite exaltation of God with the firm belief of His real presence in the temple. The true God is not merely exalted above the world, has not only His throne in heaven (1 Kings 8:34; 1 Kings 8:36; 1 Kings 8:39; Psalms 2:4; Psalms 11:4; Psalms 103:19; Isaiah 66:1; Amos 9:6), He is also present on the earth (Deuteronomy 4:39), has chosen the temple for the dwelling-place of His name in Israel, from which He hears the prayers of His people. (C.F. Keil.) 2 Chronicles 2:7-16 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold.Huram and Solomon Learn from this intercourse-- I. That friendship in life is helpful. II. That co-operation among men is desirable. III. That men may know God, yet not serve him. IV. That when God’ s people are consistent in their life, their influence upon others is for good. (J. Wolfendale.) Co-operation No temple should be built by any one man. Blessed be God, everything that is worth doing is done by co-operation, by acknowledged reciprocity of labour. Your breakfast-table was not spread by yourself, although it could not have been spread without you. Sometimes we may almost bless God that we cannot identify the authorship of some books in the Bible. It is better that many hands should have written the book than that some brilliant author should have retired into immortality on the ground of his being the only genius that could have written so marvellous a volume. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 2:17-18 And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel.Naturalisation of foreigners I. A good government will tend to make a country attractive to foreigners. II. Foreigners thus attracted are amenable to the laws of the state. III. Thus protected, they may contribute materially to the enrichment of a state by the importation of foreign industries. Silk-weavers of Spitalfields. V. Be kind to strangers. (Bibical Museum.) Strangers in the city I. Strangers in a city are in danger from the temptation to explore the underground life of the community. I believe that three-fourths of the young men of our cities are ruined for the simple reason that they went to look at iniquity. In 1794, during the Reign of Terror in Paris, there were people who, to hide from their persecutors, got into the sewers under the city, and went on mile after mile amid the stifling atmosphere, poisoned and exhausted, coming out after a while at the river Seine, where they washed and breathed again the pure air. But, alas! that so many men who attempt to explore underground New York life never come to a river Seine, where they can wash, and they die horribly in the sewers. I stand on a mountain of Colorado, six thousand feet high. There is a man standing beneath me who says, “ I see a peculiar shelving to this rock,” and he bends towards it. I say, “ Stop, you will fall.” He says, “ No danger; I have a steady hand and foot, and see a peculiar kind of moss.” I say, “ Stand back” ; but he says, “ I am not afraid” ; and he bends farther and farther, and after a while his head whirls and his feet slip--and the eagles know not that it is the macerated flesh of a man they are picking at, but it is. So I have seen men come to the very verge of the life of this city, and they look away down in it. They say, “ Don’ t be cowardly. Let us go down.” They look farther and farther. I warn them to stand back; but Satan comes behind them, and while they are swinging over the verge, pushes them off. People say they were naturally bad. They were not? They were engaged in exploration. No man can afford to sail so near the coast of eternal fire for the purpose of discovering how hot it is. Stand off from that exploration. If you are a good swimmer, and you see a man drowning, leap for him and bring him ashore; but if you are merely going to jump in to see him drown, stand back. II. Strangers in a city are in danger from the temptation to desecrate the Sabbath. There is not one in ten who knows how to keep the Lord’ s day when he is away from home and absent from all Christian influences. III. Strangers in a city are not safe without Christian restraint. (T. De Witt Talmage.) . 2 Chronicles 3:1-14 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem.The surpassing beauty of the temple I. That God did not need this lavish expenditure of gold and gems and rich ornaments II. Yet Divine condescension accepted this offering of human gratitude. III. The beauty and costliness of the temple served to impress the mind of surrounding nations with the feelings of the people of israel towards their great God. IV. The adornment of the temple a rebuke to mere utilitarian views. (Biblical Museum.) And he began to build in the second day of the second month. Memorable days Have we not all had memorable days?1. The day when the boy left home. 2. The day when the young man finds his first friend in business, the head that can direct him, the hand strong enough to give him assurance of protection, the voice all strength and music that charmed his fears away, and gave him consciousness of latent possibilities of his own. 3. The day when the young man got his first practical hold of life and business, how much he made in his first little profit, the very first sovereign he made by his own wits and energy. Do not let all days be alike; save yourselves from so running one day into another as to drop the dignity, the accent, the significance of special occasions. (J. Parker, D. D.) Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God.--Life-building The building of the temple is a striking example of life-building. I. Solomon began with instruction. “ Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed” : literally, “ Now this is the ground-plan.” So many people are building without a ground-plan. It would seem as if they were attempting to perform the impossibility of building from the top; they have no foundations, no great principles; there is a brick here, and a stone there, and a beam of wood yonder, but there is no grand scheme. “ Solomon was instructed.” Then Solomon was not a born builder that is to say, a man who needed no instruction, no hint, no apprenticeship, in these things. He was a man who began with instruction. A man is none the worse for having his little book of instructions in his pocket when he goes abroad. The book is not a large one in mere superficies, but who can declare in arithmetical numbers its cubical contents? Every line is a volume; every sentence is a time-bill; every proposition is a philosophy. Even Solomon accepted instruction. It is never wise to be beyond a hint, beyond the counsel of experience. II. Solomon began well: what wonder if he continue well? He said he would start life with the dowry of wisdom. No accidents could happen to Solomon, because he started at the right point; accepted the true definition of life, and walked in the light of wisdom. If it happened that Solomon should ever trifle with that light, conceal it, modify it, despise it, he would go to the devil. No matter if he had built s thousand temples, he would land in perdition if he ceases to walk in the ways of wisdom. No man can build himself up to heaven, however many temples he may build; he must build up from within--in the matter of conviction, principles, life, character, he must blossom into purity, he must fructify into love. III. Solomon’ s instructions were sufficient. Sometimes we wish that we had a rehearsal of life, and that we might come back and begin at the beginning, and walk in the light of experience. There is something better than experience, and that is revelation. The Christian claims that the whole map or chart of life is to be found in the Book of God; and co it is. So there need be no pensive desire for a trial-trip in the ways of life. IV. Solomon had a definite purpose in view: he was building a temple. Definiteness of purpose economise time, enables strength to issue in the noblest accomplishments. A man will have good reason to know what he is doing if he pay attention to Providence. There need not be so much darkness in the ways of life as is often supposed. (J. Parker, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 3:6 And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty.Cost and beauty in Christian worship The author of the history of the Jewish Church uses these words concerning the temple of Solomon: “ As in the Grecian tragedies we see always in the background the gate of Mycenae, so in the story of the people of Israel we have always in view the temple of Solomon. There is hardly any Jewish reign that is not in some way connected with its construction or its changes. In front of the great Church of the Escuriel in Spain--in the eyes of Spaniards itself a likeness of the temple--overlooking the court called by them the Court of the Kings are six colossal statues of the kings of Judah who bore the chief part in the temple of Jerusalem--David, the proposer; Solomon, the founder; Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah, Manasseh, the successive purifiers and restorers. The idea there so impressively graven in stone runs through all the subsequent history of the chosen people. Why was this temple built and what was the motive, especially of its enormous costliness and its unrivalled beauty? Solomon did not build and “ garnish the house with precious stones and with gold of the gold of Parvaim” because he was ambitious as a king and a conqueror to outshine his neighbours or to immortalise himself, but because he was bidden to do so. The temple was not an exhibition of wealth or cleverness, or superiority on the part of man, its builder; it was man’ s education in cost and sacrifice and unsparing labour on the part of God, its designer. There is just one principle that runs through all the teaching of the two Testaments concerning what men do for their Maker, and that is that God does not want, and cannot otherwise than lightly esteem, that which costs us nothing, and that the value of any service or sacrifice which we render for His sake is that, whatever may be its intrinsic meanness or meagreness, it is as from us our very best. This will let us see the insufficiency of the average explanations that are given of the motives that prompt to the enriching and beautifying of our sanctuaries to-day, such as--1. Such things are necessitated by the inevitable rivalries of the day. It would be said that this is a time, especially in England and on the continent of Europe, of restorations. And what one Church has done, another cannot afford to be behind in doing also. The spirit of the age is the spirit of competition, and competition which is the life of trade is the life of religion too. If this is a very pitiful motive to be alleged for any such work, it is not an altogether surprising one. That competitive temper has so much to do with explaining our personal and social expenditures that it is not unnatural to seek in it the clue to expenditures that are sacred. Think for a moment how much money is spent for dress, for the furnishing and decoration of houses. Now, then, what is it that is sad about all this? its cost? No, but what is too often and too plainly its motive. If our banquets were always the symbols of our eagerness to please, of our desire to give of our best to those whom we love and honour, then their cost and splendour would only so much the more ennoble them. But it is because, too often, our dress, our houses, our entertainments, our equipages, are only so many means by which we strive to outshine and eclipse our neighbour that such expenditure becomes so largely not only the wasteful, but the truly contemptible thing that it is. And yet it is no wonder that so long as we allow such motives to influence us in things secular, we should infer or impute them concerning things that are sacred. 2. When changes are made in our social customs, in our habits of expenditure, and even in our modes of worship, we are often told that they are necessitated because we must “ keep up with the times,” and those who are wedded by very sacred associations to things ancient, are often wounded in their tenderest feelings by being told that they must give up the old in order not to be behind the age. Well, the spirit of the nineteenth century, whatever else may be said of it, is not an infallible spirit, and in many respects it would be better if some of us were behind the age rather than so eagerly and unthinkingly in accord with it. But however this may be, the “ spirit of the age” can never be the guide for the principles of worship or the law of sacrifice. Such cost and beauty is helpful to the instinct of worship and devotion. This motive is a perfectly valid and intelligible one. But the one sufficient motive for cost, and beauty, and even lavish outlay in the building and adornment of the house of God, is the consecrating to Him the best and costliest that human hands can bring. This is the very essence of the Cross of Christ. The power of the Cross over men lies in this, that it is the gift to men, by God, of His very best--“ His well-beloved Son.” (Bp. H. C. Potter.) . 2 Chronicles 4:1-10 Moreover he made an altar of brase The furniture of the holy court 1. The altar of brass. Larger than that in tabernacle. When God enlarges our borders and business we should increase our gifts. 2. The sea of brass. God requires sanctity in all that approach Him (James 4:8). 3. The ten layers. Not only the priests, but the sacrifices, must be washed. We must purify our persons and performances. Iniquity cleaves to our holy things. 4. The ten golden candlesticks. One in tabernacle. Light increases. 5. The ten tables. 6. The golden altar. Christ makes atonement and intercedes for ever in virtue of that atonement. (J. Wolfendale.) Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits. The molten sea I. Its use. Suggests purification for God’ s service. II. Its size. Suggests abundant provision for purification. A type of the “ fountain opened.” III. Its construction.1. The material precious and durable. 2. The oxen, sacrifices of priests, emblems of strength and patience--looking all ways. The blessings procured by a holy priesthood would be universally diffused. (Homiletical Commentary.) 2 Chronicles 4:22 And the entry of the house.The entry of the house This, central, conspicuous, and attractive, suggesting-- I. Access to God in Christian worship. II. Access to symbolic beauty in Christian worship. 1. Perfection of gold, or material prosperity given to God.2. Palms--growth and fruitfulness in Christian life.3. Flowers--beauty and fragrance in Christian character.4. Cherubims--alacrity in God’ s service. (J. Wolfendale.) The worth of grandeur A fine house cannot make a fine tenant; a first-class carriage cannot make a first-class traveller; a man might sit down on a monarch’ s throne, and not be a sovereign; he might even look like a king, and be only a clown. Decoration is useless, if it does not express something beyond itself, something spiritual, ideal, transcendental. The picture is nothing if it does not in reality speak, not indeed to the ear of the body, but to the attention of the soul. It is an amusing irony to see some people clothed in purple and fine linen, because there is really no connection between them and their clothes; we expect them to speak musically, and lo! their tones fill our mouths as with gravel-stones. We expect a man to be at least as elegant as his clothes, and when he is not we do not blame the garments; it is more their misfortune than their fault that they should be where they are. So when we read the specification of temples and palaces we say, “ What does it amount to? What is this grandeur worth in helping and blessing the world? What is civilisation to end in?” (J. Parker, D.D.) . 2 Chronicles 5:1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished. Dedicated things I. David before his death dedicated certain treasures to God. II. Solomon most scrupulous in carrying out his father’ s wish. III. Solomon’ s example worthy of our imitation. (J. Wolfendale.) The joy of the finished work I. The accomplishment of finished work is the cause of joy. II. The power to accomplish this work should be ascribed to God. III. Hence in every undertaking we should ask for god’ s direction. (J. Wolfendale) Things that are never finished There are some buildings that are never finished. We never finish our life-building; the life-temple goes up evermore--let every man take heed how he buildeth. Do not suppose that you can finish your education. In the higher education you only finish that you may begin; you close one book as a pledge of your qualification to open another. How, as boys at school, we used to be discouraged by this process of advancement! Having closed the arithmetic, who was willing with his whole heart to open his algebra? Many persons could have comfortably left school without beginning it at all. But there is always a higher aspect of things to apprehend and apply. The table ends at twelve times twelve, but not multiplication. So we can never finish reading the Word of God. Solomon could finish his temple, but he could not finish the written record; it never ends, or it ends as the days end. How do the days close? To begin again. Each day the sun says as he westers in the golden clouds, not “ Farewell,” but only “ Goodbye: we meet again presently; meanwhile, sleep well! “ So with the Bible; when we have read it we want to read it. You can never finish love. If you can finish it, you never began it. Love grows. There are some persons who have run out of that passion and sunk into earthliness and coldness. Then they never knew the inspiration of love. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 5:2-10 To bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. The removal of the ark I. The time of its removal.1. Remarkable in itself. The building finished in November was not dedicated until the October of the following year. Feast of Tabernacles most suitable time to dedicate temple. 2. Remarkable in its influence. “ The magnitude of the event is marked by the fact that now for the first time since the Exodus we have the year and month recorded” (Stanley) . II. The method of its removal. Similar to the ceremony of removing from the house of Obed-edom. III. The ceremonies which accompanied its removal. IV. The solemn deposit in its resting-place. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 5:12-13 Also the the Levites, which were the singers. The temple choir I. Music and revelation from God. “ There is no fuller revelation of God in Nature than is found in these laws of sound, by which He comes into the very heart of man, even to its inmost recesses of love and adoration; and it requires only a sensitive, child-like heart to interpret this speechless music locked within Nature as the voice of God pleading to be let out into music, and praise through the heart of man, for so only can His works praise Him.” II. Music as a science to cultivate. III. Music consecrated to its highest use in the worship of God. (J. Wolfendale.) Music in the churches I propose to speak about sacred music. I. Its importance. This is apparent--1. From the fact that God commanded it. Through Paul He tells us to admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and through David He cries out, “ Sing ye to God, all ye kingdoms of the earth.” I think there are more commands in the Bible to sing than there are to pray. 2. From the impressiveness of the exercise. You know something of what secular music has achieved. One inspiriting national air is worth thirty thousand men as a standing army. In the earlier part of the late war the Government proposed to economise in bands of music, and many of them were sent home; but the generals in the army sent word to Washington: “ You are making a great mistake. We are falling back and falling back. We have not enough music.” Then the Government changed its mind: more bands of music were sent to the field, and the day of shameful defeat terminated. Many of you are illustrations of what sacred song can do. Through it you were brought into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. 3. From its power to soothe perturbation. 4. From its power to arouse to action. II. Some of the obstacles in the way of its advancement.1. It has been impressed into the service of superstition. 2. An inordinate fear of criticism. 3. There has been so much angry discussion on the subject. 4. The erroneous notion that this part of the service could be conducted by delegation. (T. De Witt Talmage.) United praise as a means of grace I. That the glory of the Lord began to appear when the assembly were employed in praise and thanksgiving. Praise is the most acceptable service we can be engaged in: “ Whoso offereth praise giorifieth Me.” Prayer is an expression of our indigence and weakness. Thanksgiving expresseth our relish of the sweetness of benefits received; but praise rises above all selfish regards, and directly terminates on the greatness and amiableness of God Himself. The habitations of the blessed continually resound with the high praises of God. Did we praise God more, He would give us greater cause to praise Him. It is suggestive that the Lord’ s Prayer both begins and ends with adoration. II. The subject of praise, which God honoured with this token of His acceptance, was His own goodness and everlasting mercy. God is best pleased with our praises when we adore and celebrate those perfections of His nature which dispose Him to pity the miserable, and have the kindest aspect towards the children of men. III. The seriousness and fervour of this devout assembly. They devoted their whole strength and activity, as if they were ambitious to spend themselves in this heavenly employment. The devotion of the soul is the soul of devotion. IV. The harmony and unanimity of these ancient worshippers. “ They were all as one, and made one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord” (Acts 2:1-2; Psalms 133:1-3.; Matthew 5:23-24). (R. Walker.) On psalmody I. Why or for what end music is used in religious worship. By the constitution of our nature music, by a mysterious and potent agency, awakens the heart, concentrates the thoughts, and elevates the soul, and the end of music in religious worship is to assist our devotions, by an application to our affections of that which has upon them a powerful action to excite and direct them; by engaging us in an exercise in which sympathy has large scope, and every one acts upon the rest, to enable us to animate each other; to pour forth our praises and adorations in a way that is significant and edifying, delightsome and impressive. Hence--1. The absurdity of making music in our religious services a mere matter of entertainment. 2. All kinds of music which have no tendency to aid and gratify devotion ought to be banished from the house of God. II. Some of the examples and authorities for making music a handmaid to religion (Job 38:7; Genesis 4:21; Exodus 15:20; Psalms 47:6; Psalms 98:7; Ephesians 5:19; Matthew 26:30). III. After what manner the first Christians performed this service. The nearer we come to the model of the primitive Church in this, the nearer we shall approach to perfection. The psalmody of the first Christians was plain, simple, and solemn. Their tunes were, probably, easy and few, and the character of them such as expressed humility and love, and was calculated rather to melt than to capture the heart. Afterwards, as piety declined, it became necessary to re-excite and re-animate it by more striking music; and the whole congregation was divided into two parts, which sang responsive to each other. IV. Some brief suggestions how we may use this part of divine service to our own benefit and the glory of god. (Bp. Dehon.) Advantages of music in public worship I. “they lifted up their voice.” Those whom nature has gifted with a voice ought to lift it up not only in making responses but also in singing the praises of their Creator and Redeemer. The choir should not be deputed by the congregation to praise God in their stead. Its office is rather to lead their united praises. II. In acceptable worship the praise of the heart must accompany the praise of the lips: “ They were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord.” Their hearts were all at one “ with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music.” Those who sing loudly the praises of God should let heart, lips, and life be a well-tuned instrument devoted to the service of the sanctuary. The man who sings beautiful words with an angel’ s tongue, and leads an unholy life, pronounces his own condemnation. III. Those who are anxious that the praise of the heart should accompany the praise of the lips will find themselves greatly aided by instruments of music: “ They lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music.” Instrumental music unites voices which would otherwise be discordant, and removes the diffidence of those who might otherwise be silent in the service of the sanctuary. Instrumental music removes weariness from the mind, banishes wandering thoughts, and enables us to mount above the world and the things of the world, and to hold high converse with the adorable Trinity. It also conveys to us a lively image of the worship and services of the heavenly sanctuary. (Revelation 14:2; Revelation 14:8). We must learn to distinguish between the natural effect of music on the senses and the spiritual effect of Divine truths on the soul. IV. The subject-matter of praise: God’ s goodness in creation and redemption. V. God’ s testimony of approbation: the cloud filled the house. This was designed to impress their senses with an awful reverence of God. VI. The time when God gave them this remarkable token of His approbation: “ When they lifted up their voice.” Conclusion: “ So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud.” These show that, when Christ should come, the priests should not minister in their former manner. We are now called upon to renounce every altar but the Cross, and every sacrifice but the Victim which bled on Calvary. As s spiritual priesthood, we have “ to present our bodies a living sacrifice.” (Canon Arthur R. Pennington.) That then the house was filled with a cloud (with 2 Chronicles 7:1-8).--Temple glories The two passages of Scripture which I have read to you give you two pictures. In the first you have the cloud, in the second you have the fire; and in these two together you have the sacred mystic symbols of the presence of the Eternal God in the midst of His people. I. The first of these passages affords me the first head of my discourse. Let us note--1. The occupation in which the people were engaged. They were praising God-- (1) Unanimously.(2) Heartily.(3) Scripturally. They sung that old psalm, “ His mercy endureth for ever.”2. While thus engaged the cloud filled the sacred places.3. Then a solemn awe fell on all that were gathered that day.4. The suppliants felt they might pray more earnestly because they prayed surely.II. The first text has had reference to the past. The next dwells specially upon the future. After praise, joined with solemn prayer and sacrifice, the fire came down.1. How much the preacher wants this fire! Oh! I have heard a man preach a sermon to which an angel might have listened for its faultless truthfulness, but it lacked fire; but I have known another whose ministry was faulty in many respects, but yet he spoke like a man that meant what he said, with his heart boiling over at his eyes, and men were moved and many souls were saved. 2. But we need this fire upon the hearers too. How well people listen when they come to hear something! What a noble effect is produced when once the fire comes upon a congregation! (C. H. Spurgeon.) . 2 Chronicles 6:1-10 Then said Solomon, The Lord hath said that He would dwell in the thick darkness. God dwelling in darkness His dwelling in darkness has a symbolical meaning. It tells us of the darkness in which Divine and spiritual things are enveloped. It conveys to us this truth--that only a certain portion of light is given us in anything, enough to guide the conduct but not enough to satisfy the reason; and it suggests, that if we will accept nothing until we satisfy the doubts that may be raised concerning it, we shall end in accepting nothing. I. In regard to God himself, any perfect knowledge of Him is impossible to man. The smaller must comprehend the greater, before man can comprehend Deity as He is in His absolute nature. This secrecy of God is one of the attributes and perfections of the Almighty. He who sees all and is Himself unseen must be the Creator. The words of the inspired writer contain a literal truth, “ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.”1. Under this condition God has ever revealed Himself: to our first parents in the garden of Eden; to Moses in the bush and in the clouds of Sinai; to Elijah. He was present in each case, but could not be traced; revealed, but unseen. The answer of the old heathen philosopher respecting Him is the true one: “ When I look for Him I find Him not, when I look not for Him I find Him everywhere.” 2. Not otherwise was it in the Incarnation. A light in a dark place, and the darkness comprehended it not. “ There standeth One among you whom ye know not.” 3. It is the same with God’ s manifestation through the Holy Spirit. He has been, and is, a Presence and a Power in the earth, working wondrously but inscrutably. 4. As with the Person, so it has been with the Word of God; an obscure light, enough to try faith, not to gratify human speculation. Take, e.g., prophecy. In its broad features the cast corresponds with the mould. But when we enter into details, the exact literal completion is difficult to trace. 5. It was the same with the parables of Christ. They were truth under a veil. 6. So it is in numberless instances of the deeper truths revealed in Scripture. II. Pass now to the providence of God. It is a true idea that represents God as manifest in history, ruling the world in righteousness and justice. But immediately we leave this general truth and examine the case of particular nations or particular periods, what perplexity arises! Civilised nations falling back into darkness and degradation; eras of barbarism intervening; wars springing up and throwing a continent back fifty years in its progress; evil of all kinds permitted; wrong and injustice prevailing. “ His way is in the sea, and His paths in the great waters.” “ His footsteps are not known.” It would be easy to illustrate this in numberless other instances--in our individual lives; in moral science; in physical science. The lesson from all this is that all truth is beset with some obscurity, but must not be rejected on that account. “ In this world there is little to be known but much to be done.” It teaches us in matters of right and wrong, in matters of religion, to trust but little to our reason, but much to our inward consciousness, the instinct of conscience and the aspirations of faith. (Archdeacon Grant, D.C.L.) 2 Chronicles 6:4-11 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath with His hands fulfilled that which He spake. The performance of God’ s promise I. That God deals with His people in all ages by way of promise. Adam, Abraham, David. II. That the performance of this promise is a source of joy to them.1. In revealing God to them.2. In the actual bestowment of good to them. III. That there are special seasons to testify to God’ s goodness in the performance of His promise.1. Conversion.2. Restoration from sickness and danger.3. Dedication of places of worship.4. Times of special favour. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 6:6-9 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.David’ s intention to build the temple I. Man’ s purposes are sometimes greater than his power. Limitation of--1. Character.2. Body.3. Culture.4. Circumstances--want of means or liberty.5. Destiny.6. Life. II. The importance and value of these gracious but unfulfilled intentions. Earnest purposes, sincere desires, are facts, and as facts will be recompensed.1. They are facts to God.2. They are facts to those who cherish them.3. Unfulfilled intentions are not without their practical influence upon society. III. The comfort which these considerations are calculated to afford to--1. The poor and uneducated.2. The suffering.3. Those who are called to premature death.4. All good men in the presence of their imperfect lives. (W. L. Watkinson.) The rejected service, but approved motive I. A rejected service. Here is a good man bent upon a service which he is not permitted to perform. It is an instance of a man’ s purposes outrunning the possibilities of his life. There are many reasons why a man should sometimes not be allowed to accomplish sell-imposed tasks, although they may be the outcome of very fine motives. There were reasons in David’ s life. David had been a man of war, and as such had shed human blood (1 Chronicles 22:8). There was an incongruity which God recognised, which had escaped David’ s attention, between shedding blood and building a sanctuary for God. Then, again, there may be some special hindrance in the age in which a man lives, or the circumstances by which he is surrounded, which makes the postponement of the work necessary. A man may live, as we say, before his age, he may project great purposes into human life, and yet God may say to him, “ Stop, the motive is pure enough, and it is accepted as such, but the world is not yet ready; My providence must mature things, and we must wait.” Again, there may be something in God’ s design--worldward: that design which includes time and eternity within the scope of its operation--which may put a veto upon any such scheme, his accomplishing tasks which are in themselves very praiseworthy, and which are prompted by pure and exalted motives. Now I have said that every man who has lived to a purpose must know some time or other what such a disappointment as this means. Why, this, book tells us that God has put eternity into a man’ s heart. God has put eternity into a man’ s heart; therefore the impulses of eternity, or the aims and purposes which take in eternity, are there. Man is not a mere creature of time: he strikes great outlines, not as the mere creature of time, but as one who is to live for ever. Thus, as long as it is true that God has put eternity into a man’ s heart, and has only put seventy years, or at most eighty or ninety years, into his life, there must be an overlapping of purposes and designs in relation to attainments in this life. It is impossible, therefore, that he should fulfil all his designs, or fill up the outlines of these plans, in a brief life. David was bent upon building a house unto the Lord: he was denied that privilege: but who will say that his life was therefore a failure? David, after all, was permitted to do a nobler work than building a sanctuary for God, great as that privilege would have been. He sang out the hymns which were destined to become the inspired psalter for all ages. Now, there are some men who escape these disappointments; but at what cost! The men who never aim at high things, who never strike the outline of any noble work; men who never allow the immortal spirit which is within them to design immortal things, and therefore things which can never be accomplished in a mortal life, doubtless escape these disappointments, but at the cost of degrading that which is noblest and best in their natures. II. The approved motive: “ Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house for My name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.” Many a man would have said, “ Ah, poor David, all the inspiration of a great purpose, all the patient planning, and all the earnest endeavour to accomplish the task on his part, have been useless. The Divine veto has put an end to all.” Nay, not so. David does not occupy the same position Godward or manward which he would have occupied if he had never designed so devout and exalted a scheme.1. It was well for David himself--well for his own soul that this thought took possession of it. Remember the circumstances. David had built for himself a house with cedared roof, but was then shocked with the thought of his dwelling in a palace while his God dwelt in the old tattered tabernacle of the wilderness. Surely that recoil itself was ennobling. 2. It was well, too, for David’ s outward, as well as his inner, life. While engaged in gathering materials for the temple, he was saved from doing things less worthy of his calling and position as the anointed of the Lord. While engaged at this work he had less disposition to engage in conflict with his neighbours. 3. It was also well that this was in his heart, because by gathering the materials for the building of the temple ha had furthered the object by preparing the way for some one else to finish the task.. 4. It was well, too, because, now that he knew that he himself would never be permitted to build the house, he would have an opportunity of exercising a self-denial which he would not have done if his had been the privilege of completing the task. Thus there was a spiritual blessing, an enriching grace, an ennobling providence in this denial. Now, we see this often in life. It is a law of human life that some men originate a work, and others accomplish it. There is nothing final about man’ s work on earth; we pick up the thread where other hands dropped it, and soon will drop it into younger hands than ours. God’ s designs cover millenniums. Look at daily life. There is a man who founds a house, or originates a business: a man who begins in a small room, and by dint of genius and perseverance, under God’ s blessing, so extends his business that it well-nigh takes up one side of a street. That man passes away. But he has had dreams greater than his accomplishment. Among his later thoughts was that something else might be done, but he was denied the privilege of giving embodiment to those thoughts. His son takes his place. Ah, and when the motive is never attained, still, if it be noble, it is not fruitless. There is that child overboard: a man leaps after it, but the storm rages and the ocean heaves and lounges terribly, so that the man at length fails to rescue the child. Who shall say that it was not well that he thought of it, and risked his own life in the noble endeavour? It is heaven that will supply the final solution, and it is the future that will crown the edifice of tasks unfinished in this our mortal life, although they were originated with high motives and far-reaching purposes. David entered eternity, not as a disappointed man, but as one who was inspired with an exalted aim that he bequeathed to a succeeding generation, whose noblest activities it set going. (D. Davies.) Pious purposes frustrated but rewarded I. The Lord notices the pious purposes of the heart. And here the following points require attention.1. He is omniscient. “ All things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” “ I the Lord search the heart.” We judge by external manifestations, and know the tree by its fruit; but He understands our thought afar off. 2. The omniscient Jehovah approves the godly purpose. It is acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ, as it springs from faith and love, as it means glory to God and goodwill toward man. The Lord knows and approves your desire to serve Him, whatever obstacles may arise to prevent the fulfilment. “ The desire of a man is his kindness,” and is accepted as such. 3. He sees the effect of His grace. “ From Him all good things do come.” And where is the believer who will not gratefully own, “ Thou hast wrought all our works in us” ? We have no purposes which, in the sight of God, are godly, until a good work is begun in us; for, as depraved creatures, we are all alienated from the life of God. Our purposes are worldly and sinful. II. It may please the Lord, in the exercise of infinite wisdom and goodness, to disappoint us with regard to the accomplishment of our purposes of serving Him.1. To impress us with the conviction of His independence. He is the “ Lord God Almighty,” who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Such dispensations of Providence may be appointed to teach the Church of God that its great Head, when He thinks proper, can dispense with the instrumentality we expected Him to employ. 2. Another reason for the Divine conduct in the case in point is to induce the spirit of submission and resignation. And can you say, “ Thy will, my God, Thy will be done” ? We naturally like our own way. Our “ purposes are broken off,” even “ the thoughts of our heart.” God thwarts us, not to grieve, but to teach us deference to His will. 3. We may add another reason why God takes away the young and useful, to prevent idolatry. III. If the Lord thus prevent the fulfilment of the pious purpose, He tenderly says, “ thou hast well done in that it was in thine heart.” IV. God graciously rewards the intention, even as much as if it had been accomplished. It is our painful duty to charge the sinner to remember that God notices and takes account of his evil devices. (S. Eldridge.) The unfulfilled ideal A religious ideal may be defined as a product of sanctified imagination, and sanctified imagination may again be described as faith considered in its free, intellectual expression. An ideal is the outline picture of possible usefulness and success, conceived under the incitements of faith, hope, and love inherent in the new life. An ideal that is born of pure religious life, and not of mere worldly ambition, is a child of God’ s inspiration in the second degree of descent. Every Christian worker has his ideals. The ideals cherished by God’ s people vary with the requirements of the age. David’ s was to build a temple; ours probably concern the building of living stones into that peerless temple in which God shall be worshipped throughout all ages. The value of unfulfilled ideals is a lesson we all need to learn. Only a slight fraction of the zeal that promised so much at first ever seems to bear visible fruit. We see the ideals of fellow-labourers out short by the act of God, almost before they have touched their coveted tasks. The achievements of the best lives do not equal the measure of ardent aspiration, and God rewards for aspiration as well as for perfected deed. There are also ideals the secret of whose frustration is to be found in our own hearts. We had, perhaps, miscalculated our strength, or pride mingled with our ideals, and God was holding us back from their realisation till pride had been extinguished and faith and hope and humility had grown to proportions commensurate with the success He was about to give us. But we do not understand the meaning of God’ s delays, and so our ideals of work and obligation and evangelistic success have been relegated to the lumber-room and have been lying there in ignoble dust and dry-rot for years. A famous traveller has written a book to tell us how remunerative the abandoned goldfields of Midian may yet become. Some of the most productive silver mines of South America are mines that were worked by Spanish conquerors, forsaken for two and a half centuries, and are now being worked again. Boundless spiritual wealth and possibility lie hidden in the half-forgotten ideals of our youth and early manhood. I. The influence exerted by the unfulfilled idea upon the personal character. It is just conceivable that religious life may exist without the help and influence of ideals, but it will only be marked by feebleness and insipidity. It will find its appropriate emblem in the dead-level of the prairie rather than in the towering majesty of the forest. The moment you give up your large ideals you cease to feel the necessity for large sacrifice, large heroism, generous self-forgetting toll. An ideal occupies precisely the same relation to religious growth and power that the faculty of imagination in the child does to the character and success of the after-man. Students of social science tell us that the education provided in the parish workhouse supplies no element to stimulate the imagination of the child, and that the little ones placed under the regime grow up dull, sullen, void of interest in everything about them, and without a single ambition to improve themselves. In the course of time, after every potential interest and aspiration is battered down and deadened, the child is turned into the world; and it is almost invariably found, after a few years of indolence, stolidity, and mild crime, the child returns to the workhouse to shelter its incompetency and approaching age. Let imagination be denied its proper function in the religious life, and the result will be to limit that life to a very low and abject plane. The professor of religion who is without an inspiring ideal is spending the life of a creeping, torpid, spiritual pauper. All our religious virtues gain or lose as our ideals of religious work are grasped or abandoned. There is a logical impediment to the growth of faith in the heart of the man who has given up his ideals. All faith is twofold in its action, personal and vicarious, and the one type of action can no more go on without the other than the systole can be separated from diastole in the action of the heart. Decay in the faith you exercise on behalf of the world will bring decay in the faith exercised on your own behalf. Hence it is that in genuine revivals of religion the sanctification of believers and the conversion of the ungodly always proceed by equal paces. An ideal, if deferred in its fulfilment, or even unfulfilled in the precise form in which you first conceived it, will be a perpetual fountain of health and prosperity to your own soul. Doubtless the whole character of David was raised and ennobled by the ideal he had so long cherished within his heart. If you cannot see the worth of your unfulfilled ideals, God, who traces their influence upon character, can; and if the inward ear were not heavy with the world’ s distracting babel, you would hear the testimony of His favour and approval, “ Thou didst well that it was in thine heart.” Never weigh against your moral and spiritual interests the temporal sacrifices you make for your ideals. II. These ideals move the mind of Almighty God. The ideal touches with some lasting impression the unforgetting God, and passes into one of the abiding motive-forces of the universe He governs to redeem. There is a spiritual doctrine of the conservation of energy which is the heritage of all the true people of God. When Providence puts its arrest upon the progress of our ideals, every fraction of the force lives on. Blessed doctrine of the conservation of energy! David held some clue to it when he exclaimed, “ Are not my tears in Thy book?” Christ was recognising it when He spoke the words that immortalised Mary’ s love: “ Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached, there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her.” The writer of the Hebrews felt it when he exclaimed, “ God is not unrighteous to forget your work of faith and labour of love which ye have showed toward His name.” There is a God-moving force in our own keeping. How is power to be brought out and applied? It must be stimulated and increased by temporary delay. There is a danger of one-sidedness in the action of our ideals. They sometimes stimulate the power of work without stimulating at the same time the twin power of prayer. You thrust on this side, and smite on that, and accomplish nothing. God seems to confound you, and you are ready to give up all your ideals in your vexation and impatience. God wants you to drop the rude staff and take up the jewelled weapon of all-prayer. Again, when our ideals are postponed in their accomplishment it is that faith may be made perfect, and that we may cast ourselves more fully upon God. What frightful infidels we should become if we saw our ideals leap up to immediate completion at our mere touch as by a process of rapid tropical growth! You lose power over the mind of God when you begin to throw away your ideals. III. Think of the influence of David’ s ideal upon the actual work of erecting the temple. David’ s ideal became the accomplished work of his successor. Your towering ideals of to-day, if grasped with fidelity and followed up as far as God permits, shall be a secured platform for the action of the next generation. Conclusion:1. You should pitch your ideals high enough to make sure they will be called extravagant by all those in whose hearts is the love of the world, and not the love of the Father. Never mind how daring they are, if the pure love of God and men enters into their deepest essence. 2. Above all things try to keep pride out of them. 3. Having once formed your ideals, hold them fast. Some men sneer at the ideals of their youth, as if they were a species of wild oats they had been sowing, and not God-begotten and immortal seed. Do not be satirist where God is admirer, and set your small, cynical sneers at yourself over against His word of approbation. “ Thou didst well that it was in thine heart.” (Thomas G. Selby.) 2 Chronicles 6:12-15 And he stood before the altar of the Lord.David’ s charge to Solomon fulfilled I. Solomon’ s affectionate remembrance of his earthly father. II. His reverence of his heavenly Father. What sublimity and yet what humility is there evinced in this prayer of the king! Had he been an outcast like Manasseh, praying to God for restoration to his lost throne, he could not have humbled himself deeper in the dust. Listen to his lowly words: “ But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built!” etc. Who is this on bended knees and with bended heart that offers up these lowly petitions? A king? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a king. ‘ Tis Solomon in all his glory. True greatness is ever founded on humility. As it is in the natural world, so is it in the moral world--the higher the structure, the deeper the foundation. The lofty Alps, upon whose snowy head the stars of heaven seem to rest, have their foundations deep in the heart of the earth. Never was Solomon so exalted, never was he nearer heaven, than when on bended knees we behold him a suppliant at the footstool of God’ s throne. The highest rank, the loftiest genius, the most splendid crown, receive a double splendour from the grace of humility. (H. Cay.) Solomon’ s prayer The great proof of the blessing given to Solomon is to be found in the prayer which he prayed at the dedication of the temple. No man could have prayed that prayer without help. This we should have said about it in all honesty if we had found it in Sanscrit; if we had exhumed it out of Indian libraries, it would have been due to the author to have said, “ You never dreamed that dream; it was a vision of God.” Probably there is no such prayer in all literary records. If ever that prayer be excelled, it will be by the Son of God alone, and His excelling of it will be by contrast rather than by comparison. There is not a selfish word in it. It is not a Jew’ s prayer; it is a man’ s prayer. (J. Parker, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 6:18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?The condescending God I. Let me call your attention to the fact of the Divine greatness; because it is only in the view of that that we can be prepared to appreciate the Divine condescension. “ Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee!”1. What a view have we here of the immensity of God! We ourselves are among the stars, careering through space, myriads of miles distant now from where we were at the beginning of the service, but though perpetually changing our place in the universe, ever surrounded by His presence, and enclosed by His essence. 2. Equally awful is God’ s relation to duration, or His eternity. 3. Here is also a recognition of God’ s infinite supremacy. II. And will this uncontainable being actually manifest Himself to man? And here be it remarked there was but one religion in the ancient world that knew anything of a condescending God--but one--the Jewish. The so-called gods of Olympus could be mean, intriguing, self-debasing; but they had it not in their power to condescend. Morally, they had no height from which they could stoop. But the history of the Divine conduct, as recorded in the Bible, had been, from the first, a history of condescension. Look back to God’ s first act of condescension. Sin might have produced eternal silence. Yet it was to man, the sinner, that He took the first step in His career of condescension by speaking to him. Time rolled on; and though the depravity and guilt of man went on increasing, there comes before us in the text another stage in the Divine regard. He appoints a place for the symbol of His presence to dwell in, and where man might be always welcome to approach and commune with Him. This was a vast advance in the condescension of God. All this, astonishing as it was, was only preliminary. What if He should take our nature and make a temple of that! This, indeed, was an act beyond human conception. What! will God in very deed dwell with man--as man--upon the earth? III. Who does not feel the wonderfulness of the Divine condescension? And what part of His conduct is not condescending? and what part of His condescension is not a wonder? Ascend to the first act--creation--for here the wonder begins. But all this, a man might say--much as it enlarges my views of the Divine condescension--all this I can believe. It relates only to His natural greatness. Low and limited as His creatures may be, they are not as yet supposed to have revolted, sinned. What might have taken place we know; and it is that which makes what He has done so amazing. Here the real wonder begins. That He should have stooped to ask for a hearing in a world filled with noisy praises of itself and its idols. IV. But this wonderfulness of the Divine condescension is no valid objection to its reality and truth. This is the very gist of the text, that, amazing as the conception is, it is yet a fact.1. Let us not be told by a pretended philosophy that such a Divine interposition is out of all proportion to man’ s importance in the universe. The objection rashly assumes that the incarnation of the Son of God can have no relation to any other part of the universe; for if it have, the objection fails. His relation to our world, indeed, will always be specific and unique. But we can conceive of no world to which His incarnation and death for the redemption of our fallen race can be made known, without having their views of God enlarged, and their motives to holiness increased. As an affair of moral government, it is fraught with interest for all the subjects of God’ s universal empire. The planetary insignificance of the earth, the very circumstance which man makes a reason for disbelieving it, may be an element investing it, in the eyes of other worlds, with transcendent interest. They may behold in it only a further illustration of the principle on which God uniformly acts, of “ choosing the things which are not to bring to nought things that are.” They may see in it a designed intimation that there is no world, however insignificant--no islet in space, however remote--which shall not be filled with His glory. 2. Neither let a mock humility pretend that such condescension is too great for man’ s belief. The right point of view is not from the dust in which man is lying, but from the throne on which God is sitting. The reason of the whole is in God. Do you not see, then, that, wanting in wonderfulness, the Divine manifestation would have been wanting in analogy with creation and providence--wanting in the very means of authentication as a Divine act? It only stands in a line with other wonders. But the end to be obtained by it is incomparably greater. Creation and providence are but introductory and preparatory to it. 3. Nor let the mere formalist limit the displays of Divine condescension to the past. The ordinances of religion are with him memorials of past rather than means of present grace--tombs rather than temples. True, God has been in the past, and will be in the future, as we do not look for Him in the present. Looking back, Shekinah and vision are there, miracle, prophecy, and inspiration, an incarnate Saviour and a descending Spirit. We expect not now a repetition of such scenes. Looking forwards, we regard the future as stored with supernatural events. “ Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” The history and the prophecy are only for limited times, the promise is for all time, large as the heart of God, and the fullest utterance of it. And is not every truly Christian Church a proof that the manifestation of God is still in process, and His condescension unabated? Wonderful as that condescension is, they can dispense with all formal proof of it. V. What, then, are the means of securing the Divine presence, and the emotions suitable to it? (J. Harris, D.D.) The condescension, of God The temple which Solomon built may be viewed as a type of the body of our Redeemer. It pleased Him to tabernacle amongst us. This is a truth that seems to enter into the very rudiments of our religious knowledge; and we are ready to give immediate assent to the truth that Jesus took our nature upon Him. The more we dwell on this great truth, the more inclined are we to exclaim with something like the astonishment of Solomon, “ Is this true? Will God indeed dwell with men on the earth?” In order that our examination may have its full weight on the mind, and lead to profitable thought and action, I appeal-- I. To the answer that would be prompted by natural fear. Think of the majesty of God--think of His holiness! The only thought which the fear of man’ s natural heart suggests when he hears of God visiting the earth is the thought of wrath and judgment. There can be no breathing freely in the presence of God when there is the sense of unpardoned sin on the conscience. II. To the answer brought to this question by the gospel of grace and salvation. III. To the experience of God’ s believing people. “ The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him” (Isaiah 57:15-19; Psalms 68:18). IV. To the hopes of Christ’ s waiting Church. All that hath been manifested as yet of the Divine condescension and glory is but a sample of the manifestations which this world is destined to receive. V. Practical thoughts suggested.1. What would be our deserving if God were to visit us according to our iniquities? 2. Will you not seek to experience the wondrous grace of God our Saviour? (W. Cadman, M.A.) God manifest in the flesh 1. The mightiest monarch of his time hesitates not to appear in the midst of his subjects in the attitude of supplication, to lead the devotions of his people and to put himself on a level with the humblest individual in the congregation of Israel. 2. That the exclamation of the text primarily referred to the permanent abode of the cloud of glory over the mercy-seat in the temple is evident from the circumstances in which it was uttered, but though the words had never been intended to be otherwise applied, there was enough of the Divine condescension manifested even in that dispensation to call forth the tribute of admiration here offered by the King of Israel. 3. Of the state of the heathen world, and of the propensities of his own subjects, Solomon could not be ignorant; and when he reflected how little the character both of one and the other corresponded with the forbearance which they had experienced, and the revelations of the Divine will by which they might have profited, he had good reason to stand astonished at the Divine condescension, and to say, “ But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?” 4. To what extent the mind of Solomon was enabled to foresee or understand the mystery of the Incarnation we do not venture to determine. But Christians cannot fail to perceive that if the whole scheme of redemption had been fully unfolded to him, he could not have more emphatically expressed the sentiments which that event was fitted to awaken than in the words which he has here applied to the appearance of the Divine glory in the temple. 5. Whatever might be the amount of the revelation granted to Solomon, we can be in no doubt about the practical application which it becomes us to make of the text. It was dictated by the Spirit of God, to be put on record as a portion of those Scriptures that testify of Christ. I would advert-- I. To the simple fact that the glorious event contemplated in the text has actually been realised in the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ in the likeness of our sinful flesh; and that in His person “ God has in very deed dwelt with men on the earth.” The symbol by which God gave intimation of His presence in the Old Testament Church, though fitted to keep alive in their minds an habitual impression of His being and supremacy, and to furnish to them a permanent pledge of security and protection, so long as they adhered steadfastly to His covenant, yet did not immediately address itself to the sympathies and affections of their nature. They were reminded in every act of religious worship of the infinite distance at which they stood removed from the High and Holy One of Israel. But when He condescended to appear in the likeness of sinful flesh, the barriers which had formerly shut up the way of approach were broken down; mankind were permitted to hold intimate converse with Him in the same way, and through the same medium, by which they hold intercourse with one another. II. To the purpose for which God was manifested in the flesh. It was not only that, through the medium of human nature, He might convey to mankind a more distinct conception, and leave upon them a more vivid impression of the Divine character; but that He might take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (R. Gordon, D.D.) Divine condescension I. To the certainty and evidence of the fact that God has dwelt, and still dwells with men on the earth. We cannot doubt the fact when we reflect--1. On the essential omnipresence and universal agency of God. 2. That God has thus spiritually dwelt, and still does dwell with men on the earth. II. To the greatness of His condescension and grace in this respect. (D. Dickinson, D.D.) God dwelling with men (for the opening of a place of worship):--We should make the erection of a house for God’ s worship, and our first services therein to invite His presence, an occasion for contemplating the grandeur of His majesty, the wonders of His condescension, and bowing down our souls in profound abasement before Him. I. The benevolent condescension of God. This is illustrated in the text, which suggests--1. The type: Solomon’ s temple.2. The antitype: the body of Christ.3. The consequence: God dwelling in the Church. What is a Church? “ A congregation of faithful men.” As if so many temples were placed together, window opening to window, and door to door; light answering to light, and warmth generating warmth, and the perfume of one apartment mingling with another, and songs responding to songs; so Christians, dwelling together, become one great temple, which we call a Church of the living God. Just as many single drops run into a mighty stream, so many believers, pardoned and regenerated and animated by the Spirit of God, become one glorious Church; and Christ is its Head, and He will dwell in it even while the world stands. II. The prostration and humiliation of soul which so become us before this glorious God. When we contemplate the God whom we adore, we may justly ask--1. What can we think of this building? It is a place for prayer, praise, and the preaching of the gospel. 2. What of the worshippers? We ought to have an ardent desire to become more fit for His abode, more enlarged, more heavenly, more intellectual, more spiritual, more fervent, more consecrated to Him. 3. What of the worship? (James Bennett, D.D.) God dwelling with men The whole Jewish dispensation was typical. Everywhere throughout the system things seen and temporal were employed as premonitory emblems of things not seen and eternal. It thus foreshadowed coming revelations at once by events, by offices, and by rites. The offices of the high priest, prophets, judges, and kings, with the extraordinary powers attached to them, all foretold the supreme authority of that Saviour in whom they terminated. And, as regards, finally, prefigurative rites, I need point only to the countless sacrifices which exhibited, by anticipation, Jesus, our passover, sacrificed for us. I. We are to inquire what is implied in God dwelling with men.1. The language is expressive of loving fellowship. When we traverse a country, and amid the rivers, and forests, and mountains, of the landscape, descry a human dwelling, we spontaneously ascribe reciprocal affection to its inmates, a harmony far more beautiful than that of Nature’ s scenery by which it is surrounded. Besides, though one may dwell with another whom he disregards or even hates, because separation is not practicable or not convenient in the circumstances, it cannot be so with God, who is infinitely superior to all such restraints. When He takes up His abode with any, it must be in affection; for in all He does He consults exclusively His own good pleasure. The capacity in which He dwells with His people is that of a Father; and where He occupies this footing He will entertain its sympathies regarding those with whom He associates with more than the tenderness of paternal endearment 2. This phraseology is expressive of intimate fellowship. Now, affection necessarily prompts to fellowship. The objects of complacent regard engage the outgoings of the loving mind, and heart unbosoms itself to heart with freedom and confidence. Unless, then, God revealed Himself graciously to us, and heard our supplications to Him, and all this not coldly and formally, but kindly and familiarly, the language of the text would be inappropriate, and He could not be said to dwell with men on the earth. 3. The language is expressive of prolonged fellowship. A passing interview does not constitute dwelling. The designation is not applied even to frequent visits. And so for God to dwell with us is to be with us not now and then merely, but always--in the day to direct our steps, in the night to guard our slumbers, in prosperity to dispel forgetfulness, and in distress to avert despair--when youth impels and manhood invigorates and age enfeebles. II. The apparent unlikelihood of God thus dwelling with men.1. Men are insignificant before God. Viewed relatively to fellow-creatures, the human race occupies an elevated position in the scale of being. But all this elevation vanishes when we think of God. If we were to compare God and men by comparing their works, we would not easily find any accomplishment more commendatory of human resources than this same temple of Solomon, in all its magnificence and splendour. And whence, then, were its materials drawn? They were brought from the storehouses of Jehovah. He furnished every stone and timber; and if He had not they might have sought for them in vain. All the elements of this edifice they received from God--and whence did He derive them? He called them out of nothingness. Again, how many were engaged in building this temple? We learn from Scripture that there were about a hundred and eighty three thousand six hundred men. But where were these when God laid the foundations of the earth? Once more, how long was this temple in being built? After every stone was hewn and ready for its place seven years were still occupied, as we learn from Scripture, in rearing and finishing the sacred fabric. The period may have been requisite for the performance in the hands of feeble man; but, oh! how different from the achievements of Him whose mightiest deed follows instant on His word--“ who says, and it is done--commands, and it stands fast” ! But, finally, what were the dimensions of that erection on which the skill and toil of such vast multitudes were so long expended? Compared with the neighbouring dwellings of Jacob, it would, doubtless, appear vast and majestic. But measure the width of it, and say if it be as broad as the earth: stretch a line to its loftiest summit, and say if it be high as heaven. What proportion bears this capacious abode to the temple of the visible creation? As man enters its gates he seems, beside its massive pillars, and under its exalted canopy, to sink into less than his usual littleness. But think of placing God in it, and how diminutive it appears! 2. On the wickedness of men. And, after all, shall He love these persons? What can He love in them? III. That, unlikely as it may seem, in some views, God wills to dwell with men on the earth.1. God has dwelt with men in the person of Christ. 2. God dwells with men by the mission of His Spirit. (D. King.) The dwelling-place of God The temple of King Solomon has sown its seeds all over the world; has reproduced itself in every latitude and zone. “ But will God in every deed dwell with men upon the earth?” Do we want the temple now? There are many men living today who could with truth make answer, “ As far as we ourselves and our spiritual life are concerned, “ No! We have outgrown the Testament; Christ is our temple, our way to God. Through the great mercy and grace of God, and His perpetual help, we have risen to that constancy and closeness of fellowship with Him that every place is holy ground; and we often find, in our solitude, a sweetness and depth of joyful communing that we never find amid the distraction of a public assembly.” To them God does indeed “ dwell with men upon the earth,” but not in temples made with hands; they walk in the Spirit, and live in the Spirit. But was it always so with them? Did they never want the temple? Was it always as easy to them to find God in the street as it is now? Who of us, that can rejoice in this as his portion to-day, can tell how much he owes of his present realisation of God at all times, and in all places, to those temple walls which now have vanished from his spiritual sight? As in learning our first lessons, our letters, and the like, we are learning things whose use we know not yet, though by and by the alphabet and spelling-book are laid aside, so in the beginning of our spiritual life this temple is our alphabet and primer, where we do things that are not always full of our spirit, nor of our intelligence; but in process of time we grow up to them; we rise up to the spirit and comprehension of our own deed; and by and by the temple is not necessary to us for our own sakes, save as the voice of truth shall sound within its walls, and we go on learning the things which are our life. But are these the men who forsake the assembling of themselves together, “ as the manner of some is” ? No! They know that the temple wants them, if they do not want the temple; that they are the spiritual material of which the temple is composed; and that their presence and part in its worship is essential to the fulfilment of its end. Their hearts make the atmosphere that infects all weaker souls; their songs are the wings on which the younger and feebler ones rise up to God. They, with their temple and service of song, and their lowly prayers, are mighty antidotes--how mighty, God only knows!--to that perilous movement of the world’ s life that would soon drag humanity down to the level of the dust, and blend our godless life with that of the beasts of the earth. (G. W. Conder.) Will God dwell with men? The human soul in its better moments longs for the knowledge and the friendship of God; and to many a heart the question comes as it did to Solomon, “ Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?” I understand this question to have its own answer, and that answer to be, “ God will indeed, most assuredly, dwell with men on the earth.” I. The circumstances under which the words were spoken are full of interest. II. In the whole history of revelation we have answers to this question.1. The context.2. The Incarnation of Christ.3. The effusion of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. III. How can we know that God dwells with men?1. We may know this, as a matter of reason, by what we perceive of wisdom and design in the material world. 2. We may know this from what we find in His Word, and in the events of history of the fulfilment of prophecy, showing that a governor must evidently be present carrying out His own great plans. 3. The consciousness of His spiritual presence with us as individuals. IV. God dwelling with us is marked in various ways.1. He who has God dwelling in him will manifest externally the Spirit of God. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him. 2. We recognise God ofttimes in what we term special providences--the special care which He exercises over us. I know when I speak of a special providence there may be some who at once revert to the feint of universal and immutable law, and say, “ May I expect the laws of nature to be changed for me?” I do not so understand the special providence of God. There is in this immutability of natural law a spiritual influence that is over and above and beyond all that law. The mountain may tremble; its fall is not suspended because I go by; but just before I come and the mountain is about to fall I may be led to think of gathering some beautiful flower, or turning aside to see some peculiar formation of rock, and I stop to examine, and the mountain falls. No violation of law, and yet I am saved. I am saved because God touches my heart, because the Spirit of God communicates with the heart of man. There is no conflict here, there need be none thought of. God’ s hand guides me safely through, by an influence simply on this heart of mine. And yet I may not be conscious of this influence. He leads me simply because He has me in His heart; He is dwelling with me; He knows all things and governs all things, and He knows how to guide me safely. Man is acted on in every part of his nature by the unseen. He steps off the roof of a house, and he will be dashed to pieces. What is it? A strange something you call gravitation, that holds him to the earth. This earth, the moon, the planets, we know, are so held; and yet no man ever saw the chain that binds the earth to the sun. If God binds every particle of matter in my body to the sun, the great centre a hundred millions of miles away, can He not bind my spirit to Himself? If the sun attracts every particle of matter in my frame, may not God attract me? Is there anything unreasonable here? Then, again, I go to the sea. I put my family on board the vessel. I am not at all disturbed; I know there may be storms; but the ship is staunch, and then the pilot knows where he is going. He is not going on rocks; the ocean has been sounded. He is not going to the wrong port; there is a needle in the compass that guides him. And what is that needle? A little piece of steel, that has no thought and no power of any kind, but it has been touched with a magnet, and now it turns northward. And relying on that which no man has ever seen, it sends its company safely across the sea. What is that power? It is invisible. And if God can touch a piece of steel that can neither see nor feel nor think, and it responds to the influence, may He not touch may mind, my soul, my thought, by His Holy Spirit, and make it respond to His mill? Is there anything unreasonable in it? V. What are the effects that are to follow from our recognising God as dwelling with men? The erection of churches. Public worship. Hearts divinely prepared to hear. Divinely inspired preachers. (Bp. Matthew Simpson.) 2 Chronicles 6:26-31 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain. Perils to agriculture I. A rebuke to rationalism in natural evils. All meteorological phenomena are under God’ s control. In all afflictive events God speaks to cities and nations. II. A moral design in the infliction of natural evils.1. To requite justice.2. To lead to God. III. A place for prayer in the removing natural evils. This denied by many. Prayer may be necessary for man’ s highest culture. We do not classify with powers in physical nature. It is not a natural but a moral power. The ordination of God leaves room for prayer. Prayer may be one of the laws of the universe as certain in its sphere as the laws of heat or of gravitation in their peculiar realms. Neither history, Scripture, nor experience forbid us to pray in times of national distress. (J. Wolfendale.) Pardon and punishment (2 Chronicles 6:27, with 2 Samuel 7:14 and 1 Corinthians 11:32):--I take these passages in a group because they all set forth a similar view of a great subject. They all take a natural and what we may can an untechnical view of the subject of Divine forgiveness. The prophet Nathan and Solomon and the apostle Paul all saw that sin produced its natural consequences of pain and penalty in good men and bad men alike, and though all believed in the reality and triumph of mercy, and were quite sure of God’ s readiness to forgive, yet they perceived that Divine forgiveness did not remove those consequences, at least in this life. Pardon does not mean immunity from punishment. I. What is punishment?1. “ Behold,” says the apostle Paul, “ the goodness and severity of God.” That there is an element of righteous indignation in God the whole frame of Nature testifies; the Scriptures frequently declare; and our own moral sense demands that it should be so. We cannot conceive of a perfect Being without the capacity of such indignation. The very methods of the Divine rule absolutely involve pain. But there are things in the world more to be dreaded than pain. There are evils so great--so great in themselves--that it is worth while enduring all the pain we can conceive in order to get rid of them. Righteousness is the one ruling principle of all life. In the interests of righteousness the universe is governed. Character, now and always, owes all its moral worth to the acknowledgment of the supreme majesty of the law of righteousness. 2. Now perhaps we can understand something of the meaning of punishment. It is-- (1) The expression of the indignation of a perfectly holy God. It is not an act of vengeance, nor anger which is excited by the thwarting of the Divine will. To God there is nothing so dear as justice, truth, love; and when men, from selfish love of pleasure, or equally selfish wilfulness, violate these, and become cruel, unjust, false, the holy indignation of the holiest of all beings springs forth in punishment, and God becomes a “ consuming fire.” (2) Punishment is the very guardian of life. If a man takes poison, or if he thrusts his hand into the fire, he suffers pain. Pain is not the evil to be feared, but the effect of the act upon the whole frame. The poison saps the life--the pain is the mere symptom of the fact. The fire is destroying the tissues of the body--the pain is the evidence of it. Pain is like the beacon which warns the mariner of the dangerous reef or the sunken rock. (3) Punishment and pain are the means of healing. To any one ignorant of medical science, a surgeon performing an operation would seem cruel and unfeeling. But he cuts down into the living flesh with his keen knife and inflicts the sharpest pain because he knows that in no other way can the life be saved. In the hands of a benevolent God suffering is surgical. II. When we have sought pardon and found mercy we may still have to suffer the consequences of past sin. Pardon consists of two parts--1. The cessation of resentment. 2. The removal of consequences. These two parts are not always united in time. I may cease from anger, cease to feel resentment against my erring, disobedient child when he repents, and yet may allow him to suffer the natural consequences of his wrong doing. My love may be so deep and tender that I suffer in his suffering, and even more poignantly than he, but I let it go on. And God does so. Our duty is to bow submissively, to recognise Divine love, and to endure patiently the chastisement that seeks to cure us of our faults. (Philip W. Darnton, B.A.) 2 Chronicles 6:34-35 If Thy people go out to war. The lawfulness of war I shall take these words as a political maxim and moral precept comprehending these two propositions. I. That here is couched a supposition, that upon just grounds and lawful causes any nation may declare and make war upon another, implied in the expression, “ If they go out to war against their enemies, by the way that God should send them.” The just grounds of war according to the Laws of Nations and Arms are--1. Those that concern the maintaining the public faith. 2. Those that respect the vindication of the honour of the Crown. 3. Those that relate to the prevention of the great and apparent dangers that threaten the general peace. II. The positive duty and obligation that all nations lie under, in case of the declaration of such a war, to seek God with a solemn humiliation and repentance, for His assistance and succour to maintain their cause or right.1. Because war is an appeal to God for the justice of a national cause. 2. Because of the great dangers and uncertainties that attend war. How many armies have their designs and themselves ruined by the little advantage of ground, the pass of a river, a sudden surprise, an undermining stratagem, the alteration of the weather, the fall of snow or rain, the misunderstanding of a word given, the spreading a false rumour or alarm; nay, the start of a horse, the mere error of the eye, or the information of a deserter! Which has overturned all policy, made power impotent, and victory unexpected. How many fleets have been dissipated with a mist, broken and sunk with a storm, and blown up with a spark of fire! (Ecclesiastes 9:11; chap, 14:11; Leviticus 26:8). 3. Because it will engage God to be on our side, and to vindicate our cause. 4. Because this solemn invocation of the Divine assistance, joined with a public humiliation and repentance, will be a means to avert those judgments that were otherwise due to our sins, and which we should have reason to fear might prevent the success of our arms, and provoke God to give us up to the will of our enemies. 5. Because prayer is an absolutely necessary and conditional means to success in war. (Henry Sacheverell, D. D.) The wise man’ s prayer for the warrior (preached on a day of general humiliation on account of war):--Under most of the ordinary occurrences of life, there is the strongest tendency to overlook the relationship subsisting between ourselves as human beings and the providence of God. In many instances it is only on extraordinary occasions that individuals are first led to a practical recognition of the supremacy of God. It is when sickness produces its enfeebling effects on the frame; or when the angel of death gains admittance to their dwellings; or when adversity demonstrates to them the vanity of centring their affections on earthly treasures; or when pestilence extends its ravages throughout the land, or when war, with its horrors, thins their armies at home or abroad; it is often under such circumstances that men are primarily led to think of their souls and their Maker. An occurrence which shall generate in the minds of any a fitting sense of their dependence for succour on the Lord of heaven and earth, in whatever way that occurrence may have originated, must at least be, overruled by Providence for good. I. That when a people are engaged in the chastisement of their enemies it is required that they should have recourse to united supplication, that their efforts might be crowned with victory. Men are as much bound as ever to make national entreaties for the bestowal of national mercies, and for the successful issue of legitimate national movements. II. The spirit in which our united supplications should be offered. We should pray, as penitents for pardon; as sinners for salvation; as patriots for our country; and as followers of Him who has taught us to love our enemies, for those enemies themselves. (H. B. Moffat, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 6:40-41 Now, my God, let, I beseech Thee, Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. The dedication of the Temple (a dedication sermon):--The text is a prayer to God-- I. For the notice of His eye. “ Let Thine eyes be open towards this house.” That you may worship under His approving eye.1. Your worship must be spiritual.2. Your worship must be that of faith.3. You must come with purity. II. For the attention of His ear. “ Let Thine ear be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.” What prayers will be made here?1. Personal prayers.2. Prayers for ministers.3. Prayers for the inhabitants of this town.4. Prayers for our country.5. Prayers for the extension of Christ’ s kingdom. III. For the instructions of His word. “ Arise Thou and the ark of Thy strength.” We consider this part of the text a prayer for the administration of instruction; because the ark contained the tables of the ten commandments and a copy of the whole law, which the priests were appointed to teach. IV. For a holy and successful priesthood. “ Let Thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Thy saints rejoice in goodness.”1. No minister can fully know the truth but by experience, and therefore cannot teach it. 2. No minister can conduct his office with a proper feeling, without experience, and that experience constant. 3. Success is promised to no unconverted man. (R. Watson.) Solomon’ s prayer at the dedication of the temple There are two things of which we are here reminded. I. Our own sanctuary. “ Let Thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.” We must carry a home-feeling with us into the sanctuary, if we wish it to be to us the house of God and the gate of heaven. There are some who are utter strangers to this home-feeling; they have no place of worship which they can call their own. A wandering spirit in religion is destructive to vital religion in the heart. II. Our earnest supplication. “ Arise, O Lord God,” etc. This prayer is extremely suitable in the exercises of public worship, because it includes all that can be included both for minister and people. (R. C. Dillon, A.M.) The dedication of the temple I. An unequivocal recognition of the necessity of the Divine presence in order that a Church may be a source of real benefit to the people. II. The indispensable necessity that ministers should have a Divine commission and suitable personal qualifications. III. The paramount object as identified with the glory of God, worthy of the mighty apparatus provided and brought into action--the eternal benefit of the people. (J. Davies, D. D.) God in His temple I. A description of God’ s house. “ Thy resting place.” Rest is not used here in the sense of ceasing from labour, but in the sense of remaining or staying. Here we have the outward building for the worship of God represented.1. As the heart of national life.2. As the special place where God meets His people. II. A prayer foe Christian ministers. Some look upon a preacher as a social reformer. Some as a lecturer on morality. Some as a well-directed pattern of propriety to keep up appearance and show. The true light in which to regard a preacher is that of a messenger o! salvation. III. A petition for the people. “ Let Thy saints rejoice,” etc.1. An important state. A condition of joy.2. A necessary condition. The only true ground of rejoicing is goodness. (Homilist.) Solomon’ s prayer for the sanctuary I. Explain Solomon’ s views of the sanctuary. He here represents it as the resting-place of God. Solomon was fully justified in this view by Psalms 132:1-18., which was supposed to have been composed in reference to the erection of the temple. There his father prays, “ Enter Thou into Thy rest,” and affirms--“ For the Lord hath chosen Zion, He hath desired it for His habitation: here will I dwell for ever, for I have desired it.” And further than this, the Divine presence had dwelt in the cloud that overshadowed the mercy-seat in the tabernacle. The presence of God was manifested in the temple, differently from everywhere beside. In hell, it is displayed by His frown--in heaven, by the unveiling of His glory--throughout the earth, in the exuberance of His goodness; but in the sanctuary, by the manifestation of His grace and compassion. It is called His “ resting-place,” because He regards it with complacency and delight. This delight, however, did not arise from the splendour with which Solomon’ s temple was adorned, for the Infinite Mind, which from its own vast resources could call into existence the temple of the universe, must be far superior to delight in any mere material edifice. God does not now dwell visibly in the midst of His people, nor does He confine the manifestation of His presence to one temple, as in the times of Solomon; for the resting-place of God is wherever His people meet together, whether in the mountain, den, cave, cottage, cathedral.1. The sanctuary is the scene of the manifestation of His character as a God of grace. In the temple this was taught by God appearing reconciled by the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy-seat. This appears more clearly in the Christian sanctuary, where God appears in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself by Jesus Christ, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. 2. The sanctuary is the scene of the worship of His people. The temple of old was thus distinguished. 3. The sanctuary is the sphere of the accomplishment of the purposes of Divine grace in reference to man. It was one great means of keeping alive the worship of the true God, and of preserving the existence of religion amongst them. Thus, on a limited scale, every Christian sanctuary is exerting a most salutary influence upon the present and eternal destinies of the children of men. These were reasons which induced so much delight in the mind of God in reference to the temple of Solomon, and in the scene of His people’ s assembling now. These are objects worthy of affording delight even to the mind of the eternal God. Is the sanctuary His resting-place? We see the propriety of our being anxious that this house of prayer should be distinguished by attention to its external appearance. Is the sanctuary His resting-place? It ought to be the object of our warm affection. Is the sanctuary His resting-place? Then it ought to be the scene of our constant resort. II. Solomon’ s desires on behalf of the sanctuary. The blessings which true religion required in the days of Solomon for its extension and perpetuity are essentially necessary at the present time and will be through every age.1. Solomon implores the Divine presence. He desires that the ark should occupy its appointed place in the temple. This was the appointed medium of Divine manifestation, and therefore he desired the entrance of the ark. But he is also anxious for the Divine presence, without which all external symbols would be in vain. He desires His presence as a God of mercy, from off the mercy seat; for this only is suitable to us as fallen creatures. A God of pure justice and immaculate purity would fill us with terror and insure destruction. Under the Gospel, the mercy seat is more distinctly revealed than under the law, and the blood of atonement is more precious. The Divine presence as a God of grace and mercy is absolutely necessary. The temple of Solomon would have been as worthless as a heap of ruins, as to any moral power and influence, without the Divine presence. This is equally necessary now; for we may have every part of sanctuary worship complete--the ordinances, the ministry, the assembly--but without the presence of God totally inefficient. It is the altar, the wood, and the sacrifice, without the holy fire. It is the Bethesda, the house of mercy, without the descending angel to impart efficacy to the waters. While we seek it, let us remember, that though it is thus essential to the power and efficiency of ordinances, it is graciously promised. He says, “ In all places where I record My name, I will come unto you and will bless you.” 2. The efficiency of the ministry. 3. The benefit of the Church of God. One of the great designs of Christian ordinances is the advancing improvement of true believers as well as the conversion of sinners. In conclusion--1. Let us be thankful for the institution and possession of Divine ordinances. The wisdom and grace of God has given existence to these ordinances, as the channel of His grace to the souls of men. “ There is a river, the streams whereof” etc. 2. Let us learn our dependence upon the Divine blessing for the efficiency of ordinances. 3. Let us cultivate a deep anxiety for the Divine blessing. (C. Gilbert.) The Divine presence entreated, for the efficiency of the ministry and the prosperity of the people of God Throughout the inspired volume one uniform representation prevails touching the dignity, importance, and responsibility of the sacred ministry; Moses (Exodus 33:15); Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-14); Paul (2 Corinthians 5:18-20; 1 Timothy 1:11-12; 2 Timothy 1:11); and Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other “ watchmen of Israel” were keenly alive to the weight of the “ burden of the Lord” which was laid upon them. If we would be upheld in our work, and labour for the Divine glory and the welfare of the Church of Christ, let us enter into the prayer of Solomon at the consecration of the temple. I. The invocation of the Lord’ s presence suggests how necessary that presence is for the prosperity of His Church.1. It was manifested in those times by a visible symbol. 2. If the ark be regarded as typical of the Lord Jesus, as undoubtedly it is to be, then we may identify Christ with Jehovah and we may see in the entrance of the ark of God’ s strength into the temple and into its most holy place a prefiguration of the abode of Christ in His Church, and of His entrance as our Great High Priest into the most holy place in the heavens, from which He manifests Himself to His people by His Spirit (Psalms 68:18). 3. This is the presence of God for which we are to look in the present state of the Church. All our endeavours will be in vain, all our labours abortive, unless attended by the grace and influence of the Spirit. “ It is necessary,” says Augustine, “ that the Holy Spirit should work inwardly, that the medicine that is applied from without may take effect. Unless He be present to the heart of the hearer, the word of the preacher is idle and vain.” “ I once,” observes Cecil, “ said to myself, in the foolishness of my heart, what sort of sermon must that have been which was preached by Peter when three thousand souls were converted at once? What sort of sermon? Such as other sermons. There is nothing to be found in it extraordinary. The effect was not produced by his eloquence, but by the mighty power of God present with His Word. II. In connection with this blessing, and dependent upon it, we should fray for ministerial qualification. “ Let Thy priests be clothed with salvation,” or “ righteousness” (Psalms 132:9).1. The beautiful garments of the sanctuary would not be sufficient without the inward endowment of truth and holiness. Still more should the ministers of the gospel be qualified for their office by an experimental knowledge of the great salvation and the adornment of a holy life (2 Corinthians 6:4-7; 1 John 1:3). It is a striking observation of Bishop Bull: “ The priest who is not clothed with righteousness, though otherwise richly adorned with all the ornaments of human and Divine literature, and those gilded over with the rays of seraphic prudence, is yet but a naked, beggarly, despicable creature, of no authority, no use, no service in the Church of God.” “ I will be sure to live well,” was the remark of G. Herbert when he entered upon his living at Bemerton, “ because the virtuous life of a clergyman is the most persuasive eloquence to persuade all that see it to reverence and love.” 2. To be thus “ clothed with salvation” will most effectually fit the Christian minister for the various departments of labour and trial through which he will have to pass (2 Corinthians 4:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:5-7). 3. The habitual clothing of salvation and righteousness, for which we should pray, will indeed conduce to ministerial efficiency. Putting on Christ, arrayed in the garments of purity and truth, of meekness and love, we shall best “ magnify our office.” Cecil says: “ The zeal of some men is of a haughty, unbending, ferocious character. They have the letter of truth, but they mount the pulpit like prizefighters. It is with them a perpetual scold. This spirit is a reproach to the gospel; it is not the spirit of Jesus Christ. He seems to have laboured to win men. But there is an opposite extreme: the love of some men is all milk and mildness; there is so much delicacy and so much fastidiousness--they touch with so much tenderness; and, if the patient shrinks, they will touch no more. The times are too flagrant for such a disposition. The gospel is sometimes preached in this way till all the people agree with the preacher: he gives no offence; he does no good.” In “ speaking the truth” we should do it “ in love,” yet always maintaining its supremacy end never sparing the sin in our desire to spare the sinner. III. The efficiency of the ministry will conduce to the prosperity and joy of the Church and people of God. (J. T. Broad, M.A.) . 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven.God among His people I. Prayer for God to come. This prayer was marked--1. By its publicity. (1) Public prayer, formally or virtually, has been the custom among all nations at all times.(2) It is a “ reasonable service.”(3) It is an impressive service. It evokes sympathy. 2. By its specialty. 3. By its success. II. God among His people.1. By symbol. 2. Permanently. 3. A source of blessedness. If God be among His people-- (1) He will help His ministers.(2) The preaching of Christ will be a glory, a blessing, a satisfaction, a source of refreshment to the soul. 3. His providence will wear a very different aspect; in the darkest day we shall feel that all is well 4. The realisation of His presence will give the best idea of heaven--fits them for it and makes them desire it. III. Praise to God.1. The theme of their praise: God’ s mercy.2. Its timeliness.3. Its acceptableness. Conclusion:1. Learn the value of public worship. 2. Make it a test of your character. 3. Learn the privilege of true worshippers. It is a delightful employment. “ Come thou with us, and we will do thee good,” etc. 4. You may ask, “ What can we do to benefit by public worship?” Come to meet with God. Come in a prayerful spirit. Come with a thankful heart. Take heed what you hear. Be not forgetful hearers. Follow all with prayer that “ the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified.” 5. What can we do to promote it? (1) Attend it regularly, punctually, and solemnly.(2) Give your money abundantly and cheerfully to support it. (T. Thoresby.) A dedication service The light and fire, “ the glory of the Lord,” that came down were symbols. I. Something supernatural. Solomon with all his wisdom, and Huram’ s artisans with all their skill, could not have invented that. The king was as impotent before it as the lowest slave from his provinces was before him. So there is an “ unprogrammed” part of the service which is being conducted by the powers of another world. Strange forces have made the edifice their dwelling. II. That glory was not merely a supernatural phenomenon, something sent from God; it symboled God Himself. Shekinah means dwelling. When our version reads, “ I will dwell among Israel,” the Hebrew says, “ I will shekinah among them.” God is here. III. The Divine presence came in response to a man’ s consecration prayer; its great Amen. IV. The shekinah remained in the temple. Though the outer glow of it was withdrawn, a gleam of it lingered within the Holy of Holies, illumining that windowless apartment, dropping its softened light upon the ark of the covenant, with its tables of the law, its golden mercy-seat, and the cherubim of life. So God will remain with us; and the sign of His presence will be that a light falls upon the Bible, our ark of covenant, making its laws of righteousness gleam into our consciences, its assurance of grace fill us with peace, and its promise of life glow in our hopes until we enter that temple where “ the Lamb is the light thereof.” (Homiletic Review.) 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer. The answer of God to the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple1. How strikingly does the answer meet the prayer. Solomon anticipated days of sorrow. He asked of God, “ If we call upon Thee, wilt Thou hear us?” “ I will,” says God, “ I will.” Solomon asks that God’ s eye and ear may be open to his house. God exceeds the prayer of the king. Not only shall Mine eyes and Mine ears be there, but My heart shall be there also. 2. God not only declares that He has heard the prayer of Solomon, He says something more encouraging: “ I have chosen this house for Myself, for a house of sacrifice.” 3. God affirms national judgments to be the work of His own hand. “ If I shut up heaven,” etc. 4. God supposes that always in national calamity the people will come running to Him. 5. God regards His house as pre-eminently a house of prayer. “ Mine ears shall be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.” 6. God gives a promise of His perpetual presence in His house. Conclusion: What duty devolves upon us having such abundant mercies?1. Personal religion.2. Family religion.3. Liberal offering to the Lord. (T. Mortimer, B.D.) If I shut up heaven.--Pestilence God’ s retribution for sin I. God claims to Himself the authorship of the calamity for whose removal we entreat. II. The direct connection which is pointed out between the visitation of the pestilence and a people’ s impiety as the provocation which has caused it. III. Though pestilence be of god’ s sending, yet will he be entreated for its removal (Robert Bickersteth, M.A.) The cessation of the cholera I. There is no one truth that is more universal in its application, or which more commends itself to every man’ s conscience, than that guilt is followed by punishment, most certainly in the next world, and most probably in this. II. That as true repentance will always be accepted, for Christ’ s sake, for the putting away of sin, so will it often avail, in the mercy of God, to the removal of the temporal calamity which may have been the consequence and punishment of the sin. (F. O. Morris.) The means and method of healing in the Church I. The supposition of judgments.1. Judgments light not on a people casually or by chance, but by the overruling command and commission of God (Job 5:6-7). (1) Sometimes by way of dominion and absolute power. (2) Sometimes as a preparation unto intended mercy, as men plough the ground which they mean to enrich with precious seed, and carve the stone which they mean to put in the top of the building. As men put forth longest into wind and sun that great timber which must bear the greatest burden and stress of the building. (3) But most usually in a way of justice (Jeremiah 30:15; Nehemiah 9:33; Ezekiel 14:23). Personal chastisements may be for trial and exercise of faith and patience, but general and public judgments are ever in wrath and displeasure. Let us therefore labour to find out our sins by our sufferings. Chastisements never mend us till they teach us (Psalms 94:12; Micah 6:9). 2. The Lord hath variety of judgments whereby to reduce froward and stubborn sinners. God’ s method in these various judgments usually is-- (1) He begins at the outward man, exercising a people many times with change of rods, which is ever a sign of anger in the father and stubbornness in the son. (2) He proceeds to the soul, revealing His wrath, causing guilt and fear to gripe and seize on the conscience (Psalms 51:8; Job 6:4; Proverbs 18:14). (3) Towards obdurate sinners the Lord many times deals in a more fearful manner, sealing them up under hardness of heart, a spirit of slumber, a reprobate sense, a seared conscience, etc., till destruction unawares overtake them (Matthew 24:39; Ezekiel 24:14; Hosea 4:17; Revelation 22:11). II. A direction unto duties. Consider--1. The quality of the persons who are to perform them: “ My people that are called by My name.” All men are His creatures, only a select and peculiar inheritance that bear His name and are in covenant with Him are called His people (Ezekiel 16:8; Psalms 4:3; Isaiah 43:21; Isaiah 63:18; Acts 15:14). To be called by His name noteth to be His adopted children. We are God’ s people-- (1) By visible profession or sacramental separation from the world, as the whole nation of the Jews are called His people (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 4:7). (2) By spiritual sanctification and internal dispositions (John 17:6; Galatians 6:16; Romans 2:29; Romans 9:8; Romans 11:5; Philippians 3:3). 2. The duties required for the removal of judgments. (1) Humiliation. (2) Prayer. Without this humiliation is but a sinking under God, not a seeking unto Him. (a) By this we honour God in acknowledging Him the fountain of all our good, the inflicter of all evil. As a diamond is cut only by a diamond, so God is pacified only by Himself. (b) By this we ease ourselves. Prayer lighteneth affliction where it doth not remove it. The heart is meekened to accept the punishment of sin, as wool or mud deadens the force of a bullet. (3) Seeking the face of God. His favour to comfort us, and His counsel to direct us. (4) Reformation of life. III. A gracious promise of mercy.1. A promise-- (1) Of gracious condescension: “ from heaven.”(2) Of gracious audience.(3) Of forgiveness.(4) Of healing: 2. Touching these promises, observe-- (1) That when God comes down to deliver, and looks from heaven, He doth it by no other way than by the Incarnation of His Son, the efficacy of His Spirit, the operation of His providence, or the ministry of angels.(2) When He hears prayers, it is only by the intercession and mediation of Christ.(3) When He forgives sins, it is only by the merits and righteousness of Christ.(4) But when He heals a land, He often useth in that work the ministry of men. Magistrates are healers and repairers (Isaiah 3:7). Ministers are healers of the sick (Ezekiel 34:4). (Edward Reynolds, D.D.) Sin and judgments 1. The sins of God’ s own people may provoke and procure judgments. 2. Their sins have some aggravations in them that other men’ s have not. They are sins against-- (1) Special light (1 Kings 11:9).(2) Special love and experiences of Divine favour (2 Samuel 12:7-9).(3) Special relations (Isaiah 1:2).(4) Special grace and assistance of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). (5) Special covenants and engagements, after avouching God for theirs (Psalms 78:34).(6) Special deliverances from greatest dangers (Ezra 9:13-14).(7) Special hopes and more special promises which should have persuaded them to holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 John 3:3).(8) Special peace and glorious comforts, as David sinned against the joy of God’ s salvation (Psalms 51:12). Peter denied Christ after he had seen His transfiguration. (Edward Reynolds, D. D.) If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves. Humiliation, its obligation and nature I. It is a duty called for by prophets and apostles and specially respected by God (Micah 6:8; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6; 2 Kings 22:19; Leviticus 26:41-42).1. It emptieth the heart of self-confidence and is the root of the fundamental duty of self-denial. 2. It fits for approach to God. 3. It disposeth to a confession of sin (Luke 15:17-19; Luke 18:13). 4. It prepares the heart for the entertainment of mercy. 5. It makes way for the forsaking of sin; the more a soul is humbled for it, the more it is fearful of it and watchful against it. II. It is twofold in its nature.1. Passive, when God breaks the heart by the hammer of His Word (Jeremiah 23:29), or by some sore affliction. 2. Active, when the soul humbleth itself under sin and wrath. This may be-- (1) Legal, proceeding from a spirit of bondage, when the heart roars on a rack, or melts in a furnace, is filled with consternation and anguish under the weight of sin and wrath, as in the case of Pharaoh, Ahab, Belshazzar, Felix, the jailor, and the murderers of Christ. (2) Evangelical. When the soul is not only broken and battered with the horror and dread of wrath (this it may be and remain hard, as every piece of a broken flint is hard still), but when it is kindly melted and softened with apprehensions of God’ s goodness and free-grace. A compounded duty made up of love and sorrow; Hezekiah, Josiah (Jeremiah 26:19; 2 Chronicles 34:27). III. This is a perpetual duty. As long as sin remains there must be a sense of it, and sorrow for it. But in some times and cases it is to be specially renewed. In times--1. Of extraordinary sins and provocations.2. Of public dangers and distresses.3. Of great enterprises attempted.4. Of successes and blessings desired (Ezra 8:21). (Edward Reynolds, D. D.) Helps to the performance of the duty of humiliation I. Take a view of God.1. In Himself. (1) His searching eye and mighty hand (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).(2) His majesty and glory (Isaiah 6:2; Psalms 89:6-7).(3) His, holiness (Exodus 15:11; Joshua 24:19).(4) His jealousy and justice (Nahum 1:2).(5) His mercy and goodness (Hosea 3:5; Romans 2:4).(6) His omniscience. Such considerations have humbled the holiest of men. Moses (Exodus 3:6); Job (Job 42:5); Elijah (1 Kings 19:13); Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5); Ezra (Ezra 9:15); Peter (Luke 5:8).2. In His relations to us. He is our Maker, King, Judge, Father, Master. 3. In His dealings with us. (1) In His judgments and various providences.(2) In His mercies which have shined upon us through all our clouds. II. Take a view of yourselves, of your own hearts and lives. This is a duty of singular use and benefit. It enlargeth the heart in godly sorrow for sin past, upon the discoveries which this scrutiny maketh. (Edward Reynolds, D. D.) Fruits and evidences of humiliation 1. A godly sorrow, so called because it sets the soul God-ward. Cain, Judas, Felix, all sorrowed, but they ran from God. As a ship in a tempest ventures not to any shore, but gets further into the sea, so the soul, when it is humbled by God, betakes not itself unto any carnal shore, but still runs closer unto Him. 2. A justifying of God, ascribing to Him the glory of His righteousness if He should condemn us; and of His mercy, that He absolves us (Psalms 2:4; Daniel 9:7-9). 3. A self-judging and subscribing to our condemnation (Deuteronomy 27:15). As St. Austin saith of the poor publican, “ He judged and accused himself, that God might deliver and defend him.” Also Bernard, “ This is a good judgment indeed which withdraws and hides me from the severe judgment of God.” (Edward Reynolds, D. D.) The Divine philosophy of revivals This is a revival text. It contains the germs of the whole Divine philosophy of revivals. A revival implies religious declension, and is itself such a waking up of the spiritual life of the Church as leads to the conversion of sinners. I. An explicit description of the proper method for promoting a revival.1. The first duty of a people seeking a revival is humiliation before God. This state of mind is produced by our contemplating the purity: and perfection and loving-kindness of the Lord, in contrast with our own sinfulness, unworthiness, and ingratitude. 2. Prayer is the next divinely prescribed means in promoting a revival of religion. Prayerfulness is one of the main characteristics of a godly life. But our prayers are sometimes prayerless. They are an unwritten liturgy, made up of hackneyed phrases in which there is hardly a spark of vitality. They lack the strong pinions of faith and ardent desire without which they cannot reach the third heaven. They lack the Divine electricity. When God’ s people beseech Him, as John Knox did when he prayed, “ Lord, give me Scotland, or I die,” then their prayers are effective. 3. We must seek God’ s face. He never intended that His people should pray to Him as strangers. He wants us to draw near to Him as children go to a loving father or mother. 4. There must be a forsaking of sin. II. Some definite and good reasons which we have for expecting a revival.1. God’ s intimate relation to the Church. (1) He claims a special and unrivalled property in its members. He calls them His people.(2) He puts a special honour upon them. He calls them by His name. 2. God’ s explicit promise. (1) He will “ hear from heaven.”(2) “ And will forgive their sins.”(3) And will heal their land. (David Winters.) The duty of a people under Divine chastisements I. There are three modes in which it has pleased Almighty God at different periods of the world to inflict His righteous judgments on national delinquency: by the sword without, the famine and pestilence within. II. The duties enjoined upon a people under the afflictive visitation of a pestilence..1. Humiliation.2. Prayer.3. Reformation. III. The encouraging assurance of the God of mercy to a humbled, praying, and converted people. (James Williams, M.A.) National chastisements It seems to have been after an interval of thirteen years that the Lord signified in detail that He had listened to the solemn prayer that Solomon offered at the dedication of the temple. God notifies the possibility of His punishments falling on the land in the event of their sinning against Him, and then adds, “ If the people shall humble themselves,” etc. I. This passage is only one of many which point out how entirely nature is ruled by God. Take such examples as these: the flood; the destruction of Sodom; Elijah fed by ravens; the destiny of Jonah, etc. They all proclaim that the whole world is under the immediate control of a personal God who regulates it in reference to man. II. National trouble should cause a people to consider their ways, and to seriously reflect upon their national sins. III. A proper consciousness of national sins ought to bring a people to their knees in humble submission, and lead them to acknowledge that national chastisements are of His appointment. In reply to the objection that might be urged against this teaching, “ Why ascribe to God what may easily be traced to natural causes?” I observe, the more science the better. Trace out the causes as best you can: discover the laws of rain and sunshine, of temperature and weather. But, after all, these are not the first cause. They are only second in order. There is still the sphere in which God rules supreme. It is only too obvious in a case of personal sickness. A man may be laid upon a bed of affliction: the illness may upset his plans--deepen his reflections--bring him to a true repentance--and, in fact, alter his whole career for the better; in this the first cause is God, in His mercy and love to a wayward soul; the second cause is, perhaps, that one day he caught a chill But then that chill does not exclude God. It is worthy of special remark, moreover, that our Lord’ s teachings and miracles were pointedly in this direction. He did not deny that the tower of Siloam was a judgment, though He repressed self-righteous inferences on the part of others. He adduced the flood and the destruction of Sodom as warnings to His own generation. IV. It may be objected that better days will come whether a people will humble themselves and pray or not. It may be so. Just as a sick man may refuse to repent, and yet will in due time get well again. But the moral loss is well-nigh beyond recovery. It involves the blunting of the moral sense, the deadening of conscience, and the loss of the higher benefit which God willed to bestow. A nation which cannot recognise the correcting hand of God must be indeed estranged from Him. Conclusion: Our personal duty.1. Repentance.2. Intercession. God sets His mark of love and protection upon them who “ sigh and cry for all the abominations.” No one can tell how much he may do by himself” returning to God. (C. A. Raymond, M.A.) Biblical anthropomorphism In anthropomorphic language eyes are ascribed to God; thus we read “ that the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him” (Psalms 38:18). Thus again, “ I will guide thee with Mine eye” (Psalms 32:8). He is said to be of “ purer eyes than to behold evil” (Hebrews 1:13). A similar form of speech ascribes “ ears” to God. Thus we have these words--“ In Mine ears, saith the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 5:9); “ The cries of them which have reaped are entered into the cars of the Lord of Sabaoth” (James 5:4.) What does this language mean? Why are eyes and cars ascribed to a Spirit that has no limits and no form? The language is used for two purposes. I. To express His cognizance of man. Through the eye and the ear we derive our knowledge of all outside of us.1. He knows us directly.2. He knows us thoroughly. (1) He knows what we are.(2) He knows what we have been.(3) He knows all that we ever shall be. “ To him there is nothing old appears, to Him there is nothing new.” A sense of His knowledge of us should make us frank, solemn, circumspect, devout. II. To express His interest in man. God’ s interest in us is shown--1. In the various capacities of enjoyment with which He has endowed us, and the provisions He has made for them. We have capacity for every species of enjoyment--sensuous, intellectual, social, religious. We can drink of all the rivers from the eternal ocean of joy. For the sensuous there is matter, for the intellectual there is truth, for the social there is society, for the religious there is Himself. 2. In the preservation of our existence, notwithstanding our sinfulness. We have transgressed His precepts, warred against His arrangements, yet He preserves us year after year. The patience of an Infinite Love is here. 3. In our redemption by Jesus Christ. “ God so loved the world,” etc. “ He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up,” etc. Conclusion: “ Thou God seest me,” we unite with the blessed fact, “ Thou God lovest us.” It is His interest in us that prompts Him to watch our movements and listen to our words. (Homilist.) . 2 Chronicles 8:1-6 That the cities.Solomon’ s military enterprises Chiefly in acquiring cities rebuilt and taken from the enemy. I. Cities for stores (1 Kings 9:19). II. Cities for colonisation. III. Cities for pleasure. IV. Cities for defence. Lessons:1. That those who attend to the spiritual will not neglect the temporal interests of a nation. 2. That amidst the temporal interests of a nation great risks exist. Hence-- (1) Lessons of prudence.(2) The danger of prosperity. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 8:11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh.Solomon and Pharaoh’ s daughter We are to see in Solomon’ s action the working of a tender conscience; even though he may be appeasing his conscience by some trick or ceremony, yet he is showing us the working of the moral nature within the kingly breast. Yet there is a point to be noted here which is common to human experience: why should Solomon have married the daughter of Pharaoh? Why should he have, in the first instance, placed himself in so vital a relation to heathenism? Are there not men who first plunge into great mistakes, and then seek to rectify their position by zealous care about comparatively trifling details? Do not men make money by base means, and then zealously betake themselves to book-keeping, as if they would not spend money except in approved directions? Are there not those who have steeped their hearts in iniquity, and yet have washed their hands with soap and nitre? We are to beware of the creation of a false or a partial conscience, that makes up for sins of a larger kind by ostentatious devotion at the altar of detail and ceremony and petty ritual. (J. Parker, D. D.) Solomon’ s marriage Consider Solomon’ s marriage with an Egyptian princess-- I. As a matter of policy. It sprang from--1. A desire to counteract the influence of Hadad (1 Kings 11:14-20). 2. The wish to obtain support for his new dynasty and recognition from one of older fame and greater power. 3. Anxiety to strengthen himself by foreign alliances. II. As a source of moral perplexity. What must be done with her? Solomon felt that a broad distinction must be made between the worship of Jehovah and idolatry. III. As the beginning of trouble. The policy advantageous at first, but ultimately proved hollow and impolitic. The reign which began so gloriously ended in gross darkness and fetish worship. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 8:12; 2 Chronicles 8:18 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord. Solomon’ s burnt offerings Solomon was great in burnt offerings. Do not men sometimes make up in burnt offerings what they lack in moral consistency? Is not an ostentatious religion sometimes the best proof of internal decay? It ought not to be so. The outward and inward should correspond. The action should be the incarnation of the thought. It is beautiful to look upon the Church engaged in much church-building and in strenuous endeavours against public sin; yet we must never forget that all this may possibly coexist with internal loss, decay, corruption. All action does not spring from life. Sometimes we try to make up by complex mechanism what is wanting in real vitality. It is often easier to offer burnt offering than to do some deed of moral heroism. (J. Parker, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 8:14 As the duty of every day required.Duty To some Christians “ the sense of duty” and kindred phrases sound unattractive and suspicious. Yet it is dangerous even to minimise the sense of duty. A man who makes no terms with conscience, but does what God commands, will find his love grow stronger. A Christian’ s sense of duty is not the same as the sense of duty of one who has no faith. Natural religion would teach a man to be honest, sober, and industrious, but Christ’ s teaching goes far beyond this. Religious duties; purity of heart; forgiveness of others, etc. But it is in the realm of supernatural help, prayer, and the sacraments that the greatest divergence is seen. “ As the duty of every day required.” Words such as these suggest that unless we are living a life of prayer, unless we are partaking of the life of Christ in the means He left for us to use, we are undutiful. What we claim for our religion is this--1. The personal love of Christ will make us more severe with ourselves in performing “ hard, unwelcome” duties of every day. 2. It will also claim from us earnest prayer, belief in the grace of the Holy Spirit, etc. (W. R. Hutton, M. A.) . 2 Chronicles 8:12; 2 Chronicles 8:18 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord. Solomon’ s burnt offerings Solomon was great in burnt offerings. Do not men sometimes make up in burnt offerings what they lack in moral consistency? Is not an ostentatious religion sometimes the best proof of internal decay? It ought not to be so. The outward and inward should correspond. The action should be the incarnation of the thought. It is beautiful to look upon the Church engaged in much church-building and in strenuous endeavours against public sin; yet we must never forget that all this may possibly coexist with internal loss, decay, corruption. All action does not spring from life. Sometimes we try to make up by complex mechanism what is wanting in real vitality. It is often easier to offer burnt offering than to do some deed of moral heroism. (J. Parker, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 9:1-12 And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon.The Queen of Sheba’ s visit to Solomon I. The spirit which prompted the visit.1. A spirit of curiosity.2. A spirit of inquiry.3. A spirit of restlessness.4. A spirit of self-sacrifice. She undertook a long and risky journey. A reproof, says Christ, to indifference and stupidity concerning Himself. II. The mutual inter- course during the visit.1. Solomon answered her questions.2. Received her gifts. III. The impressions received from the visit.1. She was astonished at the magnificence of Solomon.2. She was surprised at the wisdom of Solomon.3. She was confirmed in her belief concerning Solomon. Faith exercised will be greatly strengthened. This just the result--1. Of honest search after truth.2. Of personal intercourse with Christ.3. Of engagement in God’ s service. (J. Wolfendale.) Hard questions This is what the Bible itself asks for; in effect the Bible says, “ Prove me, put me to the test, under all circumstances of triumph, joy, need, fear, and see if I have not within me a better answer than can be found in any other book.” This is the criticism to which Jesus Christ is always willing to submit Himself. It is His complaint that we do not ask Him questions enough, the assumption of course being that all inquiries are put in a reverent and faithful spirit. There is a question-asking to which the Bible will pay no heed, and there is a question-asking which Christ will regard as impious and frivolous. Whatever we really want to know with our hearts, whatever is necessary for us to know, Jesus Christ is willing to answer. When we bring our riddles and enigmas to Christ, they must be riddles and enigmas that express the very agony of desire. To our speculation or curiosity Christ may have nothing to say, or if He condescend to speak to us it may be in tones of rebuke and repulse. Do not be afraid to put hard questions to Christ. The Queen of Sheba did not put any flippant questions to Solomon; she rather sought out the most difficult inquiries which it was possible to propound. The meaning of this is that we are to ask the very hardest questions which our soul wishes to have answered, always remembering that there are some questions which need not be answered in time, and which indeed could not be answered to our present incomplete or depraved capacity and power. Properly considered, it may be impossible to put any easy questions to Christ within the range of the scope which His mission fills. (J. Parker, D. D.) The Queen of Sheba’ s visit to Solomon I. The meeting together of these representatives of two different nations had the happy effect of drawing closer the bonds or unity. II. The beneficial effect which the exhibition or the works of national industry may have upon the thoughtful and well-governed mind. The things seen by the Queen of Sheba did much to correct and enlarge her mind; far more than all her previous intelligence and inquiry. III. The spectacle of works of art and man’ s device, vast, multiform, and beautiful, reflects as in a mirror the wondrous powers of man’ s mind. As we turn from the statue to the mind that sketched and the hand that chiselled out the wonderful design, so let us turn from man with all his wonderful skill and give to God the glory. The Queen of Sheba returned to her home with higher thoughts of God than she had before. IV. The impressive spectacle of Solom’ s devotion. The Queen admired “ the ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord.” Some understand these words of a magnificent communication which Solomon had prepared between his palace and the courts of the temple; while others explain them of the cheerful and fervent solemnity with which he worshipped, showing that his heart was deeply engaged in the hallowed and hallowing service. (S. Bridge, M. A.) Heart communing We have in Christ one greater than Solomon. I. We ought to communicate with Him of all that is in our heart. Neglect of intercourse with Jesus--1. Is very unkind.2. Betrays the sad fact of something wrong.3. Shows a want of confidence in His love, sympathy, and wisdom.4. Will be the cause of uneasiness in ourselves.5. Will involve the loss of counsel and help.6. Is greatly aggravated by eagerness to tell our troubles to others. II. We need not cease communing for want of topics.1. Our sorrows.2. Our joys.3. Our service.4. Our plans.5. Our success and failures.6. Our desires.7. Our fears.8. Our lives.9. Our mysteries. III. Nor shall we cease communing for want of reasons. Intercourse with Christ--1. Is ennobling and elevating.2. Consoling and encouraging.3. Sanctifying and refining.4. Safe and healthy.5. Delightful and heavenly. (C. H. Spurgeon.) 2 Chronicles 9:8 Therefore made he thee king over them.The Divine appointment of kings I. That princes are of Divine appointment. II. That wise and good rulers are a signal mark of the Divine love and favour to any nation. III. The description of the regal office and dignity, both in respect of God and of the people. IV. That on the advancement of a prince eminently qualified to serve God and his country we ought to bless God, that is, to return the tribute of praise due to Him. (Abp. Potter.) The blessing of a Protestant king and royal family to the nation:-- I. That it is God who maketh kings, and setteth them on their thrones as His vicegerents to do justice and judgment upon earth. II. All kings should remember that they sit upon the throne of the Lord their God, of whom the Psalmist says, that righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His seat. They must therefore be good and just, ruling in His fear, and after His example. (John Donne, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 9:9 And of spices great abundance.The spicery of religion Solomon had a great reputation for the conundrums and riddles that he made and guessed. The Solomonic navy visited all the world, and the sailors, of course, talked about the wealth of their king, and about the riddles and enigmas that he made and solved; and the news spread until Queen Balkis, away off south, heard of it, and sent messengers with a few riddles that she would like to have Solomon solve, and a few puzzles that she would like to have him find out: Queen Balkis was so pleased with the acuteness of Solomon, that she said: “ I’ ll just go and see him for myself.” Yonder it comes--the cavalcade--horses and dromedaries, chariots and charioteers, jingling harness and clattering hoofs, and blazing shields, and flying ensigns, and clapping cymbals. The place is saturated with the perfume. She brings cinnamon, and saffron, and calamus, and frankincense, and all manner of sweet spices. I shall take the responsibility of saying that all the spikenard and cassia and frankincense which the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon is mightily suggestive of the sweet spices of our holy religion. I. Men require more of the spicery of religion to brighten their life and sweeten their disposition amid the capes and duties of life. II. We need to put more spice and enlivement in our religious teaching. III. We want more life and slice in our Christian work. IV. We need more spice and enlivenment in our Church music. V. The religion of Christ is a present and everlasting redolence that counteracts all trouble. It lifted Samuel Rutherford into a revelry of spiritual delight while he was in physical agonies. It helped Richard Baxter until, in the midst of such a complication of diseases as perhaps no other man ever suffered, he wrote “ The Saint’ Everlasting Rest.” And it poured light on John Bunyan’ s dungeon--the light of the shining gate of the shining city. Oh, you sin-parched and you trouble-pounded, here is comfort, here is satisfaction. I cannot tell you what the Lord offers you hereafter so well as I can tell you now. “ It doth not yet appear what we shall be.” May God grant that through your own practical experience you may find that religion’ s ways are ways of pleasantness, and that all her paths are paths of peace--that it is perfume now and perfume for ever. (T. De Witt Talmage.) Spiced work More than that, we want more life and spice in our Christian work. The poor do not want so much to be groaned over as sung to. With the bread, and medicines, and the garments you give them, let there be an accompaniment of smiles and brisk encouragement. Do not stand and talk to them about the wretchedness of their abode, and the hunger of their looks, and the hardness of their lot. Ah! they know it better than you can tell them. Show them the bright side of the thing, if there be any bright side. Tell them good times will come. Tell them that for the children of God there is immortal rescue. Wake them up out of their stolidity by an inspiring laugh, and while you send in practical help, like the Queen of Sheba, also send in the spices. There are two ways of meeting the poor. One is to come into their house with a nose elevated in disgust, as much as to say: “ I don’ t see how you live here in this neighbourhood. It actually makes me sick. There is that bundle; take it, you poor miserable wretch, and make the most of it.” Another way is to go into the abode of the poor in a manner which seems to say: “ The blessed Lord sent me. He was poor Himself. It is not more for the good I am going to try to do you than it is for the good that you can do me.” Coming in that spirit, the gift will be as aromatic as the spikenard on the feet of Christ, and all the hovels in that alley will be fragrant with the spice. (T. De Witt Talmage.) Spiced life The fact is that the duties and cares of this life, coming to us from time to time, are stupid often, and inane and intolerable. Here are men who have been battering, climbing, pounding, hammering for twenty years, forty years, fifty years. One great, long drudgery has their life been. Their face anxious, their feelings benumbed, their days monotonous. What is necessary to brighten up that man’ s life, and to sweeten that acid disposition, and to put sparkle into the man’ s spirits? The spicery of our holy religion. Why, it between the losses of life there dashed a gleam of an eternal gain; if between the betrayals of life there came the gleam of the undying friendship of Christ; it in dull times in business we found ministering spirits flying to and fro in our office, and store, and shop, every-day life, instead of being a stupid monotone, would be a glorious inspiration, penduluming between calm satisfaction and high rapture. How any woman keeps house without the religion of Christ to help her is a mystery to me. To have to spend the greater part of one’ s life, as many women do, in planning for the meals, and stitching garments that will soon be rent again, and deploring breakages, and supervising tardy subordinates, and driving off dust that soon again will settle, and doing the same thing day in and day out, and year in and year out, until the hair silvers, and the back stoops, and the spectacles crawl to the eyes, and the grave breaks open under the thin sole of the shoe--oh, it is a long monotony! But when Christ comes to the drawing-room, and comes to the kitchen, and comes to the nursery, and comes to the dwelling, then how cheery become all womanly duties! She is never alone now. Martha gets through fretting and joins Mary at the feet of Jesus. (T. De Witt Talmage.) 2 Chronicles 9:21 And apes, and peacocks.Apes and peacocks (to children):--We learn from this passage-- I. That a rich man can get, as far as worldly goods are concerned, almost what he likes in this world. II. What even wise men will do, when they have more money than they know how to use. Such was Solomon’ s position; apes and peacocks were costly, and so he had a special desire to have s goodly number about him. (D. Davies.) Apes I. The ape is something like us, and yet he is very much unlike us.1. He cannot speak.2. He cannot learn.3. He has no foresight or forethought. It is wonderful how deceptive appearances can be. II. The ape is only a caricature of a man, and does not imitate him in his better movements or habits; so you generally find that if a child or man apes another, he apes him only in his failings. I saw a boy the other day, who could not have been more than eleven, vigorously puffing the end of a cigar that he had picked up somewhere. He evidently thought he looked like a man, but I need not tell you how disgusted I felt, and wished that he could imitate the man in a more manly way. He stupidly aped a gentleman whose failing was that he smoked at all. Learn to be natural. Let the one desire of your life be to be true. Never put on a false look or try to live under false pretences. (D. Davies.) Peacocks The peacock has a beautiful tail, and in this respect no bird can match him. But the more you know about him the less you think of his tail. He can only screech hideously when he tries to sing. He is also a very gluttonous and a very selfish and destructive character. The beautiful bird has nothing to commend it except its beautiful feathers. Its characteristic failing is vanity. I. I want you to remember that there are some people in the world like that peacock. Everything depends upon their dress, or their outward appearance. But if you get to know their disposition and their conduct, you will very often cease to be charmed with their dress. II. I want you to guard yourselves against attaching too much importance to appearances. God does not. Learn that the truest ornament is “ a meek and gentle spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.” (D. Davies.) 2 Chronicles 9:31 And Solomon slept with his fathers. The death of Solomon Such is the sole record of the departure of the most magnificent king of the Israelitish nation.1. Why is this? For it was not so with David, his father, whose last days, and almost last thoughts, last prayers and exhortations, are fully detailed. 2. Nothing on the first sight, in popular judgment, appears more excellent and full of hope than that petition of Solomon when, just called to the throne, he asked of God wisdom and knowledge, “ that I may go out and come in before this people.” God granted him his request. His reign proved to be one of unexampled splendour. Prosperity almost to overflow poured in upon the nation. But as the monarch’ s glory increased, his personal character declined. He sank morally and religiously. He became tyrannical and despotic, and grievously oppressed his subjects. Then intense sensuality set in. So deeply did he fall that his name has been connected with the practice of the magical arts and sorceries denounced in the law of Moses. 3. How shall we account for this? Was it that from the first his heart was not set upon God, but upon self? that when he asked at first for wisdom to rule God’ s people, he only thought of the honour he would gain thereby? Or is it that we here witness in an individual the corrupting influences of a civilisation not merely luxurious, but high and cultivated, when it discards the faith in God? 4. Whichever it be, by both alternatives we are warned that wisdom, even high, intellectual, and varied, is not godliness, and cannot take its place; that where it is unsanctified, a worm lies at its root. 5. It is a solemn thought that the temple, the culminating point of Solomon’ s glory, was the harbinger, and in a degree the cause, of the decline of his nation. The exactions and the oppressive burdens its extravagant cost entailed upon the people alienated them, made the monarchy hateful, and prepared the nation for revolt: 6. Twice since has the same thing been witnessed. The sale of indulgences to help the building of St. Peter’ s led to the disruption of a large part of Christendom. So also the gorgeous palace of the French monarch, the memorial of his boundless luxury and consequent oppression, was the prelude of that great convulsion from which the nation has never recovered. Such is the logic of mere human splendour and luxury. 7. What was the end of this renowned monarch? What was the final stamp set upon his character? Scripture is silent on the point, and Christendom has always been divided in regard to it. Those who have thought and hoped the best of him have rested their hopes chiefly on the tenor of the Book of Ecclesiastes. But no tone of repentance pervades this solemn writing; no utterance of contrition or even personal remorse; not one such anguished cry for forgiveness as pervades several of David’ s psalms; no humiliation appears in it, not even such as Ahab’ s; no confession, even such as Saul’ s. Solomon appears to pass away and, “ make no sign,” (Archdeacon Grant, D. C. L.) . 2 Chronicles 10:1-19 And Rehoboam went to Shechem.Rehoboam A cause so stated must succeed. There will be difficulty, but the end is assured. The reasonable always triumphs, due time being given for the elucidation of its purposes, and the manifestation of its real spirit. Violence can have but a short day; the tempest cries itself to rest. “ Ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.” They wanted ease for service, for loyalty. Where there is no ease how can there be homage, thankfulness, devotion, or any of the high qualities of patriotism? How tempted men are, who are not themselves disquieted, to tell other people to bear their burdens uncomplainingly! The sufferers should sometimes be admitted to the witness-box. There is danger lest our personal comfortableness should disqualify us from judging the case of downtrodden men. Wherever there is weakness the Christian Church should be found; wherever there is reasonableness the Christian sanctuary should offer hospitality. Is there anything more detestable than that a man who has his own way seven days a week, whose footsteps are marked by prosperity, whose very breathing is a commercial success, should stand up and tell men who are bleeding at every pore to be quiet and contented, and not create disturbance in the body politic? If Jeroboam had come with a petition conceived in another tone it ought to have been rejected; it would have been irrational, violent, contemptuous; but the reasonableness of the request will ensure its victory in the long run. How easy it is to think of Rehoboam as the foolish son of a wise father! But are we not unjust to the son in so regarding him? Was Solomon the wise man he is often made out to be? The answer would be “ Yes” --and “ No.” There was no greater fool than Solomon; and he attained his supremacy in folly because there was no man so wise. “ If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” “ How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” If he had not been son of the morning some shallow pit might have held him; but being son of the morning, and detaching himself from the gravitation of God, the pit into which he falls is bottomless. Pliny says no man can be always wise. That is true philosophically and experimentally; for all men have vulnerable heels, or are exposed to temptations to lightness of mind, amounting in some instances almost to frivolity; they are also the subjects of a singular rebound, which makes them appear the more frivolous because when we last saw them they were absorbed in the solemnity of prayer. Solomon himself is not wise in this matter of government. The history shows that the people were appealing, not against Rehoboam, who had yet had no opportunity of proving his quality as a king, but against his father: “ Thy father made our yoke grievous.” We are prone to copy the defects of our ancestors and their idols rather than their excellences. We are tempted in wrong directions, Folly has often more charms for us than wisdom. Rehoboam made a cautious reply, and therein, he began, well; he said to the petitioners,” Come again unto me after three days.” This looked hopeful. King Rehoboam utilised the interval by taking “ counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? And they spake unto him,” as old men ought to speak. Rich is the king whose old men talk in such a strain! They were patriots and philanthropists and philosophers; they were Christians before the time. Marvellous is the power of kindness. They will do most in life who “ are most considerate. If when the people returned after three days Rehoboam had spoken so, the welkin would have rung with the resonant cheers of a delighted, thankful, because emancipated, people. We have opportunities of this kind: let every man know that in proportion to his kindness will be the quality and the durableness of his influence. Kindness is not weakness. It takes Omnipotence to be merciful, in the largest degree and fullest quality of the term. He to whom power belongs holds in His other hand the angel whose name is Mercy. “ But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him” (2 Chronicles 10:8)--showing that he understood the message of the people perfectly; he correctly represented the popular will, and therefore he increased his own responsibility, because he was not the victim of ignorance. “ And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying” (2 Chronicles 10:10-11). Woe to the nation whose young men talk so! A young oppressor is an infant devil. Young men talking so will ruin any occasion. This may appear to be a very advanced policy, a very spirited policy, home and foreign. It is a spirited policy: but what is the name of the spirit that inspires it? Does a controversy of this kind begin in a question, and end in an answer? Or is there a reply? Are there such things in history as retorts, reprisals, rebounds, consequences? Let it be known, and laid down as the basis-principle of all action, social, ecclesiastical, and imperial, that there is no right of tyranny. Oppression has no veritable and reputable credentials. Men are not at liberty to take counsel whether they shall be gentle or ungentle. The law is unwritten, because eternal, that even righteousness must be administered in mercy. It might be supposed that the king had taken a most patriotic course in consulting the old and the young. He had done nothing of the kind: he had omitted to consult Him who had called his house to the royalty. Rehoboam should have consulted the King-maker whose throne is on the circle of the earth, and whose sceptre toucheth the horizon, and whose will is the law of monarchy and commonwealth. All human consultation is a species of under-counsel, valuable within proper limits, and right as recognising the education, the intelligence, and the political instinct of the times; but all consultation, to result in profoundest wisdom, must be intensely, almost exclusively, religious. Kings should talk to their King. The greater the man the nearer should he stand to God. The gospel never gives liberty to oppression. Employers may adopt this course if they please, but they will find it end in ruin. We must recognise the difference between employing cattle and employing men. A parent may adopt this course if he pleases, but his children will chastise him, sting him, with many a disappointment. The world has been educated by oppression. The Lord Himself has used it as an instrument in His hands. A curious expression occurs to this effect in the fifteenth verse--“ for the cause was of God.” Rehoboam had not taken Him into account, but the Lord took the matter into His own hand. The ministry of the universe is a ministry co-operative, and is not to be understood in parts and sections, but can only be understood by those who take in the whole circumference on which the Almighty operates; and that cannot be done here and now. The Saviour of the world was not murdered by the Jews, except in a secondary and transient sense; He was delivered up from before the foundation of the world that He might make on the universe an infinite impression and reveal to the universe the law of life and the law of sacrifice. If our movement is towards trust, liberty, leniency, philanthrophy, beneficence, we are entitled to believe that this is the very logic of love, the rigorous reasoning of piety itself. This will apply to nations, to families, to employers, to all men to whom is remitted the question, Shall the policy be severe, or shall it be clement and hopeful? Rehoboam will be punished: have no fear of that. “ With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” You can make your whips thongs of scorpions, but upon your own back shall the lacerating lash be laid; you can play the fantastic trick before high heaven and make the angels weep, but the bitterness shall be yours: the triumphing of such a policy is short, the end of it is everlasting punishment. What could we do without such laws as these? They are the very ribs of the universe, the very security of society, the corner-stone on which God’ s fabric rests. We are not the subjects of accidents, the changing whims of statesmen; we are not dependent upon general elections for the grand issue of things: the Lord reigneth. Let us be true and calm. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can get at the heart of things; deal with causes, fountains, origins, and purify the spring of all life. Here the Saviour is gentle in His might, mighty in His gentleness; He says, “ Marvel not that I say unto you, Ye must be born again.” When the soul is right the hands will take to the new policy with skill that might have been learned in heaven and that is inspired by the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. (J. Parker, D. D.) A political crisis and a fatal policy I. We see here on the part of the ten tribes, the expression of a reasonable political aspiration. II. The example of Rehoboam teaches by contrast what our spirit and method, as Christian men and a Christian nation, ought to be at this time. III. And that a generous Christian policy only will effect the pacification of a discontented people the example of Rehoboam proves. (W. Bishop.) A wise prince will avoid overtaxing his people The Chinese Emperor Tehou set out on a journey to visit the vast provinces of his empire, accompanied by his eldest son. One day he stopped his car in the midst of some fields where the people were hard at work. “ I took you with me,” said he to his son, “ that you might be an eye-witness of the painful toils of the poor husbandmen, and that the feeling their laborious station should excite in your heart might prevent your burdening them with taxes!” The foolish ruler and the revolting tribes I. The grievance stated.1. Reasonable demand. (1) Heavy taxes.(2) Forced service.(3) Long endured. 2. A national demand. II. The consultation held. III. The decision given. IV. The results which followed. (J. Wolfendale.) Advice Judge Buller, when in company of a young gentleman of sixteen, cautioned him against being led astray by the example or persuasion of others, and said: “ If I had listened to the advice of some of those who called themselves my friends when I was young, instead of being a judge of the King’ s Bench, I should have died long ago a prisoner at the King’ s Bench.” The experience of old men I wonder why young people don’ t make more use of old people than they do. I find it fascinating to hear old sailors talk, and to listen to their many stories of hair-breadth escapes. One Of the privileges of old age is to be a guide to the young. Young men should take warning and instruction from old men, for they have been over the ground and know all the risks and dangers of life. (George Dawson.) Two methods of treating men I propose to use the incident to illustrate the two methods of treating men--the conciliatory and the unconciliatory--the principle applies to all men in some of the relations of life; and the question is, What is the true, and consequently the safe, basis of all government?1. Social positions are graduated. The strong man will of necessity, sooner or later, go to the front and claim the influence which belongs of right to his powers; and the weak man will be left at the point that exhausts his strength. Democracy does not equalise men. 2. No elevation of rank gives one man the right to tyrannise over another. Tyranny is necessarily associated with littleness of nature, littleness somewhere; there may be many great qualities, but the nature as a whole is of a low type. 3. The whole tenor of the gospel is in favour of magnanimous conduct on the part of those who hold any degree of rulership. This is an incidental proof of the supernatural origin of the gospel, etc. 4. Pass in review a few of the cases in which the two methods of treating men come into operation. Kings, employers, parents, pastors, all have their choice as to which method they will adopt. 5. The maintenance of a conciliatory policy is quite consistent with-- (1) Headship;(2) firmness;(3) justice. (Pulpit Analyst.) Moderation in princes The advice of an ancient French counsellor to his sovereign at his departure was good. Being wished to lay down some general rules for government, he took a paper, and wrote on the top of it “ moderation,” in the middle of it “ moderation,” and at the bottom “ moderation.” (J. Trapp.) Taking counsel of the young So did our King Richard II., to his utter ruin. So Xerxes despised the grave counsel of his uncle Artabanus, and was led wholly by the young Mardonius to the loss of all. The like is reported of Dionysius, king of Sicily; Croesus, king of Lydia; Nero, emperor of Rome; James that reigned in Scotland in Edward IV’ s time; and Lantrer, of whom it is reported that he lost the kingdom of Naples from the French king, his master, and all that he had in Italy, because he would not ask nor follow the advice of those who were wiser than himself. (J. Trapp.) Pampered in youth, ruined in prime Many a bright scriptural character is set before us for our example; this man is set before us for our warning. There were two things that contributed to make his life a failure. I. He was brought up in the lap of luxury. His father lived in a style of magnificence that has never been equalled. In the midst of this was Rehoboam’ s youth and boyhood spent. Nothing could have been morally worse for him than that. I ask the head of some large academy, “ What is the chief cause of the ruin of many lads belonging to respectable families?” and he whispers, “ Too much money,” The president of one of the largest educational institutions in America stated that he believed the surest protection to young men against the perils of opening life was poverty. The being free from the necessity of working for a living has been the worst thing in the lot of many a young man. I have personally known youths who were unfortunate enough to start life with a patrimony of £200 a year, and they never came to anything. In the life of Mr. Nasmyth he says: “ I often observe in shop windows every detail of model ships and model steam-engines, supplied ready-made for those who are said to be of a mechanical turn. Thus the vital uses of resourcefulness are done away with and the sham exhibition of mechanical genius is paraded before you by the young impostors, the result, for the most part, of too free a supply of pocket-money. I have known too many instances of parents being led, by such false evidence of constructive skill, to apprentice their sons to some engineering firm and after paying vast sums, finding out that the pretender comes out of the engineering shop with no other practical accomplishment than that of glove-wearing and cigar-smoking.” The connection between Rehoboam and kid gloves may not at first be apparent, and yet there is a good deal in it, for had he been brought up less luxuriously, had he known something in his early days of real hard work, he might have turned out a more sensible and successful man. II. His refusal of the advice of men who were older and wiser than himself. Evil companionship proved his destruction. Well might he have said, “ Save me from my friends.” Their advice may have been meant for the best, yet like the bear which from friendly motives, tried his paw to remove a fly from his master’ s face, they did more harm than good. Nothing tells upon our life more distinctly than our early choice of companions. We take the colour of the society we keep, as the frogs of Ceylon do that of the leaf on which they sit. Be slow to form your friendships. Have nothing to do with any one--no matter how smart and plausible he be--who jests at sacred things. Be certain you will get no good from one who wants to shake you out of what he calls your old-fashioned principles. Never make a friend of one who avows himself an unbeliever. The fear of God is the root of all true nobleness of character, said a French monarch, when once asked to give his consent to a dishonourable treaty. “ The blood of Charlemagne is in my veins; and who dares to propose this thing to me?” Some of you young men have a pedigree still more worthy to glory in. We want no Rehoboams amongst us. We want the sons to be better than their fathers. (J. T. Davidson.) The folly of self-will Dr. Anderson, of the American Board, told me that a young man once came to the mission-house in Boston as a candidate for the foreign mission field. Dr. Anderson invited him to spend the night with him in Roxbury, and as they were walking together, the young man suddenly said, “ I prefer to walk on the right side.” Dr. Anderson said to him, “ May I ask why you walk on the right side? Are you deaf in one ear?” “ No,” said the young man, “ but I prefer to walk on the right side, and I always will walk on the right side.” That young man was not sent abroad. It was evident that a man who was bent on having his own way, without giving reasons, would be likely to make mischief, and his right side would be pretty sure to be the wrong side. (H. H. Jessup.) The mystery of Divine working I. Events of history controlled and directed to accomplish Divine purposes. II. In the accomplishment of Divine purposes men act as free agents. III. Men thus acting as free agents are responsible for them actions. (J. Wolfendale.) Paroxysms in history Nature has her paroxysms. Sir Roderick Murchison affirms that by no possible extension of gradual and insensible causes could huge masses of Tertiary rocks have been so thrown over as to pass under the older rocks of the Alps, out of which they were formed. That operation, he says, must have been paroxysmal, and no slow process could have accomplished it. The crust and outline of the earth are, in short, full of evidences that many of the ruptures and overthrows of the strata, as well as great denudations, could not even in millions of years have been produced by agencies like those of our times. (Scientific Illustrations.) . 2 Chronicles 11:1-4 Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren.The restraints of Divine providence I. Restraints made unmistakably clear. II. Restraints merciful in design. III. Restraints timely made. IV. Restraints implicitly heeded. (J. Wolfendale.) Uninsured preparations Pity it is that God seems to allow us to go to such costs and then stops us just at the last moment. "Ye shall not go up." There is pity in the arrangement, but it is not on the side of God. It is a pity that we did not consult God before we called the enemy together. He will be consulted at one end. He wishes to be consulted at the beginning, but if we will not consult Him there, we must consult Him at the end. Our preparations amount to nothing if they are not inspired. All our education comes to smoke and wind if it be not an education derived from the altar and enriched with the wisdom of God. Send out a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men from academy and college and university, loaded with the blank cartridges of ten thousand certificates and testimonials; if the Lord is not in it He will send them all back again until He calls for their aid. (J. Parks, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 11:17 For three years they walked in the way of David.Experimental goodness Three years of experimental goodness ought to be three years of personal consolidation. To get three years ahead of the enemy ought to be a great advantage. The doctors say that it takes three years to get drink really out of a man's system and no man is safe until he has quite passed the line of three years. These critical times in life are the making of life, when they are really seized aright as to their spirit and highest significance. (J. Parks, D. D.) . 2 Chronicles 12:1-2 He forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.Rehoboam, first king of Judah Individual lives attract and reward attention; hence the interest and fascination of fiction and history. What others have experienced and done comes to us as a revelation of a life in which we share. I. Its waste of opportunities exceptionally grand.1. He was the first king of Judah. Unless forfeited by misconduct, special honour and grateful appreciation are the inheritance of the founders of a dynasty. Conspicuous in time and relative position, they have an acknowledged leadership, though dead for centuries. 2. He inherited institutions and traditions of a prestige sacred and commanding. His was the city of David, with all its history, radiant with the Divine presence; his the temple, of which God was the architect and his father the master builder; his the unbroken priesthood, exalted to a genuine mediatorship between God and His people; his all the costly and sacred relics upon which the Queen of Sheba looked with amazement; about himself centred the hope of a coming prophet, ruler; his the sole honour of continuing the royal line. 3. He was of mature age and superior abilities. 4. He had the best material of all Israel as well. Jeroboam and his sons had cast off the Levites from executing the priest’ s office unto the Lord, and they emigrated to Jerusalem in a body, “ and after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.” Thus all the land of Canaan was sifted for his benefit. 5. The very smallness of Judah was an element of strength. He could and did intrench himself in his central fortress on Zion, and surround himself with a chain of fortresses mutually supporting from their proximity. His people were homogeneous, and not liable to the jealous rivalries which imperilled the ten divisions of Israel. But alas! the example of Rehoboam reveals the insufficiency of opportunities, however golden, to command a wise improvement. II. His inability to Bear prosperity. When strengthened in his little kingdom of Judah, he at once repeated the folly which had only recently dispossessed him of the grand unbroken empire left by Solomon. Like multitudes, before and since, he was willing to use God’ s help when in extremity, but when successful, when apparently sailing in smooth waters, he and all Israel forsook the law of the Lord. How inexplicable that blindness which increases with added light, that moral and spiritual weakness which grows when supplemented with all Divine help, that confidence in self built out of dependence and gracious gifts! Rehoboam and his numberless imitators in all time illustrate this. Left to himself, he mars and almost ruins the grandest schemes of infinite wisdom, and foils the gracious designs of a long-suffering God for his own rescue and elevation. III. Chastisement brought partial repentance and humility. There is such a thing as “ final permanence of character,” upon which all Divine warnings or dealings are unavailing except to harden. All moral character is voluntary, but the absoluteness of moral inability is only the measure and result of obdurate wilfulness. We are inclined to credit the humility of Rehoboam, because it vindicated God in the midst of His judgments. He and his princes said, “ The Lord is righteous.” Their lips, and possibly their hearts, may have been free from murmuring when city after city crumbled before invading hosts. Repentance is safe to the degree in which it acknowledges and enthrones God. We cannot omit passing mention of the superior inheritance of those who submissively suffer. The tragedy of life comes from hopeless, helpless opposition to the irresistible. IV. Nevertheless, religion was not its controlling influence. Though he never quite cast off God, he “ did evil because he fixed not his heart to seek the Lord.” When the service of God dominates affections, plans, and deeds, then, and not until then, is true and steady progress possible. There can be no harmony, no worthy enthusiasm, nor any noble elevation to life which enthrones self. We live in a time of special peril, because of its wealth of opportunity. Never were the resources of the world so placed at man’ s disposal. But this wealth of opportunity brings a corresponding peril. Nothing but a heart “ fixed to seek the Lord” can withstand its temptations to indulgence, to pride of power, to high looks and vain imaginations. V. A change of masters for the worse. This change of masters, and opportunity to compare their respective service, which was thus true of Rehoboam, has a perfect parallel in the lives of all wanderers from God. Man will have some master, and he cuts loose from glad allegiance to God--the only true liberty--only to give servile obedience to a tyrant. It is one of the reassuring signs of progress to-day that man as an individual--his rights, his essential worth, and dignity--is valued and talked about more than the collective State or nation; but danger lurks in the shadow of the gain. That individuality is in danger of becoming overweening and imperious. The ego may, and sometimes does, glory in a self-sufficiency that looks almost patronisingly upon the Divine existence, or denies it altogether. Virtue is a queen whose subjects note her faintest wish, but their service is perfect liberty. It springs from the gladness of pure hearts, and knows no compulsion but sweet willingness. (Monday Club Sermons.) Established in life An accursed word is that sometimes--“ established” or “ strengthened,” or prospered, or succeeded. It was the mark of the place where we turned hell-ward. We prayed when we were poor. We went to the sanctuary when we were weak. Who can stand fatness, sunshine, all the year round? Where are the rich? How delicate in health they became when their riches multiplied! How sensitive to cold when they rolled round in gorgeous chariot drawn by prancing and foaming steeds! How short-tempered when they became long-pursed! What a change in their public prayers when they became the victims of social status and reputation! (J. Parker, D.D.) Because they had transgressed against the Lord.--Transgression against the Lord See how religious the Bible is! We should now say that men are punished because they have transgressed the laws of nature; men are suffering because they have transgressed the laws of health; men are in great weakness because they have tempted debility, and brought it upon themselves by neglect or by indulgence. Even atheists have explanations. They cannot treat life as a piece of four-square wood, the whole of which can be seen at once; even they have laws, ministries, spectral actions, physiological explanations; it would seem as if the Bible gathered up all these and glorified them with a Divine name, and said, “ This is the Lord’ s doing.” (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 12:8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants.Servitude or service-which ?-- I. That there are some who have already chosen the service of the kingdoms of the countries. Some have chosen--1. To be the slaves of open sin.2. To be the votaries of money-making.3. To be lovers of fashion, lovers of society, admirers of the world.4. To become the devotees of “ culture.”5. To be the seekers of self-righteousness. II. Some seem to be pining to give up the service of God, and to go to the service of the kingdoms. Some want to change--1. Out of sheer love of change.2. Because of the outward aspect of the new thing.3. Because of their loss of joy in the service of God.4. Because of the flagging of others.5. Because religion now has brought them to a point where it entails some extra self-sacrifice. III. There is a great contrast between the service of God and any other service. The service of God is delightful. Remember, young man, if you are about to engage in the service of God--1. There is nothing demanded of you that will harm you.2. There is nothing denied you, in the service of God, that would be a blessing to you.3. That in the service of God strength will always be given according to your day.4. That there is no threat made to hang upon it.5. All the while that you are a servant of God, you have a sweet peace in reflecting upon what you have done.6. There is, above all this, a hope of the eternal reward which is so soon to come. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Comparative service It is an old failing of human nature not to know when it is well off, and the text furnishes an illustration of that failing. There is a great lesson here for to-day. Adam was discontented with Paradise, Israel with Canaan, and many now are despising the goodly inheritance we have in Christ. We are fond of comparing the service of God with alternative services, to the disparagement of the former. I. Compare the faith of Christ with the faith of scepticism. I say the faith of scepticism, for the sceptic has a creed just as truly as the Christian believer has. Many are greatly dissatisfied with the Christian revelation; they are anxious to set it aside, to find substitutes for it. The proverb says: “ The cow in the meadow, knee-deep in clover, often looks over the hedge and longs for the common.” So, many are now looking over the hedge of revelation, and longing for the bare wastes and the wild growths of infidelity.1. If we renounce revelation, shall we be better off intellectually? It must be remembered that if revelation is rejected, all the dark problems of nature, all the perplexing enigmas of human life, will still be left. Revelation has not created the confusions, the cruelties, the calamities of the world. You will not make a black sky blue by smashing the weather-glass; you will not turn cruel winter into glorious summer by throwing out the thermometer; neither will you get rid of sorrow and mystery and death by rejecting the Bible. Can you, having rejected revelation, give that dark world any clearer or happier interpretation? 2. If we renounce revelation, shall we be better off as pertaining to the conscience? Take away the Bible, and conscience is left--an accusing conscience is left. To what terrible beliefs and deeds an accusing conscience drives men the history of paganism clearly shows. A guilty conscience built the wicker-basket of Druidism; it doomed the children to pass through the fire to Molech. “ Yes,” you reply, “ but it is impossible for these tragedies of superstition to be repeated; Druidism, for instance, can never come back again.” Who can say what may, or may not, come back again? Theosophy teaches that through endless reincarnations we must be purged from our sins. Our sorrows in this life are the results of the sins and errors of past incarnations, and before us is a dreary vista of fresh incarnations in which we are again to sin and suffer. It is terrible to think of the monstrous intellectual and religious systems which must arise when men no longer know the mercy of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The guilty conscience will not go to sleep; it will have blood and tears. 3. If we renounce revelation, shall we be better off touching character? If unbelief triumphed, and Christ were rejected as the pattern and perfecter of character, would anything be gained? The whole world of thoughtful men acknowledges the marvellous, the incomparable moral beauty of Jesus Christ. II. Compare the doctrine of Christ with the doctrine of the world. Thus many now are inclined to prefer the worldly life to the Christian life. It seems so much more free. Men feel that the Christian law retards their youth, cramps and foils their appetites and curiosities. But is this so? “ The doctrine of Jesus is hard, men say. But how much harder,” exclaims Tolstoy, “ is the doctrine of the world!” Take its doctrine of glory. Cruel doctrine! What blood, groans, tears, it implies! And not only on the battlefield is the doctrine of glory seen to be merciless; it works woe in a thousand subtle ways in all spheres of human life and action. Take its doctrine of gain. How that principle of selfishness, which is the doctrine of the world, grinds men to powder! Take its doctrine of fashion. What a terrible price the world exacts for its empty shows, its vain titles, its purple and gold! Take its doctrine of pleasure. Millions have been ruined by following in its paths of roses and music and beauty. How cruel! Ah! the world has far more martyrs than the Church has. And what is the doctrine of Jesus that men call hard? Instead of the doctrine of glory, He teaches the doctrine of humility and service; for the doctrine of gain, the doctrine of equity and love; for the doctrine of fashion, the doctrine of simplicity and truth; for the doctrine of pleasure, the doctrine of purity and peace. Well may Jesus dare to say, “ My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” III. Compare the law of Christ with the service of self-will. A man says: “ I will not be restrained; I will determine my own path, choose my own pleasures, shape my own character, be the architect of my own fortune. It shall throughout be according to my own preferences and determinations.” Is, then, the self-willed man happy? Is he happy as he sets himself against nature? You tell your boy not to play with fire; but he is self-willed, and takes the opportunity to sport with matches and gunpowder, and probably repents ever after. It does not pay to set up our will against the grand ordinances of nature. Is the self-willed man happy as he opposes himself to the laws and institutions of society? To outrage the judgments, the feelings, the rights of society is to be keenly miserable. Is the self-willed man happy within himself? You say proudly, “ I am my own master.” Could you have a worse? It is a terrible thing to setup our will against the Divine will as that will is expressed in the physical universe, in society, or as it seeks to fulfil itself in our personal nature and life. Self-will is captivity and ruin: loving obedience to the will of God in Christ, with its self-control and self-denial, is health and peace. To be His slaves is to be kings. Surrender yourselves to Him, and prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. “ The service of the kingdoms of the countries.” The Jews often heard delightful things about this foreign service. They remembered the fish which they did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. Nothing to do in Egypt but to regale themselves with piquant viands, and to stroll under the palms on the banks of the Nile. They heard of the attractions of Babylon, of its hanging gardens, its luxuries and delights. And the ambassadors of Sennacherib painted for them in glowing colours the life of Assyria: “ A land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.” No more work, no more worry, no more worship. Getting away from Jerusalem, they were to get away from temple and law, from priest and prophet, and to taste the pleasures of an unfettered life. But did they find captivity so desirable? You who are tempted to despise God’ s Word, beware. Young men, weary of the order and restraint of a godly home, and ever hankering after a looser life, be wise, and stay thankfully where you are. Discontented Englishmen, ever protesting against narrowness and austerity, against Protestantism, Puritanism, and bumbledom, and ever looking with longing eyes to laxer civilisations, be content; subdue your murmurings and wantonness, lest God spoil you of your rich inheritance. Discontented Christians, ever casting lingering glances at the life you have left, be content; see to it that there is in you no evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. (W. L. Watkinson.) 2 Chronicles 12:9-10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass.The downward grade See how deterioration follows all character that goes down in its religious aspects. This deterioration marks the whole progress of human development. Is it not so with regard to all personal service? How ardent we once were! How devoted to the house of God, how punctual in attendance, how zealous in worship! How we longed for the hour of praise to double itself, that we might have long intercourse with the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost! Now how soon we become uneasy, how we long to be released, how patience becomes sensitive, and yields in angry surrender because too much tried! You never bring gold for brass when you leave God. The prodigal never brings any treasure back with him. When men go away intellectually from the Bible they bring back brass for gold. When they leave the Bible morally they bring back brass for gold. When they leave sympathetically they bring back artifice for inspiration, mechanics for vital communion. (J.Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 12:12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him.Prosperity I. The place in which there was this prosperity.1. Things will go on well in our own country-- (1) When the intelligence of its inhabitants shall keep pace with their means of information.(2) When their conduct shall keep pace with their increasing knowledge.(3) When the Christian Church shall employ all those means for the salvation of the world which are placed within her power. 2. Things may be said to go on well in a Church when there is a unanimous desire to-- (1) Understand;(2) practise;(3) and spread the gospel. II. The time when there was this prosperity in Judah. “ And when he humbled himself,” etc. When the Church shall humble herself for her sins, she will realise an amount of prosperity hitherto unknown.1. Some of the sins which should induce this humiliation. (1) Ignorance.(2) Persecution.(3) The profanation of the Sabbath.(4) Drunkenness.(5) Covetousness.(6) Infidelity. 2. The character of that repentance which is necessary. It must be-- (1) Deep.(2) Universal.(3) Daily. (Zechariah 12:10-14). III. The ackowledgment of this prosperity. Lessons: We may learn--1. That one individual may be the source of incalculable good, or incalculable evil. 2. The importance of a knowledge of history, which illustrates the dealings of God with men. 3. The gratitude we owe to God for having given us the means of prosperity. (H. Hollis.) 2 Chronicles 12:14 He prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Rehoboam the unready I. He did not begin life with seeking the Lord. II. He showed no heart in seeking the Lord afterwards. III. He was not fixed and persevering seeking the Lord. IV. He had no care to seek the Lord thoroughly. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Rehoboam I. Implied obligation. To seek the Lord is the obligation of all This is suggestive--1. Of the loss sustained. How is God lost to man? He has lost-- (1) The true knowledge of His character.(2) The conscious enjoyment of His favour.(3) The blessedness of communion with Him. 2. Of its retrievableness. For this purpose-- (1) God has revealed Himself to man in His own nature.(2) The redemptive work of Christ is made known.(3) The Holy Spirit performs His beneficent functions. 3. Of the importance of its recovery. II. Mental conviction. In Rehoboam we see mental conviction arising from knowledge of duty, promptings of conscience, consciousness of guilt. This is a mental state of frequent occurrence. It may be observed--1. As the effect of truth. The Word of God is “ a discoverer of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Felix. There are many Felixes. 2. As intensified by circumstances. 3. As critical in its results. How much depends on moments of conviction! They are often the turning-points of destiny. It does not seem that Rehoboam ever paused in his downward career from this time forward. III. Moral infirmity. There was want of decision in Rehoboam. He did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. This may be traced--1. To sensual habits (2 Chronicles 11:18-23; 1 Kings 14:21-24).2. To evil companionship.3. To Satanic temptation. IV. Accumulated guilt. “ He did evil because,” etc. This sin was parent of a host. He sinned in this neglect of known duty, and in what resulted from it. So do all who pursue a like course. They sin--1. In resisting their convictions.2. In self-depravation. “ Beware lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”3. The depravation of others. Through his guilty conduct the people were corrupted. “ One sinner destroyeth much good.” (S. A. Browning.) A heart not fixed The marginal reading is, “ He fixed not his heart upon the Lord.” This was a favourite expression of David’ s. “ My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.” “ His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.” Perhaps it was intended to draw a contrast between the character of Rehoboam and his far worthier ancestor. Religion is not a thing that can be taken up in a loose, careless manner. It claims the whole purpose and energy of the heart. In the “ Pilgrim’ s Progress,” Prudence wished to know from Christian how he was enabled to overcome his temptations and to persevere in the good and holy way. Christian’ s reply was, “ When I think of what I saw at the Cross, that will do it; when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it; when I look into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it; and when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it.” I cannot do better than follow in the line of the great dreamer’ s allegory. I. The first condition of a fixed heart is a sight of the Cross. The world’ s religion ends with forgiveness; God’ s religion begins with it. There is nothing that imparts such solidity to character, and such strength and dignity to life, as conscious peace with Heaven. II. The next thing is to look upon your “ broidered coat” --the righteousness that is “ unto all and upon all them that believe.” III. Bunyan’ s pilgrim looked also oftentimes into the roll which he carried in his bosom. Habitual study of the Bible is indispensable to a healthy condition of the soul. McCheyne would not speak to any one in the morning till he had first of all heard the voice of God. It gives a tone to the whole day, when we begin the day with Him. IV. “when his thoughts waxed warm about whither he was going,” that gave fixedness to Christian’ s heart. You may be none the less shrewd as to the interests of time because you are wise as to the concerns of eternity; like a trusty pilot, who, though his eyes are on the stars, keeps his hand upon the helm. (J. T. Davidson, D.D.) True and false seeking I. There is what one may call natural seeking. Seeking is the language of human want. The cravings of life will always demand attention. All the industries of the world, with their ten thousand beneficent developments, are the products of human wisdom to supply human wants. Human life is but a seeking in so many ways, from the cradle to the grave. II. Seeking the Lord. This is not born of nature, but of grace. Seeking the Lord implies a conscious sense of weakness and insufficiency. III. Heart preparation. All true and successful seeking of the Lord comes of prepared hearts. The heart is always the part that makes our hearing, believing, praying, and doing right or wrong. As soon as the sun rises in the morning the birds are ready to go forth from their nests to sing. So it is with all the moral forces or faculties of the soul when the heart is prepared to seek the Lord. The heart is to the whole man what the main-spring is to the watch--it sets all the other powers in motion. “ But as the bowl,” says one, “ runs as the bias inclines it, and as the ship moves as the rudder steers it,” so man seeks as the heart prompts him. A prepared heart is a loving heart, “ believing true and clean.” It enters into the secret place of the Most High as a loving child enters into his father’ s home. Whence cometh this preparation? There must be some efficient cause to account for the differences we see among men. The difference between the common field and the garden to-day has been brought about by the application of human thought and manual skill. It is even so with respect to differences among men. As the garden did not enclose itself, or of itself become more fertile than the field, neither have men become different among their fellows or before God except by different resolutions of will and energy of character. Those who exercise no forethought or natural sagacity become as the man who built his house upon the sand. IV. The evil of neglecting to prepare the heart. Men may do evil by failing to do well. Mere neglect is sufficient to ruin a man. A man need not be openly profane or wicked to be excluded from God’ s presence; he has but to neglect the means of grace, or to prepare his heart to seek the Lord while He may be found, to call upon Him while He is near. (John Kerr Campbell, D.D.) . 2 Chronicles 13:4-12 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim.A great speech its claims concerning Judah. God recognised--1. In the gift of the kingdom.2. In the worship and services of the temple.3. In the warfare of life. II. In its accusations against Israel. III. Its passionate appeal to the people.1. Religion is appealed to.2. History is appealed to.3. Humanity is appealed to. (J. Wolfendale.) Abijah’ s speech Abijah’ s speech is unique. There have been other instances where commanders have tried to make oratory take the place of arms. Sennacherib’ s envoys. When Octavian was at war with his fellow-triumvir Lepidus he made a daring attempt to run over his enemy’ s army. Riding openly into the hostile camp, he appealed to the soldiers by motives as lofty as those urged by Abijah, and called upon them to save their country from civil war by deserting Lepidus. At the moment his appeal failed, and he only escaped with a wound in his breast; but after a while his enemy’ s soldiers came over to him in detachments, and eventually Lepidus was compelled to surrender to his rival. Another instance of a successful appeal to a hostile force is found in the history of the first Napoleon, when he was marching on Paris after his return from Elba. Near Grenoble he was met by a body of royal troops. He at once advanced to the front, and, exposing his breast, exclaimed to the opposing ranks, “ Here is your emperor; if any one would kill me let him fire.” The detachment, which had been sent to arrest his progress, at once deserted to their old commander. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) The lessons of Abijah’ s speech These are two. I. The importance of an official and duly accredited ministry. Every Church has in practice some official ministry, even those Churches that profess to owe their separate existence to the necessity of protesting against an official ministry. Men whose chief occupation is to denounce priestcraft may themselves be saturated with the sacerdotal spirit. II. The importance of a suitable and authoritative ritual. Every Church, too, has its ritual. The silence of a Friends’ meeting is as much a rite as the most elaborate genuflexion before a highly ornamented altar. To regard either the absence or presence of rites as essential is equally ritualistic. The man who leaves his wonted place of worship because “ Amen “ is sung at the end of a hymn is as bigoted a ritualist as his brother who dare not pass an altar without crossing himself. (W. H. Bennett, M. A.) 2 Chronicles 13:12-17 And behold, God Himself is with us for our captain God with us We have here-- I. A mysterious doctrine. II. A comforting truth. III. A solemn fact. (Bp. Montagu Villiers.) Man’ s extremity and God’ s power to help I. God’ s people are often brought into extremities.1. By their own foolish enterprises.2. By the temptations of their enemies.3. By the providence of God leading them, to test and train them. II. God’ s people are delivered by him in extremities.1. By prayer: “ They cried unto the Lord.”2. By super-natural power. (J. Wolfendale.) The Holy War It is not my intention to discuss the merits of the quarrel between Judah and Israel. That is interesting history; but I am now to speak to you concerning our work and warfare for Christ our King. That we are engaged in a fierce struggle, with a powerful foe, must be admitted. Oh, let us understand at the outset that our warfare is real, earnest, desperate; that we are not playing at soldiering. I. Let us reconnoitre the enemy. It is a great mistake, all too frequently made, to ignore the strength of our opponents, to fail to investigate their position and their practices. No general would think of conducting a campaign without the due precaution of reconnoitring. We shall do well in our war against error and iniquity, and all that is not of our God, to make all investigations, to send some forth to spy out the country to discover, if possible, what the enemy is designing against us.1. Turning to this chapter we shall find that the enemy in this case consisted of rebels against the God-appointed authority. They were, in fact, insurgents, of whom the children of Judah said truly, “ We keep the charge of the Lord of God; but ye have forsaken Him.” So the men of Judah had this to help them in their struggle--they knew that their position was one that God approved. They had not forsaken Him; they were by no means perfect, but they still held to David’ s throne and to his rightful successor. They had the strength that always comes of the consciousness of right. “ Right is might,” though some will have it that might is right. No, no! “ He is thrice armed who hath his quarrel just” and I want to encourage my own heart and yours by saying: We are by no means all we should be, but by the grace of God we are what we are. The enemy has rebelled against God. These things with which we do battle are doomed to destruction, and we are authorised to help to hasten the coming of that doom. 2. I find, further, that these men of Israel were idolaters. They worshipped golden calves, and almost any man who wished could become a priest to those that were no gods. Our struggle also is against idolatry. I am speaking on behalf of foreign missions. Believe me, there is idolatry both here and there. 3. I find here again, that the children of Israel are spoken of as vain men, and children of Belial. There had gathered in that north country men of no repute, ne’ er-do-wells, and those who had come to grief, empty-headed men--for such is the real meaning of the word “ vain.” The children of Belial were utterly unprincipled, many of them were doubtless renegades, the castaways of society. We do not fight against those who have lost their reputation, who have sinned against the laws of our land, as well as against high heaven; we go out to try to save them, we do battle against unholiness, uncleanness, debauchery, and insobriety. 4. Further, if you look at this chapter, you will notice that the men of Israel were determined characters, o| whom it is written that “ they strengthened themselves.” They were very numerous, but they did not trust to numbers, they took every precaution to ensure success. We may learn some lessons from our foes. How diligent they are, how active, how united. How earnestly they combine to defeat, if possible, the purposes of God, and our attempts to do His will. Oh, that we were as earnest as they! With a Master infinitely better, why should we not serve Him with twice as much zeal as they who serve the devil? 5. The numbers of Israel were very large, twice as many as Judah possessed; and oh, how many are the forces and principles of evil with which we have to contend! Ah! but let us remember that numbers are not everything. We shall have to remind one another presently that God is with us. How many count you Jehovah for? Yet we must not under-estimate the foe; they are numberless. Oh, that our forces were increased! 6. And, moreover, they are wily. Did you notice, as we read, how the king of Israel set an ambush against Abijah and his men? It was hardly a brave thing to do. Well, our enemy is not very particular how he goes to work. The serpent is still the most subtle of all the beasts of the field, but we are not ignorant of his devices. II. What about our own forces? We must not sing our own praises, but to the glory of God, as we review our troops, we will declare, first, that we are His.1. Moreover, we are well commanded. Did you notice what the king said in the 12th verse? “ And behold God Himself is with us for our Captain.” When Napoleon went up and down among his troops on the eve of battle, he used to assure them that he was himself directing their battalions. That it was which nerved them for the fray. I think I hear my blessed Master saying, “ Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age.” We bow before Thee, glorious Captain! Lead Thou us on! For Thou alone canst lead to victory. 2. Moreover, the priestly service, with the people of Judah, had never ceased. Morning and evening the lamb was slain, and the lamp was lighted, and the incensed waved. This was a sign that God was still honoured and obeyed. Ah, think of it! We are going forth to battle day by day, but our great High Priest before the Throne still pleads. “ He ever liveth to make intercession for us.” III. And now about the battle. We must not wonder, if, when beginning to fight for God, we find ourselves in a difficulty. These men did. They had not got to the battlefield before they were caught in an ambushment. There were foes behind them as well as in front of them. It is not the easiest thing in the world to fight those who attack us from behind. I know some who go out to serve the Lord, either in the home or in the foreign field, who, as soon as they find the battle wax hot against them, or discover themselves caught in a trap, begin to imagine that the battle is lost already, that they have made a mistake in taking up arms for God, and are like to turn tail forthwith, only the enemy is behind them, and they cannot! Ah! what a mistake is this! If God brings us into a crisis, it is that we may trust Christ. What is the best thing to do when we get into such a state? Why, just what these did. “ They cried unto the Lord.” Was there time to pray, when there were enemies on either hand? Yes, yes, there is always time to pray. Praying time is not lost time. Let us cry unto the Lord of Hosts.2. Then the priests sounded the trumpets to animate the people, to call them to their duty, to stir up within them their slumbering energies and dying courage. I warrant you they gave no uncertain sound. Those silver trumpets were made all of one piece, for God will have all His work united, symmetrical, and complete. Those silver trumpets sounded out their sweetest and their loudest at this critical juncture. Be it ours, leaders of the hosts of God, so to sound forth the Word of God that there shall be no mistake as to the meaning, and by our brave demeanour to encourage all the people. 3. Did you notice, next, that the rank and file commenced to shout? “ The men of Judah shouted.” No, no! let us cry and shout, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of us. The cry of prayer should be attended with the shout of faith, and if we shout not audibly in our services and meetings, let there be shoutings in the soul which the Lord our God can hear. The secret and gist of it all is here. 4. “ They relied upon the Lord.” There was perfect confidence in heaven. Even in the midst of the clash of arms, even when they saw they had apparently been bested by this ambushment, they still trusted. Father, I will trust thee, for the work is Thine. 5. “ They relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.” Oh! I like that word. “ The God of Abraham!” The history of the patriarch flashes through their minds at the mention of his name. “ The God of Isaac, and of Jacob,” and of David, with whom He had made a covenant of salt! This was the God they relied on, and this God is our God, the God of our fathers. Did He not treat our fathers well? Did He not glorify His name through them? Did He not make them pillars in the house of the Lord? What God has done, God can do. Let us trust Him. 6. As soon as they fully trusted Him, He began to work, and delivered Jeroboam into the hand of Abijah. Yes, the rule always holds good, “ Them that honour Me I will honour.” If you trust Him in that little work you have in hand for God, He will use you. 7. Then we must follow up the work that God does. Abijah and his people slew their routed adversaries. “ Abijah pursued them.” 8. And what about the spoils? When the work is done and the victory won, what about the booty? Ah! it belongs to Him who gave the power. All must be cast at Jesus’ feet. Have we not been often mistaken just here? We asked Him for power to serve, and thank God we got it; but when the victory was ours, we wanted to share the honour with the King. (T. Spurgeon.) . 2 Chronicles 14:1-4 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.Asa faithful to his God We have watched the steady fall of the kingdom of Israel Judah also began in shame and ended in disaster, but its shame was not so unmixed nor its disaster so complete. The reason for this better fate is suggested in our text: the saving influence of good men interposed to hold the people to God and prosperity. Our lesson presents Asa as the righteous leader of his people.1. Asa reformed the religion of Judah. Like Gideon, he began his rule with a bold attack upon the popular idolatry. The worship of Baal and Ashtoreth had clung to the people ever since they met it when entering Canaan, in spite of God’ s warning that for this very sin the inhabitants were cast out before them. In recent years Solomon had patronised it, Rehoboam encouraged and Abijah confirmed it; and under these royal leaders Judah had become fascinated with its worship and debauched with its hideous vice. But the reformer’ s axe went crashing through the groves. He was well named Asa, for he healed the hurt of his people. We hear of no resistance to his vigorous measures. The conscience of the nation yet answered to the conscience of the king: “ the land was quiet before him.” 2. Asa advanced the material prosperity of Judah. In the ten years of rest which God gave him “ he built fenced cities, with walls and towers, gates and bars,” to protect them from Israel on the north and Egypt on the south. 3. Passing now to determine the nature and the extent of Asa’ s influence, we find the cause of his success in his piety. He was a sound reformer, an able king, and a successful soldier, because he was faithful to his God. “ He did that which was right, and commanded the people to serve the Lord.” So, too, his best work for his subjects was upon their characters. Asa’ s influence was most important and enduring. He ascended the throne at a crisis in the nation’ s history. Israel was already twenty years along in its fatal transgression, and Judah was hastening after it. His father and grandfather had forsaken the righteousness of David and perpetuated the iniquity of Solomon, rather than his splendour or his wisdom. Had the succeeding reign of forty-one years followed the same course, we must believe that the current toward wickedness would have been set past turning. Had Asa been like Jeroboam, Judah would have gone down like Israel. Through Asa’ s faithfulness the old man’ s dying blessing has come to pass: “ Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy father’ s children shall bow down before thee, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler. The Jewish monarchy fell at last, but the real cause for which Asa struggled shall never perish. He who reads the story of Israel and Judah will mark with wonder the controlling power exercised by the king upon the religious faith of the nation. If it is written of one, “ He did evil in the sight of the Lord,” it is always true that “ he made Israel to sin.” If he worshipped Jehovah, his subjects worshipped with him. The character of the king decided the character of the people. The saving influence of righteous leaders. The power to lead others may come either from external circumstances or from personal qualities. 1. The influence given by external circumstances. (1) Official rank gives authority. Asa did, as king, what he could never have accomplished as a private citizen. He had direct control over his dependents. A devout centurion will have a devout soldier to wait upon him. The moral influence of those in high stations is wide and strong. Eminence makes example conspicuous. (2) Wealth brings influence. (3) Employers have large opportunity for good. 2. Besides the control given by external circumstances, we may notice the influence of personal qualities. Not what the man has, but what the man is, makes him a leader. Jeroboam is an instance in point. Beginning life as a common labourer, he died king of Israel. How continually have gifted, accomplished, and learned men brought saving help to the Church of God throughout her history. There is a subtle, mighty influence which should always be consecrated to holy uses--popularity, power to win the favour of others. Disciplined character has a peculiar mastery over others for good. Its control is quieter and deeper than any we have marked; it is the atmosphere of a soul refined to its highest uses. “ All high beauty has a moral element in it. Gross and obscure natures, however decorated, seem impure shambles; but character gives splendour to youth, and awe to wrinkled skin and grey hairs.” God has been at great pains to fit souls for this service. (Monday Club Sermon.) 2 Chronicles 14:7 Therefore said he unto Judah, Let us build these cities . . . while the land is yet before us The duty of improving present opportunity (a Sunday-school sermon):--Consider-- I. The opportunity for labour with which we are blessed. “ The land is yet before us.”1. We have liberty to labour. 2. The facilities are great: multiplication of elementary books, circulation of Bibles, etc.3. The encouragements are numerous. The prejudices of society are in our favour. God’ s command, etc.II. The importance of labouring while we have this opportunity.1. What is the work to which we are called? That of teaching the young the Word of God (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Psalms 78:5; Psalms 78:7; Proverbs 22:6). 2. The duty of improving existing opportunities. Conclusion: Address children. If you had to pass through a long and dark passage where there were many deep pits, how anxious, at the beginning, would you feel for light. Such is the Word of God given to you at your entrance into life (Psalms 119:105). (J. G. Breay, B.A.) 2 Chronicles 14:11-12 And Asa, cried unto the Lord his God.Victories over superior numbers These victories over superior numbers may easily be paralleled or surpassed by numerous striking examples from secular history. The odds were greater at Agincourt, where at least sixty thousand French were defeated by not more than twenty thousand Englishmen; at Marathon the Greeks routed a Persian army ten times as numerous as their own; in India English generals have defeated innumerable hordes of native warriors. For the most part victorious generals have been ready to acknowledge the succouring arm of the God of battles. Shakespeare’ s Henry V, after Agincourt, speaks altogether in the spirit of Asa’ s prayer: “ O God, Thy arm was here; and not to us, but to Thy arm alone, ascribe we all.” When Elizabeth’ s fleet defeated the Spanish Armada, the grateful piety of Protestant England felt that its foes had been destroyed by the breath of the Lord: “ Afflavit Deus et dissipantur.” (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) The superiority of moral to material force Characteristic instances are to be found in the wider movements of international polities. Italy in the eighteenth century seemed as hopelessly divided as Israel under the judges, and Greece as completely enslaved to the “ unspeakable Turk” as the Jews to Nebuchadnezzar; and yet, destitute as they were of any material resources, these nations had at their disposal great moral forces: the memory of ancient greatness and the sentiment of nationality; and to-day Italy can count hundreds of thousands like the chronicler’ s Jewish kings, and Greece builds her fortresses by land and her ironclads to command the sea. The Lord has fought for Israel. But the principle has a wider application. The English and American pioneers of the movements for the abolition of slavery had to face what seemed an impenetrable phalanx of powerful interests and influences. It may be objected that if victory were to be secured by Divine intervention, there was no need to muster five hundred and eighty thousand men, or indeed any army at all. We have no right to look for Divine co-operation till we have done our best; we are to work out our own salvation, for it is God that worketh in us. (W. H. Bennett, M. A.) King Asa’ s prayer on the eve of battle I. Our text is a prater--the surest weapon in war as in all other emergencies. II. It is the prayer of a king on the eve of battle, and therefore partakes of a national character. III. It is a prayer of faith, exhibiting reliance on the Divine arm for help, and therefore implying humiliation, together with a distinct conviction that no human force, however vast, can prevail, except under the recognised championship of the Almighty. (The Penny Pulpit.) The all-sufficiency of God’ s help I. Asa acted promptly and energetically as the occasion required. Only one purpose moved him, and that was to bring out all the military strength of his kingdom, and at once, with no unnecessary delay, strike the foe, every soldier realising that the crown of victory was the prize to be won or lost, according as he should be faithful or unfaithful in his particular duty. Having acted thus promptly and energetically, then-- II. Asa called on God for help. He did not ask God to work a miracle on his behalf. Whoever calls upon God for help without first helping himself, without first putting forth his own efforts to secure that for which he invokes the Divine aid, will call upon God in vain. There are other elements of strength in war besides those which are merely physical. God is a moral and spiritual force which will make an army of inferior numbers more than adequate to encounter and overcome the mere physical force which inheres in superiority of numbers. Hence the wisdom and virtue of prayer. III. What was the issue? “ The Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, etc. (W. T. Tindley, D.D.) Asa’ s prayer This King Asa, Rehoboam’ s grandson, had had a long reign of peace, which the writer of the Book of Chronicles traces to the fact that he had rooted out idolatry from Judah. “ The land had rest, and he had no war . . . because the Lord had given him rest.” But their came a time when the war-cloud began to roll threateningly over the land, and a great army came up against him. Like a wise man he made his military dispositions first, and prayed next. This prayer contains the very essence of what ought to be the Christian attitude in reference to all the conditions and threatening dangers and conflicts of life. I. The wholesome consciousness of our own impotence. It did not take much to convince Asa that he had “ no power.” His army, according to the numbers given of the two hosts, was outnumbered two to one. If we look fairly in the face our duties, our tasks, our dangers, the possibilities of life and its certainties, the more humbly we think of our own capacity, the more wisely we shall think about God, and the more truly we shall estimate ourselves. The world says “ Self-reliance is the conquering virtue.” Jesus says to us, “ Self-distrust is the condition of all victory.” And that does not mean any mere shuffling off of responsibility from our own shoulders, but it means looking the facts of our lives, and of our own characters, in the face. And if we will do that, however apparently easy may be our course, and however richly endowed in mind, body, or estate we may be, we shall find that we each are like “ the man with ten thousand” that has to meet “ the King that comes against him with twenty thousand” ; and we shaft not “ desire conditions of peace” with our enemy, for that is not what in this ease we have to do, but we shall look about us, and not keep our eyes on the horizon, and on the levels of earth, but look up to see if there is not there an ally that we can bring into the field to redress the balance, and to make our ten as strong as the opposing twenty. Now all that is true about the disproportion between the foes we have to face and fight and our own strength. It is eminently true about us Christian people, if we are doing any work for our Master. You hear people say, “ Look at the small number of professing Christians in this country, as compared with the numbers on the other side. What is the use of their trying to convert the world?” If the Christian Church had to undertake the task of Christianising the world with its own strength, we might well threw up the sponge and stop altogether. “ We have no might.” But we are not only numerically weak. A multitude of non-effectives, mere camp-followers, loosely attached, nominal Christians have to be deducted from the muster-roll. So a profound self-distrust is our wisdom. But it is not to paralyse us, but to lead to something better, as it led Asa. II. Summoning God into the world should follow wholesome self-distrust. Asa uses a remarkable expression, which is, perhaps, scarcely reproduced adequately in another verse, “ It is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many or with them that have no power.” It is a strange phrase, but it seems most probable that the suggested rendering in the Revised Version is nearer the writer’ s meaning, which says, “ Lord! there is none beside Thee to help between the mighty and them that have no power,” which to our ears is a somewhat cumbrous way of saying that God, and God only, can adjust the difference between the mighty and the weak. Asa turns to God and says, “ Thou only canst trim the scales and make the heavy one the lighter of the two by casting Thy might into it. So help us, O Lord, our God.” One man with God at his back is always in the majority. There is encouragement for people who have to fight unpopular causes in the world. The consciousness of weakness may unnerve a man; and that is why people in the world are always patting each other on the back and saying, “ Be of good cheer, and rely upon yourself.” But the self-distrust that turns to God becomes the parent of a far more reliable self-reliance than that which trusts to men. My consciousness of need is my opening the door for God to come in. Just as you always find the lakes in the hollows, so you will always find the grace of God coming into men’ s hearts to strengthen them and make them victorious, when there has been the preparation of the lowered estimate of one’ s self. Hollow out your heart by self-distrust, and God will fill it with the flashing waters of His strength bestowed. The way by which we summon God into the field: Asa prays, “ Help us, O Lord, our God, for we rest on Thee” ; and the word that he employs for “ rest” is not a very frequent one. It carries with it a very striking picture. It is used in that tragical story of the death of Saul, when the man that saw the last of him came to David and drew in a sentence the pathetic picture of the wearied, wounded, broken-hearted, discrowned, desperate monarch leaning on his spear. You can understand how hard he leaned, with what a grip he held it, and how heavily his whole, languid, powerless weight pressed upon it. And that is the word that is used here. “ We lean on Thee” as the wounded Saul leaned upon his spear. Is that a picture of your faith? III. Courageous advance should follow self-distrust and summoning god by faith. It is well when self-distrust leads to confidence. But that is not enough. It is better when self-distrust and confidence in God lead to courage. And as Asa goes on, “ Help us, for we rely on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude.” Never mind though it is two to one. What does that matter? Prudence and calculation are well enough, but there is a great deal of very rank cowardice and want of faith in Christian people, both in regard to their own lives and in regard to Christian work in the world, which goes masquerading under much too respectable a name, and calls itself “ judicious caution” and “ prudence.” If we have God with us, let us be bold in fronting the dangers and difficulties that beset us, and be sure that He will help us. IV. The all-powerful plea which God will answer. “ Thou art my God, let not man prevail against Thee.” That prayer covers two things. You may be quite sure that if God is your God you will not be beaten; and you may be quite sure that if you have made God’ s cause yours He will make your cause His, and again you will not be beaten. “ Thou art our God.” “ It takes two to make a bargain,” and God and we have both to act before He is truly ours. He gives Himself to us, but there is an act of ours required, too, and you must take the God that is given to you, and make Him yours because you make yourselves His. And when I have taken Him for mine, and not unless I have, He is mine, to all intents of strength-giving and blessedness. (A. Maclaren, D.D.) The name of God written in life Our whole life ought to be filled with His name. You can write it anywhere. It does not need a gold plate to carve His name upon. It does not need to be set in jewels and diamonds. The poorest scrap of brown paper, and the bluntest little bit of pencil, and the shakiest hand will do to write the name of Christ; and all life, the trivialities as well as the crises, may be flashing and bright with the sacred syllables. Mohammedans decorate their palaces and mosques with no pictures, but with the name of Allah in gilded arabesques. Everywhere, on walls and roof, and windows and cornices, and pillars and furniture, the name is written. There is no such decoration for a life as that Christ’ s name should be inscribed thereon. (A. Maclaren, D. D.) . 2 Chronicles 15:1-7 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah.Dark shadows on a bright day We have here shown the necessary connection between God’ s service and human weal. I. The awful apostasy. Turning away.1. Practical atheism. “ Without the true God.”2. Deprived of priestly function.3. Prevalence of moral disorder. II. The terrible judgments which followed apostasy.1. Widespread anarchy.2. Civil dissensions.3. General calamity. III. The way of escape from these judgments. “ The Lord is with you while ye be with Him,” etc.1. There is a fact in Divine procedure.2. This is a warning for the future. (J. Wolfendale.) Inspiration and duty I. An inspired man is qualified to give a message. II. An inspired man will give his message fearlessly and successfully. III. Inspired men, men taught of God, not time-servers, required now. (J. Wolfendale.) Verses 2. The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him. When and how long the Lord is with His people I. What it is for the Lord to be with His people.1. Not His general or essential presence. 2. Nor His being with His creatures in a providential way; for so He is with all men. 3. Nor His special presence in a providential way with His own dear children. 4. But it is God’ s gracious presence, which Moses so earnestly entreated: “ If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence” ; and of which David deprecates the loss: “ Cast me not away from Thy presence.” To enjoy His presence in this sense means-- (1) To have the light of His countenance.(2) For God to commune with them.(3) For God to manifest His early loving-kindness to their souls. II. When or how long will God be with His people.? “ While ye be with Him.”1. While you keep close to Him in a way of duty; while you are with Him in prayer particularly. 2. While we have communion with them that fear the Lord. God is with them that fear Him; and those who keep company with such persons may expect His presence. Spiritual conversation is like putting fuel to fire; and prayer is like the bellows which blows up the flame. 3. While ye be with Him in public worship and attend the ordinances of His house (Acts 2:1-3). Inferences:1. The presence of God with His people is a most amazing instance of Divine goodness.2. There is nothing so desirable to a gracious soul as the presence of God. (J. Gill, D.D.) When will the Lord be found by His people? I. God is to be found by His people-- 1. In conversion.2. At the throne of grace.3. In His public ordinances. II. When is God to be found by His people thus? When He is sought through the Lord Jesus Christ, “ the way, the truth, and the life.” (J. Gill, D. D.) Being with God To be with God is-- I. To preserve in our minds a reverent sense of His being, presence, and government. II. To keep close to His laws. III. To stand on His side against the opposite power of darkness and sin. (Abp. Seeker.) God with us I. What is meant by God with a Church? Luther used to say that there was a “ great deal of divinity in prepositions.” This word “ with” has diversity as well as divinity in its meaning. It means--1. To be present. God present, seeing and hearing all that is said and done. 2. Blessing. A helping, gracious presence. “ The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man.” 3. Divine protection. II. What is meant by a Church with God?1. It is a Church faithful and fearless in proclaiming God’ s Word. “ Strike, but hear!” said a philosopher to an angry disputant. “ Laugh, strike, kill, but hear the Word of God!” is what the Church says to mockers and persecutors. 2. It is a holy Church. The Emperor of Rome issued a command that all houses, shops, and public institutions, ships or boats, named after members of the Royal Family, should be kept clean, or forego the right to the name. “ Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 3. A Church with God does God’ s work. A Church tries to be to men all that Christ was, the earthly organ of His Spirit, the instrument of “ the mind of Christ.” 4. It means a Church in which every member lives in personal communion with God. (J. M. Gibbon.) The happiness and condition of the presence of God I. The happiness of the Jewish Church at that time. “ The Lord is with you.” God’ s presence as applied to all righteous people implies--1. An owning and acknowledging them to be His own peculiar people. God’ s love to His peculiar people includes in it all relations: that of a-- (1) Father (2 Corinthians 6:18);(2) husband (Hosea 2:19);(3) friend (John 15:15; James 2:23). 2. His assisting them and prospering all the works that they put their hands to (1 Chronicles 11:9). 3. His protection and defence of them against all their enemies (Genesis 15:1; Zechariah 2:5; Isaiah 4:5; Isaiah 46:7; Numbers 23:1-30; Romans 8:31). Inferences:1. Let us notice what are the greatest mischiefs and who are the chief authors of all the evils which can possibly befall a kingdom, even they that would rob us of our God. 2. From hence we may learn the surest way to have our tranquillity and peace secured to us. 3. If we sincerely serve God, we may comfortably and securely rest upon Him to defend and protect us against all dangers Proverbs 18:10; Matthew 10:29; Numbers 14:9). Luther tells a famous story of a Bishop of Magdeburg, against whom the Duke of Saxony was preparing to wage war; the bishop, having notice of it, betakes himself presently to his prayers and the reforming of his Church; and when one told him what mighty preparations were making against him, he replied, “ I will take care of my Church, and then God will fight for and take care of me” ; which, when the duke heard of, he disbanded his forces and acknowledged himself too weak to deal with that man who had engaged God on his side (Psalms 3:6). II. The condition upon which the happiness of God’ s presence is to be enjoyed, while we are with Him. To be with God is to be a holy people. Clemens Alexandrinus speaks of a temple upon which was written, “ No unholy thing must come near this place” ; and this is God’ s inscription (Hebrews 1:13). Conclusion: ‘ Tis reported of the Prince of Orange at the Battle of Newport, that he said to his soldiers, when they had the sea on one side and the Spaniards on the other, “ You must either eat up the Spaniards or drink up the sea” ; so we must either conquer our lusts or drink down the devouring fire of God’ s wrath. Let us apply ourselves to the service of God sincerely, and then the “ Lord will be with us.” (E. Lake, D. D.) God’ s presence with His people the spring of their prospe rity:-- I. God may be said to be with men--1. In respect of the omnipresence of His essence (1 Kings 8:27; Psalms 139:7-12). 2. In respect of personal union. “ God was with him” (Acts 10:38). 3. In respect of the covenant of grace. 4. In respect of providential dispensations. This is twofold. (1) General; ordering, disposing, guiding, ruling all things, according to His own wisdom, by His own power, unto His own glory. (2) Special; attended with peculiar love, favour, goodwill, special care towards them with whom He is so present (Genesis 21:22; Joshua 1:5; Jeremiah 15:20; Isaiah 43:1-2). This is the presence here intimated. II. A people’ s abiding with God is twofold.1. In personal obedience.2. In national administrations. III. Observations.1. All outward flourishing or prosperity of a people doth not always argue the special presence of God with them. The things required to make success and prosperity an evidence of the presence of God are-- (1) That the people themselves prospered be His peculiar people. (2) That the whole work be good, and have a tendency to God’ s glory, wherein they are engaged. (3) Made useful and subservient to His glory. 2. Even great afflictions, eminent distresses, long perplexities, may have a consistency with God’ s special presence. (J. Owen, D. D.) The presence of God I. Let our first use be to instruct us particularly.1. What this special presence is, and wherein it doth consist. 2. What it is for us to abide with God, so as we may enjoy it. (1) We must have peace with Him in Jesus Christ. (2) To have His presence continued with us we must-- (a) Ask counsel at His hand, look to Him for direction in all our affairs; (b) trust in Him for protection; (c) universally own God’ s concernments in the world. His presence with us is the owning of our concernments; and certainly He expects that we abide with Him in the owning of His. “ The Lord’ s portion is His people.” II. Look on this presence of God as our main concernment (Psalms 4:1-8.). III. Whilst we have any pledge of the presence of God with us, let us not be greatly moved, nor troubled by any difficulties we may meet with. IV. Let us fix our thoughts on the things which lie in a tendency towards the confirming of God’ s special providential presence with us. (J. Owen, D. D.) The Divine protection promised only to an obedient people I. A grand promise. “ The Lord is with you while ye be with Him.”1. God is said to be with any people-- (1) When He upholds among them His true religion and worship. (2) When He causes His Word to be preached and His will to be declared to them. (3) When He watches over them and defends them against their enemies, maintaining in a nation peace and prosperity; in short, when He grants to them all spiritual and temporal blessings. 2. A nation is with God-- (1) When true religion is seen upon the throne, when God is there served and honoured, with a spiritual and reasonable service. (2) When those who are in authority employ it to enforce the observance of God’ s laws. (3) When they themselves observe them. (4) When subjects obey the laws. (5) When each person in his station concurs in promoting order, good morals, and piety. (6) When those who “ minister at the altar” preach by their example; joining pure manners with sound doctrine. (7) When union reigns among those who are in authority, peace in the Church, and harmony in families, and when parents bestow their chief care upon making their children modest, humble lovers of truth and goodness. In short, when each person “ sets God before his eyes,” and renders to Him, in public and in private, love and obedience. II. An awful threatening.1. There are several ways in which we may forsake God. But that against which it is most necessary to warn Christians is the forsaking of God by a wicked life, by dissolute manners, by living as if there were no God, or as if we were not to stand before Him in judgment. 2. God forsakes a people, thus unworthy of His presence, by the calamities and miseries with which He visits them. (S. Partridge, M.A.) The prophet’ s maxim recommended and confirmed (a missionary sermon):-- I. It may tend to recommend this Divine maxim if we consider--1. The effect it had on him to whom it was addressed. 2. The blessing it brought down on those who regarded it. II. Let us confirm the prophet’ s axiom. The Lord is with them, and with them alone, who are with Him. Consider--1. The evils which would result from the blessing of God being on our labours while we are not with Him. (1) God’ s being with us is a proof of His approbation of our tempers and dispositions. When we are not with God we are not holy. If God were to convert the heathen by us while we are in such a state, those who were changed by our efforts would naturally infer that the tempers they see in us were those that please God. Thus God would be made to bear a false testimony to us. (2) Were God to be with us in this great work while we are not with Him, it would be to counteract His great design in calling us by His grace. God’ s grand design is to purify His people. (3) It would be the means of propagating a kind of religion totally different from the mind of Christ. The apostles illustrated their teaching by a holy life. (4) If God were to grant our missionaries success while they were not walking with Him, they would be totally incapable of nourishing up their converts when they had made them. 2. The pleasing results which would follow if God were to be with a people for so long a period as He was with this people. (1) Abundant means. (2) Aid to use these means aright. (D. Marshman.) 2 Chronicles 15:3-4 Now for a long season. The schism of the ten tribes These words-- I. Suggest a warning. A land “ without teaching priests” soon realises the rest of the text by becoming “ without the true God, and without law.” II. Give encouragement to send “ teaching priests” on their holy mission to bring the people “ to the law and to the testimony,” so that they may hear “ the whole counsel of God.” (Joseph B. Owen, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 15:7 Be ye Strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak. Religious resolution I. That resolution is necessary in promoting the cause of religion. Resolution is the essence of that mental strength which gives energy to all the powers and faculties of body and mind. It is composed of love, zeal, and confidence. Such resolution has always had a principal influence in effecting all the great things which have ever been effected by the men of the world. Necessary in religion. The Scriptures inculcate it (2 Chronicles 19:11; Ezra 10:4). Examples of resolution: Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, John the Baptist, Peter and John, Paul, Luther, Calvin, etc. II. That the friends of God have good ground for such unshaken resolution in promoting such a great and good design.1. The friends of God have often been succeeded in their sincere attempts to promote His glory in the salvation of sinners. 2. The promotion of religion is such a noble and laudable design that it is even glorious to fail in the attempt. 3. Those who espouse the cause of religion have reason to expect the peculiar presence and assistance of God in their pious exertions. 4. They also have the approbation and prayers of all good men. 5. They are equally sure of the esteem and affection of all those whom they shall be instrumental in converting. 6. Their efforts shall finally meet a glorious recompense of reward. III. Inferences.1. That the friends of God have been very negligent in promoting His cause in the world. 2. That none will ever do much to forward the work of spreading the gospel without a large share of Christian zeal and resolution. (N. Emmons, D.D.) Strong hands In the Bible, the human hand is often used as a figure to express actions of life. As a symbol, Elisha poured water over the hands of Elijah; meaning that he would henceforth be his servant, and minister unto him in deeds of kindness. The reason why the hand represents so many things is because of its manifold uses. What firmness in its grasp, and what delicacy in its touch! It can forge an anchor or make a needle; fell a tree or feel to read the Bible; and do a thousand things which would seem very wonderful if they were not so familiar. “ Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak.” I. That man will have strong hands who regularly lifts them up in prayer. If you lift up your hands in prayer as the apostles did, you shall have strength to do great deeds for God. II. Let your hands be strong in cleaving to the Cross of Christ. (W. Birch.) Success the certain fruit of faithful labours Applying these words to the work of Sabbath schools, consider-- I. The work.1. Its object is the benefit of the rising generation.2. Its tendencies as to the interests of society at large are beneficial.3. It accords with the spirit of Christianity and the predictions of sacred writ (Isaiah 11:9). II. The exhortation.1. To faith.2. To union.3. To perseverance. III. The reward. This is to be found--1. In the satisfaction of your own minds.2. In the success of your efforts.3. In the approbation of your Lord. (N. Hutchings.) 2 Chronicles 15:12-15 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers. The covenant renewed “ Entering into a covenant” is what we name “ a revival” ; they made it a national act, we separate it entirely from political affairs. I. The preparations for revival.1. The persons who led. A faithful prophet and an obedient king. Of Azariah we know nothing beyond the short record of this chapter. This suggests that a man is important to the world only for the work he does. The king was ready to learn from this obscure prophet and to lead the people to consecration. Happy the pastor who finds the wealth, authority, and zeal of his Church willing to receive the sacred message humbly from his lips and faithfully lead where he points the way. 2. The truths they used. The same that inspire every true revival (verse 2). Divine faithfulness, human responsibility, mercy for the penitent, punishment for the hardened. II. The revival. In this blessed work there was--1. Repentance.2. Atonement (verse 11).3. Consecration. III. The joy of reconciliation (verse 15). Lessons:1. The reformer must begin at his own house.2. Service for God may cost pain.3. The true leader is called of God.4. Every true leader is a rallying-point for others (verse 9). (Monday Club Sermons.) A revival I. We see here that the heart of a revival lies in a renewal of the covenant of the Church with God. An awakened Church is the pioneer of an awakened world,2. A second feature in this ancient revival of religion was a public proclamtion of a revived faith before the world. Religious men are too much in earnest to be still about it. They are moved by a great power. It will express itself as becomes a great power. It is the instinct of religious faith to bear its witness to the world. III. The old Jewish revival was attended with a great influx of converts from without. So commonly works a pure revival upon the world. Very rare is the exception in which the heart of the world does not respond to the heart of the Church. IV. A fourth feature of a true revival of religion is a thorough reformation of public and private morals. To put away idolatrous worship was what we should call a reformation in morals. Idolatry was immorality concentrated in its most hideous forms. No religious zeal could have been genuine in a monarch which did not sweep the land clean of them. V. Such awakenings are often followed by periods of temporal prosperity. “ The Lord gave them rest round about.” No other civilising power equals that of true religion. It never hurts a man for any of the right uses of this world to make a Christian of him. (A. Phelps.) A revival: an imperious necessity The text gives an account of the ancient revival of religion under King Asa. Other revivals are portrayed by the sacred writers. From these we learn-- I. That revivals are by no means new things. Nor are they things of modern invention. II. That the progress of religion is not in a uniform steady line. III. That revivals of religion ordinarily commence in humble and obscure ways, and are ordinarily helped on by the humblest instrumentality. IV. That they are ordinarily accompanied by a great deal of what people are pleased to term excitement. V. That true revival of religion are marked by marvellous transformations of character and reformations in the life. (G. E. Reed.) And all Judah rejoiced at the oath. Judah’ s solemn engagement I. The solemn engagement into which they entered, and the temper they manifested therein.1. They bound themselves to nothing new. It was to seek the Lord God of their fathers. 2. They swore to do this. 3. They entered into this engagement with great sincerity and with great cheerfulness. II. The happy consequence of judah’ s solemn engagement. “ The Lord was found of them.” (Job Orton.) And He was found of them.--The search that always finds:-- I. The seeking. The highest bliss is to find God, the next highest is to seek Him.1. Our text lays emphasis on the whole-heartedness of the people’ s seeking after God. One reason why the great mass of professing Christians make so little of their religion is because they are only half-hearted in it. If you divide a river into two streams the force of each is less than half the power of the original current; and the chances are that you will make a stagnant marsh where there used to be a flowing stream. “ All in all or not at all” is the rule for life in all departments. 2. “ They sought; Him with all their heart.” That does not mean that there are to be no other desires, for it is a great mistake to pit religion against other things which are meant to be its instruments and its helps. 3. The one token of seeking God is casting out idols. There must be detachment if there is to be attachment. If some climbing plant, for instance, has twisted itself round the unprofitable thorns in the hedge, the gardener, before he can get it to go up the support that it is meant to encircle, has carefully to detach it from the stays to which it has wantonly clung, taking care that in the process he does not break its tendrils and destroy its power of growth. The heart must be emptied of base liquors if the new wine of the kingdom is to be poured into it. II. The finding which crowns such seeking.1. Anything is possible rather than that a whole-hearted search after God should be a vain search. For there are in that search two seekers--God is seeking for us more truly than we are seeking for Him. 2. This is the only direction for a man’ s desires and aims in which disappointment is an impossibility. 3. Our wisdom is to make this search. What would you think of a company of gold-seekers, hunting about in some exhausted claim for hypothetical grains--ragged, starving--and all the while in the next gully were lying lumps of gold for the picking up? And that figure fairly represents what people do and suffer who seek for good and do not seek after God. II. The rest which ensues on finding God. We have no immunity from toil and conflict, but disturbance around is a very small matter if there be a better thing--rest within. A vessel with an outer casing and a layer of air between may be kept at a temperature above that of the external atmosphere. So we may have conflict and strife, and yet a better rest than that of my text may be ours. (A. Maclaren, D.D.) Happy earnestness This verse represents well the happy combination of sacrament and life. It brings before us whole-heartedness for God, with special regard to two of its features. I. Joy. “ And all Judah rejoiced at the oath,” etc. A wholeness of devotedness to God is consistent with every department of activity and every form of interest which is not in itself sinful. It is as a soul to the body of all secular occupation, however absorbing. The wide onward lift of the tidal wave in mid-ocean does not more interfere with the commerce of the countries, the heightening sun of the springtime does not more embarrass the progress of the land over which it smiles, than the full-hearted service of God breaks in upon the lawful interests of a man among the engagements of his every-day existence. This joy implies--1. Enthusiasm. This may be reckoned the atmosphere which surrounds the joy of whole-heartedness for God. 2. Willingness. A wide compliance with a competent and kindly force that presses on us from without. Predominant willingness contributes largely to a Christian man’ s joy. 3. Rightness. The approval of conscience. 4. Undividedness of affection. II. Prosperousness. “ And He was found of them: and Jehovah gave them rest round about.” This signifies--1. That we find what we seek. There are neighbourhoods where the mists lie so often and so long upon the grand outlines of the landscape, that a clear day is in some sense a day of discovery, of “ finding,” though nothing is there then which was not there always. There have been those who for years have looked through a filmy dimness of eyesight upon those they loved, whose movements were to them like the movements of featureless shades; when the films were one day purged from the eyes was it not almost more than a figure of speech they spoke when they said they had “ found” those loved faces and forms again? So this energising of the heart for God restores vision, and vision restores reality. God in Christ becomes near. 2. That we miss much that we had hitherto found. Hostile movements from around are comparatively allayed, and the hush that has fallen upon these reflects itself upon the soul in restfulness. (J. A. Kerr Bain, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 15:17 Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.Spiritual backsliding We learn from the text that we cannot always infer the state of the heart from external symptoms. I. You may have the appearance of something wrong while the heart is sound. This was Asa’ s case. II. Conversely you may have the heart unsound whilst as yet there is but little trace of it in the heart and life. In tracing this disease, consider--1. Its working. (1) The heart’ s relapse towards positive evil. There is the presentation to the mind of something of some worldly, fleshly things as pleasant and desirable; and then there not having been an immediate curbing of the rising inclination, the thoughts come to dwell with more and more complacency upon the object; and the man begins to wish that it might be lawful to have it, and to cast about and contrive for the modes of possession. And when the inclination has thus been formed and strengthened, it proposes to the understanding whether the enjoyment may not be had without hazard to the soul;and then there will soon be devised something plausible in the shape of an apology or warrant, something that shall serve to put conscience off its guard, or even make it concur in the prosecution of the design. (2) The heart’ s decline from the love of godliness and of God. 2. Its symptoms. There was a time when you felt God to be your “ chief good” --do you feel Him less so now? There was a time when you delighted in prayer--has it become more of a task now? Once you thought much of the work of Christ and longed to be with Him in heaven--are you now more contented with earth and more disposed to say, “ It is good for us to be here” ? Once you found sufficient scope for fervent affections in secret communion with God, in meditating on His perfections, and in admiring His love in the gift of His Son--now do your affections seem stifled unless you have some showy work on which to fasten them, some dazzling novelty with which to engage them? (H. Melvill, B.D.) Caution in judging others How ready are we to condemn and find fault with our neighbour, if his conduct do not seem in every respect consistent with his Christian profession! How soon we think he may be nothing but a hypocrite if we observe certain things in which he fails to carry out the principles of the gospel, though perhaps we know little or nothing of his peculiar circumstances, dangers, and temptations! It is enough for us that the “ high places” are not “ taken away” ; immediately we condemn Asa, and infer that his heart cannot be right with God. Let the text teach charity first; and while we are not to shut our eyes to what is wrong, or count it matter of indifference whether or not the “ high places are removed,” when the removing is that to which the Christian stands pledged, let us be cautious of judging our brethren, and delivering a verdict against them, when we are told, though “ the high places were not taken away out of Israel, nevertheless, the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.” (H. Melville, B. D.) Perfection, limited by power Some of you might, indeed, be ready to make a wrong use of our text. You may say, “ If Asa’ s heart was perfect with God, though he did not remove the high places, so may ours be, though you may see things in our conduct which may not be wholly consistent with a Christian profession.” Yet, before using the case of Asa to justify the assertion that your heart may be right whilst your conduct is wrong, it may be as well to observe how far Asa had gone in the extermination of idols. The text merely says that the “ high places” were “ not taken away out of Israel.” Asa was king of Judah, but not of Israel; though he would seem to have possessed much influence in that kingdom. There was no reason to doubt that, where his power was clear, he had exerted it in restoring the worship of the true God; if he had not he would not have punished his nearest relations. You read that he removed Maachah, his mother, being queen, “ because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.” You learn, in like manner, what was done with the idol of the high priest. So that, if he did not carry reform into Israel, he was vigorous in its application in his own fancily and household. When you can say as much--when you can say that, to the utmost of your power, you have laboured to serve God in your own family and household and neighbourhood, maintaining His cause among all those who come more immediately within the sphere of your influence--then you may hope that, as with Asa, the heart is perfect with God, though there are high places yet, in far distant lands, whose overthrow you have not attempted. (H. Melville, B. D.) Unsoundness of heart suspected on insufficient grounds And yet, in speaking on the case of the backslider in heart, it becomes us to take heed that we make not those sad who may be disposed, without sufficient cause, to write bitter things against themselves. It is not every person who suspects himself of unsoundness of heart who is really a backslider. We must declare there is commonly much greater cause for fear with your forward, confident, bustling professors, who would be quite offended if suspected of spiritual decline, than with the timid, scrupulous individual who is always ready to think worse of himself than others think of him. Tried by conscience--alas! what hardens conscience like contact with the world?--it may still make a man accuse himself of backsliding who is all the while “ pressing toward the mark for the prize of his high calling in Christ.” Bodily sickness may be regarded as the taking away of the quickenings of the Spirit; the clouding of the understanding, and the clogging of the affections, will often make a believer fearful of spiritual relapse; he mistakes the infirmity of the body for disease of the soul--a decay of memory for a decay of piety; as though there must be less of devotedness, of abhorrence of sin, of meek reliance upon Christ in our dangers, our confusions, our difficulties in spiritual exercises, because of that unenlightenment of mind which is but the result, or symptom, of declining strength. Though a person may be quite correct in calling himself a backslider, yet the probabilities are greater for him who has no fears and no suspicions that he is really a backslider than for another who does not wait to be charged, but is painfully apprehensive of being in fault. For certainly, as a general rule in religion, to advance is, in some senses, to appear to go back. To grow in grace is to grow in knowledge of ourselves; and, alas! who can know himself better, and not think himself worse? If, however, we would not have the timid unduly severe in accusing themselves, we would have all diligent, and him “ that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (H. Melville, B. D.) . 2 Chronicles 16:1-10 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasuries of the house of the Lord.The folly of bribery Trust in man, not in God-- I. Led to sacrilege in religious things. Gifts bestowed or promised with a view to prevent judgment or corrupt morals abominable. Bribery a canker in constitutional governments, a disgrace in all departments of life. II. Brought down Divine reproof. III. Defeated its own ends.1. Asa missed the opportunity of a double victory. Possible by unnecessary and improper alliances to hinder our good and prevent God from granting deliverance. 2. Asa exposed himself to greater danger. Those who bribe and those bribed not to be depended upon. For gold men will sell their votes, their conscience, and themselves. Cato complained that M. Coelius the Tribune “ might be hired for a piece of bread to speak or to hold his peace.” (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 16:7 Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord.Asa’ s want of faith Sin like Asa’ s has been the supreme apostasy of the Church in all her branches and through all her generations: Christ has been denied, not by lack of devotion, but by want of faith. Champions of the faith, reformers and guardians of the temple, like Asa, have been eager to attach to their holy cause the cruel prejudices of ignorance and folly, the greed and vindictiveness of selfish men. They have feared lest these potent forces should be arrayed amongst the enemies of the Church and her Master. It has even been suggested that national Churches and great national vices were so intimately allied that their supporters were content that they should stand or fall together. On the other hand, the advocates of reform have not been slow to appeal to popular jealousy and to aggravate the bitterness of social feuds. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.Divine providence We need not concern ourselves with the occasion on which these words were uttered. Spoken by a prophet to Asa, king of Judah, they have been “ recorded for our instruction.” The representation sets forth Divine things under human similitudes. Now it can hardly be necessary that we expose the falseness of the opinion that having created this world God left it to itself, and bestows no thought on its concerns. But whilst there are few who hold the opinion, there are many who would limit the providence of God; and it is very easy to put forward descriptions of the magnitude and the power of the Creator, and then to set in contrast the insignificance of man, and to argue from the comparison that it is derogatory to the greatness of God to suppose Him careful of what befalls a house-hold or happens to an individual. But this is poor reasoning; it would not hold good if applied amongst ourselves. If it were possible that a great statesman or potentate, whilst superintending the concerns of an empire, should yet find time for ministering at the bedside of sickness, and be active for the widow and the orphan: well, what would you say--that it was derogatory to him that, without neglecting momentous things, he showed himself capable of attending to things comparatively petty? Nay, you would admire and you would venerate him all the more. Neither is it derogatory--nay, rather, it is essential to the greatness of our God--that whilst He marshals the stars and orders the motions of all the worlds in immensity, He yet feedeth the young ravens that call upon Him, and numbereth the very hairs of our head. But now we will bring this truth before you in greater minuteness, and show what is involved in the saying, “ The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” I. We may first alarm it evident that nothing can happen in any spot of the peopled immensity which is not known to Him who is emphatically the Omniscient--indeed, it were to deny the omniscience of God to suppose any the most trivial incident not included within His knowledge. And it is far more than the inspection of an ever-vigilant observer. It is not merely that nothing can happen without the knowledge of our Maker: it is that nothing can happen but by His appointment or permission, for we must ever remember that God is the first cause, and that on the first all secondary depend. But how beautifully simple does everything appear when we trace one hand in all that occurs! It is God whose energies are extended throughout the earth and sea and air, causing those innumerable and beneficial results which we ascribe to nature; it is God by whom all those contingencies which seem to us fortuitous and casual are ordered, so that events brought round by what men count accident proceed from a Divine and therefore irreversible appointment. It is God by whom the human will is secretly inclined towards righteousness, so that there is not wrought upon earth a single action such as God can approve, to whose performance God hath not instigated. It is God who, acting through the instrumentality of various and apparently conflicting causes, keeps together the discordant elements of society, and prevents the whole framework of civil institutions from being rapidly dissolved and broken up piecemeal. I know that it is not the monarch alone at the head of his provinces and tribes who is observed by the Almighty; I know that it is not only at some great crisis in life that an individual becomes the object of the attention of his Maker; rather do I know that the poorest, the meanest, the most despised, the very outcast of society, shares with the monarch the notice of the Universal Protector. Yea, and that this notice is so incessant and so unwearied, that when he goes to his daily toil, or his daily prayer, when he lies down at night, or rises in the morning, or gathers his little ones to the scanty meal, the poor man is not unnoticed by God; he cannot weep a tear God knows not, he cannot smile a smile God knows not, he cannot breathe a wish God knows not. But whilst the universal providence of God is to the full as incomprehensible as aught else that belongs to Divinity, there is nothing in it but what commends itself to the very warmest feelings of our nature. II. We come now to the second doctrine laid down in our text--that all the motions of providence have for their ultimate end the good of those whose heart is perfect towards God. And you may examine this doctrine under two points of view--as referring either to the Church at large, or separately to the individuals of whom that Church is composed. With Scripture for our guide, we must see that God’ s design, in all His dealings with this earth, has been the glorifying Himself in the redemption and final exaltation of a vast number of our apostate race. Before Christ appeared amongst men, the whole course of human events was so ordered as to prepare the way for the promised Deliverer. If God sent His own Son to deliver man from the consequences of transgression, and to extirpate evil from the universe, we cannot doubt the objects which engaged so stupendous an interposition must still be those to whose furtherance the Divine dealings tend. There can be no other objects commensurate in importance with those, for no others have required so costly a process; and since these as yet have been only partially attained, we must justly conclude that their thorough accomplishment is the proposed end of all the dealings of providence. The globe was partitioned out with a view to the Church, this land assigned to one nation and that to another, with the set purpose of consulting by the distribution the well-being of Israel. It is as though the Psalmist had said that God directs all the tumults and confusions of the world, guiding the flood with holy and merciful intentions towards His people, that the turbid waters may bring them strength and peace. Why is it that the Church has outlived so many a fierce persecution--that in the place of being vanquished she is only to be invigorated by assault? We ascribe nothing to the native energies of the preachers or professors of Christianity: we ascribe everything to the protecting and fostering care of Him who so loved the world as to give His Son. And it is not only in reference to the Church at large that we are warranted in thus speaking of God’ s providence. Of each member in this Church we may declare that God watches sedulously over him with the express design of succouring him with all needful assistance. You learn from various portions of Holy Writ that God has a great interest in the righteous, so that the Lord’ s portion is said to be His people, and Jacob the lot of His inheritance. He now calls His people His jewels, and declares that whosoever toucheth them toucheth the apple of His eye. We know that many things may happen to the righteous which seem against them, and that it is easy to find in their disasters apparent exceptions to the truth affirmed by the text; yet who that knows anything of Christian experience would deny that the trials which are permitted to overtake the godly serve as means through which their spiritual well-being is advanced, and afford occasions for such communications of grace as prove that God’ s strength is made perfect in weakness? It is no proof that the eye of the Lord is not on the righteous that troubles may be found in their portion. When again this man is visited with calamity, death may make inroads in his household, and disorder may pervade his affairs; but the eyes of the Lord are incessantly on him, and if he will but seek his comfort in God, God will show Himself strong by giving him a peace which passeth all understanding. And if anything can encourage the righteous man, and give him confidence amid the onsets of trial, it must be the consideration that the providence of the Almighty is thus perpetually vigilant in his behalf. (H. MeLvill, B.D.) The eyes of the Lord I. What we are to understand by the eyes of the Lord. This is figurative. It designs His all-seeing providence; and that, as concerned in a special manner with His own people (Zechariah 3:9; Zechariah 4:10). The eyes of the Lord, as they are set upon His own people, are like the eyes of doves--expressive of mildness, gentleness, tenderness, and love; but as they are set upon wicked men, His eyes are as flames of fire--expressive of wrath and vengeance (Amos 9:4-8; Psalms 34:15). II. In what sense these are said to run to and fro throughout the whole earth. This is expressive of His watchfulness over His people (Jeremiah 31:28). As those who are watchful look here and there, and are very diligent in their observations, so the Lord watches over His people.1. To help them. 2. To counter-work the adversary (Job 1:7). III. The end of their running thus. To show Himself strong on the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him.1. The descriptive character: “ perfect toward Him” ; that is, sincere and upright. Where there is “ love out of a pure heart and faith unfeigned” (1 Timothy 1:5) the heart may be said to be perfect. 2. The exertion of Divine power on their behalf. (J. Gill, D. D.) The eyes of the Lord In Scripture these signify-- I. His knowledge (Job 34:21; Hebrews 4:13). II. His providence.1. For good (1 Kings 6:3; Psalms 32:8).2. For evil (Isaiah 3:8). (S. Charnock, B.D.) God’ s providence-a description, and its end I. The description of God’ s providence.1. Its immediateness: “ His eyes.” Not like princes, who see by their servants’ eyes, more than by their own, what is done in their kingdoms; His care is immediate.2. Its quickness and speed: “ run.”3. Its extent: “ the whole earth.”4. Its diligence: “ to and fro.” His care is repeated.5. Its efficacy. His care doth engage His strength. II. The end of providence. (S. Charnock, B. D.) The foundations of the doctrine of providence I. God hath an indisputable and peculiar right to the government of the world. This right is founded upon--1. That of creation.2. The excellency of His being. Every man hath a natural right to rule another in his own art and skill wherein he excels him. II. God only is qualified for the universal government of the world. God only is fit in regard of--1. Power.2. Holiness and righteousness. All disorder is the effect of unrighteousness.3. Knowledge.4. Patience. III. There can be no reason rendered why God should not actually govern the world, since He only hath a right and a fitness. IV. God doth actually preserve and govern the world.1. Nothing is acted in the world without God’ s knowledge. The vision of the wheels in Ezekiel presents us with an excellent portraiture of providence (Ezekiel 1:18). 2. Nothing is acted in the world without the will of God (Ephesians 1:11; Psalms 135:6). 3. Nothing doth subsist without God’ s care and power. (S. Charnock, B. D.) The universality of God’ s providence I. It is over all creatures.1. The highest. (1) Over Jesus Christ, the First-born of every creature (Acts 2:23).(2) Over angels and men. 2. The meanest. As the sun’ s light, so God’ s providence, disdains not the meanest worms. II. It extends to all the actions and motions of the creature.1. To natural actions. How do fish serve several coasts at several seasons? why do plants that grow between a barren and a fruitful soil shoot all their roots towards the moist and fruitful ground, but by a secret direction of providential wisdom? 2. To civil actions. Counsels of men are ordered by Him to other ends than what they aim at, and which their wisdom cannot discover. 3. To preternatural actions. God doth command creatures to do those things which are no way suitable to their inclinations (1 Kings 17:4; Jonah 2:10; Daniel 3:1-30). 4. To all supernatural and miraculous actions of the creatures. As when the sun went backward in Hezekiah’ s time, and when it stood still in the valley of Ajalon. 5. To all fortuitous actions. The whole disposing of the lot which is east into the lap is of the Lord (Proverbs 16:33). 6. To all voluntary actions. (S. Charnock, B. D.) The mysteriousness of God’ s providence I. His ways are above human methods. Dark providences are often the groundwork of some excellent piece He is about to discover to the world. His methods are like a plaited picture, which on the one side represents a negro and the other a beauty. II. His ends are of a higher strain than the aims of men. Who would have thought that the forces Cyrus raised against Babylon, to satisfy his own ambition, should be a means to deliver the Israelites and restore the worship of God in the temple? III. God hath several ends in the same action. Jacob is oppressed with famine, Pharaoh enriched with plenty, but Joseph’ s imprisonment is in order to his father’ s relief and Pharaoh’ s wealth. IV. God has more remote ends than short-sighted souls are able to espy. (S. Charnock, B. D.) The providence of God I. The wisdom of God would not be so perspicuous were there not a providence in the world. A musician discovers more skill in the touching an instrument, and ordering the strings, to sound what note he pleaseth, than he doth in the first framing and making of it (Isaiah 28:29). All God’ s providences are but His touch of the strings of this great instrument of the world. II. The means whereby God’ s acts discover a providence. He acts--1. By small means. (1) In His ordinary works. Great plants are formed from small seeds. (2) In His extraordinary works. (a) In the deliverance of a people or person. A dream was the occasion of Joseph’ s greatness. He used the cacklings of geese to save the Roman Capitol from a surprise by the Gauls. (b) In the salvation of the soul. Our Saviour Himself, though God, was so mean in the eyes of the world that He calls Himself “ a worm, and no man” (Psalms 22:6). The world is saved by a crucified Christ. 2. By contrary means. God makes contrary things contribute to His glory, as contrary colours in a picture do to the beauty of the piece. In some engines you shall see wheels have contrary motions, and yet all in order to one and the same end. God cured those by a brazen serpent which were stung by the fiery ones, whereas brass (according to Grotius) is naturally hurtful to those that are bit by serpents. (S. Charnock, B. D.) A supreme providence the only explanation of many actions and events in the world:--This is evidenced-- I. By the restraints upon the passions of men. How strangely did God qualify the hearts of the Egyptians willingly to submit to the sale of their land, when they might have risen in a tumult, broke open the granaries, and supplied their wants (Genesis 47:19; Genesis 47:21). II. By the sudden changes which are made upon the spirits of men for the preservation of others (Genesis 33:4; 1 Samuel 24:17-18; 2 Chronicles 18:31; Esther 6:1-2). III. In causing enemies to do things for others which are contrary to all rules of policy. The Jews in the worst of their captivities were often befriended by their conquerors, to rebuild their city and re-edify their temple, and at the charge of their conquerors too (Ezra 1:1-2; Ezra 1:7; Ezra 4:12; Ezra 4:15; Ezra 4:19; Ezra 6:4-5; Ezra 6:8-9; Ezra 6:11; Ezra 6:22; Nehemiah 2:8). IV. In infatuating the counsels of men (Isaiah 33:11; 2 Samuel 17:14). V. In making the counsels of men subservient to the very ends they design against (Genesis 11:4; Genesis 11:8; John 12:32). VI. In making the fancies of men subservient to their own ruin (2 Kings 3:22-23; 2 Kings 7:6; Judges 7:19-22). (S. Charnock, B. D.) The unequal distributions of providence-a question If there be a providence, how come those unequal distributions to happen in the world? I. Answer in general.1. Is it not a high presumption for ignorance to judge God’ s proceedings? 2. God is sovereign of the world. Why should a finite understanding prescribe measures and methods to an infinite Majesty? 3. God is wise and just, and knows how to distribute. If we question His providence, we question His wisdom. We see the present dispensations, but are we able to understand the internal motives? 4. There is a necessity for some seeming inequality, at least, in order to the good government of the world. The afflictions of good men are a foil to set off the beauty of God’ s providence in the world. 5. Unequal distributions do not argue carelessness. A father may give one child a gayer coat than he gives another, yet he extends his fatherly care and tenderness over all. 6. Upon due consideration the inequality will not appear so great as the complaint of it. A running sore may lie under a purple robe. As some are stripped of wealth and power, so they are stripped of their incumbrances they bring with them. II. Answer more particularly.1. It is not well with bad men here. (1) They are tortured by their own lusts. (2) They have a great account to make, and know not how to make it (Luke 16:2). (3) They are worse for what they have (Psalms 69:22; Proverbs 1:32). (4) In the midst of their prosperity they are reserved for justice (Exodus 9:16; Psalms 37:2). 2. Neither is it bad here with goodmen. (1) Adversity cannot be called absolutely an evil. (2) God never leaves good men so bare but He provides for their necessities (Psalms 37:5; Psalms 84:11). (3) The little good men have is better than the highest enjoyments of wicked men (Psalms 37:16; Proverbs 16:8). (4) No righteous man would in his sober wits be willing to make an exchange of his smartest afflictions for a wicked man’ s prosperity, with all the circumstances attending it. (5) It is not ill with the righteous in afflictions because they have high advantages by them. (a) Sensible experiments of the tender providence of God over them (Psalms 37:19; Psalms 37:39; 2 Timothy 4:17; 2 Corinthians 1:5; 1 Peter 4:13-14). (b) Inward improvements, opportunities to manifest more love to God, more dependence on Him, the perfection of the soul (1 Timothy 5:5; Job 22:10). (c) Future glory. (d) Suffering of good men for the truth highly glorifies the providence of God (1 Peter 4:16). (e) This argument is stronger for a day of reckoning after this life than against providence. (S. Charnock, B. D.) The unworthiness and absurdity of denying providence I. The evil of denying providence.1. It gives a liberty to all sin. What may not be done where there is no government? 2. It destroys all religion. (1) All worship. How is it possible to persuade men to regard Him for God who takes no care of them?(2) Prayer. What favour can we expect of Him who is regardless of dispensing any?(3) Praise.(4) Dependence, trust, and hope. 3. It is a high disparagement of God. 4. It is clearly against natural light. Socrates could say, “ Whosoever denied providence was possessed with a devil.” II. The grounds of the denial of providence. This is founded--1. Upon an overweening conceit of men’ s own worth. When men saw themselves frustrated of the rewards they expected, and saw others that were instruments of tyranny and lust graced with the favours they thought due to their own virtue, they ran into a conceit that God did not mind the actions of men below. 2. Upon pedantical and sensual notions of God. As though it might detract from His pleasures and delight to look down upon this world, or as though it were a molestation of an infinite power to busy Himself about the cares of sublunary things. 3. On a flattering conceit of the majesty of God. 4. On their wishes upon any gripes of conscience. Those in Zephaniah were first settled upon their lees, and then to drive away all fears of punishment, deny God’ s government (Zephaniah 1:12). Some men, upon a sense of guilt, wish, for their own security, there were no providential eye to inspect them. III. The various ways wherein men practically deny providence, or abuse it, or contemn it.1. When they will walk on in a contrary way to checks of Providence. 2. In omissions of prayer (Psalms 14:2; 2 Kings 1:3; Job 15:4). 3. When men will turn every stone to gain the favourable assistance of men in their designs, and never address to God for His direction or blessing (Job 35:9-10; 2 Chronicles 16:7; 2 Chronicles 16:12; Proverbs 3:5). 4. When upon receiving any good they make more grateful acknowledgment to the instruments than to God, the principal author of it (Isaiah 10:13-14; Daniel 5:23; Hebrews 1:16). 5. When we use indirect courses and dishonest ways to gain wealth or honour. 6. When we distrust God when there is no visible means (Isaiah 51:12-13; Psalms 52:7) 7. Stoutness, under God’ s afflicting or merciful hand, is a denial or contempt-providence (Daniel 5:23; Hosea 7:9; Isaiah 22:12-13). 8. Envy is also a denial of providence. 9. Impatience under cross providence is a denial and contempt of God’ s government (Isaiah 8:21-22). 10. In charging our sins and miscarriages by them upon Providence (Proverbs 19:3). 11. Many other ways. (1) When we do things with a respect to the pleasure of men more than of God.(2) In vain boasting and vaunting of ourselves.(3) Oppression (Psalms 94:6-7).(4) Misinterpretations of Providence (Numbers 14:3).(5) In limiting Providence (Psalms 78:41). (S. Charnock, B. D.) Belief in Providence a source of comfort I. Man is a special object of Providence (Genesis 1:26). II. Holy men a more special object of it (Psalms 33:18; Psalms 37:23; text). III. Hence will follow that the spirits of good men have sufficient grounds to bear up in them innocent sufferings and storms in the world (Hebrews 6:10). IV. Hence follows a certain security against a good man’ s want (Psalms 34:10; 1 Timothy 4:8). (S. Charnock, B. D.) Our duty in regard to Providence I. To seek everything we need at the hands of God. II. To trust Providence.1. In the greatest extremities.2. In the way of means.3. In the way of precept. Let not any reliance upon an ordinary providence induce us into any way contrary to the command (Psalms 37:5).4. Solely, without prescribing any methods to Him. III. To submit to Providence: for--1. Whatsoever God doth, He doth wisely.2. God discovers His mind to us by providences (Luke 7:22; Acts 5:38-39). IV. To murmur not at Providence. V. To study Providence.1. Universally. (1) The darkest.(2) The terriblest.(3) The smallest. 2. Regularly. (1) By the Word: compare providence and the promise together.(2) By faith. We many times correct our sense by reason; why should we not correct reason by faith? 3. Entirely. (1) View them in their connection. The providences of God bear just proportion to one another, and are beautiful in their entire scheme. As in a piece of arras folded up, and afterwards particularly opened, we see the hand or foot of a man, the branch of a tree; or, if we look on the outside, we see nothing but knots and threads and uncouth shapes that we know not what to make of; but when it is fully opened, and we have the whole web before us, we see what histories and pleasing characters are interwoven in it.(2) View them in their end (Psalms 73:16-17). 4. Calmly.5. Seriously.6. Holily; with a design to that duty Providence calls for (Isaiah 22:12).7. Ascribe the glory of every providence to God. (S. Charnock, B. D.) Providence follows the rule of Scripture Whatsoever was written was written for the Church’ s comfort (Romans 15:4); whatsoever is acted in order to anything written is acted for the Church’ s good. All the providences of God in the world are conformable to His declarations in His Word. I. All good things are for the good of the Church.1. The world. (1) The continuance of the world is for their sakes (Acts 17:30).(2) The course of natural things is for the good of the Church or particular members of it (Hosea 2:18; Joshua 10:12-13).(3) The interest of nations is ordered as is most for the Church’ s good (2 Kings 9:6-7). 2. The gifts and common graces of men in the world. 3. Angels. (1) The highest orders among them are not exempted from being officers for the Church (Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14; Psalms 91:11; Luke 16:22).(2) Armies of them are employed upon this occasion (Genesis 33:1-2).(3) Christ hath the government of them to this end for His Church (Hebrews 2:7-8; Ephesians 1:21-22).(4) The great actions which have been done in the world, or shall be done for the Church, are performed by them (Deuteronomy 7:16; Deuteronomy 8:16; Revelation 10:8; Revelation 01:9; Revelation 22:8-9).(5) They engage in this work with delight. II. All bad things are for their good.1. Bad persons. (1) The devil. The malice of the devil against Job hath rendered him a standing miracle of patience for ever. God overreaches the devil, and makes him instrumental for good where he designs hurt and mischief.(2) Wicked men. They exist in the midst of the Church either for the exercise of their grace or security of their person or interest (Proverbs 16:7). 2. Bad things. (1) Sin. (a) A man’ s own sin. Onesimus runs from his master, and finds a spiritual father. God makes the remainder of sin in a good man an occasion to exercise His grace, discover his strength, and show his loyalty to God. (b) Other men’ s sins. The revengeful threatening of Esau was the occasion of Jacob’ s flight, which saved him from possible idolatry (Genesis 27:43; Genesis 27:46). (2) Commotions in the world (Psalms 29:10-11; Isaiah 44:28).(3) Destroying judgments (Romans 11:11-12).(4) Divisions in the Church.(5) Persecutions. (S. Charnock, B. D.) Providence glorifies God’ s grace in Christ I. All the providence of God is for the glorifying His grace in Christ (Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 1:22-23). II. God hath given the power of providential administration of things to Christ, for the good of the Church. III. God in the Church discovers the glory of all His attributes. What wisdom, power, sufficiency, grace, and kindness He hath is principally for them. IV. There is a peculiar relation of God in Christ to the Church, upon which account this doctrine must needs be true. God is a father to provide for them (Isaiah 64:8); a mother to suckle them (Isaiah 49:15); Christ is a husband to love and protect them (Ephesians 5:29); a brother to counsel them (John 20:17). V. The whole interest of God in the world, lies in His Church and people. VI. It cannot be but all the providences of God shall work to the good of His Church, if we consider the affections of God.1. His love.2. His delight (Zephaniah 3:17). VII. The presence of God in His Church will make all providences tend to the good of it. VIII. The prayers of the Church have a mighty force with God to this end; because--1. God delights in the prayers of His people.2. Prayer is nothing else but a pleading of God’ s promises.3. They are the united supplications and pleadings both in heaven and earth. (1) Christ intercedes for the Church.(2) Angels in all probability do the same.(3) Glorified saints are not surely behind. UseI. For information.1. God will always have a Church in the world.2. God will, in the greatest exigencies, find out means for the protection of His Church.3. The Church shall, in the end, prove victorious against all its adversaries, or Providence must miss its aim.4. The interest of nations is to bear a respect to the Church, and countenance the worship of God in it.5. We may see hence the ground of most of the judgments in the world.6. What esteem, then, should there be of the godly in the world!7. It is, then, a very foolish thing for any to contend against the welfare of God’ s people. UseII. For comfort.1. In duties and special services.2. In meanness and lowness.3. In the greatest judgments upon others.4. In His people’ s greatest extremities (Isaiah 43:2; Psalms 91:4; John 6:17-18).5. In fear of wants.6. In the low estate of the Church at any time. UseIII. If the providence of God is chiefly designed for the good of the Church--1. Fear not the enemies of the Church.2. Censure not God in His dark providences.3. Inquire into providence and interpret all public providences by this rule.4. Consider the former providences God hath wrought for the Church in past ages.5. Act faith in God’ s providences.6. Wait upon God in His providence.7. Pray for the Church.8. When you receive any mercy for the Church in answer to prayer give God the glory of it.9. Imitate God in His affection to the Church. 10. Look after sincerity before God. (S. Charnock, B. D.) The look of God I. God looks upon all things distinctly. He looks upon every parcel and opens the whole pack of human affairs. II. He beholds every thing and person perfectly, fully, quite through. III. In seeing he governs everything effectually, and works it to His own ends. IV. He seeth all things together. (J. Caryl.) God’ s loving providence over His people There is something sadly natural in the conduct of Asa as described in the context. It is so hard for us to feel that our interests are secure unless we are manipulating them ourselves. A soldier in the battle seizes yonder knoll, driving off with his superior valour the enemies who were holding it. It is nobly done, and it will be well if the plan of his general includes the capture of that knoll. But if not, when the tide of battle rolls off in another direction, the valiant soldier will be left unsupported in the midst of the returning enemies. How many men have been utterly undone by the accomplishment of their own plans, through their own vast industry and heroic enterprise, simply because they had not made their plans subordinate to the purposes of God, the supreme commandant of every life. Keep your eye upon the pillar of fire and cloud which moves over the desert! I. How eagerly, then, God consults the welfare of his people. II. How minutely careful of us is God. III. How complete is God’ s supervision of our welfare. (J. M. Ludlow, D.D.) Divine Providence The term “ Providence,” as now commonly applied to God, does not occur in Holy Scripture. It occurs only in two passages in the Apocrypha, viz., Wis 14:3; Wis 17:3. It is, nevertheless, a term convenient and proper for the statement of a Scriptural doctrine. By those of the ancient philosophers who admitted the existence of a God, or of a plurality of gods, terms of correspondent grammatical import were employed, to express that Divine superintendence by which all things in the material creation were fitted and directed to their proper ends, and by which the universe was kept from falling back into that state of chaos which was supposed to have preceded the present orderly and beauteous frame of things. After their example, we have learned to employ the term “ Providence,” for the purpose of describing “ the conduct and direction of the several parts of the universe by a superintending and intelligent Being.” My purpose is to invite your attention to such views of the providence of God as more immediately affect the higher interests of man. I. First, then, we inquire into the general proofs evincing a Divine providence.1. The first of these proofs is drawn from the moral fitness and necessity of such a Providence. The Psalmist teaches us he is a “ fool” who says “ There is no God” ; and surely he is not less so who, professing to believe in the existence of such a God as the Jehovah of the Scriptures, can say, “ There is no Providence.” Some writers on this subject have gone so far as to assert that, in the abstract, the idea of a God without a providence involves a contradiction. But the truth of that position may be reasonably questioned. It we suppose a God, invested with no higher attributes than those which were applied to the false deities of ancient heathenism, where is the folly of farther supposing Him to dwell in a remote and selfish seclusion from terrestrial things? In this respect, the followers of Epicurus gave good proof of their consistency at least when, believing only in such gods as those referred to, they not only denied them to be the governors, but also the creators, of the world; it being, as they rightly judged, but reasonable to conclude that such gods had neither the wisdom nor the power to create, or govern, such a world as this. And they were equally consistent when, having no distinct notion of any intelligent Being to whom the lofty attributes of eternal existence and universal power might be considered as pertaining, they attributed eternity to matter, and give the empire of the world to chance. Were there in reality no higher object of worship than the daemon-gods of Greece and Rome, and were there, consequently, no Providence but such as these gods might be supposed to be capable of exercising, it were surely consistent with good reason and benevolence at least to wish the sceptre of the world’ s dominion might be wrested from their grasp, and that, rather than be subject to such rule, the course of nature and of all events might be committed to the sportive dance of atoms and the blind rush of accidental causes. But if, as taught in Scripture, we acknowledge, as the first cause of all created things, a Being absolutely perfect, and therefore infinite in wisdom, in goodness, and in power, we must at the same time admit a Divine Providence as still sustaining and governing the universe which He has made; and especially we must admit there is a Providence, to administer and overrule the affairs and interests of men. Much as it has laboured on that point, “ the wisdom of this world” presents us with no principles which can at all suffice to show how anything created can even continue to exist unless by a perpetual exertion of wisdom and power on the part of Him who first called it into being; or how, upon the supposition that the Divine guidance and support should be withdrawn, the world could do otherwise than immediately sink back into the nothingness from which it originally sprung. Even supposing the material creation, in “ the dew” of its “ morning,” and in the beauty of its primaeval excellence, to have received the impression of such properties and laws as would have been sufficient, but for the positive intervention of some disturbing cause, to perpetuate its existence and its order, yet we cannot contemplate the character and aspect of the world, as it exists at present, and especially we cannot contemplate its moral character and aspect, without perceiving the necessity of a Divine Providence, to counteract the evils which have gained access to it. That the universal Creator should leave, without a providence, a world like this, in which evil of all kinds has won so large and terrible a sway, and in which there are so many fearful tendencies to universal mischief and confusion, would neither be consistent with wisdom, nor goodness, nor justice, on any other supposition than that of man’ s having been judiciously abandoned, without hope of redemption, to reap the natural fruit of his own evil and rebellious doings. 2. The second proof of a Divine Providence is found in the positive and repeated testimony of Holy Writ. 3. A third proof evincing a Divine Providence is found in certain miraculous attestations which have occasionally marked its interposition. We are enabled to point out numerous occasions on which God has come forth from the “ hiding-place” in which He usually dwells and carries on His operations and has shown Himself, as it is stated in my text, by tokens which could not but be seen, and which could not be mistaken. There is the flood coming on “ the world of the ungodly,” whilst Noah and his family, being “ warned of God,” are directed to the means of their exemption from the general destruction. We point to “ the cities of the plain, turned into ashes by fire and brimstone, which the Lord rained upon them out of heaven,” whilst righteous Lot is escorted by angelic attendants to a place of safety. We will exhibit to him the long roll of those “ mighty acts and wonders” which are displayed in the history of the Israelitish people. We contemplate the strange deliverance of Daniel and his three countrymen from the power of savage beasts and from the rage of the devouring flame. We will show him how Nature herself--the imaginary deity whom infidels pretend to worship--has in many instances forgotten her own laws, and been arrested, or even turned backwards, in her course; and we will challenge him to show us how these stupendous anomalies are to be accounted for, unless upon the supposition that in these instances there was the interposition of a Power superior to anything that has ever been understood by the term Nature--an interposition which must necessarily lead us to admit the providence for which we are contending. II. The general characteristics of that Divine Providence which is demonstrated to exist.1. This Providence is universal, “ for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” By a universal Providence we mean a Providence which is at the same time general and particular. Indeed a Providence which is Divine must necessarily bear both these characteristics. No argument can be adduced in favour of the one which is not equally applicable in favour of the other; and we cannot exclude either of them from our notion of that Providence by which the world is governed without admitting into our notion of the Deity by whom that providence is exercised an imperfection of which He is incapable. For, in excluding either a general or a particular Providence, we necessarily suppose some portion of our world, of greater or less extent, from which the Divine presence and care are totally excluded. It is true that we are utterly confounded in every attempt we make to estimate the wisdom and power and condescension which are required to be in constant exercise, in order to the maintenance of an inspection so vast in its extent, and yet so minute in its details. But from this feeling of astonishment no objection would arise against the doctrine either of a general or a particular Providence, were it not for those monstrously absurd comparisons which we are wont to institute between the Almighty and ourselves, together with our strange forgetfulness of the important truth that God is everywhere present at one and the same time; and that to One whose knowledge and power are subject to no bound or imperfection, it must be quite as easy to attend to many things, however numerous or complicated they may be, as to attend to only one. 2. A second characteristic of the providence of God is its beneficence. In all its operations it regards, as its final object, the welfare of mankind in general; and as far as may be found consistent with that object, the welfare of individuals in particular. This general purpose of beneficence is to a great degree apparent in the general provision which is made for human sustenance and comfort. It is impossible to view the astonishing arrangements which everywhere display themselves, for the supply of “ food convenient for us,” and for the general preservation of our race, without being prompted to exclaim, “ Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; Thy paths drop fatness.” And the moral ends contemplated by a Providence which is thus mindful of our bodily necessities, and of our humblest natural infirmities, must be, in even more than an equal degree, characterised by a pure and infinite beneficence. There may at first, indeed, appear to be something almost incompatible with such a doctrine, in the affliction and misery which desolate the earth. But the difficulty arising on that ground is easily resolved by such considerations as the following: (1) In the first place, much of the natural evil which exists is rendered, in some sort, necessary by the depravity of man. It constitutes, in fact, a part of that salutary chastening by which, not unmindful even of the prodigal who has wandered from His household, and “ wasted his substance in riotous living,” our heavenly Father seeks to recover “ the children of disobedience to the wisdom of the just” ; or if they are already recovered, opens to their faith the means of apprehending “ a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” In vain, perhaps, have been the attempts of His Providence, by the dispensations of its bounty, to win the thoughtless wanderer to reflection and repentance; “ but in the day of his affliction,” says Jehovah, “ he will seek Me early.” In mercy, therefore, to the sinner, rather than in anger, and not with anything like a vindictive purpose, He lays His chastening hand upon him. (2) Even in those cases where individuals, or collective communities of men, derive themselves no moral benefits from the evils which they suffer, yet very frequently there results a moral benefit to others; and thus, under all the circumstances of such cases, the infliction of those evils is vindicated, as being consistent with the goodness and mercy of God, not less than with His justice. We cannot but adore, amidst the justice and judgment displayed in their destruction, the goodness which was careful so to order the circumstances of their fate as to render it in the most eminent degree available to the instruction and benefit of all succeeding generations. 3. A third characteristic of Divine Providence is its mysteriousness. I do not say that there is any mystery as to the general object which that Providence regards. We have already “ seen the end of the Lord, that He is pitiful and of great mercy.” But of the course which He pursues to the attainment of that end, it may frequently be said, that “ His path is in the whirlwind, and His way in the great deep, and His footsteps are not known.” And surely a Providence which is Divine must necessarily, in the detail of many of its plans and operations, appear to be mysterious to creatures so short-sighted as we are. It is certainly right, because perfectly consistent with just notions of the God whom we adore, that we should acknowledge the existence of mysteries in providence; but why should we profess to wonder at such mysteries, while there remain so many mysteries in Nature? I have said that the general principles of the Divine administration of the world are clearly made known. But I remember the saying of a great man, now no more, that “ things pertaining to God may be mysterious, in proportion as they are revealed” ; and I cannot but feel the application of that paradoxical yet just position to the point which is before us. Were God a finite being, like ourselves, the revelation of the principles on which He acts, however vast and comprehensive in their range and application those principles might be, would not, perhaps, be such as we should be unable adequately to conceive. But principles which know no limit, in themselves or in their application, save that which is imposed by the will, or by the necessity, of a Divine and incomprehensible nature, must necessarily, in whatever degree they are revealed to us, remain mysterious because of their infinity; and the more nearly we are enabled to contemplate those principles, the more overpowering--I had almost said, the more bewildering--will be the effect of their united splendour, both on our mental and spiritual vision. And then, besides the physical reason to which I have referred, why the providence of God should in many of its dispensations be mysterious, there is a moral reason--a reason arising out of the beneficence by which the operations of that providence are shaped to their intended issue. For were those operations free from mystery, then would our faith want those trials which constitute its most important and profitable exercise; and in wanting those trials, it would want, at the same time, the arena on which it wins its brightest victories, and becomes entitled to its richest and most glorious reward. Think, for example, of the difference which it might have made to Abraham if in his path to the attainment and confirmation of the promise in regard to his son Isaac, there had been no adverse hope against which he might continue to “ believe in hope,” and no apparent impossibilities in the midst of which he might still be “ strong in faith, giving glory to God.” 4. There remains to be noticed yet one other characteristic of the providence of God, and that is, its entire subservience to the purposes of His redeeming grace. Indeed, it is altogether of that grace that there exists at all a Providence of such a character; in other words, had there been no redeeming grace, then no such Providence could have existed. No; it is then only accounted for on principles justly claiming to be considered “ rational,” when it is set forth as the result of “ the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ.” On the part of persons who maintain a contrary opinion, we sometimes hear the question, “ How can the death of Christ, as an atoning sacrifice, be made to seem consistent either with perfect justice or with perfect goodness?” But we may retort that question with another, which they will find it much more difficult to answer. Suppose our fallen world to have been left without redemption, and that no means had been devised, in the counsels of the Divine grace and wisdom, for the recovery of its guilty population to “ the favour and the peace of God,” where then would have been the consistency--nay, where the possibility, of a Providence so condescending and beneficent as that which now appears? Or where would have been the actual benefit to man of a Providence to correct and modify the course of outward things, if he had still been doomed, for want of a Redeemer, to bear for ever the burden of a guilt for which there was no expiation? But let us take that doctrine along with us, and we then discover an apt and harmonious reason for such a Providence, by which its utmost beneficence is justified. And, as that characteristic of the providence of God which renders it especially dear and valuable to us originates in, or operates at least as the result of, the “ grace” which “ came by Jesus Christ,” so, as already stated, it is ever in subservience to the purposes of the same grace that its operations are conducted. It is thus in those extensive operations which involve the character and fats of nations and empires. It were vain for us to indulge in speculation as to the objects which Jehovah might contemplate, on the supposition of man’ s having continued in his original uprightness. We have the fact of his departure from that character into a state of guilty estrangement and hostility. And taking the world in its present circumstances, and seeing that “ God so loved that world,” fallen as it is, as to “ give His only begotten Son” for its redemption, we may be assured that there can be no object dearer to the heart of God than that His Son should “ see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied,” in the reception of “ the heathen for His inheritance,” and of “ the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession.” As the providence of God thus stands, and ever must stand, connected with the purposes of His redeeming grace, so it is in those cases where the grace of God specially prevails, that this Providence specially exerts its powerful and benignant operation; or, as stated in the text, it is “ on the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” that the Lord “ shews Himself strong,” and for their sakes more especially His “ eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” In other words, He is eminently the God of providence to those who bow before Him, and rejoice in Him, as the God of comforting and sanctifying grace. Doubtless, this was one of the great truths designed to be set forth by those numerous providential interpositions which shed so illustrious a light upon the early history of the Israelitish people. On this express condition, that they should “ have no other gods before Him,” and that they should “ keep His statutes and His judgments diligently, to do them,” Jehovah engaged on His part to “ shew himself strong” on their behalf, in such a manner as should render them the astonishment and envy of surrounding nations. And, on the other hand, the judgment so frequently inflicted on that people during their journeys through the wilderness, and in the subsequent periods of their history, and more especially their present wonderful dispersion throughout other nations, go to remind us, with equal emphasis and certainty, that it is only in proportion as our heart is “ perfect toward Him” that God can be expected to “ shew Himself strong” on our behalf. We thus perceive that the great lesson intended to be taught by all the mighty acts and wonders which God did for Israel is, that the same God will ever in a peculiar manner, ears for those who, being Christ’ s, are therefore “ Abraham’ s seed and heirs according to the promise,” whilst those who are yet “ aliens,” or outcasts from His spiritual Israel, though not excluded entirely from His providential care, shall still enjoy that care in an inferior degree. It is on this ground that we discover the foundation of those promises which ensure to all God’ s people, in their individual as well as their collective character, an adequate supply of all their bodily and temporal necessities. For if, as intimated in the history of the Jewish people, the providence of God is the handmaid of His grace, and, as such, is commissioned with the special care of those “ whose heart is perfect toward Him,” then, unless we would again charge an all-perfect Being with infirmity, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion, that all those things which Nature absolutely needs, and the providing of which often brings so severe a burden on the mind, “ shall (certainly) be added.” Again, the principle that the operations of God’ s providence are subservient to the purposes of His grace sheds no inconsiderable light upon the mystery which is “ supposed to be presented when, whilst the ungodly “ increase in riches,” and “ have more than heart could wish,” the man whose heart, if not absolutely perfect toward God, is yet, in general, upright and sincere before Him, is “ plagued till the day long, and chastened every morning.” It is not that He who claims as His own, “ the gold and the silver, and the cattle on a thousand hills,” would merely “ for His own pleasure” deny to His people the advantages of health and riches. But He regards their eternal salvation as being an object infinitely more important than their worldly comfort, and to this one great object all others must be subordinate and secondary. 1. In the first place, the doctrine of a Divine Providence, that Providence being beneficent as well as universal, condemns that excessive anxiety with which we are so prone to burden and distress ourselves. 2. Secondly, this doctrine inculcates the duty, and when heartily embraced, it will inspire the feeling, of a grateful acquiescence in our lot, however far removed that lot may be from the circumstances which we should have chosen for ourselves. 3. More especially, this subject, as connecting the operations of God’ s providence with the purposes of His grace, calls upon us to look well to it, that our own “ hearts are perfect towards Him” ; and that, in order to their being so, they are the subjects of that grace which can alone destroy their deceitfulness and enmity, and render them a holy and acceptable sacrifice. (J. Crowther.) God the guardian of the world I. That God’ s guardianship of the world is universally inspective “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” God sees the whole of a thing. Of those objects with which we are most acquainted, we know but a little of their outside; the essence of everything is hid beneath an impenetrable veil from us. Few, indeed, are the things we are permitted to see even the outside of. Space limits us. Our widest horizon is not a handbreadth to the heavens as compared with the universe. Duration limits us. Wonderful things were transpiring, even on planet, ages ere we woke into conscious thought. But neither space nor duration limits the knowledge of God; He is in all places; He exists through all times. Whatever is, has been, will be, or can be, are in His eye. All actualities and possibilities are there. “ All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” If the eye of a child has sometimes been known to paralyse the arm and frustrate the intentions of him who has been bent on some criminal deed, how would not the lightning glance of God check thee from all evil? II. That God’ s guardianship of the world is personally exercised. He does not watch and superintend the world through the instrumentality of others; His eyes, His own eyes, are employed. He does not, like human potentates, get a knowledge of His empire by hearsay and report, but by His own personal inspection. It is a glorious truth that God Himself is in our world. He is not merely here by representation. He does not look after the universe as parents after their children, merchants after their business, monarchs after their dominions--by proxy. He employs others, it is true, but He is with them and in them--the force of all causes, the motive of all motives. Nor is He here merely by influence, just as the author is in the book, or as the telegraphic officer is at the time wherever he transmits his message. Those heavenly bodies, which fill thoughtful minds, as they “ gaze upon them shining,” with unutterable emotions, and seem to engulf the spirit into their own immeasurable vastness, we are told, radiate and revolve by law. Man is born, sustained, enjoys, suffers, lives, and dies, by “ laws.” Blessed thought! the great Father of the world is here, not merely by representation, or influence, but in person. The world has not only His agents and His works, but His eyes--His all-seeing Self is here. III. That God’ s guardianship of the world is morally designed. Why does He thus so sedulously and constantly guard the world? “ To shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.” God guards the universe for the interests of the good. It is not material Nature in any of its wondrous combinations of beauty and sublimity, not blooming landscapes, mighty oceans, starry spheres, revolving worlds, or refulgent systems, that interest Him most. No; it is His adopted ones, His loving children, though little and afflicted, that engage His sympathies. He says, in effect, “ I keep up the machinery of the universe only for the good of My children. I have no affection for it, ‘ but for the saints that are in the earth, in whom is all My delight’ : wherever they are, ‘ Mine eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually.’” This subject teaches--1. The true spirit of life. If God is the all-seeing Guardian of the world, whose eyes pierce into every avenue of existence, what should be the spirit of life? Not the spirit of empty frivolity and childish trifling, treating all things as if made for foolish jests and giddy laughter, but the spirit of solemnity clothing all objects with a Divine significance. 2. The true interests of life. What are they? Secular possessions? mental attainments? social honours? No, but a perfect heart. 3. The true Judge of life. Our life has many judges, at many tribunals are we tried, and many, and often diverse, are the verdicts returned. Some are too favourable, and some too adverse. The few instances of accuracy are random guesses, not righteous deductions. But there is one true Judge; it is He whose “ eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” (Homilist.) The guardianship of God I. The world had a Guardian. II. That the guardianship of the world is of the most minute character. III. That this guardianship of God is of the most loving and gracious character. (W. G. Barrett.) God’ s thoughts toward good men I. Why does God exercise all His power of observation and control in this world in behalf of good men? The answer is that they of all creatures best illustrate His character and glorify Him most. They alone--1. Were originally created in the Divine likeness. 2. Have been born again into His spiritual image. 3. Glorify Him in the highest degree by holy lives. II. How have God’ s powers of observation and control been exercised in their behalf?1. The process of the earth’ s development during the vast geologic periods of the first five creative days all meant that man was coming, and that God’ s eyes were running forward to prepare him a home. 2. In connection with the creation of living creatures, by the aid of comparative anatomy we can see God’ s eyes running forward through all the orders of animate life up to man. 3. Having given him a body fearfully and wonderfully made, He has made abundant provision for the supply of all his wants. (1) Physical.(2) Intellectual.(3) Social.(4) Religious. Sanctified afflictions; Bible; Christ. (J. C. Jackson.) No mist before the eyes of God We see a Divine purpose in the discovery of America, in the art of printing, in the exposure of the Gunpowder Plot, in the contrivance of the needle gun, in the ruin of an Austrian or Napoleonic despotism; but now hard it is to see God in the minute personal affairs of our lives. We think of God as making a record of the starry host, but cannot realise the Bible truth that He knows how many hairs are on our head. It seems a grand thing that God provided food for thousands of Israelites in the desert, but not how He feeds hungry sparrows. We cannot understand how He encamps in the crystal palace of a dew-drop, or finds room to stand, without being crowded, between the alabaster pillars of a pond-lily. Cromwell, Alexander, Washington, or an archangel, is not more under Divine inspection than your life or mine. Pompey thought that there must be a mist over the eyes of God because he favoured Caesar. But there is no such mist. (T. De Witt Talmage.) To shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.--God waiting to show Himself strong I. God has shown himself strong on behalf of men. It is often the knowledge of God’ s ability to help that causes us the greatest difficulty, and paralyses our faith in Him. We do not feel able to say quite as confidently as we might that all His promises are yea and amen, or else we limit their reference, and say that they have only to do with certain orders of things. Now we have this fact before us: God is able, He must be, to control all things. His knowledge is infinite; His wisdom, His strength eternal. As it is, while we acknowledge His ability we limit its exercise, and find in this reason for our independent action. We see, in opposition to the limit which we are often ready to place on God’ s interference on our behalf, the wonderful variety and modes of the help given to men as recorded in the Scripture. There is not a condition but God has appeared in that, strong to help. What wisdom and power are here shown on behalf of men! Lost by sin, we are restored by faith in Christ. II. God looks out for opportunities of showing Himself strong. His eyes run to and fro throughout the earth. He is thus represented as watching men for the purpose of revealing Himself, so that when He sees the opportunity He is there ready to do it. He is not reluctant to give. III. Why, then, do we not always receive? How is it we make mistakes, complain of want of life and light and progress? Here is the reply. The opportunity for which He waits is a heart perfect toward Him. This is the fitness which is always needed ere He shows Himself strong. “ How wilt Thou manifest Thyself to us?” etc. “ My Father will love him, and We will take up our abode with him.” We are not so dependent on the condition of our life as we think. Let the heart be right, and everything else will be transformed. But what fitness is here required? Asa did not trust God, but his own wisdom and gold and silver. Apply the general truth of God as for all, without considering that God, though the absolute monarch of all, does not act arbitrarily towards any. Thus here God does not manifest His strength to men always. Far from it. Asa found that God’ s strength did not help him; he had wars all the remainder of his life. We are often left in our weakness, otherwise there would be no such thing as failure in the details of life. We ask why does not God make bare His arm when He sees the weak struggling against greater forces. Be it nation, be it tribe, or people, or individual, He knows the need, He measures it, and at a time and under conditions most calculated to ensure the eternal and lasting good of His creatures, He comes forth to help and to save. That this is His way of dealing with men may be seen in the greatest and highest gift He has given. We gather, in conclusion--(1) God knows and estimates our life and needs from the state of heart, our actual condition. His standard differs greatly from ours. He withholds blessings that we may get a more firm hold of them as we learn this. You have not enjoyment of Christ. You have not forgiveness. You have not strength to overcome sin. You have not a perfect heart toward God. (2) This gives you the real object of life. (H. W. Butcher.) The heartening certainty Asa is in trouble. Baasha has captured and fortified Ramah and so hemmed in Jerusalem. Is not that a frequent type of life? Is not every man often thrust into straits as Asa was? Is there not for every man some threatening Ramah over against his Jerusalem.1. Here is a man whose work in life seems sometimes vaster than his energies. How can life’ s work get done--the support of a family, the meeting of obligations, etc.? 2. Here is a man confronted with some special obstacle, e.g., unholy competition in business, etc.3. Here is a man under the shadow of the Ramah of disappointment. 4. Here is another man who is dissatisfied with his pernicious way of life. 5. And there is Doubt, another Ramah often built across our way. Is there any help for a man in the presence of these Ramahs? Our Scripture is the statement of the heartening certainty. “ Perfect” in our Scripture means pure intent. Once I was becalmed upon the sea. I was in a sailing ship. For some days the wind died utterly away. There was not the curl of a minute ripple even on the ocean’ s surface. We were drifted here and there, now backward and then forward, as the tides rose and as they fell. Of course we could not get on thus. There was no inherent power of motion in the vessel. What did the captain do? Order the sails furled? Let the man at the helm sleep? No, he did the best he could. Every sail was hung broadly on the yards. The helm was firmly held. The vessel was kept pointed toward her port. This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/bi/ 2 Chronicles 16:10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer.A reluctant conscience It is said that straw which had been used for the bedding of the lions at Wombwell’ s menagerie was sold, and placed in a stable as bedding for some horses. No, sooner did the horses enter than they began to show signs of alarm, snorting, snuffing the air, and trembling as though conscious of a threatening presence. Horses in this country have had no experience of the hostility or strength of carnivora; but there is a persistency in hereditary powers which certain objects can stimulate into activity. The conscience of man exhibits a similar persistency of sense, if not by self-reproach or remorse, at least by a reluctance to enter on the consideration of sin. It is not too much to infer that all is not right, when pain, alarm, aversion are felt when inquiry is suggested. (Bp. Boyd Carpenter.) 2 Chronicles 16:11-12 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the books of the kings. Asa; or failure at the last Asa’ s case is a Scriptural declaration, that one who has begun well, who has even done much for God, may fall miserably, may fail at last. What were the causes of his fall? I. He was tried by great success. Nothing is more liable than success to produce self-confidence, and neglect of Him who bestoweth on the wise their wisdom and on the strong their strength. Unless s man watches himself very narrowly, pride will insinuate itself even into the midst of his thanksgivings; complacent thoughts of his own foresight underlie his recognition of God’ s providence; confessions of his own good desert qualify his confessions of sin. II. He was placed in the perilous position of having to guide and instruct others. This is a great snare to any one. The mother who teaches her child to pray; the father who watches over his son’ s moral progress; the master who is a strict censor of the behaviour of his servants; the Scripture-reader, the district visitor, the nurse of the sick, the almoner of the poor; yea, even the minister of God who has professionally to bring before his people the means of grace and hope of glory; these persons are all in danger of neglecting themselves--of placing themselves, as it were, ab extra, to the duties which they have to inculcate. They are tempted to forget themselves, to abate their self-discipline, and when the novelty of their employment has passed away, to fall back on other things; it may be, to end with languor, disgust, or carelessness, if not with utter faithlessness and sin. (D. Hessey.) 2 Chronicles 16:12-13 And Asa, in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet Mind-cure That sickness is twin born with sin is the oldest tradition in the world. Our maladies arise from something finer than the germs any microscope can detect; and if all disease has its origin in the ill-disposed spirit, in a different well-disposed spirit it may have its cure. There can be no doubt that a mind morbid or in health affects the body. Some persons, by their presence and air, make us sick or well. Temperance is a virtue before it is a bodily trait. All vice digs a mine of ruin which no physician can countermine. What doctor can prescribe for an inordinate affection, from his pocket-book or medicine-chest? A little mind-cure were better than a complete apothecary’ s shop; and in one’ s own mind, often more than in another’ s, the remedy lies. Safety and peril reside in the same region of the affections, even as the very sea that tosses brings us to port. Like cures like; the hair of the dog his own bite; and herbs, as George Herbert says, the flesh they find their acquaintance in. There is no malady which guilty intrigues, extravagant passions, and corroding cares may not produce or increase; and none which good affections will not alleviate or remove. Many a heap of flowers have I seen on coffins that would not have been made by plane and hammer so soon had a tithe of the green leaves, lilies, and roses been strewn along the way. Christ’ s miracles were wrought on a promise of faith, for the blind eye, for the withered hand, and for the remorseful conscience in him whom He assured, “ Son, thy sins be forgiven thee,” an insane compunction being in this case the evil root. Peter commanded the cripple to stand on his feet, perceiving that he had faith to be healed. The good Samaritan poured out something more than oil and wine into the robbed traveller’ s wounds. There are in us gashes and ghastly wounds, perhaps unknown to the inflictors, which no sword or dagger ever made. A word or a look was enough to stab us; shall no words or looks suffice to make us whole? No medicaments, only mental cure, can either probe them or bind them up. Right ordering of our active powers is a medicine, as well as that merry heart of which the Preacher speaks. The steadfast will is a life-preserver, and buoys up against spiritual drowning. Heal the mind tired and sore with brooding on absent or unresponsive objects: with labour that eases it, while it wearies the muscles and makes the sweat, according to the old decree, run down the face. As the girders and cross-ties of the bridge distribute the pressure on it of heavy loads, so various duty lightens by dividing every burden of grief or pain. Such considerations may show how far a sane body is not only inhabited, but made, by a sane mind. Let us notice more particularly the connection between sickness and sin. I. They have the same origin. II. They have the same propagation and spread. III. Why, then, should not the cure of sickness run parallel with its continuance and cause? Disorder is inherited. Ezekiel protests against the proverb that the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’ s teeth are set on edge. Nevertheless, it is true. For example of this communication or transmission, take the illustration of fear. What a leaven it is! Terror is not only a wretchedness, but a disgrace, an exposure to harm. You will be likely to have what you dread. What you rehearse you will enact. This is the shorthand history of disease, misery, and crime. Bonaparte, in his better days, thought the bullet was not run and moulded he should be hit by, though cannonballs ploughed the earth into powder at his side; felt no alarm for himself from the plague in Egypt, and fortified his soldiers against it, with that brave deportment of his own. To what but panic is due the large destruction of life in buildings falling or on fire, in battles like that of Bull Run, and in wrecks at sea? We must be of good heart to be secure. How many have been sick of a thought or of a certain company or of a single companion! How many have got well with thoughts alone that could cure! By one who served in our civil war I was told of sick soldiers who, in their despair, voluntarily turned their faces to the wall and died, because they wanted, and had made up their mind, to die. If as they lay moaning on their beds had come some token of affection, the step of some Florence Nightingale, or any good message, they would have opened their eyes, stretched their limbs, and lived! A grain, a hair, the twentieth part of a scruple, in delicate conditions and a tremulous suspense determines the scale; and the balance hangs for us all to put the atom into, so intimate is the relation between body and mind. We decide each other’ s fate every day. Balzac tells us of a mother who suddenly expires after one more of her unnatural daughter’ s hard words; and he adds that the slaughter by savages of those too old to continue on the march is philanthropy in the comparison. This is happening every day. A gentle remembrance from one--a note, a flower, a book, a hand-grasp--to assure us our days of usefulness are not over, enables us to live and labour still. The supernatural acts through the natural. Let us make the connection and be all of us well. Be its fault or defect what it may, I greet, therefore, the new departure which lays the stress on the mind. (C.A. Bartol, D.D.) The sin of Asa 1. Though it is not my purpose to dwell upon the general features in this history, I cannot help remarking how strongly one is inclined in hearing it to exclaim, “ Lord, what is man! In his best estate, moral as well as physical, he is altogether vanity.” Here is a person that appears to have been piously educated, that in his youth was piously and deeply impressed; that when clothed in royal purple still remembered his responsibility to a higher power, and felt and acknowledged his dependence on it; that in his mature years departed not from the way in which he had been trained up; and that knew by a single personal experience that it is a way of pleasantness and a path of peace; in his old age guilty of the greatest inconsistencies, to say the very least. May we not reasonably suppose that, during his long prosperity, his heart had become in a measure hardened by the deceitfulness of sin; that indolence had corrupted, and pride, taking occasion from the happy condition of his people, of which he had been the instrument, had puffed him up; and that prayer, in consequence, had been restrained before God? Be sober, be vigilant, be prayerful, be humble, is the moral of this melancholy tale. 2. This monarch’ s history may also teach us that, what we deem our strongest point of character may in fact prove our weakest. Asa’ s distrust in Divine, and over-trust in human power, was the last sin, most probably, which he thought would ever beset him. “ Though all men forsake Thee,” said St. Peter, “ yet will not I.” His courage he was sure would abide, however that of the other disciples might falter. That he felt was not his weak point; and probably it was not naturally. When we are conscious of weakness, and in consequence lean constantly on an Almighty arm, then our strength never faileth. How can it? In the confidence of this it was that the apostle Paul said, “ I can do all things through Christ strengthening me.” On the other hand, let a man feel strong in himself, and of consequence lean on himself, in the things of religion, we are told we can do nothing. The lesson, then, to be learned from the history of Asa, in this view of it, plainly is, to glory in nothing as of ourselves, to distrust ourselves even in our strongest point, and to count all our sufficiency as of God through Christ. 3. A third particular in this narrative, well worth noticing, is the pertinacity which Asa exhibited in his sin, and how in consequence one transgression led on to another. David committed some most fearful sins, and a prophet was sent to reprove and warn him. His confession was, “ I have sinned against the Lord.” Not so Asa. His crime, though indeed not so horrible, was equally certain; yet when the prophet reproves him, the historian tells us “ he was in a rage with him because of this thing” ; and added to the sin, and to a denial of it, persecution of God’ s servant for delivering God’ s message. The sin of Asa, though certain and heinous, as I have said, was not so palpable and overt as that of David. It lay more exclusively between God and his own soul. It was an offence which shortsighted men, who cannot read the heart, could not with propriety charge him with. The sins which are known with certainty only to Omniscience are the last which corrupt human nature is willing to acknowledge. It hides itself from its own guilt and from its obligation to confess and forsake its sin, under the cover of its fellow-creatures’ ignorance. From this hiding place, to which Asa had manifestly fled, man could not dislodge him. God’ s resources, however, were not exhausted. When His prophet failed to do it, He sent another messenger to the king in the shape of a most painful disease which finally proved mortal.1. Health, it is generally acknowledged, is the very greatest of all personal and temporal blessings. By its influence on the inner man it gives new glory to objects already bright, and pours light on that which would otherwise be dark. It converts to luxuries the plainest food, and adds a sweetness to a cup of cold water which nectar in the hand of an invalid partakes not of. Health is valuable not only as an exemption from pain and anxiety, but as a positive good. It causes positive happiness to spring up--to well up from the depths of the soul, the operation of which the man may be unable to explain, but to the mysterious sweetness of which he is ready to testify with a rejoicing, and, would that we could say always, a grateful heart. I do not mean to say, however, that the blessing when in possession is always adequately realised and appreciate. Like other things, the loss of it, at least for a time, is in many cases necessary to open our eyes to its value. The fact that the natural issue of sickness is death is, of itself, enough to give health an inestimable value; and that fact is felt by him who has felt the gnawings of disease; and who that has reached even middle life has not experienced them? 2. But though it is thus inevitable, disease may be mitigated and its fatal consequences postponed. This is effected by one of the greatest mercies which Providence has vouchsafed to man: I mean the healing art. It is not common, perhaps, to regard it in this light, but most certainly it ought to be so regarded. This art is one of great dignity and beneficence. It is found in every country, and among the most savage and most cultivated nations of the earth; and though it seems to have advanced more slowly than many other--perhaps most other--arts and sciences, yet so early was its commencement, and so universal has been its cultivation, it has now attained great perfection. In most departments, where once human aid was unattempted or unavailing to the patient, it is astonishing what can be done for his relief, and for his restoration to society and the full enjoyment of it. This blessed art, moreover, is but an imitation of a merciful provision of nature; even as when pursued and practised on its proper principles, it consists in a co-operating with, and taking advantage of, the powers of nature. With the recuperative and healing properties of nature a true practitioner of the healing art is a co-worker. It is his high calling, in a scientific manner to aid and minister to and increase this beneficent provision. He is not occupied in helping to gratify an idle vanity, nor in pandering to luxury and over-indulgence. His business is, in the way described, to relieve distress, to dry the tear of sorrow, to rekindle the lamp of hope. It has been acutely observed that there is a likeness in the practice of this art, not only to the healing power of nature referred to, and to the course of that Providence by which both nature and art have been ordained, and to the all-merciful conduct of God manifest in the flesh while He sojourned on the earth, but also in the methods which Providence uses ordinarily for the attainment of these benevolent ends. “ Both are designed to restore what is lost, and to repair what is disordered; both have the production of ease and happiness for their ultimate object; both frequently make use of pains and privations as the means of procuring it, but neither of them employs an atom more of these than is necessary for that purpose.” 3. Now from all this it follows that though nothing is expressly said in commendation of this art in the Holy Scriptures, nor any command given to resort to it for relief under our bodily ailments, yet the art and the use of it are manifestly according to the mind and will of God. The mere fact that God has put healing virtue into the productions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and given man the power to discover its existence, is sufficient warrant, in the silence of Scripture, for the thankful use of it wherever it may be necessary. It has been thought by some that the sin here condemned was resorting not to regular physicians, but to those who attempted cures by charms and other superstitious devices. Such conduct, though not generally thought so by those who indulge in it, is essentially atheistic. He was seeking good from a source not sanctioned by Heaven. He was in pursuit of health in a quarter which God did not bless. In a word, he was not seeking it of Him from whom cometh every good and perfect gift. This was atheism. It is not necessary, however, to suppose that Asa ran into this sin. He was guilty enough, and furnished sufficient ground for the censure in the text, without going to this extreme. Let us suppose, what the Scripture narrative makes probable, that through the influence of prosperity and its attendant snares and temptations, the heart of Asa had waxed cold; that his religious feelings had declined; that whereas before, God was in his thoughts as his dependence, his protection, his comfort, his consolation, his joyful portion, now he lives in forgetfulness of Him, or, if thoughts of God ever enter his mind, they come but seldom and are speedily dismissed. While living habitually in this way, sickness smites him, violent and severe, and very naturally alarming. He sends for the physicians--for many of them. His dependence is on the powers of nature to the exclusion of the Divine Author of these powers. He looks anxiously to human skill, but feels no want, or offers no prayer for the Divine blessing on it. Asa seems to have sought a cure, as he would have done had he never heard of that almighty Being in whose hand are the issues of life and death. We see here that the Lord is a jealous God, and will not give His glory to another, and that His glory and His right as God is to be recognised by His intelligent creatures everywhere, in all the exigencies, duties, and privileges of life. In instituting the present system of means and ends, He did not intend that it should be forgotten that He planned the whole; and that the whole, destitute of any self-sustaining power, is sustained only by Him. He not only created all things, but also upholds all things by the word of His power. This is a fact, and a fact manifestly connected with His glory. He expects, therefore, that all intelligent creatures feel it and acknowledge it. There are two errors--opposite extremes, which He would have them carefully avoid. The first is a reliance upon Him to the exclusion or neglect of the means which He has commanded to be used. At first view it might seem as if such conduct were putting special honour upon Jehovah; but in truth it is open rebellion against His will. He hath not commanded this at our hands. It is a strange offering--an unclean sacrifice. In His works and in His Word, God has enjoined the diligent use of means; it is impious to turn away from the commandment, even under the pretence of honouring Him. The other extreme, and equally presumptuous, is a reliance on the means to the neglect of the Divine agency and blessing. If the first was an arrogant theism, this is a gross and stupid atheism. Paradoxical as it may sound, our duty and the dictate of pure reason is, that we use means as diligently as if God’ s aid were altogether unnecessary, and rely on God as sincerely as if means were unavailing. This is Scripture; this is the highest reason; nay, this human nature herself teaches when in extremity and unperverted by a theory. Who, when in conscious danger of his life, does not with a convulsive eagerness grasp at any and every means of safety, and at the same time lift a voice of agonising supplication for the Divine assistance? Our duty, then, plainly inculcated by the text, is to use means and to trust in the Lord, and to do this not of necessity, because death is imminent, but from a principle of obedience to His will, respect for His honour, and love to His name; and to do it also not only in extreme cases, but at all times. It belongs to such a spirit, as a matter of privilege as well as duty, to seek to the Lord also, and rely upon His help. In conclusion, I would observe that the text teaches a lesson in all analogous cases. For instance, if such is the temper of mind in which we should look for medicines to heal the body, the same should we have in the use of food for the maintenance of life. A blessing asked, when we take our meals, is only in conformity with these principles. So our Lord when on the earth regarded it, for He sanctioned it by His practice. And again it plainly says to those whose calling in life is trade, that whilst they industriously employ all honourable means for the maintenance and advancement of themselves and their families, they should bear in mind that there is an overruling Providence which sees through the complications of events as man cannot, and can give them such issue as may be pleasing in His sight. In short, the text teaches us that we should all, at all times and under all circumstances, realise the presence of God and lean upon His power and goodness, vouchsafed us through Jesus Christ our Lord. (W. Sparrow, D. D.) The disease of sin and its true Physician I. Sin is a disease under which all men are labouring. II. To get rid of the disease of sin men resort to forbidden and unauthorised means. III. They ought to depend on Christ as the only effectual and infallible physician of souls. (W. Sparrow, D. D.) To the medical profession Here is King Asa with the gout. In defiance of God he sends for certain conjurors or quacks. With the result “ And Asa slept with his fathers.” That is, the doctors killed him. In this sharp and graphic way the Bible sets forth the truth that you have no right to shut God out from the realm of pharmacy and therapeutics. If Asa had said, “ Oh, Lord, I am sick; bless the instrumentality employed for my recovery! Now, servant, go and get the best doctor you can find,” he would have recovered. The world wants Divinely directed physicians. Men of the medical profession, we often meet in the home of distress. We meet to-day by the altars of God. As in the nursery children sometimes re-enact all the scenes of the sick-room, so to-day you play that you are the patient and that I am the physician, and take my prescription just once. I. In the first place, I think all the medical profession should become Christians because of the debt of gratitude they owe to God for the honour He has put upon their calling. Cicero said: “ There is nothing in which men so approach the gods as when they try to give health to other men.” II. The medical profession ought to be Christians, because there are so many trials and annoyances in that profession that need positive Christian solace. III. The medical profession ought to be Christians, because there are professional exigencies when they need God. Asa’ s destruction by unblessed physicians was a warning. There are awful crises in every medical practice when a doctor ought to know how to pray. I do not mean to say that piety will make up for medical skill A bungling doctor, confounded with what was not a very bad case went into the next room to pray. A skilled physician was called in. He asked for the first practitioner. “ Oh!” they said, “ he’ s in the next room praying.” “ Well.” said the skilled doctor, “ tell him to come out here and help, he can pray and work at the same time.” It was all in that sentence. Do the best we can and ask God to help us. IV. The medical profession ought to be Christians, because there opens before them a grand field for Christian usefulness. (T. De Witt Talmage.) Sickness The great truth taught us in this verse is--that afflictions, in their measure, nature, and duration, result neither from chance nor necessity, nor second causes, but primarily from the wise, sovereign, and righteous appointment of the Eternal. I. Asa’ s disease. The former part of this verse mentions what this disease was--“ And Asa in the thirty, and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great.” Commentators suppose that this disease in his feet was the gout, and that it was a just punishment for putting the prophet’ s feet in the stocks. How varied the disease to which human nature is liable.1. The person afflicted--Asa the king. This circumstance teaches us that when the Almighty wills afflictions, none can escape them--no, not even kings. When kings commit evil they must expect to be punished as well as others. King Jehoram sinned against the Lord, and the Lord visited him with a disease in his bowels. King Uzziah transgressed the Lord’ s commandments, and the Lord smote him with leprosy: “ And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper.” Asa was diseased in his feet. Honours, riches, power shield us not from disease. When God gives the commission, afflictions enter the palace as well as the meanest hut. 2. The violence of Asa’ s disorder. “ His disease was exceeding great.” Sometimes we think our trials very heavy; but when compared with those of others we find them light. Hence, if your case is very painful, it is not singular. 3. The period of its continuance. Asa was diseased in his feet two years. When the Lord afflicts us for a month, a week, yea, sometimes, when we are in pain only one day, we think it a long time. But how short the period of our pains when compared with others! It might have lasted for many years. II. Asa’ s duty. When it is said that Asa sought not unto the Lord, it implies that he ought to have done so.1. The purposes for which you should seek unto the Lord in your afflictions. The advice which Eliphaz gave to Job in his affliction was most excellent, and is suitable to us on all occasions: “ Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. I would seek unto God, and unto God would commit my cause.” The afflicted should seek unto God, in disease, that they may know its design. “ Shew me,” prays Job, “ wherefore Thou contendest with me.” The Lord’ s way, both in mercy and in judgment, is in the sea, and His footsteps, oftentimes, are not seen. Since, therefore, none can give us the information we need but God Himself, and since also it is so important for us to know the design of Our trials, let us not do as Asa did, but as Eliphaz recommends--seek unto God. When diseases visit us we should seek unto God, that He would give us grace to sustain them. None but He who lays these burdens on our shoulders can sustain us under them. That these visitations may be duly improved is another end we should propose in seeking unto the Lord. God should be sought unto in affliction, that He may remove them. The Lord should be sought unto in sickness, that His righteousness in afflicting may be devoutly acknowledged. 2. The manner in which God should be approached unto in these circumstances. First, in faith--the Christian must exercise faith in his heavenly Father’ s providence, promises, and revealed character. Secondly, in humility--the Christian has merited all he endures, and has nothing of his own to plead. Thirdly, with resignation. 3. Some reasons why the Lord should be sought unto may be specified. (1) The manifest propriety of the thing itself. Unto whom should the servant go in his distress but unto the master? (2) The absolute dependence of the creature on God shows the importance and reasonableness. On God’ s will depends our health and sickness, adversity and prosperity, joys and sorrows. (3) These means are Divinely appointed, consequently we cannot neglect them without considerable danger to our souls. “ For this thing will I be inquired of by the house of Israel, that I may do it for them.” (4) The example of all good men--David, Job, Paul, and others, when in distress, sought unto the Lord in prayer: this was their uniform practice; and, indeed, prayer is the best plaster for all our wounds. III. Asa’ s sin. Asa’ s sin is a common sin--the way of the multitude, Asa’ s sin was a great sin--he put the creature before the Creator. Asa’ s sin, unrepented of, is a ruinous sin. “ Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord?” Asa’ s conduct arises from many causes.1. Ignorance. Sin has so darkened the mind that many have no right views of their relation to God. 2. Inattention. Some know these things, yet give them little or no serious attention. God is neither in all their ways nor in all their thoughts. 3. Independence. Sin has made man so proud that, if it were possible, he would do without God altogether. 4. Presumption. Many expect health, ease, and success without God’ s assistance. 5. Unbelief. Multitudes have no vital faith in God, His Word, nor in the necessity, efficacy, and advantages of prayer. Learn from this subject--1. Means may be used, but we must be careful not to abuse them. 2. The best of men do not always keep in the same gracious frame of mind. Compare 2 Chronicles 14:2 with the text, “ Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 3. The same sins that were prevalent in Asa’ s day are prevalent now. (H. Hollis.) Asa and the physicians I. It is interesting to notice who this sick person was. It was Asa, one of the kings of Judah. A king has no poverty to contend against; but--alike with his meanest subjects--he has sickness. Sickness is impartial, even as death. No luxury can materially soften it, no precaution can keep it away, no wealth can stay its course. What was Asa’ s course? He sought to the physicians. Surely he was, so far, right. It is thought that these physicians were charmers, bringers in of foreign superstitions, singers of useless incantations, and that herein lay Asa’ s wrong. The question does not relate to the kind of physician he went to, but only to the fact of his going. He did no wrong in seeking human help. We are never to give up at the first approach of sickness and wait for a special wonder of cure. It is not that he was wrong in seeking to the physicians, but very wrong in some other particulars.1. He did not seek to the Lord, without whom human physicians may vainly exercise their skill and talents. Neither will prayer dispense with medicine nor medicine with prayer. 2. Asa was a king. The inconsistency which, in an unknown subject, would provoke but little comment, grows serious in the life of royalty. We expect nobleness, manliness, and exemplary conduct from kings. Asa set a bad example to his subjects and was false to his royal order. Asa was also false to God, for he was head of the Church and yet dishonoured prayer. 3. Asa suffered his disease to make him unjust and irritable. He cast Hanani into prison for telling him God’ s holy will. 4. Asa belied a previous life of piety. One of his prayers in time of health, when marching against his numerous enemies, had been more inspiring than the most stirring war-cry or the most martial summons to certain victory. “ Lord! it is nothing to Thee to help, whether with many or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord, our God! for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against the multitude. O Lord, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee!” But now Asa was sick he forgot the trust he had formerly placed in the God of Israel. Sickness, more terrible than an army with banners, spoiled this king of his faith. II. The general lesson taught by sickness.1. Health is the gift of God. Many who are ready to acknowledge recovery to be so, and who gratefully thank God for it, forget that good health is a far greater blessing than recovery. 2. Health is a talent. What has been done with it? 3. Prepare for sickness by continuing mindful of its approach. 4. As regards our conduct to those who are sick. Asa was wrong, impatient, faithless; but the duty of his attendants and subjects was to hear with him. Sickness is trying. What seems like impatience to lookers-on would seem different were the places reversed. 5. The great lesson of all--a lesson of avoidance from Asa’ s fault--is to commit ourselves to the care of God; to seek, if able, to earthly physicians; but to seek with brighter hopes and fuller certainty to the Great Healer Himself (S..B. James, M.A.) Retribution From the theological standpoint of the chronicler’ s school, these invidious records of the sins of good kings were necessary in order to account for their misfortunes. That sin was always punished by complete, immediate, and manifest retribution in this life, and that conversely all misfortune was the punishment of sin, was probably the most popular religious teaching in Israel from early days till the time of Christ. This doctrine of retribution was current among the Greeks. When the Spartan King Cleomenes committed suicide, the public mind in Greece at once inquired of what particular sin he had thus paid the penalty. When in the course of the Peloponnesian war the AEginetans were expelled from their island, this calamity was regarded as a punishment inflicted upon them because fifty years before they had dragged away and put to death a suppliant who had caught hold of the handle of the door of the temple of Demeter Theomophorus. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) The most serious punishments of sin These are not pain, ruin, disgrace. Their are the formation and confirmation of evil character. Herbert Spencer says “ that motion once set up along any line becomes itself a cause of subsequent motion along that line.” This is absolutely true in moral and spiritual dynamics: every wrong thought, feeling, word, or act, every failure to think, feel, speak, or act rightly, at once alters a man’ s character for the worse. Henceforth he will find it easier to sin and more difficult to do right; he has twisted another strand into the cord of habit; and though each may be as fine as a spider’ s web, in time there will be cords strong enough to have bound Samson before Delilah shaved off his seven locks. This is the true punishment of sin: to lose the fine instincts, the generous impulses, and the nobler ambitions of manhood, and become every day more of a beast and a devil. (W. H. Bennett, M. A.) Our disinclination to rely upon God only Some years ago my wife and I were walking through the streets of Boston, having recently left our place of residence and living in a flat. My wife was without a servant; the summer was unusually hot even for our country, and the task of preparing the meals for the family was a grievance. Like a good husband, I had great sympathy with my wife, and so I rose in the morning and fit the fire. One day I saw a device advertised for cooking by oil, and after a little while I strained a large point, bought the stove, and brought it home in triumph. I said to my wife, “ You will not have to be roasted any more over that old kitchen range” ; but she was sceptical, as good wives are wont to be, and when I went in to see how the cooking was going on, I found a roaring fire in the old range as well, in case the new one would not work. I think we all want something to fall back upon, and like to have a roaring fire in the old range--to trust in our own efforts instead of relying on God. (G. F. Pentecost.) God left out of the calculation I knew a man who professed to love the Lord, and who really did so. He got into great difficulties, and racked his brain all night without avail for a way out of them. In the morning he went to the squire and the rector, and racked their brains about his troubles, but to no good effect. He then came to me, and asked me to pray with him about them, and my reply was, “ No, I will not; you have racked your own, the rector’ s, and the squire’ s brain, and now you wish to make Jesus only the fourth instead of first. I won’ t take any part in doing that.” He fell on his knees with such a beseeching look for forgiveness, and prayed, “ Oh, how could I forget Thee, Lord? Yet even now I come and ask guidance.” It is needless to say that the Lord graciously heard and answered, and gave him a triumphant issue out of all his troubles. (Christian Herald.) . 2 Chronicles 17:1-19 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead. The conditions of national prosperity This chapter shows-- I. That true religion is the basis of the State; and that wherever it prospers there the State prospers. II. That it is the wisdom of kings to encourage religion with all their power and influence. III. That a religious nation is ever a great nation. IV. That a religious nation is ever a peaceful and united nation. (A. Clarke, D. D.) Jehoshaphat I. His policy as a statesman.1. It was protective (2 Chronicles 17:1-2).2. It was wise.3. It was eminently patriotic. II. His character as a man.1. He was distinguished for true piety. (1) In his every-day life (2 Chronicles 17:3).(2) In his private devotions (2 Chronicles 17:3-4).(3) In his obedience to God (2 Chronicles 17:4). 2. The inspiration of his heart came from the consciousness of his obedience to God (2 Chronicles 17:6). III. His wisdom as a ruler.1. He removed temptation from his people (2 Chronicles 17:6).2. He provided for his people the highest means of good (2 Chronicles 17:7-9). (Metropolitan Pulpit.) Jehoshaphat’ s prosperity I. Its measure. Everything indicates that it was great and genuine. Not an element of true prosperity is wanting, whether we consider him individually or as identified with the realm. It involved--1. The safety of the kingdom.2. Wealth.3. Honour from abroad.4. The love and confidence of his own people. II. Its origin. This was partly natural, partly supernatural.1. Natural. (1) The roots of his prosperity lay largely in himself. He was a man of correct instincts and good convictions. A man of worth and weight of character. By these he won the love and secured the co-operation of his people. (2) He was wise in management. 2. Supernatural. “ The Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand.” It was a reward of piety. He honoured God, and God honoured and exalted him. Lessons: 1. The union of prudence and piety. Each is helpful to the other; neither is sufficient without the other. Prudence gives tone and practicality to piety; piety gives sweetness and mellowness to prudence. Piety alone tends to feebleness and inefficiency; prudence alone inclines to coldness and covetousness. United they round out the character in beauty and strength. 2. Reform through religion and law. Jehoshaphat united the civil and religious power in securing national reform. How necessary is this union in the great struggle with intemperance and other moral defilements. (Monday Club Sermons.) 2 Chronicles 17:2 And set garrisons in the laud of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim.Defences It is concerning Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, this is said. He was a good king (see 2 Chronicles 17:1-6). The one kingdom of Solomon was now disrupted into two. The northern kingdom, known as the kingdom of Israel, was specially given to idolatry, to Baal-worshipping. Along the somewhat irregular line separating the two kingdoms, Asa, the father of Jehoshaphat, had set fortified cities to resist the perpetual incursions of the Baal-worshipping northern kingdom. On coming to the throne, Jehoshaphat immediately saw that these fenced, fortified cities were in good repair, that their garrisons were strong. A young man I knew had charge of the woollen-room in a great wholesale house. His companion clerks were wild, roistering, dissipated, profane fellows. He was of necessity in the perpetual atmosphere of bad speech and profanity. It seemed to him sometimes very hard to withstand it all. What did he do? He did spiritually precisely what Jehoshaphat did physically: he stood his ground. He fortified and kept garrisoned his defences. Years afterward I saw that same man in high and prosperous place. He had won the confidence of his employers. Take you example of Jehoshaphat: place your fenced cities, set your garrisons. What sort of fortified and garrisoned cities ought we to set along the frontiers of our lives, that we may maintain them against encroaching evil? I. I think the fortified and garrisoned city of a distinct plan for life. What do I propose to do with my life? That ought to be a question clearly conceived, and distinctly answered by every one of us. I have certain resources--time, talent, education, moral consciousness, etc. All sorts of sudden contingencies spring up in experience. All sorts of moral questions constantly occur. Shall I do this or that? Shall I enter into this or that business? Shall I allow myself in this or that pleasure, indulgence? They are at once met and, decided by the simple presence of the plan. This is Christ’ s suggestion of moral plan: “ Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” II. I think there ought to be such city, fortified and garrisoned, of an ennobling love. Jehoshaphat loved Jehovah better than the Baalim, therefore he could stand out against the Baalim. A high, pure love can always hold out against lower ones. The highest, holiest love is that for Christ. III. I think there ought to be such city, fortified and garrisoned, of quick volition. Temporising, to save oneself from brave and instant choice of the right, is useless. It breaks down defences, scatters garrisons. In Thomas Carlyle’ s “ Sartor Resartus” there is a very wonderful chapter on the “ Everlasting No.” There is a place where this “ everlasting no” ought, even thunderously, to be uttered. That place is precisely where the tempting, urgent wrong begins to solicit. IV. I think there ought to be such city, fortified and garrisoned, of the daily prayer. (W. Hoyt, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord.Encouragement in the ways of the Lord I. The ways of the Lord are divine. Are His ways cold and unpleasant? H we descend a deep coal-pit and look up the shaft into the bright sky, we see the stars, but the pit is cold and dark. So men think that when they commune with God, it is like being in a coal-pit beholding a star; it is a beautiful sight, but makes one cold and unpleasant. Is this the truth? No; the Bible describes God’ s people as having melody in their hearts, and one of His sweetest names is “ The happy God.” Some people are afraid of becoming religious, lest they should be miserable; but they mistake the God in whose breast there is an ever-flowing heaven. The man who the most loves God is the happiest in disposition and the most cheerful as well as the most graceful in life. II. His ways are also humane; they constrain us to love our suffering fellow-man, when he can do us no good but when we can do him good. (W. Birch.) Jehoshaphat I. Some men when, like jehoshaphat, they have riches and honour in abundance, have their hearts lifted up, but not in the ways of the Lord. The natural tendency of such circumstances is to create and foster a spirit of pride, of self-sufficiency, and of independence. How necessary the warning (Deuteronomy 8:11-14). Nebuchadnezzar is a striking exemplification of this. II. Some men whose hearts are not lifted up are in the ways of the Lord. They are real Christians, but doubting, desponding Christians. III. Some men have their hearts lifted up, like Jehoshaphat, in the ways of the Lord. They “ rejoice in the Lord alway.” (R. Harley.) 2 Chronicles 17:8 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat.The great companionship I. Jehoshaphat secured the great companionship by following true example. “ Because he walked in the first ways of David his father.” Beautiful those first ways of David. Turn to the eighteenth Psalm, which David sang in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. These first ways of David were ways of love to God (2 Chronicles 17:1) of trust in God (2 Chronicles 17:2); of prayer to God (2 Chronicles 17:3); of strength in God (verse 29) of thanks to God (verses 49, 50). But the later ways of David--the ways concerning Bathsheba, etc., Jehoshaphat would not walk in. This matter of true example for the ways of life is a great thing. Such following will surely lead us into the great companionship of God. II. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat; he secured the great companionship by standing out against the evil spirit of his time. “ And sought not unto the Baalim.” The Baalim represented the popular religious tendency. III. And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat; he secured the great companionship by right affection. “ But sought to the God of his father.” Do not imagine the set of the supreme affection a light matter And when our heart supremely sets towards God, God answers with companionship. IV. And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat; he secured the great companionship by right practice. “ And walked in His commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.” Jehoshaphat did not mean about it, and dream about it, and think about it; he vigorously did it. Do not imagine that inward and sentimental intention which never finds expression in corresponding action amounts to anything. What vigorous volition and right practise sound in that “ walked” ! Man is three things--intellect, affection, will. Jehoshaphat turned these three toward God. Intellectually, he recognised Jehovah as God, not the Baalim; affectionately, he sought to God; volitionally, he practised for God. What wonder he was wrapped about with the great companionship? (Homiletic Review.) Because he walked in the first ways of his father David.--The first ways of David 1. We have here a pattern and a warning. It is an eulogy heightened by a limitation. The merit of the copy is advanced at the expense of the pattern. It is intimated that David’ s first ways were his best ways. This is in contradiction of the true order of the spiritual life. A retrograde motion in it is a violation of its nature and a frustration of its intent. Deterioration in goodness is a disease and an anomaly. 2. Notice the impartiality and candour which characterise the accounts of good men in Scripture. The Bible has no human idols. Fault and virtue it sets forth with equal distinctness and prominence. Herein it shows itself Divine. The Bible in its way of dealing with the lives and characters of men, almost as much as in anything, bespeaks itself the voice of God. 3. The change in David’ s spiritual course was connected with an equally marked change in his outward condition. 4. See here the danger of prosperity. 5. We infer that men are not to be our patterns, but only “ the man Christ Jesus.” Him alone we can look up to with unqualified admiration. 6. Let us always be looking out for the symptoms and beginnings of spiritual decline. (R. A. Hallam, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 17:16 Who willingly offered himself unto the Lord. Wanted, volunteers I. Amasiah made it his life-work to serve the Lord. This service is--1. Reasonable.2. Honourable.3. Remunerative.4. Safe. II. Amasiah was a ready volunteer.1. He needed no pressing.2. He needed no hunting out.3. He needed no looking after.4. He needed no leader. III. Amasiah offered HIMSELF to the Lord.1. He made no reserve as to what he had.2. He made no reserve as to what he did.3. He made no reserve as to when it should be.4. He made no reserve as to how that service should be rendered. IV. When Amasiah willingly offered himself unto the Lord, he did this in a secular calling.1. He did not stipulate to be a prophet.2. His was a difficult calling.3. He rose to eminence in it.4. He left an honourable record. V. Amasiah not only served the Lord himself, but he is an example to others.1. To the young.2. To men of position.3. To men who are rising in the world. (C. H. Spurgeon.) . 2 Chronicles 18:4-34 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to-day.Divine truth and its typical reception Here are four types of human conduct in relation to Divine truth. I. Those who seek the truth. Micaiah believed in its existence, prayed for its teaching, and determined to follow its leading. II. Those who are opposed to the truth. The priests assumed to be its only depositaries, denied the claims of others, ridiculed and opposed its representative. None so slow to believe in a Divine Spirit as those accustomed to speak Divine words, but in whose hearts is no Divine life. III. Those who believe yet disobey the truth. Jehoshaphat believed the prophet Micaiah, mildly defended his character, yet would not withdraw from Ahab. IV. Those who are alarmed at truth. Ahab roused in conscience, afraid of results, and tried to escape by stratagem. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 18:6-7 There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him. Micaiah the son of Imla Jehoshaphat’ s is the wise and reverent question to ask, amid the illusions of every fashionable opinion, amid all smooth and flattering promises. It marks the devout habit of looking behind the outward show and of searching every matter to its depths in the fear of God. Let us notice the frame of mind revealed in Ahab’ s reply. I. Note the significance of that one obdurate voice, rising clearly above the four hundred unanimous in their approval.1. That is a voice which we hear again and again in our life; we hear it most loudly at special crises of our career. 2. When one solitary voice flatly contradicts the voice of a multitude, and contradicts it on matters of serious moment--which voice are we to believe? Sometimes the question is practically decided, as in Ahab’ s case, by the mood with which we come to think of the unsilenced prophet. “ I hate him.” (1) That tribute of hatred sprang from Ahab’ s conscience. It is the precise method by which weak and cruel men are wont to confess that not the man, but the message has found them out. (2) Notice also Ahab’ s device for suppressing an unwelcome truth. II. This narrative symbolises man’ s frequent attitude towards the truth. It is a test case.1. Young men and women starting in life with abundant promise, amid the acclamation of hosts of friends, you may be irritated by perhaps one grim, dissenting voice, critical, dissatisfied, implacable, which sadly challenges the place in this universe to which general opinion reads your title clear. Be very careful how you treat that voice! It may be the voice of an ignorant, envious, churlish man, but, on the other hand, it may be the voice of one who has pierced to the secret of your inner life, and who, if you would only listen, might spare you an idle journey, might rescue you from misery and shame. 2. Again, there are books or teachers whom we have to deal with, and who sadly irritate us, and we say, like Marguerite to Faust, but often, alas, without her simplicity: “ Thou art not a Christian.” Let us patiently ask: are we really angry in the name of the Lord of hosts? or, are we angry because these books or voices spoil our own theories, wound our prejudices, smile at our favourite catch-words, wither our ideas of success, and are, in the name of the Truth of God, relentless amid our flatterers? Do they simply offend our self-love, and rebuke our calculated prudence? Let us be careful. These books and voices may be wrong; if so, their’ s the loss and the penalty. But, very often, conscience would tell us there is a possibility that they are right. 3. There is one solemn application of this incident which has, no doubt, occurred to us already. In every human heart disobedient to Christ, impenitent and unreconciled, there is a voice as of Micaiah the son of Imla; but it is really the voice of the Lord Himself, speaking to that heart, amid all its distractions and its earthly pleasures, the message of evil and not of good. And men may come to chafe so angrily under that patient, ever-haunting warning, and appeal, that finally they may cry: “ I hate it, I hate it!” If that be so, remember Ahab’ s doom. (T. Rhys Evans.) Virtues necessary far religious warkers Close sympathy with his kind, personal lowliness, self-suppression pushed even to pathetic extremes, unshakable loyalty to the teaching of the Spirit of God, and calm indifference to fashionable moods of flattery or disapproval--these are virtues necessary to every religious worker. If he deferentially consults the noble of this world what message he may utter; if he asks the man of affairs, whose difficult lifo reminds him always, not only of Jacob’ s wrestling, but also of Jacob’ s subtlety, and who is fiercely tempted to give his vote for a gospel of compromise; if he asks the poor and becomes spokesman, not of their wrongs, but of a maddened despair which does not represent their truer self, he passes from the side of Micaiah to that of the four hundred. (T. Rhys Evans) The faithful prophet I. The estimation in which he was held. “ I hate him.” Hatred, inveterate and strong, often the reward of fidelity. Am I then become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” II. The stand which he takes (2 Chronicles 18:13).1. Dependence upon God.2. Expectation of God’ s help (Matthew 10:18-19).3. Determination to utter God’ s Word. III. The pleas urged to move from this stand.1. The opinion of the majority.2. The difficulty of judging who is right. “ Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee?”3. The employment of physical force. (J. Wolfendale.) Hated for the truth’ s sake I. What an appalling illustration is this of the fact that men love to be flattered and encouraged even at the expense of everything holy and true. “ A wonderful and horrible thing is come to pass in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so.” II. What a vivid illustration is this of the sublime function of an incorruptible truth-teller! This is not Micaiah’ s first appearance before the king. He had established his reputation as a God-fearing and truth-speaking man, and Ahab’ s denunciation was in reality Micaiah’ s highest praise.1. No wicked man should be quite easy in the sanctuary.2. Do you suppose that it is pleasant for a minister to be always opposing any man? 3. A man is not your enemy because he tells you the truth. Opposition will come. (J. Parker, D.D.) Truth awakens enmity As the Turk taunted some Christians at Constantinople, who said that they came thither to suffer for the truth, telling them that they needed not to have come so far for that; for had they but told the truth at home, they could not have missed suffering for it. Telling truth needs not travel far for enmity; enmity will encounter it at home, wheresoever it be. Hence is that definition that Luther made of preaching, “Proedicare nihil eat quam derivare in se furorem,” etc.--that to preach, and preach home, as he did, was nothing else but to stir up the furies of hell about their ears. (J. Spencer.) Ministers not to accommodate their message to the likings of men Suppose a number of persons were to call on a minister on the Sabbath-day morning, and being admitted into his study, one of them should say to him, “ I hope, sir, you do not mean to-day to be severe against avarice, for I love money, and my heart goes after my covetousness.” Suppose another should say, “ I trust you will not be severe against backbiting, for my tongue walketh with slanderers, and I consider scandal to be the seasoning of all conversation.” Suppose another should say, “ Do not represent implacability as being inconsistent,, with Divine goodness, for I never did” forgive such an one, and I never will. And so of the rest. What would this minister say to these men? Why, if he were in a proper state of mind he would say, “ Oh, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (W. Jay.) 2 Chronicles 18:16 Then he said, I see all Israel scattered.The prophetic visions Micaiah declared the visions revealed to him by the Spirit of God. I. The sheepherdless people. II. The parabolic providence.1. A picture of God’ s supremacy.2. An insight into supernatural ministry. “ All the host of heaven” ready to serve. 3. An interpretation of the events of history. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 18:25-27 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah.Ahab and Micaiah; or the false and true in character I. The power of the popular voice. We see the multitude accommodating itself to the wishes of the king. How easy and how congenial it is to human nature to float with the tide. As a rule it pays best to suffer yourself to be carried along by the current. Light things and feeble things can travel this way with small demand on strength and skill. But dead things and all manner of refuse go this way, too. There is something to be feared in a great popular cry. I have heard men say that they dreaded a crowd as much as they did a contagion. If men had as wholesome a fear of going with the stream because it is the stream, society would be healthier. “ Everybody” is a fearful tyrant. II. Here is one man opposed to the popular sentiment. He valued truth. Of Micaiah it may be said, as it was of another more illustrious, “ Of the people there were none with him.” He esteemed truth to be more precious than gold or any other earthly consideration. He was a hero of no common mould. Men are often misunderstood by those who should know them best. III. Men of such moral heroism have often to suffer for them principles. Suffering for conscience sake is not yet obsolete. IV. Such men as Micaiah are morally brave and heroic because they are men of prayer. We are apt to take low views of the nature of prayer. It is more than simply an appointed means of telling God our wants, and of beseeching Him to supply. It is “ waiting upon God “ as a personal attendant waits upon his master with whom he converses, and from whose lips he receives commands and instructions. It is more than that, it is communion, fellowship, interchange of thought and sentiment. We may go a step further, and say it is a union of kindred minds--the Divine so flowing into the human that it becomes transformed, that God’ s will and mind become its governing law. So life becomes one great connected prayer. A man who understands and enjoys this is one of the strongest and bravest of men. Stephen was such a man of prayer. A man of prayer is prepared to do deeds of holy heroism which put to the blush the vaunted deeds of chivalry. V. A consciousness of moral weakness is closely allied to moral cowardice. Without a scruple Ahab put the life of Jehoshaphat in jeopardy to save his own. “ Conscience makes cowards of us all.” What a noble tribute was that which was paid to Havelock and his pious soldiers more than once during the Indian Mutiny! When our army was hard pressed, or some specially perilous work had to be done, the command was given, “ Call out Havelock and his praying men; if this work can be done at all, they are the men to do it.” VI. Retribution sometimes overtakes men in this life, Ahab was left alone to pursue his course of hardened folly until he was ripe for retribution; then God met him and ignominiously closed his career. (J. T. Higgins.) 2 Chronicles 18:33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture.The venturous aim Now I would have you notice particularly the words: “ A certain man drew a bow at a venture.” We take it that this was no distinguished warrior among the army of the Syrians, but simply one of the ordinary archers. He little thought that to him was the task committed of slaying the enemy of God and the king of His own nation. “ At a venture” he drew his bow, or, in the words of the Revised Version, as given in the margin, “ In his simplicity” --that is, never supposing at whom he was aiming the dart. We may be for year after year fighting the Lord’ s battles, and seeking after some offender above other offenders, some Ahab in disguise; but our efforts shall in the end be rewarded with success--we may have mistaken some conspicuous fault as manifest as were the gorgeous robes of Jehoshaphat for the sin that doth so easily beset, bringing a host of others in its train; but at length God’ s Spirit shall guide our words to the weak place in that soul’ s armour. Some word spoken with no special purpose, perhaps in season, perhaps out of season, shall open the wound that means death to that besetting sin. But if what we have said applies to the case of those individual souls, the same rule holds good also as regards our pulpit ministrations. When we preach the Word we do not know who may be present before us; probably many faces are familiar to us, but we cannot see the inmost soul; we know not what has passed in the life of any single person since last we spoke. Therefore, to a great extent, our bow must be ever drawn at a venture. (J. Nepleton.) A bow drawn at a venture Mr. Spurgeon was wont to relate the following striking cases of drawing the bow at a venture: “ I supposed the case of a young man who had got into fast company, and once there meant to have his fling unfettered; so was on the eve of starting to India, in order to escape the restraint of a godly, widowed mother’ s influence. I pointed to him, and pleaded with him to retrace his steps ere yet he had broken his praying mother’ s heart. At the close of the Monday evening prayer-meeting a young man was shown into my room by William Olney. As soon as alone with me he wished to know who had informed me as to his movements. He could scarcely believe me when I told him I had received no information concerning him, and did not even know his name. The same week, after the Thursday evening service, another young man wished to see me alone; wanted to know who had been telling me about him. I asked, What about him? About his fast life, and his intention to leave the country and escape his praying mother’ s influence? He had been very distressed ever since. I pointed him out and appealed to him on Sunday evening; he wished to see me about it, but could not come on Monday evening as he had intended. ‘ But,’ said he, ‘ there is one mistake you made, Mr. Spurgeon; you told the people I was going to India, and it is China I am booked for.’” Gospel archery I. The hearts of the unsaved are encased in harness.1. Indifference.2. Pleasure.3. Worldliness.4. Religious formality. II. Having these hearts for a mark, the gospel bow must be drawn. At some must be shot the arrows of--1. Divine goodness.2. Divine threatenings.3. Divine love. (R. Berry.) . 2 Chronicles 19:1-9 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat’ s declension and recovery I. God makes a difference between a backslidden child and an apostate.1. He preserves the life of the child (2 Chronicles 19:1).2. God reproves in grace His backslidden child (2 Chronicles 19:2-3).3. God commends His backslidden child for the good he has done. II. Jehoshaphat exemplifies the true spirit in which we should receive Divine reproof.1. He received the Divine reproof without resentment and with real contrition for his sin.2. He sought to make amends for past misconduct by greater personal efforts to promote the spiritual interests of his people. III. Jehoshaphat lays down rules for the judges of the people which are applicable and essential to our own times.1. That a true judge must have reference to God in his decisions (2 Chronicles 19:6).2. That a true judge should be a real Christian (2 Chronicles 19:7). Lessons:1. Unholy alliances are fraught with the greatest danger to every child of God.2. In his backslidden state the child of God should at once heed God’ s warning and reproof through His servants.3. God requires personal efforts for the promotion of His cause from the rich as well as poor; from those in the highest positions of State as well as from the obscure and lowly. (D. C. Hughes.) Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Entangling alliances I. The friendship of wicked men one of the most dangerous temptations to which Christians are subject. Modern life in cities illustrates this with special force.1. The wealth of the world is largely in the hands of men who are not friends of Christ. 2. In many communities intelligence and culture are possessed mainly by the irreligious. 3. Interests of business sometimes create similar peril. 4. In a higher circle of life professional success often tempts young men of aspiring mind to ally themselves with those who love not God. II. While Christian principle requires no narrow or ascetic seclusion from the world, yet it forbids seeking worldly friendships and alliances for selfish ends and to the peril of religious usefulness and religious character. III. The irreligious friendships of religious men violate the ruling spirit of the Scriptures. IV. Entangling alliances with the world often involve immense sacrifice of Christian usefulness. V. Christian alliances with the wicked do not command the respect of the very man for whose favour they are formed. VI. Loving those that hate God inflicts a wound of great severity on the feelings of Jesus Christ. It is from Calvary that the voice comes to each in our solitude, “ Shouldest thou love them that hate the Lord?” (A. Phelps.) Jehoshaphat’ s connection with Ahab I. What is that intimacy with the ungodly which God forbids?1. An alliance with them.2. A conformity with them.3. An unnecessary association with them. II. Why is it so displeasing to God?1. On account of the state of mind it implies.2. On account of its pernicious tendency.3. On account of its Opposition to His revealed will. (J. Chapin.) Associating with the ungodly It is told of a sweet-voiced canary that it forgot how to sing by having its cage hung outside where it was constantly surrounded by sparrows. It gave up its once sweet notes and learned to chatter the meaningless, tuneless notes of the sparrow. The constant association with the Christless is apt to make our hearts grow Christless. Jehoshaphat; or the dangers of indecision I have to describe to you a man, not lost, but continually in danger of being lost; a man not wicked, but weak; a man possessing in his character much that was good, but allowing his goodness to be sullied by approach to evil and evil men. I have to show you how one ill-considered step, in the earlier part of his career, embarrassed his whole reign. Affinity with Ahab’ s family affected more or less the whole life of Jehoshaphat. This should make us cautious. I. In such serious matters as forming family connections, or partnerships in business. II. In what appear minor things. Observe the man who is over-persuaded to what he believes to be evil; the man who consents to do what is wrong, and justifies himself by saying some good will come of it; the man who frequents the society of the vicious, yet believes that he can escape corruption; the man who enjoys the jest of the profane, yet supposes that his mind can retain its reverence for holy things; the man who is silent when he should declare openly his disapprobation of evil; the man who runs himself into temptation, yet trusts that God will find him a way out of it. All these persons do, in their measure and degree, expose themselves to danger--commit acts of indecision--take a step which may necessitate others, against which they may exert themselves in vain--impress a stain on their conscience which it may require years to efface--and plant on the soil of their souls a weed so vivacious, so self-spreading, so absorbent of moisture and nutriment, that by and by it may choke the growth of all Christian graces and virtues. (J. Hessey.) Nevertheless there are good things found in thee.--The stimulus of an encouraging word The Lord will analyse a man’ s disposition and a man’ s character, and will assign to him all that is due. What man is wholly bad? Surely in the very worst of men there are excellences, and it ought to be our delight to consider these, and where possible, with due regard to justice, to magnify them and to call the man’ s attention to them. A man may take heart when he sees some of his best points. Here is a lesson for parents, magistrates, and teachers and monitors of every name and position. Tell a boy that he has done something well. We are too much afraid of what is called flattery, forgetting that flattery is a lie; but we are called upon simply to state the truth, and to state it with affection and emphasis, that it may become an encouragement to hearts that are very easily cast down. (J. Parker, D.D.) Good and bad things in moral character Is a man whose character is good to the extent of six-sevenths to be pronounced a bad man? Is there not a spiritual arithmetic which looks into majorities and minorities of a moral kind? Will God, then, at last drive away from Him men who have had six good points out of seven? As business men, suppose a man be recommended to you in these terms: This man has seven qualities, and six of them are really admirable; the only thing about him is that you cannot trust him with money. Would you take him? Six points are good out of seven: will you go by the majority or by the minority? Another man is also good in six points, admirable; the only fault he has is that you cannot believe a word he says. Will you take him into your business? There is a minority greater than any majority can be. That is the doctrine which we have omitted when we have been criticising eternal providence and wondering about the issues of human action. Amongst ourselves it is right that we should say of one another, “ He is a good man take him on the whole.” But what is the meaning of the reservation? Is it a grace, a posture that may be taught by a hired master? Or is it a morality, the want of which turns the whole being into a bog on which you cannot rest with security? (J. Parker, D. D.) Jehu’ s commendation We may very well admit that the nearer we get to God and to His sunlight the more freely and fully we shall admit that there is no good thing to be found in us. But yet God sometimes allows His angels to say of a mortal man, “ There are good things in him,” without any frown of supreme displeasure. This should--1. Comfort us. Our good deeds are not useless, not forgotten. 2. Encourage us. If God speak so like an indulgent master to a trying servant, then we need not fear Him. We need dread no impatient frowns upon our insufficient strivings. 3. Humble us. We are perhaps not so good as Jehoshaphat. For his one backsliding ours, perhaps, are many. Lessons:1. Mutual forbearance. Let us not set down any of our neighbours as altogether bad. 2. Let us see that our good qualities are definite and discoverable. 3. Let us pray earnestly, agonisingly, that the good in us may overcome the evil. Evil must not for a moment be tolerated. Christ must reign. (S. B. James, M. A.) 2 Chronicles 19:5-11 And he set Judges in the land.Good government should be the result of piety in rulers Alfred the Great was a distinguished statesman and warrior, as well as zealous for true religion. St. Louis of France exercised a wise control over Church and State. On the other hand, Charlemagne’ s successor, the Emperor Louis the Pious, and our own Kings Edward the Confessor and the saintly Henry VI were alike feeble and inefficient; the zeal of the Spanish kings and their kinswoman, Mary Tudor, is chiefly remembered for its ghastly cruelty; and in comparatively modem times the misgovernment of the States of the Church was a byword throughout Europe. Many causes combined to produce this mingled record. The one most clearly contrary to the chronicler’ s teaching was an immoral opinion that the Christian should cease to be a citizen, and that the saint has no duties to society. This view is often considered to be the special vice of monasticism, but it reappears in one form or another in every generation. In our own day there are those who think that a newspaper should have no interest for a really earnest Christian. According to their ideas, Jehoshaphat should have divided his time between a private oratory in his palace and the public services of the temple, and have left his kingdom to the mercy of unjust judges at home and heathen enemies abroad, or else have abdicated in favour of some kinsmen whose heart was not so perfect with Jehovah. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) The origin and right of human judicature The administration is for the Lord. I. The power of the judgment is God’ s right. II. The matter of the judgment is God’ s cause. III. The issue of the judgment is God’ s end. “ Is with you in the judgment.” (Dean Young.) 2 Chronicles 19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Jehoshaphat reproved I. His sin. This was--1. Helping in an ungodly enterprise, against which the prophet had warned him. 2. Forming an alliance, of which the influence on himself, his family, and people could only be bad. It fills one with a kind of despair to see how, among those who profess to regard religion an all-important, friendships and alliances discussed and fixed without this ever coming into view. II. The rebuke which followed the king’ s sin. III. The king’ s repentance.1. He received reproof with meekness. 2. He kept aloof from occasions of fresh sin. 3. He did what he could to repair the wrong his example had done. IV. What made jehoshaphat so prompt to return to the right path when once he had left it? His deep sense of God and right appreciation of His character. “ Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.” Nothing so controllingly underlies what a man is and does as his cherished thoughts of God. (Monday Club Sermons.) 2 Chronicles 19:11 Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.The blessedness of the good I. Who are the good? The Scripture points out two things on this subject.1. The only way in which men become good--by faith in Christ and the consequent reception of the Holy Spirit to create us anew. 2. The principal ingredients of the goodness of the regenerate. (1) Integrity of character.(2) Benevolence of character.(3) Piety of character. II. The meaning of this declaration and how its truth is supported. “ The Lord shall be with the good.” This means that the Lord will be with them in the supply of His Spirit, in providing for them in providence, preserving them from trouble, supporting them in it, or delivering them out of it, and blessing others for their sakes. This truth is justified--1. From the purposes of God and the relation in which His people stand to Him.2. By the promises of Scripture.3. By all experience and by all history. Conclusion:1. He shall be with the good nationally if they act consistently and faithfully. 2. He shall be with them individually. Fear not that He will ever leave His work of grace unfinished in you. (J. Leifchild.) A tonic promise Explain what is meant by “ good.” The melancholy fact that all men are not good. The promise of the text justifies three inquiries.1. Why should the good be fearful? “ They that be with us,” etc.2. How can bad designs finally prevail?3. How are men to know that God is surely with them? The answer involves character: “ the good.” God identifies Himself with all that is good in thought as well as in act; in purpose as well as in service. Even when the godly man ceaseth God will maintain the cause that is “ good.” This promise, like all the promises of God, is designated not as a sedative, but a stimulant. Deal courageously! See how the text might have read: The Lord shall be with the good, therefore sit still; the Lord shall be with the good, therefore let wickedness have its own way in the world; the Lord shall be with the good, therefore pay no attention to self-discipline. The text reads contrariwise. The Lord is with the good, therefore deal courageously. Goodness is not to be merely passive--it is to be aggressive, defiant of all evil. (J. Parker, D. D.) Courage Probably few of us ever sufficiently consider the value and need of courage in order to any high condition of character. There are to be found in one of the letters of one of the most interesting men of modern times these words, “ How rare is it to have a friend who will defend you thoroughly and boldly! Mr. missed an opportunity of doing this for me, and has not the courage to do it now as he ought to do, leaving me in consequence defenceless against a slander, though I put the proof into his hands. How indispensable strength is for high goodness-strength moral or intellectual, neither depending necessarily on physical strength.” Many a man neglects to live a Christian life not because he lacks Christian sympathies, sentiments, and feelings, not even because he has no Christian ideas, but simply for lack of courage to put himself where he properly belongs. This lack of courage denotes, of course, either want of confidence in himself or want of depth of feeling as to religious truth, or fear of some man or men, which fear has too much influence over him to allow him to act conscientiously and in the line of his best sympathies.1. In speaking of courage let us recognise that there is animal courage as well as intellectual and moral courage. Animal courage is of the lowest kind. Oftentimes it is nothing more than bull-dog ferocity. It oftentimes makes men good soldiers, successful pugilists, stalwart seamen--even daring adventurers. Men may have it without any intellectual or moral courage. A little of it is good. An excess tends to brutality. This form of courage--the courage to take physical punishment without flinching--is of a kind which the most uncultured and unrefined can appreciate. It will always have an attraction for the coarse, undeveloped, and unrespectable classes of society. 2. Intellectual courage is of another order, and indicates a superior type of man. It means practically the ability to think for one’ s self, and to follow out one’ s thinkings to their inevitable conclusions. It is necessary, however, to guard this language. Taking opinions into one’ s mind is not thinking. There is a period in our life when we have more conceit than wisdom, and more independence than politeness. We say to ourselves and others that “ we mean to do our own thinking,” which often amounts to this--that we mean to assert ourselves as not agreeing with certain persons who are said to be narrow and exclusive, and agreeing with those who shake themselves free from everybody else except a few intellectual rakes and dandies. Alas, how silly it all seems when we get a little older! Then it appears to us that it was the want of ability to think which made us so impertinent and ridiculous. Of course all young birds have to learn to do their own flying, and, after rolling and tumbling about for awhile, they settle down to do it precisely after the fashion of the old birds. So, also, with thinking. From the beginning even until now it has been done in exactly the same way. The process has consisted of the discernments of comparisons and contrasts, likenesses and unlikenesses, of induction, deduction, and inference. Every man has to do his own thinking to some extent, as every man has to do his own sating and his own digesting. There is no possibility of any one eating our food for us, or digesting it for us. And no man can possibly begin at the beginning of things, and think out each problem of life as if no one had been on the earth before him. The present is so related to the past, as that the past is in it and the future is in it. Everything is in the present. We inherit the earth, not as it first came out from the hands of the Creator before man was on it, but as it is, modified by man’ s co-operation with God. So of everything--that which is moral and mental as well as that which is material. In each department of things there are men who have thinking power and erudition far, far beyond what is possible to us. In each department they are our helpers, our instructors; yes, our masters. That independence which we assume in youth is only ignorance, foolishness, unthinkingness. The greatest men the world has ever known have been the most receptive and dependent men; the most diligent students, the aptest learners. If I am to learn painting it would be folly indeed if I said, “ I am going to be independent of Murillo and Raphael, of Turner and Correggio and Rubens and all other artists who have gone before me.” So in music the man who thinks for himself and never appropriates the science of others is idiotic. So everywhere in all departments. Not less so in theology, the revelation of God and of man, and of the relation of the human to the Divine. If I set up on my own account, and did not open my mind to the thinkings of others, the name of “ Verdant Green” would be the only name that could fit me. I would have our younger people distinguish between two ideas which are very distinct, and yet are often confounded the one with the other--viz., thinking for one’ s self and cultivating a spirit of truth. The truth is that which corresponds to the fact. As a fact reports itself to your mind that is the truth for you. By and by as your mind grows it may report itself somewhat differently, then there will be something added to the original impression, and that will be the truth. Now, intellectual courage consists in this perfect truthfulness--this faithfulness to report what you see and recognise. It may sometimes put you in seeming inconsistency with yourself. It may subject you to being accused of inconsistency. But never mind. God does not ask us to be consistent--on that shallow view of consistency--but to be faithful and true. There is a deeper consistency--a nobler consistency. If I see a thing very partially in youth, because of the undeveloped condition of my mind, and see it more completely in manhood, because I have had more experience and more vision; if I truly say what I saw then and truly say what I see now, though I see now more than I saw then, am I not consistent--more nobly consistent--than I should be if I were afraid, under more experience, to contradict my former self? What is life for if not to educate us into deeper and larger views of truth? Only we must take good heed that they are deeper and larger. Many people change, but their change is not growth. Let us recognise that, in order to be assured of the leading of the Spirit of God into all truth, we must have intellectual courage--the courage to follow the truth wherever it leads and to own up to believing that it is the truth. Often it takes even sublime courage to do it. Every child ought to read the story of the martyrs of old. It is dreadful to think how little the religion of some of us means. The loss of the ability to grow deep-rooted convictions, and the loss of courage to be faithful in owning to them, is, wherever it occurs, a dreadful loss. It means the loss of that nobility of soul the possession of which is one of the surest marks of our being children of God. 3. But of all kinds of courage, moral courage is the noblest. Of course it enters into intellectual courage. The two are not distinct, and yet while intellectual courage implies thinking power and faithful following where the light seems to be, moral courage does not necessarily mean the courage of the crack thinker, but the courage of character; the courage which acts conscientiously in trying circumstances. For instance, the liar is always the coward. A man lies because he has not the courage to speak the truth and take the consequences. There is one exception to that rule. It is conceivable that a really truthful man might need courage to tell a lie which he thought would shelter a friend from injury or harm. My intellect may sometimes stand in contradiction to my conscience, “ but conscience is given me to act by. In matters of duty, therefore, I am bound to obey my conscience rather than my intellect.” Hence moral courage amounts pretty much to this--the steady, persistent following of the light which is in conscience. It involves, of course, the bringing of the conscience into the light, where it may be illuminated, for conscience is a light receiver, not a light originator. Courage, and much of it, is needed to act always and everywhere conscientiously. Intelligence is needed to distinguish between conscience and prejudice. Many a man assumes to be acting conscientiously when he is really acting only from prejudice and feeling. If he quietly took himself to task, he would recognise his true motive. Conscience represents God’ s judgment throne. The very fact that a man condemns himself in spite of his natural unwillingness to do it, proves that the voice of conscience is not his own voice. 4. But how are we to get the courage we need--intellectual courage to follow the truth wherever it leads, to utter it always in love, but to utter it; and the moral courage to obey conscience? Where did those apostles in the early Christian days get theirs? Few of them were more than average men. At the approach of calamity all the disciples forsook Jesus and fled. If there was an exception it was John. Peter disgraced himself pitifully. Yet within a few weeks we find men of such sublime courage that we hardly recognise them as the same men. Not Luther himself at the Diet of Worms, challenging the old ecclesiastical order of centuries, was braver. Not the Prince de Conde was braver as he stood before the King of France when given the choice of three things--first, to go to Mass; second, to die; third, to be imprisoned for life. He replied with regard to the first, “ I am fully determined never to go to Mass; as to the other two I am so perfectly indifferent that I leave the choice to your Majesty.” These are illustrations of the noble courage of noble men. They seem phenomenal and unusual. But there may be here amongst us men and women, yes, and children, capable of as determined a courage if put in similar circumstances. None of us can tell what we should do in any condition till we get there. It requires as much courage to suffer and be quiet and self-controlled as it does to act. Nothing is more admirable than the quiet domestic courage which many illustrate. I am inclined to adopt and endorse the words of one who has written, “ few persons have courage enough to appear as good as they really are.” That is the essence of moral courage. The religious life of business men is very shy and timid. There are men in this and every congregation who feel and believe more--far more--than they act. Sydney Smith has said that a great deal of talent is lost to the world for the want of a little courage. With more truth still we may say that a great deal of influence is lost to the Church for want of a little courage. I believe that few persons have the courage to appear as good as they really are. Courage is opposed to the spirit of compromise--the spirit of indolence--the spirit of silence when silence will be interpreted as consent on our part to what we do not believe. The spirit of fear, of indolence, of compromise, of guilty silence has to be overcome. How? The Spirit of God is granted to every seeking soul that the soul may overcome. (Reuen Thomas, D.D.) . 2 Chronicles 20:1 It came to pass.It came to pass “ It came to pass.” The phrase occurs again and again in the Old Testament. “ It came to pass after four hundred and thirty years that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt,” and, “ It came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp and played with his hand,” and so on. But has it ever occurred to you that the phrase is a very suitable one as describing the different events of earthly history and the varied phases of earthly experience? It hints not only that they happen, but that they are so soon over; they come, but they “ come to pass.” We do not always realise that, but it is always true. We are not conscious that the earth is moving round the sun, or that it is revolving daily on its axis, yet it is true. Summer and winter, day and night, do not cease, there is perpetual movement. I. All that comes to us here “ comes to pass,” nothing lasts very long, “ weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” It is true a Christian has an abiding joy, it is joy that springs from an inward life, but joys that are ours through happy circumstances, through successes, recoveries, attainments, meetings, of these it is as true as of their opposites that give us trouble, they “ come to pass.” Each period of life comes to pass. Childhood, how swiftly gone! Soon the soft limbs grow robust, the hair loses its flaxen tint; and youth, with its gaiety, novelty, and romance, it comes so quickly, but it “ comes to pass.” And, of course, this is equally true of all that we mean by the word “ opportunity.” Thomas a Kempis says, “ The wealth of both Indies cannot redeem one single opportunity which you have once let slip.” Every day as it passes takes with it in its hand the opportunities that we have slighted and refused to take. The feeling of irritation that you have under trying circumstances. Things have not gone as you wish. Things do go strangely sometimes. So much disappointment and trouble are caused by one screw being loose somewhere. Well, the thing has come, but remember, like everything else, it has “ come to pass.” Or it may be something much more serious than that. A reversal of fortune, the failure or death of one who, if not the sharer in your heart’ s affections was one whose presence and favour were of great value to you. That great crisis of yours came, but it “ came to pass.” God guided you into the wilderness that He might speak comfortably to you. The stormy night full of terrors brought the vision and the morning. But some may be reminding the speaker in the silence of their own thought, there are sorrows in life that come to stay. Yes, you may say, it is the greater griefs, the darker dispensations, that come but do not “ come to pass.” In proportion to the depth of the wound is its permanency. And yet, even in regard to the greater sorrows that come to us in life there is an example of that which the text expresses. Wounds heal, though the marks of them abide, and though in some cases, like Jacob after the night of wrestling, we halt upon our thigh, there is an assuaging influence in time; the intense grief, the sense of despair, the feeling that all has gone, that life has no recuperative power, and that there is nothing worth living for--of these feelings it is true they come, but they “ come to pass.” Is not this equally true of very opposite experiences? Though successes and the honours of the world may remain, yet the first feeling of elation and pride of attainment, these “ come to pass.” We get accustomed to success, it ceases to exhilarate, it no longer gives us satisfaction. II. Now having given, I trust, sufficient illustrations of this phase of life, of the constant flux of transitory things--they come, but they “ come to pass” --let us consider its religious significance. What does it teach us, how should it affect us?1. What an emphasis it lends to the fact of our own continuance, the continuity of the personal life through all the changes of time! How much has come to pass! Youth, marriage, parentage, maturity, the successive seasons and steps in life, have come to pass. Friends, and even the nearest and dearest of all, have come to pass. We ourselves have changed. There is not a physical atom of our bodies that belonged to us ten years ago; the gait, the expression, all have changed. But all that makes the continuity of the I, the fundamental elements of our humanity, the more striking. I am the same being that long years ago first spoke God’ s name at my mother’ s knee; the same being as when health gave vigour to the limbs and youth fresh beauty to the cheek; the same being who, once a prodigal son far from God, rioting in pleasure, then miserable in the consciousness of spiritual pauperism, came back unto the Father. The essence, the very constitution of man, is within, it is hidden, it is that which abides. Surely then there is nothing unreasonable in the faith that I may survive the last change of all? “ The world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 2. Then should not the fact that most, if not all, things only “ come to pass” have a moderating influence on passion? The things in life which we most regret are moments when we lose control of ourselves. Said Johnson to Boswell, when something had intensely irritated that inimitable biographer, “ Consider, sir, how insignificant this will appear six months hence.” Boswell’ s comment on relating it is, “ Were this consideration applied to most of the little vexations of life by which one’ s quiet is too often disturbed, it would prevent many painful sensations.” Exactly. There is a great argument for temperance in this text. “ It came to pass.” 3. Surely, too, this should affect our judgment as well as our feelings. Permanency must be a factor in judgment. Should it not guide us to choose and cherish the good that abides, the better part that cannot be taken away from us? Character is an abiding thing; the evil effects as well as the good effects are lasting, but the pleasure only comes to pass; no one can enjoy the pleasures of sin more than for a season, but “ he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” Surely, too, this should affect our judgment of movements of thought and taste, schemes that men devise for benefiting the race, will they last? Are they only a passing phase, a fashionable craze, a novelty, attractive because it is new? Here they are, they have come; wait a little, and you will see that they have only “ come to pass.” The Word of God abides, the Christ the Sun of Righteousness is still the sun of the moral world. The Bible has been attacked ever since there was a Bible. (R. Baldwin Brindley.) 2 Chronicles 20:3 And proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.Objections to fasting answered (on the occasion of a public fast):--A fast may be defined to be a voluntary abstinence from food, as a token of our humiliation before God. Objections--1. There may be this outward mark of repentance without any real sorrow for sin. Answer--The outward expression then becomes a mockery. 2. A public fast has the appearance of ostentation. Answer--If you alone were to keep the fast, it might aver the appearance of ostentation, but in the case of public fasting, it becomes a duty not only really to fast, but to show openly your compliance with a prescribed service, and gladly to embrace the opportunity of humbling yourselves before God. 3. If we feel repentance in our hearts, God, who sees our hearts, does not require to be informed of it by any external expression. Answer--The same may be said of prayer and also of all the means of grace which God has appointed. 4. Why should fasting in particular be selected as an external mark of humiliation. Answer-- (1) Fasting has always been the public token of humility, and this in heathen nations as well as amongst Jews and Christians. (2) It was enjoined of God upon the Jews. (3) It was practised by our Saviour and His disciples; and recommended by them to the world. (4) It has all the qualities that might reasonably be expected in an external act of humiliation. (a) It is a duty easily practised. (b) Requiring no apparatus. (c) Connected with no expense. (d) Simple in its own nature. (e) Equally adapted to all ranks, climates, and places. (f) It involves an act of self-denial. (g) It is an act connected with the mortification of those very appetites whence many of the sins for which we thus humble ourselves proceed. 5. Fasting may disorder a person of weak health, and thus indispose him even for the service of the day. Answer--The spirit of the Christian system, insists only on the principle, and leaves the application of it to the case and conscience of the worshipper. 6. A public command to fast is a species of compulsion, and therefore inconsistent with the notion of a voluntary act of humiliation. Answer--All that is done by the command of the Government is, to render that convenient which might otherwise be very inconvenient, and that practicable which might be otherwise impracticable. 7. It is unreasonable to expect the poor to give up a day’ s labour, and to abridge their diet who scarcely ever enjoy a full meal. Answer--It is a voluntary sacrifice: God enjoins no man to make it who is unwilling. No man will really be a loser by serving God. (J. Venn, M. A.) 2 Chronicles 20:5-13 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah. Man’ s extremity is God’ s opportunity I. That in the discipline of life we should expect dangers and extremities. To know other resources we must learn the weakness of our own. II. That in these dangers and extremities God has many ways of deliverance. Human agency but a small part of holy ministry. Birds and beasts, insects, elements of Nature, and hosts of angels under His command. Hence the folly of proscribing, measuring, or limiting in God’ s work. III. That in all dangers and extremities of life we should look to God for help. (J. Wolfendale.) If, when evil cometh upon us. The cause of famine and our duty I. What is the cause of famine?1. Dishonour of God (Ezekiel 14:13).2. Blasphemy (Jeremiah 23:10).3. Sabbath-breaking (Isaiah 58:13-14).4. Contempt of God’ s Word (Revelation 22:18-19). II. What should be our duty when God sends a famine upon the land?1. Humbling ourselves before Him in prayer.2. Showing kindness to our neighbours (Psalms 41:1-2). (Charles A. Maguire, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 20:12 For we have no might against this great company. Embarrassment I. There are embarrassments concerning our country. II. Many good men and women are often greatly embarrassed about the divine inspiration of every sentence in the Bible. III. Some of us are at times much embarrassed by the circumstances of life. Like a man who looks out of a railway carriage at night and sees nothing, so some of us often look towards to-morrow and see no light. This fear of to-morrow is the wet-blanket of the Christian’ s life. Act rightly now; do your duty to-day, and never mind to-morrow. (W. Birch.) Moral courage I. There are often terrible crises in men’ s lives when moral courage is required. Most men are brought at times to a crisis when they are ready to exclaim, “ We know not what to do.”1. In the course of secular work. A great company of worldly anxieties.2. In the course of personal moral culture. Old habits, lusts, propensities.3. In the process of philanthropic labour. II. The only source of true moral courage is trust in God. To trust Him is to trust--1. Love.2. Wisdom equal to every emergency.3. Power that can make the weakest mighty. (Homilist.) The helpless Church and the mighty God I want to take this as a text to preach the experience of the people of God. I. An appropriation of God. “ O our God.” II. The enemy to be judged. “ Wilt Thou not judge them?” The Christian has many enemies, internal, external, and infernal, but self is the greatest enemy the people of God have. Self must be brought under judgment. III. The sinner’ s powerlessness. “ We have no might.” We are spiritual insolvents. Perfect poverty: all true disciples of Christ must be brought into this state. Like Mary, we have nothing to pay, according to Christ’ s parable, and yet we are pardoned. That is the gospel. IV. The church’ s perplexity. “ Neither know we what to do.” This is often the condition of the Church. V. Faith’ s invigorating look. “ But our eyes are upon Thee.” (J. J. West, M.A.) Jehoshaphat, face to face with one of life’ s great emergencies, our model Say we not well, that prayer is a model for presidents, princes, kings, and rulers for all time? But it has wider applications. The King of Judah is confronted by a great and startling peril;--what does he do? I. Let us rather mark what he does not do.1. He does not underestimate his danger. There are some men who think it wisdom to pooh-pooh a difficulty. Jehoshaphat is not one of them. He is at the farthest remove from foolhardiness or a rash contempt of the impending peril. The men who under-estimate risks are not the wise men or the safe men, morally, politically, or spiritually. There are many of this easy-going--if you please, buoyant--disposition who decline to look probable defeat or disaster in the face. They deprecate your fears, advise you to trust to luck, to go on and take the chances with a stout heart. They are willing to do it in politics, suffering the Ship of State to take her chances among the unknown shoals and rocks! They do it in religion. They discount heavily the Divine requirements, the Divine warnings, the Divine hatred of sin, the tremendous Divine penalties pronounced upon it; for them these all mean nothing or very little. 2. So neither did Jehoshaphat over-estimate them. His was no panic fright. Seen through the atmosphere of our fears, a man may become a monster. The King of Judah certainly discerned the danger and appreciated it to the full, but his brave and trustful spirit was as far as possible removed from panic, desperation, or despair. Jehoshaphat, confronted by a danger which seemed certainly to insure the ruin of his throne and kingdom, declines to regard the case as by any means hopeless, refuses to believe that the Lord’ s arm is shortened that it cannot save, or His ear heavy that it cannot hear. Who says Moab and Ammon are stronger than God? Any peril is over-estimated of which men cry: “ There is no help for him in his God!” 3. Again, if Jehoshaphat does not underestimate or over-estimate his dangers, so neither does he place any false reliance upon human power--his resources, his aids, or himself. Some men trust God when they are bereft of every other ground of confidence, but not till then. They brave it out till ruin stares them in the face, and then run to cover. Not so Jehoshaphat. The nation had scarcely known a more prosperous and potent reign than his. He had a great army at his command, and, it would appear from the record (2 Chronicles 17:12-19), could bring upward of a million of men into the field, a drilled and organised militia capable of effective service in emergency. Many a man in his position, and with such military and national resources behind him, would have given God altogether the go-by, and chosen, like Napoleon Bonaparte, to trust in the heaviest battalions. II. Turning from this negative to a positive view, we ask, then what did he do? Where was his real confidence? If ever there was a man who offered effective and ample illustration of the Psalmist’ s words--“ Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” --that man was Jehoshaphat of Judah. What then did he do? He turned to God! And observe how he did this.1. It was publicly done. The King of Judah made no secret of his dependence on the King of kings. “ He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” --“ And out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord” --“ And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, and their wives, and their children.” --“ And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, and said.” What announcement of national and personal need and reliance upon Jehovah could be more distinctly open and unreserved than this? 2. And it was as humble and self-renouncing as it was public in its character. National grief is an affecting spectacle. You have it here: “ All Judah, their little ones, their wives, their children, stood before the Lord.” While speaking in their name, Jehoshaphat exclaimed: “ O our God we have no might against this great company, neither know we what to do.” Lowly-mindedness and self-abasement in a whole people, as certainly as in a man, goes far to secure--as truly as it solicits--the Divine favour. 3. Jehoshaphat’ s plea for Judah was further marked by an unreserving trust in God. With Jehoshaphat Jehovah is all and enough. “ Art not Thou God in heaven, and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee?” Never a thought here of limitation, or weakness in Him; never a suspicion that He is unable or unwilling to rescue those that trust in Him to the uttermost. No association of His name with any other. He is not to be a helper, a partner, a contributor. He is to be all, to do all! The royal, the national reliance on Jehovah is entire. 4. This brings us to note finally that Jehoshaphat’ s plea is marked by the fullest recognition of the Divine Sovereignty and Providence. A writer, quoted in one of our leading weeklies, says that, “ No secular history would be read in our schools to-day or in the schools of any enlightened community in which the fortunes of nations were represented as controlled by special Divine intervention.” The man who wrote that sentence would, we fancy, have been treated with rather scant courtesy if he had chanced in the court of Jehoshaphat. 5. More than this, the King of Judah appeals to the Covenant. Now God loves to be plied with His own promises and reminded of the gracious relations He occupies to us. The Psalmist founded a claim to Divine help and mercy upon the ground of a godly parentage: “ O Lord, I am the son of Thine handmaid.” Our best resource, our true “ help,” is not in alliances, in circumstances, in capacities, in luck, in others, in ourselves, but ever and only “ in the name of the Lord.” (W. T. Sabine, D.D.) Leaving the vote with God Sir Fowell Buxton, who shared with Wilberforce the labours which secured the emancipation of the slaves in the West Indies, ascribed their triumph directly to the power of prayer. Writing to his daughter when all was over, he said, “ I firmly believe that prayer was the cause of that division” (vote in the House of Commons. “ You know how we waited upon God for guidance, with these words in our hearts, ‘ O our God, we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee’ ; and the answer, ‘ Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.’ You will find the whole story in 2 Chronicles 20:1-37. Turn to my Bible; it will open of itself to the place. We had no preconceived plan; the course we took appeared to be the right one, and we followed it blindly.” 2 Chronicles 20:15 For the battle is not your’ s, but God’ s. Victory the gift of God I. Let us remember the great truth enunciated here, and let us in all thankfulness address our tribute of praise to God for the success wherewith He has crowned our exertions. II. Let us never forget that war must always be considered as a judgment, however it may, in answer to a nation’ s prayers, be accompanied with victory. (J. Bainbridge Smith, M.A.) God in battle This battle was-- I. A committed thing to God. The course of events was committed by a specific act to God; and Jehoshaphat and Judah stood in expectation of what He would do. Solemn acts of committal are of great importance in our spiritual life. If we have a bad habit to fight with, or a temper or special temptation to overcome; or if we have to deal with some wayward spirit; or if we want to attain to some grace, or even to do something that is too hard for our own strength, but which lies before us in the path of duty, let each of these be “ committed things.” II. An accepted thing by Him. God espoused Jehoshaphat’ s cause: “ The battle is not yours.” When we commit matters to God and He accepts them, we may see them in new lights altogether. We often do so, and wonder that we were so blind before. But we need not wonder. The light came in with God. When matters seem very dark to us, let us be fully assured that they are capable of being lit up.1. “ Not yours!” Why not? Because another interest had come in. In one respect the battle is always ours, inasmuch as we are the persons to reap all the substantial benefits, but in another it is God’ s; He has interests as well as we. In our trial time, we must view Him as an interested God. 2. How was it not to be theirs? Just by God acting in the matter in His own way. We seem at times more as though we wished God to follow our leadings than that we should follow His. God will lead us by ways which we know not. We have to learn the double lesson of the insufficiency of known ways and the all-sufficiency of unknown. God has continually to teach us the last through the first. By taking the battle out of their hands, God severed Jehoshaphat and Judah from the depressing thoughts of the results being affected by their weakness. Conclusion: Consider Christ, who “ committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously,” and Paul, who said, “ I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” (P. B. Power, M. A.) The Divine victory I. These words imply that the cause is the cause of God. While the Christian life is undoubtedly a personal matter, it is well to look away from our interest and remember that God’ s cause is chiefly concerned in the conflict of life.1. Individually. The Divine ideal for each man is the perfection of each man’ s character, and therefore he makes the successful prosecution of the warfare for this end his own. 2. What is true of the individual is also true of the race. A redeemed and regenerated world is the idea of God. Our conflict, therefore, for these ends against the evil of sin and the corruption of the world is a battle of God. II. These words imply that the method of victory is Divine. If the cause is God’ s, the forces we employ and the mode of our warfare must also be His. The Koran might be accompanied with the sword, but not the gospel. Its weapon was a Cross, and in that sign it triumphed. So in all the battle of life he who would win the victory for God must use the Divine armour. Eloquence, learning, wealth, and even physical force, have contributed at times to the success of the Church, but quite as often they have been hindrances. The method of Jesus is meekness and truth, the Word ever spoken, the life quietly lived, and the testimony borne and the faith kept clear and strong in the darkest and most distressful hour. How often in the conflict of life we try to fight the battle in our own way! We seek to conquer indwelling sin, to overcome the attack of the enemy who would destroy us, by some methods of our own. We always fail. III. If the battle be God’ s, then we may be confident that the end will be the Divine end.1. How many good people are greatly distressed about their final salvation. But salvation is a condition of mind and heart--a present trust and submission to God, each moment assured, and therefore assurance for the next moment. Leave the end with God. It will be God’ s triumph. 2. In respect of the final outcome of the conflict between good and evil, in the Church and the world, let us believe that God will take care of the issues, and that all will be well. Let us leave our doubts, and our forebodings, and our mistrustings with Him. (Llewelyn D. Bevan, D.D.) Jehoshaphat helped of God I. Jehoshaphat’ s prayer teaches us when we may expect help of God.1. In matters which we know God has at heart.2. In matters for which Christ’ s atonement stands pledged.3. In matters for which we have not ourselves to blame.4. In matters wherein we are powerless to help ourselves. II. How we may secure God’ s help.1. We must come into communion with Him.2. We must pray for God’ s help.3. We must implicitly follow God’ s guidance.4. Faith is an especial prerequisite to God’ s aid. III. How god’ s help is given.1. Not always or necessarily in the shape we desire it. God makes spiritual growth His first aim in all His dealings with His people.2. But when compatible with higher advantages, God aids us in temporal things.3. God gives us blessings beyond His promise or our asking. Conclusion:1. In God’ s people the Divine help awakens gratitude. 2. Those who are not Christians are never unaffected when they see God help His children: “ the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.” (Monday Club Sermons.) The battle is not yours, but God’ s The text addresses a word--1. To all who are bearing Christian protest against evil.2. To all who are undergoing severe temptation.3. To all who are labouring for the good of the world.4. To all who are engaged in controversy on behalf of Christian doctrine. (J. Parker, D.D.) The Lord’ s battle Luther’ s strength lay in the way in which he laid the burden of the Reformation upon the Lord. Continually in prayer he pleaded, “ Lord, this is Thy cause, not mine. Therefore do Thine own work; for if this gospel do not prosper, it will not be Luther alone who will be a loser, but Thine own name will be dishonoured.” (C. H. Spurgeon.) 2 Chronicles 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle.The conditions and certainty of obtaining God’ s deliverance I. That since our enemies’ designs are known to us, we ought to set ourselves, that is, make what provision we can against them. II. That having thus set ourselves, we must then stand still, that is, do nothing which is unlawful, although it be for, our own preservation.1. By doing any unlawful action we deprive ourselves of God’ s care and protection. 2. By doing anything unlawful we bring a scandal upon our religion. 3. To do evil, although for our own preservation, would be most likely to unsettle and ruin us. When once we break down the fences of duty, who can tell where we shall stop? If we allow ourselves the liberty of doing one sinful act, we may easily be prompted on to commit a thousand. III. Repentance and amendment of life being supposed, we haste all reason to hope that we shall see the salvation of God.1. Whatever our danger, God hath sufficient power to save and deliver us. 2. This is to be inferred from the design of God’ s sending judgments upon any nation. (Jeremiah 18:7). (Thomas Lynford, A.M.) For the Lord is with you.--The power behind us In my firewood factory we use a circular saw for cutting timber. Until recently this saw was worked by a crank turned by men. It was slow work, and we bought a gas engine. The saw, driven by this engine, does more work and at less cost. It is the same saw, but the difference lies in the power that drives it. It was driven by hand-power, now by an equivalent for steam, we only need to keep the connecting band tight. It is not a question of our abilities, but of the power behind us. (F. B. Meyer.) 2 Chronicles 20:20 Believe in the Lord your God. Salvation by faith Judah is to be “ saved by faith” from Moab and Ammon, as the Christian is delivered by faith from sin and its penalty. The incident might almost seem to have been recorded in order to illustrate the truth that Paul was to teach. It is strange that there is no reference to this chapter in the Epistles of St. Paul and St. James, and that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews does not remind us how “ by faith Jehoshaphat was delivered from Moab and Ammon.” (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) God-fearing makes grand soldiers Carlyle has taught the present generation many lessons, and one of these is that “ God-fearing” armies are the best armies. Before his time people laughed at Cromwell’ s saying, “ Trust in God and keep your powder dry.” But we now know that the trust was of as much use as the powder, if not of more. That high concentration of steady feeling makes men dare everything and do anything. Those kinds of morals and that kind of religion which tend to make the firmest and most effectual character are sure to prevail, all else being the same; and creeds or systems that conduce to a soft limp mind tend to perish, except some hard extrinsic force keep them alive. Strong beliefs win strong men, and then make them stronger. (J. Bagehot.) 2 Chronicles 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people. Shouting before the victory Anybody can sing the Te Deum after the battle is over. The German soldiers shouted when they had conquered their foe in the first battle in the war with France. It did not want much of a spirit to do that. The difference between an ordinary man of war and a Christian is this: a Christian shouts before the victory, because he knows it is sure to come. You remember how the people gave a shout of triumph before the wall of Jericho before it fell down. I. We are here taught the great duty of patriotism. In a leading newspaper it was stated that if we were not so good we might do a great many things which would be to our worldly advantage, that we are cursed with a great amount of scrupulousness with respect to our conduct in Ireland, Egypt, and Burmah; that if we were a little more unscrupulous, and did not trouble ourselves about the rights and wrongs of men, we might seize Egypt and settle all our differences in India. Yet all history proves to us that this kind of foreign policy in the long run is an utter fallacy. Why is it that the great Empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Rome have fallen? Why has Spain lost her position and France been humbled in our own day? Because they yielded to the foul ungodly spirit of national self-assertion and aggression; because they did not praise the beauty of holiness. II. Our special object is to illustrate the history of the Christian Church. We are engaged in a holy war. The Bishop of Durham said the Churches of this country were indebted to the Salvation Army, because they had revived the consciousness of the fact that the Church of God was an army, and that our great business as a country is war--not with one another, but with all human misery. What must we do? Praise the beauty of holiness. If we go forth to war, we must do as Jehoshaphat--we must needs be clothed with the Spirit of holiness. The apostle John was not ready for the great work he was called to until he had put on the power from on high, which was the Spirit of holiness. What was the practical result of the Pentecostal blessing? They were filled with the Holy Ghost. What followed? They were delivered from--1. Cowardice.2. Selfishness.3. Ignorance. John Wesley and those with him at Oxford saw, after reading the Bible, that holiness comes by faith. Our great mission is to spread Scriptural holiness. If we march forth to war with confidence in the Spirit of holiness, we shall triumph even without fighting. (Hugh Price Hughes, M.A.) Enthusiastic soldiers When the Spartans marched into battle, they advanced with cheerful songs, willing to fight; but when the Persians entered the conflict, you could hear, as the regiments came on, the crack of the whip, by which the officers drove the cowards to the fray. What wonder that the Spartans were like lions in the midst of Sheep! Were we enthusiastic soldiers of the Cross, through God’ s help, nothing would be able to stand against us. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Praise The biographer of Bishop Hannington says, “ How often had he encouraged his companions in times of doubt or difficulty with the words, ‘ Never be disappointed, only praise.’” 2 Chronicles 20:26 The valley of Berachah.Bible valleys The word valley is a poem in itself; it is associated with a great deal that is beautiful, comforting, and that gives the soul a sense of security and plentifulness. The Bible is full of valleys, as it is full of wells. What is this valley of Berachah? In some senses I do not care much for it; I know it means the valley of blessing, and that the people, in whom I have not the slightest confidence at all, sang themselves hoarse in the valley of Berachah because they were fed like oxen that were to be slaughtered. That is what the people were doing in the valley of Berachah. To me their blessing goes for nothing until I have deeply inquired into the motive of the hymn, the intent and the genesis of the ringing psalm. It was all right enough within given limits, but the limits themselves were wrong. No doubt there had been great victories, no doubt Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them that had been overthrown; and they found abundance of riches. I listened with reluctance to their selfish psalm. God might see some good in it; God sees good wherever it exists, in how poor soever a form. Sometimes the goodness is like a little starveling thing that has got no blood, no fire in the eyes, and no real trust in the soul--a kind of living, self-vexing speculation. Who would not sing in carrying off all these precious jewels? There is a better time for singing than the time of all this commercial aggrandisement and secular comfort. One little song of patience is worth the whole of this blaring noise. There is another valley mentioned in Numbers 32:9 --“ the valley of Eshcol.” What valley is that? ‘ Tis the valley of grapes and summer fruits, all of which we may pluck, because it is the intent of Divine love that we should possess ourselves of such luxuriant vineyards. Do we not suddenly come upon the grapes intellectual, social, educational, spiritual? Is not hunger itself often surprised by unexpected plentifulness? Yet sometimes men cannot believe even in this uncrushed wine of the grape; they will hasten home and say, “ Do not, we beseech thee, venture in that direction; grapes enough there may be, even to abundance, but we had better remain where we are; can a man live upon grapes? We cannot tell what there may be beyond the river or on the other side of the mountain; here, you see, we have grapes enough; until we have drunken of this wine why should we strike our tents and go ahead? “ We may pervert some little mean proverbs of our own, and say, “ Better bear the ills we have than fly to others that we know not of.” We have grapes to-day: why should we care about to-morrow? Thus enthusiasm is killed, and all daring, high exploit, and noble endeavour. Ambition may be perverted, but ambition may be one of the forms or aspects of inspiration. It is the future that draws us on, it is the prophetic assurance of some fiery man that a mile further on and we shall have it that keeps the world young and keep the rust away. You cannot silence the divinely inspired and most restless man. We could rouse him and say, Now, why not be content? why not rest and be thankful? of course there may be higher heights and wider landscapes, let us admit all that for a moment; but why worry ourselves about it? there may be something beyond the grave; when we die we shall see what there is. Perhaps not; there is a right way of dying. The world has been kept going by what foolish people would call sensationalism. The very persons who now wrap their rugs around them and enjoy the immediate comfort of the day owe the very rugs in which they wrap themselves to the sensationalism of a former time that could not be kept back from the wilderness or the jungle or the far-away land, no, not by the roaring sea and the tempest that seemed to be an embodied destruction. Do not live yourselves down into saplessness and reluctance to move. And it is easy for some persons to come and sanction such indolence, but we want the true spies to say to us, “ We have seen a land worth going to; it grows life, it is warm with summer, it is boundless with an illimitable hospitality.” Young souls, do not be frightened by the man sitting next you, for he is no man, he is hardly a figure in wax. In Hosea there is a glorious valley--“ the valley of Achor” (2:15). What is the meaning of Achor in this connection? what is the broad spiritual interpretation of Achor? It may be given in two little words, each word a syllable, one of the words a letter’ . “ a door of hope.” I have given thee a new beginning, new chances, new opportunities, new mornings; this is not the end, this is the beginning; there is the great wall, go grope in blindness, but with finger-tips that can see; thou wilt in that great blank wall find a door; it is there, I made it, I made it for thee; I know the blankness of the wall, but on my word go thou forth and grope for the door, the Achor that will give thee visions beyond big as horizons, big as firmaments, big as outlined heavens: go forth in the spirit of hope. We are saved by hope. We are not saved by depression. There is a new beginning for you if you please to avail yourself of it. I have heard your story about lost opportunities and a wasted life and failure upon failure. That is atheistic controversy; you had better know it, it spoils your life. What the preacher is set to do is to proclaim the door of hope; salvation by hope, hope that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the book of Isaiah we have a beautiful valley; in chapter 22:1 we read about “ the valley of vision.” That is a large valley, that valley is worth living in. To live with people who have always seen new lights, new possibilities, and new and brighter interpretations than have ever been realised before; that is companionship, that is resurrection. Who cares for those dullards who never see new lights, new companions, and the outlines of new springs and summers in the morning sky? What a poor life it is to live without vision! In Isaiah 28:1 we come into “ fat valleys.” The poor drunkards were all lying down dead drunk and choked and suffocated with their own wine of fatness. They were pampered creatures; their soul was subordinated to the body, they were all flesh and next to no spirit. There are fat valleys that have no fatness of the true sort. Then there are valleys that are spiritually rich with all manner of nutritious food. There is a wine that has no intoxication in it, there is a wine that does not carry the seal of death. Into those fat valleys, and not into the other, may God lead us. Can Ezekiel be alive and not take his position in this great question of valleys? Ezekiel saw a valley, it was a valley of dry bones. Read Ezekiel 37:1 and the context. It was an awful valley, a valley of death. “ Son of man, can these bones live?” And the son of man said, “ O Lord God, Thou knowest.” The wisest answer to every Divine inquiry: refer the question back; let Him who propounds the problem solve it. I wish we could read all about the valleys. There is a beautiful historical expression: “ So we abode in the valley.” We wanted to climb the green banks and get up to the points and coigns that catch the earliest kiss of the sun, but seeing that it was better for us to take another course, seeing that we had better obey God than obey your own fancy or whim, we abode in the valley. Abode in a dark, cold place? No; you are misinterpreting the word valley when you attach such epithets to it. I read of other valleys. The valleys are covered over with corn. That is never said about the snow mountains. Have the valleys no compensations? Is sickness itself without advantages? When you are weak are you not sometimes strong? Where did you get the little flower from? I know not that I have seen aught sweeter for many a day: what is it? The lily of the valley. Tell me there is no compensation in poverty, in sickness, in weakness, and even in failure and disappointment? It was in the valley that the lily grew. (J. Parker, D.D.) Berachah Suppose every place were to receive its name from what is done in it! How startling and varied would be some of the names! Berashah means a valley of blessing. I. After prayer. Jehoshaphat pleads with God on various grounds. II. After conflict in the spirit of praise. III. After victory. The triumph was speedy, signal, and complete. Let the valley of our life often be made a Berachah. (H. Gammage.) 2 Chronicles 20:28 Every one helped to destroy another. Mutual destruction As we look upon the world at large, how do we see men occupied but as destroying one another! This is a marked character of the lower and worse forms of vice, that each degraded one has a wretched pleasure in bringing down other souls to the same level of degradation and ruin; but the same tendency to mutual destruction is to be seen in the first fallings away from God through all the subsequent steps in the downward road. When young men first lead one another away from home into the strange ways and strange company against which the wise man has raised his voice, what do they but destroy one another? And in the wildness which they call, for a time, pleasure--whatever form the self-indulgence, the sensuality, may wear--every one still helps to destroy another: actually, as to the misused and worn body, and with not less reality as to the corrupted and earth-engrossed soul. In another way, also, not less direct, not less fatal, though less regarded, each wanderer from God helps to destroy others. Example is sufficient to make danger. It would be a bold thing, indeed, for any one human being to look back upon his life, and to say that his example had not been fatal to some other soul. When the Spirit has done His work of converting the heart to God, and the saved sinner turns his eyes upon the sins which made the Cross necessary for him, who will not have Paul’ s remembrance of having given his word for death? Who will not have John Newton’ s memory of souls led into wrong, for whom there remains no power of recovery? And what is the record of this kind preparing for the unconverted, when a more true and more awful scene than the great dramatist has conceived of the presence of wronged souls in the visions of the night shall be upon the dying man, or, yet worse, upon the man after death; when the memory, no longer clouded by the flesh, no longer impeded by prejudice or passion, shall recall the multitudes to whom evil has been taught by word or by example; when the immortal spirit shall have the light of eternity poured upon the passed events of life, and the evil example of one look or one word shall be traced through all its train of consequences up to its final ruin of other souls? And this mutual destruction, which belongs to the very character of the unregenerate man, follows him hither even into the house of God. How is it that the children of our schools have so little profit here? that they know so little of all that passes here? How is it that we so rarely find the truth making its way from either desk or pulpit to the hearts of our docile young ones? Simply because they are destroying one another by combined inattention. The trifle which draws off the mind from prayer, the whispered word which puts some thought of earth in the place of the Bible, the merry smile which catches another’ s ready eye--these are the means by which every one helps to destroy another; so that grace is provided and preached in vain. And we can scarcely hope that this will be with children alone. In a congregation of merely nominal Christians, met merely for the sake of respectability, the work of mutual destruction would go on in the general support of their common lukewarmness, and every one would help to destroy another in the subjects for conversation prepared in God’ s house, and the discussion of them in the homeward way. (David Laing, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 20:30-34 So the reign of Jehoshaphat was quiet.The character of Jehoshaphat I. Jehoshaphat is not unlike Hezekiah and Josiah. II. His personal character seems to have had very distinctive features in it. III. He was distinguished for his simple and yet profound reliance on God. IV. The religion of most persons of great power and position--such as those possessed by Jehoshaphat--is usually reserved, and anything but childlike. Conclusion: The practical bearing of this study is that there are many in whom the possession and exercise of great powers, which are usually called worldly, are not by any means inconsistent with the most humble and sincere piety. (E. Monro.) 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 To make ships to go to Tarshish. The wrecked fleet I. The disaster to Jehoshaphat’ s shipping. II. The cause of this disaster. A judgment from Heaven. If Jehoshaphat had been a mere man of the world probably this disaster would not have occurred, but God would not allow one of His own servants to prosper in such an undertaking. III. The lesson which the disaster teaches. Do not choose your associates amongst those who do not fear God. Always safest to keep under Christian influences. You will do well even to sacrifice a measure of financial interest and worldly prospect rather than be associated in business with a man who is out of all sympathy with you in religion. (J. Thain Davidson, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 20:37 Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works.Evil compacts Some partnerships are inexplicable. A Church officer who has led the devotions of the Church has been known to enter into partnership with a grovelling man who never hesitated to use profane language in the warehouse; a generous supporter of good institutions has associated with a man who would have sold his own father if he could have made money by the transaction. And men have wondered who have not known how two could walk together except they were agreed, and who have gone upon the principle that light could have no communion with darkness. The principle of ill-associated partnerships works in two ways: the professing Christian finds it convenient to be able to remit all questionable work to the man who has made away with his conscience and honour, and the said man finds it very satisfactory to point to his professing partner as a proof and pledge that all is straightforward and upright. But is this as it ought to be? (J. Parker, D.D.) An immoral fallacy It will be said that business is business, and religion is religion, that there is a distinction between the merchant and the man. Let us admit that there remains this question: When the merchant is damned for his wicked deeds where will the man go? (J. Parker, D. D.) Evil associations The principle of the text-- I. Supplies a lesson for the young. What you have to settle first and foremost is, the moral basis on which you are proceeding; you must get the full consent of your judgment and heart and conscience before you give yourself up to any commercial course. II. Is expansive enough to include the subject of marriage. We do not hesitate to lay down the broad principle that where there is incongruity of religious conviction between man and woman happiness of the deepest and purest kind is entirely out of the question. III. Will permit an earnest word about evil companionship generally. (J. Parker, D. D.) . 2 Chronicles 21:20 And departed without being desired.The undesirableness of a wicked man’ s life I. Such life is not desirable on its own account. Two facts will show this.1. His highest enjoyments are unsatisfactory and brief. It is impossible for us to be satisfied in any condition where we have not a consciousness of right, a sense of Divine favour, a hope of a bright future, and the pulsation of holy loves. Observe-- (1) How foolish to aim at such a life as this.(2) How foolish to envy such a life as this. 2. That the longer it continues the greater becomes his responsibility. II. Such a life is not desirable on account of others.1. It renders no real good to others. 2. It produces incalculable mischief. In the spiritual, as in the material, like begets like. “ One sinner destroyeth much good.” (Homilist.) 2 Chronicles 22:1-9 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king.Ahaziah’ s wicked reign I. Its beginning through home influence. Here all start life in right or wrong direction. Home influence affects societies, Churches, and nations. II. Its continuance by evil counsellors (2 Chronicles 22:4). A nation with evil legislators like a ship directed in the midst of rooks--in imminent peril. III. Its end in judgment which it entailed. (J. Wolfendale.) 2 Chronicles 22:8 For his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.A mother’ s influence Every first thing continues for ever with the child; the first colour, the first music, the first flower paint the foreground of life. Every new educator effects less than his predecessor, until at last, if we regard all life as an educational institute, a circumnavigator of the world is less influenced by all the nations he has seen than by his nurse. (W. Richter.) A mother’ s influence Mothers, ye are the sculptors of the souls of the coming men; queens of the cradle, humble or high, ye are the queens of the future. In your hands lie the destinies of men. I am not speaking poetry, but plain fact, which history proves. Nero’ s mother was a murderess; Nero was a murderer, on a gigantic scale. Byron’ s mother was proud, ill-tempered, and violent; Byron was proud, ill-tempered, and violent. Washington’ s mother was noble and pure; Washington was noble and pure. Scott’ s mother loved poetry and painting; you know what Walter Scott was. Carlyle’ s mother was stern, and full of reverence; Carlyle very much so. Wesley’ s mother was a God-like woman; Wesley was a God-like man. The prison chaplain will tell you that the last thing forgotten, in all the recklessness of dissolute profligacy, is the prayer or hymn taught by a mother’ s lips, or uttered at a father’ s knee. Yes, when all other roads are closed, there is one road open to the heart of the desperate man--the memory of his mother. (Great Thoughts.) An unnatural mother “ For his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.” There must be a mistranslation! All nature is offended by this tremendous affront. Can we not.find some other word for “ mother” ? Any other word will do better, even “ father” would not be so objectionable. The one word that cannot be tolerated here is the word that is found, namely, “ mother” ! We might close the Bible here, and say the book that contains this statement was never inspired. But we cannot do so. Then the word “ counsellor” is so full of plan, premeditation, arrangement; the mother was a schoolmistress, with one pupil, and she suggested, invented, culminated ends, whispered, threw out hints, advised bad policies; told him when he was halting because the course was evil to “ go on!” Napoleon said, “ They that rock the cradle rule the world.” To have a cradle rocked by such a mother as Athaliah surely were enough to be foredoomed to endless misery! How sweetly the text would have read had it proceeded on the lines of nature!--for his mother was his counsellor to do bravely. Surely the word “ wickedly” is a misprint, traceable to some careless copyist!--his mother was his counsellor to do wisely, patiently, hopefully,--these would have been womanly words, words most motherly, the very words with which we build home and Church and heaven. But the word is “ wickedly,” and we must regard it in its literal significance. What are mothers doing now? They could be God’ s foremost ministers. No man can pray like a woman; no man has the art of eloquence as a woman has it; no one can come into life so silently, quietly, blessingly as woman, mother, sister. If women would preach surely the world would listen. They ought to preach; they know the secret of love, they have the answer to the Cross, they can solve in some degree the enigma of sacrifice. This is the very reason of the horribleness of the text. If woman had been otherwise, then the word “ wickedly” would not have read with such a sense of irony and moral collision as it does in this instance. It is because woman can be so heavenly that she can be so low, and wicked, and bad; it is because she can be so like a saviour that she can be such an engine and agent of ruin. (J. Parker, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 22:12 And Athaliah reigned over the land. The evil effects of royal marriages A distinguished authority on European history is fond of pointing to the evil effects of royal marriages as one of the chief drawbacks to the monarchical system of government. A crown may at any time devolve upon a woman, and by her marriage with a powerful reigning prince her country may virtually be subjected to a foreign yoke. If it happens that the new sovereign professes a different religion from that of his wife’ s subjects, the evils arising from the marriage are seriously aggravated. Some such fate befell the Netherlands as the result of the marriage of Mary of Burgundy with the Emperor Maximilian, and England was only saved from the danger of transference to Catholic dominion by the caution and patriotism of Queen Elizabeth. Athaliah’ s usurpation was a bold attempt to reverse the usual process and transfer the husband’ s dominions to the authority of faith of the wife’ s family. It is probable that Athaliah’ s permanent success would have led to the absorption of Judah in the northern kingdom. Our own history furnishes numerous illustrations of the evil influences that come in the train of foreign queens. Edward II suffered grievously at the hands of his French queen; Henry VI.’ s wife, Margaret of Anjou, contributed considerably to the prolonged bitterness of the struggle between York and Lancaster; and to Henry VIII’ s marriage with Catherine of Aragon the country owed the miseries and persecutions inflicted by Mary Tudor. But no foreign queen of England has had the opportunities for mischief that were enjoyed and fully utilised by Athaliah. The peace and honour and prosperity of godly families in all ranks of life have been disturbed, and often destroyed, by the marriage of one of their members with a woman of alien spirit mad temperament. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) . 2 Chronicles 23:21 And the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.A wicked woman Is it possible that a time may come when people will rejoice that we are dead? Will some pulpits be more honoured by emptiness man by occupancy? Will some businesses have a chance to recover their character when the principals are dead, but not so long as those principals initiate and conduct the policy of the house? Is it possible that a throne may be a fountain of mischief? Questions such as these, penetrating, unsparing, we should thrust into ourselves, that they may work first painfully and then curatively. Is there no explanation given of all this rejoicing over the death of Athaliah? The explanation is given in 2 Chronicles 24:7 --“ that wicked woman.” This is an alliteration which the grammarian might detest, the rhetorician avoid as a vice in eloquence, but which the moralist must look at with a sense of ineffable shame. “ Wicked woman” --it is impossible! It ought to be an affront to the very genius of creation; say dark sun, say waterless sea, say flowerless summer, and the irony might be tolerated, for it might be only a discord in words; but “ wicked woman” indicates a possibility that makes all hell easy of belief. This is the moral explanation of the physical disaster. Athaliah was slain with the sword--cry, Murder then! Arrest the homicide, the regicide! But wait; you know not all; the explanatory word found in the context--“ that wicked woman.” (J. Parker, D.D.) . 2 Chronicles 24:2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord an the days of Jehoiada the priest. Goodness as a morning cloud There are certain characters that are great curiosities. There are also other characters that are great monstrosities. The ease of Joash is s very extraordinary one. From his history learn-- I. That it is a great blessing when people yield to godly influences.1. The first six years of Joash’ s life were spent in the temple.2. He was started in life’ s business in a very admirable way.3. He was outwardly obedient to the law of the Lord in the days of Jehoiada.4. He was zealous for the externals of religion.5. He influenced others for good. II. Good as all this is, it is not all that is needed.1. This is not yielding the heart to God.2. All this yielding to godly influences may exist without any personal, vital godliness whatever.3. An externally pious character may even prevent men from being saved at all. It may lead a man to take for granted that he is saved.4. To be under godly influences year after year, without any great trial or temptation, may leave the personal character altogether undeveloped. We must have some kind of test, or else we cannot be sure of the character. You cannot be sure about principle being in any young man if he has been kept under a glass case, and if his principles have never been tried. The real character of Joash had never come out at all, because Jehoiada, as it were, covered him. His own disposition was only waiting the opportunity of developing itself. I have heard of an officer in India who had brought up a young leopard. It was apparently as tame as a cat. One afternoon, while asleep in his chair, the leopard licked his hand in all tenderness as a cat might have done; but after licking awhile it licked too hard and a little blood began to flow. It no sooner tasted blood than the old leopard spirit was up, and his master was his master no more. So does it happen to many that being shut in, and tamed, as it were, but not changed, subdued but not renewed, kept in check but not converted, there has come a time afterwards when the taste of blood has called out the old nature, and away the man has gone. III. This yielding character may even prove a source of mischief. The princes of Judah came and “ made obeisance to the king.” What followed?1. Joash went off to sin.2. He refused reproof.3. He slew his friend’ s son.4. Having no faith in God, he robbed the temple, and gave all the gold and treasures unto Hazael the Syrian. (C. H. Spurgeon.) The goodness of King Joash 1. The history of Joash enforces the duty of training ourselves, and those who are under our guidance, to stand alone, and not to rest upon the support of others. 2. Not that we should make small account of the counsel of wise and religious friends. The perfect use of a wise adviser is not to determine for us what we shall do in every particular case that day by day arises; but to help us to store our minds with sound principles, such as we may call up for our own direction when any emergency requires them. 3. There is a great difference in the natural constitution of men’ s minds. Some are like the creeping plant that grows up rapidly, but must always hang for support upon some external prop. Others are like the oak, slowly developing itself from among the meaner underwood, until it rears its head alone above the trees of the forest. When the trellis or pole decays, the creeper must fall to the ground; the oak abides seemingly unmovable in its own strength. All the culture that man could bestow would never give to the creeper the sturdiness of the oak. 4. But though man cannot change nature God can. He can impart strength to the weakest character. Therefore the way to be firm in what is good, is to take God for your guide and support, and not man (Galatians 6:4-5; Philippians 2:12-13). 5. There is no contradiction between the duty of seeking and in due measure following the counsel of our good instructors and the duty of standing fast for ourselves in the counsel of God. Just as the office of the moon is to transmit the reflected light of the sun to the dark side of the earth; but if the moon comes between the earth and the sun, it does but darken the earth, by intercepting from it the rays that beam from that great light which is the source of light and heat to both; so the parent, the teacher, or the priest, is to stand for God towards the child, the pupil, or the private Christian, so far as their imperfect knowledge or their spiritual needs require; but not so as to eclipse God, or to make them forget that to God and not to man they are answerable in the last resort for their deeds. (James Randall, M.A.) Joash Men may constrain us to a temporary amendment, but God alone can control us to a lasting change of character and heart. Circumstances can make any one of you religious for a time, and give you feelings and habits which will make you appear religious to others, and what is worse still, lead you to suppose that the outward appearance is the effect of inward principle. But nothing but the grace of God, and the love of His name and His truth, can produce that piety of heart which withstands temptation, and lives when all earthly agencies are gone which nursed it, because it lives in Him who was pleased to make those earthly agencies the means of grace to the soul. We have in this verse two characters for contemplation. I. Jehoiada, as an example of influence exerted for good.1. He had three elements of success with which to work. (1) Power, arising from his priestly office and his marriage relationship.(2) Piety, which gave him the principles on which to discharge his mission.(3) Courage, arising from his faith in God. 2. Note here the relative influence of personal piety. “ Joash did that which is right.” The nation prospered in every sense through the faithfulness of one man. Clear and consistent personal piety is always a persuasive thing. No treatises upon religion can rival for persuasive power the “ living epistles known and read of all men.” Our calling as Christians is to win others, as Jehoiada did, to do that which is right in the sight of the Lord. We have received light that our faces may shine before men. The design of God in our salvation is not only our happiness but our usefulness. II. Joash as an example for our warning. The religion which had its life and influence only from a man was soon forgotten when the source of that influence had passed away. There is a vital difference between the godliness which is the result of external circumstances and that which is the product of internal principle. It is the difference between the galvanised corpse and the living man; the star and the meteor; the flash of the lightning and the action of the sunbeam. There is a false godliness current among men.1. With some piety is dependent upon policy.2. With others it is a matter of periods.3. With others it is a religion of place.4. With others it is dependent upon the personal influence of some minister, or upon the advice and counsel of a friend. (C. J. Phipps Eyre, M.A.) Life and character of Joash I. The instability of his religion.1. He was zealous for God under restraint.2. He degenerated when that restraint was taken away. II. The honour and the disgrace of his reign.1. Honourable reforms.2. Disgraceful crimes. Like Nero after the death of his teacher Seneca, the philosopher, he was stained with crimes. III. The disastrous end of his life. Conclusion: Learn--1. The responsibility of those to whom the care of young persons is entrusted.2. Caution those yet under guardianship and tutors and friends.3. The awful end of those who turn aside from hopeful beginnings. (J. Wolfendale.) The Jehoiadas of society It would seem to be about the last thing men do, to estimate properly the value of subtle and silent influences, the magic and wisardry of noble character. We may even be ashamed to do certain things in the presence of the Jehoiadas of society. We are not ashamed of the things themselves, nor are we unprepared to make experiments in regard to them; but whenever we would put forth our hand to begin the experiments we see the observing Jehoiada, and withdraw from the pernicious attempt. So it is that there are trustees of commercial and social honour, men who would never do the dishonourable deed, speak the calumnious word, or mislead the sentiment of the market-place in times of strong temptation and peril. We rely upon them as disinfectants, keeping the commercial atmosphere pure, and discouraging in the most positive and decisive manner the spirit and action of men who are low-minded and selfish. These Jehoiadas deliver no lectures upon commercial morality, nor do they in any manner that can be charged with conceit display their own virtues; they simply go on their straightforward course, doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God, and the result of their presence and character is that even the worst men are restrained, weak men are confirmed in good resolutions, and men whose character needs inspiration receive it from their example. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 24:4-14 That Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord.The temple repaired It is worthy of note that in the mere outline of a reign extending over twenty years, in very exciting times, space should have been taken to record so minutely the repairing of the temple. No less remarkable is it that the initiative in this great work was due to Joash and not to Jehoiada--the king, not the priest. There was need for some one to lift the standard for Jehovah and His worship. For since the accession of Jehoram, the wicked son of the good Jehoshaphat, there had been a steady decline toward idolatry. Spurred on by his wife, Athaliah, the worthy daughter of the monster Jezebel, Jehoram allowed “ high places” to be built to the heathen deities. Dying after less than ten years of rule, of an agonising internal disease, the crown descended to his one surviving son, Ahaziah. After a reign of little more than a year, during which he was wholly under the power of his mother, Ahaziah was slain by Jehu while on a visit to Israel. Athaliah seized the throne and ruled for six years, fostering and encouraging heathenism to the utmost. To make her usurpation more secure, she had, at the beginning of her reign, as she supposed, compassed the death of all aspirants to the crown. But, through the cunning and daring of Jehoiada and his wife, one boy, Joash, a son of Ahaziah, was preserved. When the time was ripe the priest led a revolt against the queen, putting the young Joash, only eight years of age, upon the throne, and causing the death of Athaliah. A great opportunity opened up for the young prince. Jehoiada carefully instructed him during his childhood in the religion of Jehovah, that, when he came to the years of responsible reign, he might zealously foster the old faith. But, unfortunately, Joash was not strong enough for the task. As long as he was under the tuition of Jehoiada he did fairly well, though idolatry was suffered to extend itself; but after the death of the old priest the pressure from heathenism was too great for his weak nature to resist, and Joash followed the path of his immediate predecessors. True, the third verse of our lesson may not indicate anything more than a resemblance to heathen customs, inasmuch as they may have worshipped Jehovah in the “ high places” ; still, having adopted that mode of heathen worship, it became easier to introduce others, and thus the way was opened for that awful apostasy from God when incense was burned to strange gods “ in every single city of Judah.” Nevertheless, Joash should have full credit for the one luminous work of his whole reign--the repair of the temple. We shall find his plans of gathering and expending the money worthy of our careful study. I. The plans of collection.1. The first one, undoubtedly the king’ s, shows him in a favourable light. He assumes no priestly prerogative or authority. He simply enjoins the priests to do their legitimate work--“ go out into the cities of Judah and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of the Lord.” The parallel account in 2 Kings 12:4, gives the details of the plan. Three methods of collecting the money are there described. First, “ The money of every one that passeth the account.” Bahr considers these words an incorrect translation of the original, preferring “ money which passes over” --that is, current money. It he is right, then no separate method is indicated. But the weight of authority is in favour of the old translation, and, following this, the half-shekel which was paid for every one that was numbered, from twenty years old and upward (Exodus 30:13, seq.), seems to be meant. Second, “ The money that every man is set at” --that is, the amount prescribed by the priests for those who made a “ singular vow” according to the law in Leviticus 27:1-8. The third was the free-will offering, and probably more dependence was placed on this than upon either or both of the other methods. Taken all in all, this plan was compulsive and judicious, and deserved to succeed. But it failed, and why? There appears to have been a combination of reasons. The words, “ Howbeit the Levites hastened it not,” furnish a hint that the appointed collectors, on whom the success of the plan largely depended, did not enter heartily into its prosecution. They were expected not only to take what the people brought in voluntarily, but actively to solicit “ every man of his acquaintance” (parallel account in 2 Kings 12:5). Whether they did not relish moving, at the orders of the king, or were too lazy to “ go out into the cities of Judah,” we can only conjecture. We only know they did not hasten. No doubt, too, there was much inertia on the part of the people themselves. The general indifference to the old system of worship and the inevitable corruption which followed dabbling with heathen practices both contributed to a lethargy which could only be broken up by some extra-ordinary method. But the great reason lies deeper, much deeper. Soften the account as we will, there was wide-spread dissatisfaction with the course pursued by the priests. Whether they had good grounds for suspicion or not, the people believed the collectors had misappropriated the funds. And it is hard to clear them of this charge. Doubtless some money came in from loyal souls who longed to see God’ s temple shining with the olden glory. Indeed, we know that some did, because when the king called on the priests for a report he ordered them to “ take no more money.” Some, then, had been gathered. But what became of it? The priests never made any return thereof. True, it condones the fault somewhat to plead that the regular sacerdotal revenue had largely fallen off during the prevalence of idolatry, and that the priests found themselves hard pushed for funds for their subsistence and the temple-worship, and thus were forced to use what came into their hands for immediate needs. But to divert money given for a specific purpose to other channels, however proper, is practical embezzlement. And it is easy to see how this course would breed dissatisfaction and revolt among the people. Their joyful acceptance of the second plan, and the hearty liberality exhibited, show conclusively that we have not argued unjustly. And the taking of the whole matter out of the hands of the priests by the king confirms our position. It would appear that Joash gave ample time for the successful working of this first plan. Not until the twenty-third year of his reign did he call the priests to account. This does not mean, of course, that the collectors had been at work twenty three years, for we are not told in what year they received their commission. It certainly could not have been in the first years of Joash’ s reign, because he began to rule at the age of eight. 2. But having abandoned the first plan, the king quickly unfolded his second one. This was as simple u it was effective. A box or chest, securely locked, with a hole cut in the lid to admit pieces of money, was first prepared. It was placed at the entrance-gate to the priest’ s court on the right. Royal proclamation was then made of the new plan throughout the land, and the people exhorted to bring in their contributions in accordance with the law found in Exodus 30:12-16, and see their money deposited in the chest. The part of the priests was the mere perfunctory duty of receiving the money and putting it into the receptacle in the presence of the donors. And now money fairly flowed in. Nor was it given grudgingly. “ All the princes and all the people rejoiced.” When the chest was full the priest sent his scribe and the king his secretary, and the two emptied it, weighed the money, bound it up in bags (2 Kings 5:23), and carried it back to its place. The process was repeated until an abundance was gathered for the purpose. The plan was a great success. And why? Doubtless the novelty of the plan accounts partly for it. The curiosity to look upon the first money-chest of this description would bring in many contributions that otherwise would not have been given. But, chiefly, every person saw his gift deposited in the receptacle which was inaccessible to any but the regularly appointed officers, and thus he could be reasonably sure that his money would be laid out for the purpose he intended. Herein lies the chief cause of the plan’ s success--every piece of money was strictly accounted for, and there was no possible chance for a misuse of the funds. II. The expenditure was as noteworthy as the gathering. The same clear-headed, far-seeing intelligence was behind it. Putting the two accounts together, it is plain that overseers were appointed who had general charge of the repairs. The words, “ such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord,” in the twelfth verse, indicate that the overseers were Levites. They had authority to employ artisans of different kinds--masons and carpenters and workers in brass and iron--and also to purchase the needed materials. Into their hands went the immense sums which had been collected, and to them the workmen looked for their wages. And what seems strange--almost incomprehensible--in view of the careful scrutiny exercised over the collections, their overseers were not required to give account of their stewardship (2 Kings 12:15). That they were honest and “ dealt faithfully” is apparent from the fact that, after finishing their task and paying all the bills, they brought back a remainder to the king and Jehoiada. With this unexpended balance they were enabled to furnish the temple anew with the vessels necessary for the ritual service (1 Kings 7:49-50). The old ones had been devoted to Baalim (verse 7). An apparent discrepancy exists at this point between our account and that in 2 Kings 12:13, where the writer declares that vessels were not made of the “ money that was brought into the house of the Lord.” Rawlinson seems to explain the matter satisfactorily by showing that “ all that the writer of Kings desires to impress on his readers is, that the repairs were not delayed by any deductions from the money that flowed in through the chest on account of vessels or ornaments of the house. What became of the surplus in the chest after the last repairs were completed he does not care to tell us. But it is exactly this, the application of which is mentioned by the writer of Chronicles.” We may venture to add our opinion that the writer of Kings, in enumerating the special points of the overseers’ responsibility, mentions, casually, that they were not responsible for the furnishing of the temple with the appropriate vessels. Their special business was to look after the repairs. So, after many years of dilapidation, the people saw their glorious sanctuary shine in all its former glory. The smoke of sacrifice again rose heavenward, calling the backsliding children of Israel to the faith of their fathers. III. Practical words.1. One of the great problems which ever confront the Church is the financial one. Doors open on every hand, and consecrated workers wait to go through them, but the treasuries are empty. Settle this matter of finance, and the spiritual interests will progress correspondingly. 2. The contribution box is not a “ Vandal in the house of God.” It is the legitimate successor of Jehoiada’ s chest, and its regular use should be considered a part of worship. 3. The people who give the money have a right to know where it goes. And if it be diverted from its proper use, those who administer should not complain if there follow a falling off in contributions. Men will have honest dealing in Church finances. (H. H. French.) The temple repaired The work of Joash was to repair the temple and restore the sacrificial worship. The bright side of Joash’ s rule divides itself into the man and his mission--his motive and his method. I. Joash had to conquer, spiritually, his own heart as well as the heart of his people. To know Joash you must understand--1. His lineage. Heredity did little for, but much against, the formation in him of a pure character. Athaliah and Jezebel were his grandmother and great.grandmother. 2. His environment. This was Jehoiada. (1) He was a father to Joash.(2) He was the impersonation of piety.(3) His patriotism so blended with his piety that though separable in thought, they were scarcely distinguishable in action.(4) Jehoiada’ s philanthropy is seen in his self-restraint in the hour of triumph. Only two perished--Athaliah the usurper and the idolatrous priest. II. The mission of Joash was to effect among his people a genuine reformation. The reconstruction of the temple he viewed as the road to religious revival and reformation. Destruction and reconstruction are alternating or synchronous processes ever manifesting themselves in the efforts of God’ s people. Joash is the resultant and embodiment of both these forces. Destruction is easy, and to wicked men only too natural (verse.7). Construction, and still more reconstruction, is as difficult as destruction is easy. III. Joash was unselfish in his motive.1. The times called loudly for reform. 2. Joash aimed at a revival of religion. (1) Revivals take their rise in the individual heart.(2) Revivals of religion, if genuine, are contagious.(3) Revivals naturally induce co-operation. IV. The method of Joash for increasing men’ s interest in religion was the restoration of the Lord’ s house. A dilapidated temple of God is painfully significant. The great collection under Joash for the temple is a model for Christian beneficence. Dimly shadowed in the people’ s offering under Joash, but distinctly taught in the letters of Paul, are eight rules of Christian giving. We should give--1. By principle and habit.2. In the spirit of stewardship.3. According to ability.4. Willingly and cheerfully.5. Secretly as a general thing, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.6. As an act of worship.7. In faith, venturing on God, as did the widow with her two mites.8. Intelligently, as to the object. Application: Mankind is “ the house of the Lord” in ruins. We are under solemn obligation to reconstruct this broken and shattered temple. (W. Landrum, D. D.) Joash repairing the temple I. That the providences of God connected with the house of the Lord call for grateful remembrance. II. The moral value of the house of God to the community and the country in which it stands demands honoured recognition. III. The spiritual value of sacred places should be fitly acknowledged. I lately heard an eminent business man say, “ Forty-six years ago yesterday noon the Holy Spirit came into my soul. Yesterday I walked to the place and adored the ground where He blessed me, and remembered that for forty-six years He had talked with me and kept me.” IV. The house of God can be properly cared for only by regular, systematic effort. V. God has, to a great degree, intrusted the beautifying of His house to the young. (Monday Club Sermons.) Repairing the temple 1. To each one among us there is a temple which should be far holier in his eyes than was even the temple at Jerusalem in the eyes of the children of Israel. 2. This holiest of temples, a man’ s own self, is exposed to injury and decay. 3. As year passes after year, let us be reminded to repair each one of us to that house of God which is built within him, and which has been dedicated to the worship of God by the Holy Spirit which dwells in it. 4. In repairing the spiritual temple, one of our main purposes should be to ascertain what in it needs to be stripped away and what demands preservation. 5. The things to be discarded are-- (1) Old enmities; how they interfere with the pure worship and mar the quiet beauty of the house!(2) Old weaknesses and vanities.(3) Old habits of self-indulgence and self-degradation.(4) Old sins, presumptuous sins, secret sins. 6. The things which must be retained are-- (1) Old friendships.(2) Old habits of order and punctualness, of truth, of kindness and prayer.(3) Old virtues. (F. W. P. Greenwood, D.D.) Howbeit the Levites hastened not.--Indifferences rebuked There is a distinct tinge of suspicion and “ whipping up” in his injunction to “ hasten the matter.” Half-heartedness always means languid work, and that always means failure. The earnest people are fretted continually by the indifferent. Every good scheme is held back, like a ship with a foul bottom, by the barnacles that stick to its keel and bring down its speed. Eager zeal has in all ages to be yoked to torpid indifference, and to drag its unwilling companion along like two dogs in a leash. (A. Maclaren, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 24:10 And cast into the chest until they had made an end. Compulsory and free-will offerings The restoration of Solomon’ s temple by Jehoiada under Joash’ s authority is a remarkable instance of cheerful giving, of a truly voluntary offering. The money was not raised by a royal edict imposing a subsidy, nor were the workmen impressed for service for so many months in the year. By taxation and by forced labour, or levies, had Solomon’ s temple been erected. Such indeed was, and is, the almost invariable custom of Eastern monarchs in the construction of all great works, whether religious or secular. Though the prince might be lauded as a patron of religion or of art, a rankling sense of oppression and injustice remained in the breasts of the toilers. This Rehoboam had found to his cost, when his people demanded relief from the burdens which the glories of Solomon had entailed on them. We may illustrate this by an interesting inscription at Abilene. A splendid aqueduct and military road have been engineered along the face of the lofty cliff which bounds the deep valley. At the commencement of the aqueduct is the long inscription in honour of the Emperor Trajan, for whom the gratitude of posterity is claimed because of this great achievement. But below the inscription is chiseled deep on the face of the rock, in letters of a rather different shape, added, no doubt, after the emperor’ s departure, “Impensis Abilenorum” --“ At the expense of the people of Abilene.” (Canon Tristram.) 2 Chronicles 24:15-16 Jehoiada waxed old.A message for the aged I. Examine the name of this aged priest. “ Jehoiada” --“ one who has knowledge of Jehovah.”1. He had been experimentally acquainted with Jehovah in His fatherly and merciful character.2. He had as priest special opportunities of gaining acquaintance with God. II. Consider his beneficent influence in--1. Instructing the youthful king.2. Acting as regent of the kingdom.3. Patriotically serving his country and promoting the well-being of her people.4. Doing good to, and in connection with, the house of God. III. Contemplate the honoured close of a long and useful life. (Fairfax Goodall, M.A.) Religious instructors useful to civil society Some have conjectured that these words were a part of an epitaph put upon Jehoiada’ s tomb. They express the high sense which the nation entertained of his eminent usefulness in his sacred profession. I. The common opinion of mankind respecting the usefulness of religious instructors in civil society. The opinion of the world upon this subject is evidenced by their uniform and immemorial practice. Jews, Christians, and heathen have universally agreed to support religious teachers. II. This common opinion of mankind respecting religious instructors is well founded.1. The common opinion of the world is generally just. Men seldom form a wrong judgment of those things which come under their own observation and experience. 2. Another argument is drawn-- (1) From the duties which the ministers of religion ought to teach. (a) The duties which rulers owe to their subjects. (b) The duties which subjects owe to their rulers. (c) Every private as well as public duty. (2) From the motives by which they ought to enforce all their religious instructions. (a) The being and presence of the all-seeing and heart-searching God. (b) The infinite authority of all His precepts and prohibitions. (c) The controlling influence of His universal providence. (d) Future and eternal rewards and punishments. III. Suggestions.1. Since men in all ages have generally and justly agreed in the opinion that religious instructors are useful in civil society, it discovers no less ignorance than presumption in those who adopt and endeavour to propagate the opposite sentiment. (1) It betrays want of knowledge in the science of politics.(2) It betrays ignorance of the impotency of human laws. 2. None are fit for civil rulers who would exclude religious instructors from civil society. 3. A people ought to consider the gift of wise and faithful ministers as a great public blessing. 4. It is the wisdom and duty of civil rulers to favour the cause of religion and employ every proper method to promote the general diffusion of religious knowledge. 5. It argues a great degree of infatuation in those who govern to oppose or restrain religious instruction. 6. It is extremely difficult for civil rulers to subvert a good government while religious teachers faithfully discharge their duty. 7. Ministers of the gospel ought to exert all the power and influence which their sacred office gives them to prevent the ruin of the nation. 8. We have great reason to fear the displeasure of God for neglecting and abusing the ministrations of His Word. (N. Emmons, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 24:19-21 Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord. Judah’ s apostasy I. Prophetic denunciation of apostasy resented. II. Zechariah’ s death was parallel with that of St. Stephen.1. His offence was the denunciation of the sin of the leaders of Judah (Acts 7:51-53).2. Stoned as a blasphemer. III. Contrast in the spirit of Judaism and Christianity--1. Zechariah’ s last words: “ The Lord look on it and requite it.”2. Stephen’ s: “ Lord lay not this sin to their charge.” IV. Reflections.1. The value of a wise and true friend. Jehoiada’ s influence on Joash.2. The necessity of a moral reformation as well as a political to secure permanent results in religious changes. The reformation under Joash was merely outward conformity. V. The certainty that a faithful ministry implies the unpopularity of those who exercise it.1. All the prophets suffered under Judaism (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51).2. Christ, Stephen, the apostles, the early Christians. Reformers all through history.3. Human nature always the same. It hates those who attack its sins. VI. The spirit that resents faithful reproof always entails retribution on itself (verse 23). To do wrong and refuse instruction is the greatest misfortune a man can suffer. VII. The necessity to do right for duty’ s sake, without expecting gratitude or acknowledgment. (J. C. Geikie, D.D.) The goodness of King Joash 1. In ten years from the death of Jehoiada, Joash was so utterly another man that you cannot recognise in him one feature of that godly disposition which distinguished his earlier years. He is a sad illustration of the deceitfulness of the human heart; of the weakness of the natural man; and of the perishing nature of that impulsive goodness which rests solely for its permanence upon the constraining influences of others. 2. Joash still represents a large class--persons of warm and susceptible feelings, acting habitually under impulse, of a temper of mind volatile, or pliable, or keenly sensitive, upon which impressions are easily made and as easily effaced. 3. Speaking as I am in a university city, I am reminded that I can point to no spot more suggestive than this of the evanescent quality of that light of the soul which is simply reflected, of that transient goodness which walks by sight and not by faith. How many young men have gathered here, filled with noble emulation, and strong in their own resolution to fulfil the purpose of their coming! And what has followed? First the whisper of the arch-tempter, “ You are free; eat, drink, and be merry.” Then the sceptic, asking contemptuously, “ What is truth?” The controversial humourist, commending his ingenious sophistries with insidious drollery. The listless idler, intruding his unwelcome presence upon the conventional hours of study. The voluptuary, putting his bottle to his companions, and filling them with shame for glory. The sinner in the city, whose house is in the way to hell. The tradesman with his offer of unlimited credit. The sordid moneylender, weaving his web of usury. These, and such as these, have “ made their obeisance,” like the princes of Judah; and behold, Jehoiada is gone, and Joash has hearkened to them! He has left the God of his fathers. He cannot prosper, because God has forsaken him. 4. Oh, if I am to send my son to fight the good fight of faith, to wrestle against the powers of darkness, let me stablish him with this fact as the counterpoise and antidote to the delusions of the world--that he is now a responsible being. (Henry Drury, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 24:22 But slew his son.Joash and Jehoiada The picture here drawn of the failure of the best of tutors and governors is unfortunately only too typical. Julian the Apostate was educated by a distinguished Christian prelate, Eusebius of Nicomedia, and was trained in a strict routine of religious observances; yet he repudiated Christianity at the earliest safe opportunity. His apostasy, like that of Joash, was probably characterised by base ingratitude. At Constantine’ s death the troops in Constantinople massacred nearly all the princes of the imperial family, and Julian, then only six years old, is said to have been saved and concealed in a church by Mark, Bishop of Arethusa. When Julian became emperor, he repaid this obligation by subjecting his benefactor to cruel tortures because he had destroyed a heathen temple and refused to make any compensation. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 25:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.Half-hearted, and therefore a failure It was not because Amaziah was not sinless that his life proved such a failure, but because he was not thorough going in his principle and piety. English life at present seems to be afflicted with a plague of levity. There is so much hollowness and unreality, so much veneer in character and work, that it behoves us to preach aloud the gospel of thoroughness. A short time ago some workmen were engaged in trying to remove a piece of old London wall. They tried with hammers, then with pick-axes, but to no purpose, the wall seemed to smile at all their efforts; at last they were obliged to have recourse to boring, and blowing it up like a piece of solid rock. That is hardly the way they build nowadays, for a man might almost push over some of our brick walls with his hand. Now, this is just an illustration of what I mean, the want of thoroughness in every branch of industry and in every walk of life. When a man’ s own character is not solid, permeated through and through with Christian principle, you cannot have any guarantee of the genuineness of his work. Shams abound everywhere. Gilt and paint carry the day. Ours is an age of tinsel. And the worst of it is that this unrealness characterises much of the religion amongst us. I sometimes meet with a horrible form of Antinomianism, which virtually says, “ Anything will do for me--I am a disciple of Christ” ; and so the work is actually more slovenly and imperfect because the individual claims to be “ not under the law, but under grace.” Why, it is almost as monstrous as the proposal a good young man made to his landlady, that his own excellent Christian example should serve in lieu of weekly payment for his lodgings! A men--I don’ t care who he is--dishonours Christ when any other person is put to disadvantage by his piety. If you imagine you are more free to do slipshod work because you are a Christian, I say, it is precisely the reverse. It is just because you claim to be the Lord’ s that any sort of work will not do. Bearing His name, you are responsible to Him for every detail of your daily life. If your secular duties are more imperfectly discharged because you are a believer, you do great wrong to the Redeemer. If you snatch a little of your employer’ s time to scatter tracts, or prepare for a Sabbath class, or even to read your Bible; or if, in business hours, your thoughts are so given to spiritual themes that you cannot do justice to your work, in any of these cases you do real harm to religion. (J. T. Davidson, D.D.) The character of Amaziah This history is adduced to lead to self-scrutiny. I. The act of assembling is in accordance with God’ s revealed wishes; and therefore the act of assembling is a right act. But am I able to believe that every men and woman joins the assembly from such motives as would stand the test of Heaven? Not with a perfect heart. II. Again, in the matter of listening to God’ s Word preached. Some listen from the desire of passing away a dull hour--as a sort of religious entertainment. Alas for the perfect heart! III. As to your conduct outside the walls of the sanctuary. You are upright and honourable in trade. But why? It is a sad thing when a man’ s actions are right because he wishes to be aggrandised, or because he wishes a high place in human estimation, and knows not the only right motive--a desire to please Him “ who hath loved us, and given Himself for us.” (T. W. Thompson, B.A.) Not with a perfect heart Off Cape Horn we witnessed a singular sight. For some miles there was a narrow strip of water, where the great waves flew in broken spray and dashed high over the ship. On either side the sea was comparatively calm, whilst this boiled with fury, rolling and surging. Yet there was no rock about which the sea surged, nor was there any such fierce wind as to account for it. Overhead the air was thick with sea-fowl. Thousands of the birds dived into this troubled water. The smaller fish were, I suppose, flung up by the toss, and thus fell a prey to the birds. I asked, naturally, what was the reason of this strange sight, and found it was the point at which the tide met the strong current of the sea, and here they raged together. Within, the tide only ran, and it was calm. Without, the current prevailed, and there, too, was calm. On this troubled bit they met, and neither prevailed. It is the picture of those who are at once too religious to belong to the world--too worldly to belong to religion; torn by both and satisfied by neither. (Mark Guy Pearse.) Whole-hearted religion required At one of the conferences between the Northern and Southern States of America during the war of 1861-1866 the representatives of the Southern States stated what cession of territory they were prepared to make, provided that the independence of the portion that was not ceded to the Federal Government was secured. More and more attractive criers were made, the portions to be ceded being increased, and those to be retained in a state of independence being proportionately diminished. All the offers were met by a steadfast refusal. At last President Lincoln placed his hand on the map so as to cover all the Southern States, and in these emphatic words delivered his ultimatum: “ Gentlemen, this Government must have the whole.” God cannot share us with the world. (A. Plummet, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 25:9 And Amarish said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? Self-made difficulties I. The path of duty was clearly before Amaziah. “ Send the army of Israel away.” II. He hesitated to tread it because there was a self-made difficulty in the way. So with many to-day.1. Worldly pleasure.2. Worldly interests. (1) A bad business, one you cannot ask God to bless.(2) A legitimate business that is not conducted on Christian principles. 3. Worldly companions.4. Bad habits. III. God recognises the difficulty. “ The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” When our first missionaries went to India, Dr. Cope died on the voyage. Some letters of introduction to English gentlemen in India had been written. When his friends arrived they went on shore and told how Dr. Cope had died and been buried in the deep sea. As they knew nothing of the language of India they asked advice, and the advice given was, “ Take the first vessel that sails for England and go home again.” One of the young men of the party said, “ That is out of the question. I came here to preach the gospel, and, God helping me, I mean to do it.” They said, “ If you bring God into the matter, that alters it altogether.” Bring God into your pleasure and into your business, and that will alter them altogether. (Charles Garrett.) God able to remunerate fidelity I know a widow whose husband died and left her with a little family to struggle for. She opened a little shop in the suburbs of the city, when one of the agents of a wine-merchant waited upon her to ask her to be an agent for the sale of strong drink. She said, “ Never a drop shall enter my house.” He said “ It will help you so much.” She said, “ If it helps me some, it will harm me more. I have children around me, and whether I prosper or not, I will not gain anything to the injury of my fellow-creatures.” She has done wonderfully. An intimate friend of mine went to see her, and said, “ I cannot understand how you get on, and why so many come to your shop, for they pass a number of good shops to come to yours.” She said to her boy, “ George, you are fond of ciphering; get down your slate and put down how far off a man must live from my shop that God cannot bring him there.” That settled it. “ God is able to give more than this.” (Charles Garrett.) Rigid integrity may stand in the way There can be no doubt that a certain flexibility and elasticity of soul and conscience may make a man get on, as concerns this world, when rigid integrity would stand in his way. Nothing would be easier than to mention striking instances in which men threw away their chance of the highest places by an act of injudicious honesty. A trader who never puffs his wares as better than they really are may not drive such a business as the brazen individual who never spares the trumpet. A preacher who sets forth sound doctrine to people who have not been accustomed to it, and who do not want it, may make himself for a time obnoxious enough. But let us speak the truth and live the truth, no matter what we may lose by it. (Charles Garrett.) What shall we do for the hundred talents? I. The command given. “ Let not the army of Israel go with thee.”1. It shows us God’ s disapproval of union with the enemies of the truth. The children of Ephraim had departed from the Lord, His favour was withdrawn from them: Judah, if he hope for success, must send such helpers away. Yes, truly “ the friendship of the world is enmity with God.” To join affinity with such, as Amaziah did, is to run into temptation and a snare. 2. But the command of God thus given leads us to notice, further, that His disappointment of our hopes is in mercy, not in wrath. Perhaps to the mind of Amaziah this only was wanting to ensure victory: his army was strong, and could he but procure this aid from Israel all would be secure; and yet no sooner are they come than the command is given. It is often thus in God’ s dealings with our souls. “ Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” “ Could I but be placed in such circumstances,” saith one, “ Were but this diffficulty removed.” is the thought of another, “ then should I grow in grace, and prosper in my soul.” But it cannot be, and you are discouraged. And yet it is in mercy, not in wrath, that your wishes are crossed. 3. Observe that the command calls for immediate compliance. Not after aid received in the battle, but now in the face of danger, at the risk of injury from those sent away, injury, too, that was not feared without cause (2 Chronicles 25:13). God’ s command will not bear delay. II. the difficulty started. “ And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?” With some awe upon his mind, a conviction of the necessity of obedience, Amaziah liked not the cost. This is the difficulty proposed, “ What shall we do for he hundred talents?” There was the divided mind On the one side was his fear of the displeasure of the Lord, without whose help he well knew he could not prosper; on the other side the hundred talents weighed down his purpose--he could not brook the loss of so large a sum. Ah! who would not obey God if he might do it without cost? Who would not be the servant of Christ, if he might be so without pains? Sin must be parted with. “ What shall we do for the hundred talents?” We go to the man that has long yielded to his evil habits. We tell him of the door of mercy yet open. The sigh breaks forth as we speak. He owns it “ too true.” He is “ almost persuaded to be a Christian.” But, no, “ What shall we do for the hundred talents?” III. The unanswerable reply. “ And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.”1. Observe--There is no promise of the restoration of the sum. The command of God was the solid ground on which the prophet claimed obedience of the king. And it is even here we too rest our appeal. “ Thus saith the Lord.” In urging on you to “ yield yourselves unto God,” we cannot--we may not--tell you that no difficulties are in the way. We have indeed that overwhelming motive to present, the safety of the soul. 2. Amaziah is referred to the almighty power of Him whose command he is called on to obey. “ God is able to give thee much more than this.” As though the prophet had said, “ Thou art ready to sorrow for the hundred talents uselessly bestowed if now to be forfeited, but whose is the silver and the gold? Grudge not, then, this sum at His word, who bids thee yield it for thine own welfare.” For is it dignity, the estimation of others, that you fear to give up? are these “ the hundred talents” you are unwilling to part with? What dignity of earth can be compared to that high-sounding and real--not empty--title, “ heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ” ?--“ Ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” Is it riches, or pleasures, the vanity of life, that seem not vain to you? God is able to give, yea, will give you much more than this. He will give you pardon, that blessed gift--pardon for all thy sins, thy multiplied, aggravated, fearful transgressions--“ And in the world to come eternal life.” (F. Storr, M.A.) Soul or silver Amaziah seemed to be a soldier, and little else. He was devoured by military ambition and vainglory. He coveted the domains of his neighbors. He was greedy of conquest. He dared not attack Israel, but on the other side lay the lands of the Edomites. He wanted to fight. There was probably no reason why he should, for the children of Seir had evidently done nothing to provoke an attack, or we should have had an account of it. But Amaziah must have more territory, and impelled by such noble patriotism, he disciplined his people into a large army. Desiring to be on the safe side, he bargained for one hundred thousand men of Israel, and, in order to secure them, he laid down a bounty of one hundred talents of silver. With these men of Ephraim, hired with the silver talents, he possessed an army of about four hundred thousand men. All things are in readiness, and he is about to start out on his grand mission of punishing a people who held lands near him, when a prophet confronts with the intelligence that if he takes the troops of Israel with him he shall be defeated. Now comes a struggle in the king’ s mind. He was bent upon war, and could not brook the idea of defeat, but to insure victory he must send the Ephraimites home. Now, he had given these men a hundred talents of silver! What about them? The command of God had touched his pocket-nerve, and it had sent a sensitive thrill through his whole being. Amaziah is not the only man that has been compelled to choose between obedience and self-denial. I. Consider, then, the fact that men’ s apparent interests are sometimes opposed by the commands of God. Very frequently men’ s practices find such opposition; and their desires are fulfilled very often against the clamourings of their consciences. But I have affirmed something beyond this--that a man’ s wholesome interests, as they appear to his view, are sometimes in direct opposition to God’ s commands. I do not think that a man will be allowed to enter upon a course inimical to God’ s will who starts out by committing his way entirely to Divine guidance. God looks out for such a man, and orders his ways so that his interests and the Divine will conform. But a great many start out in the pursuit of business without any consideration of God. With the majority of men, when the time comes to meet the question, “ What shall I do?” the answer is prompted more by expediency than by duty. One man argues, “ I can make more money in dry goods than in groceries, so I’ ll deal in dry goods. But there’ s more money in whisky, so I think I’ ll open a saloon.” He looks at trade from his own standpoint. I believe that some men really think that they are justified in such a course; they think that a man ought to look after his own interests; that that is the first thing to be consulted; and there never was a greater mistake made in this selfish world! The truth is, that when a man deliberately marks out a course in life, and determines to pursue it, without any consideration of God or his fellow-men, he is engaged in a very dangerous business. There are some other things to consider besides making money. Soul-culture, helpfulness of his fellows, influence for Christ, the increasing light of a pious life; these things are to be taken into the account, or he may look for some period of his life when the alternative will be between obedience and self-denial, or disobedience and defeat. II. Where this is the case apparent interests are to be sacrificed. God looks upon temporal matters as if they were subordinate to a higher good. Men look upon them as if they were the highest good attainable. God puts His service and the duties of religion above everything else. Men regard religion as a secondary consideration. Do you never hear men say, “ I would engage in religious matters if I had time” ? You mark a man’ s absence from the holy Sabbath worship; he complains, “ I feel so tired when Sunday comes, I must rest.” So you see men think more of their hundred talents of silver than of obedience to God. But they have Amaziah’ s protest: “ What shall we do for the hundred talents of silver?” The answer is plain enough. Let them go. “ What!” cries the overworked business man, “ leave my store full of customers just because it is the hour of prayer?” “ What!” cries the professional man, “ suspend my important studies for unprofitable religious occupation? Not much!” “ What!” cries the mechanic, “ work hard all week and Sunday too?” “ What shall we do for the hundred talents that are involved?” In such embarrassing situations the thing to do is what Amaziah did. He sent home the men of Ephraim, and he lost the hundred talents of silver. If your business stands between you and God, let it go! III. For I beg you to note that the alternative lies between total defeat and increased good. Amaziah was made to select between receiving the value of his invested money and suffering disaster in the prosecution of his scheme. He might do as he pleased, but he might know what to expect. That is the alternative placed before all men. Disobedience leads to defeat. Men may discard the commands of God, but not with impunity. Obedience to the Divine will is the only safeguard against temporal and spiritual disaster. It is a matter that enters into a man’ s private life. It does not concern those employments alone which are confessedly unrighteous, it is a law affecting the man who persists in a course when God has called him in another direction, as well as he who persists in iniquitous practices. In either case the safest thing to do is to give up the silver, without one hesitating thought. (Lansing Burrows.) Consequences The subject brought before us in the text is the weighing of consequences.1. In a certain sense it is the doing of a fool to disdain consequences; and it is the glory of a rational being that he can calculate, and weigh, and be guided by, consequences. 2. And yet there are cases in which to resolutely refuse to take into view what may be the consequences of our conduct, is heroism; is Christianity in its highest and noblest development. Such was the case with the three Jews in Babylon; Moses; Paul. 3. Amaziah’ s history will make it plain to us, when we should weigh consequences and be guided by them; and when we should disregard them, and refuse to take them into account at all. He was not wrong in naming the money loss to the prophet. He was wrong in regarding this difficulty as a fatal objection to his obeying God’ s command. He not only states his difficulty, but seems disposed to act upon it. 4. This brings us to the great principle which should guide all wise Christian people in regard to the consideration of consequences. Wherever we are sure that duty leads, wherever we are sure God bids us go, then that way we should go, whatever and however painful the consequences may be. In all other cases a prudent Christian man will weigh the consequences of what he may think of doing, and be guided by the consideration of them. 5. To disdain consequences is not to be done in a boasting, vainglorious spirit. The true proof of a man disdaining consequences is that he should disdain them, not when they are in the distance, coming, but when they are present realities; when they are come. 6. The prophet’ s reply to the king’ s difficulty is worthy of being laid to heart: “ The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” This means that it is worth our while to obey God’ s will; that though at first we may lose by doing so, we shall gain more than we shall lose. This truly is not a disdaining of consequences; it is a fuller and truer weighing of them. It is to look further on: it is to throw eternity into the scale of duty and interest. (A. K. H. Boyd.) God’ s power to remunerate I. How commonly the question is urged, “ What shall we do for the hundred talents?” We are not of those who would make light of the sacrifices which must be made by such as would live godly in Christ Jesus. Christ speaks of a “ yoke,” of “ taking up the cross,” of “ forsaking all,” of “ cutting off the right hand,” of “ plucking out the right eye.” So that the parallel is most exact between the circumstances of ourselves and those of Amaziah.1. Consider the case of the young who are urged to the remembering of their Creator and the setting of their affections on things above. If by entreaty and warning we prevail on them to hesitate ere they launch on a course of disobedience to God’ s commands, the thought of all we ask them to surrender comes upon them with great power, and they feel as though it were unreasonable to summon them to such a sacrifice. And therefore their speech is virtually, “ What shall we do for the hundred talents?” 2. Take again the case of the tradesman whose interest seems to demand the profanation of the Sabbath. In asking him to close his shop on the day that perhaps procures him more profit than can be wrung from all the rest of the week, you ask him to make what on mere human principles is scarcely a credible sacrifice. II. How sufficient an answer there is in the statement, “ The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” It is the apparent conflict between interest and duty which often induces disobedience to God. Duty and interest can never be really opposed. The righteousness of God’ s moral government requires that whatever He has made it our duty should also be our interest to perform. But still there is an apparent conflict. This world would cease to be a place of probation if it were always manifest that duty and interest lie in the same direction. When tempted to do wrong for the sake of present advantage, let us magnify the remunerating power of God. If David could say, “ Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee,” no text can be more suitable than this one for the talisman of the merchant as he prosecutes the enterprises of commerce, “ The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” (Henry Melvill, B.D.) The claims of duty The claims of duty are stronger even than those of affection. The tenderst tie on earth should never induce us to set them aside. The sense of duty which distinguished some of the patriots of ancient Rome was extraordinary. After the expulsion of King Tarquin, a conspiracy was formed for the purpose of effecting his return. It was found out by the authorities; and it was also found that Titus and Tiberius, the two sons of Brutus, the consul, were the principal conspirators. People naturally speculated as to how the consul would act in the matter; but he put an end to all controversy by condemning his two sons to death along with the rest; nay, on the day of execution, he commanded the sentence of the law to be carried out on them first of all. “ But,” you may say, “ perhaps he did not love his sons as fathers generally do.” On the contrary, the crowd who watched his countenance on the occasion could perceive that there was a terrible struggle within; so that they pitied the grief of the father no less than they admired the bravery of the patriot. Here, then, was a man who preferred duty to affection--the safety of his country to the life of his sons. (Henry Melvill, B. D.) 2 Chronicles 25:14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir.Amaziah’ s apostacy To act like Amaziah--to go out to battle in the name of Jehovah, directed and encouraged by His prophet, to conquer by the grace of the God of Israel, and then to desert Jehovah of hosts, the giver of victory, for the paltry and discredited idols of the conquered Edomites--this was sheer madness. And yet as Greece enslaved her Roman conquerors, so the victor has often been won to the faith of the vanquished. The Church subdued the barbarians who had overwhelmed the empire, and the heathen Saxons adopted at last the religion of the conquered Britons. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 25:18 The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon. True and false union Our parable thus distinguishes between true and false union. The true is inward and real; the false is outward and superficial. The true rests on the fitness of things and on eternal laws; the false relies on the capriciousness of human nature and the ebb and flow of circumstances. The false comes through conquest, coercion, and oppression; the true comes from God, righteousness and liberty. You will find these two kinds of union facing us in all relations of life. Take the history of Christianity in the world.1. The aim of the Roman Catholic Church has been to create union among all Christians. But, while the aim has been good, the method employed has been bad. The union thus sought has been a false one because it has tried to coerce and compel men to acknowledge the Pope to be the one earthly vicar of Christ. 2. A similar policy has been that of the Established Church of England. As soon as the prayer-book was compiled a series of Acts of Parliament were passed--the Act of Uniformity, etc.--to compel all British subjects to conform to its teaching. An effort was made to establish union by Acts of Parliament. The effort with a right and noble aim has failed because based on false methods. 3. Dissenters have also erred in like manner. At the assembly of Westminster divines a number of eminent Christian men drew up a set of doctrines, which were to be the infallible guide for a section of the followers of Christ. If a carpenter has a certain number of boards to make he gets the wood that is necessary; he takes his measurements; he cuts and planes each board exactly to the size, and length, and breadth, and thickness that he desires; he joins the boards together and makes the box, or floor, or other article as the case may be. All are united to complete the one object intended. But it is impossible for us to apply the word “ union” in this sense to intelligent, thinking human beings. You may cut, measure wood and inanimate objects as you please, but here you have to do with “ creatures” in whom there is the “ Divine gift of reason and free-will.” If you wish to unite men under any government, religious or political, you must first appeal to their reason, and leave them free to act as that reason leads them. The only true basis of union among human beings is the “ Presence of God” --in other words, righteousness, justice, liberty, and truth. For where righteousness, justice, liberty, and truth are, there God is. The members of a family are united not by bearing the same name, resembling each other in stature and features, but by doing what is right and just to each other, and by loving one another. The members of the Church of Christ are not united by repeating the same creed, by meeting in the same place of worship, by calling themselves by the same name, but by having hearts glowing with love to one Saviour, and by gladly serving their one Lord. The people of a nation are united together not by national prejudices and oppressive laws so much as by their common loyalty to a righteous and just government. (J. Lewis.) . 2 Chronicles 26:5 And as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.Soul prosperity I. The seekers of the Lord.1. Every real seeker of the Lord must be a heaven-born soul (John 3:8). This involves the bestowment of a Divine existence, the creating of a new nature (2 Peter 1:4). This is the nature that habitually seeks after God. 2. Seeking the Lord includes-- (1) Worshipping.(2) Wrestling.(3) Waiting. II. Their experience of prosperity. If you ask a worldling what constitutes prosperity he will say, “ Many excellent bargains, good customers, ready money, quick returns, the accumulation of property, health, friends, extended connections, and the like.” But what is Christian prosperity?1. Spiritual growth. 2. Triumphant victories. The life of a Christian is the life of a conqueror. 3. The taking of spoils from the vanquished foe. The most valuable lessons are often learnt from the heaviest calamities. III. The extension of prosperity: “ As long as he sought the Lord.” (Joseph Irons.) The secret of strength and its perils I. We have the marvellous help which Jehovah gives to a rightly-purposed man, and its consequences. No one can suppose that Judah was very prosperous before the accession of that king. For, not only had it been humbled at the battle of Beth-Shemesh, but Jerusalem itself had been ravaged and partially dismantled. And, considering the extreme youth of the king, only sixteen years of age when he came to the throne, one would naturally have expected to read of the gradual increase of the disorders of the kingdom through the contests of opposing factions, and of its gradual diminution and enthralment through the successes of its enemies. But, on the contrary, the first thing recorded of Uzziah is that “ he built Eloth and restored it to Judah” ; and thenceforward, throughout the greater part of his reign, the story of no single disaster or defeat interrupts the current of prosperity. First of all the Philistines, and then the Arabs, the Mehunim, and the Ammonites were compelled to restore to Judah the cities they had before appropriated, were, indeed, in some instances reduced to the condition of tributary nations. And the internal administration of the country was not less fortunate than its external relationships. Jerusalem was refortified, and for the first time in Biblical history we read of “ engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal.” And “ he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells; for he had much cattle, both in the low country and in the plains; husbandmen also and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel; for he loved husbandry.” Everything shows that the kingdom reached a condition of prosperity such as it had not known since the days of Solomon. And the explanation of it all is the marvellous help of the Almighty. You may see it in almost all aspects and exigencies of life--the wonderful help of God making s Christian prosperous and strong. It is quite true that we sometimes trouble ourselves, as Uzziah must have often in those difficult years troubled himself, with the thought that we have no inherent ability for the work which God gives us to do, whether it be work of service or of sanctification. But in that imagination we are altogether wrong, and therefore wrong in letting ourselves be depressed and unnerved by it. For the Scriptural doctrine always is that it is the marvellous help of God that makes a man strong, that no man is or can become strong, in any religious sense of that word, apart from such help. “ Work out your own salvation, for it is God that worketh in you.” There can be no other explanation of the prosperity of Uzziah, his conquest of difficulties greater than ours, his faithfulness under burdens heavier than ours, than simply that God, because of his faith in God, helped him. And in all times, when duty, sorrow, responsibility, or doubt presses upon ourselves, we can adopt a course that has never failed, and resolve, “ I will seek unto God, and unto God will I commit my cause, which doeth great things, and unsearchable, marvellous things without number . . . to set up on high those that be low, that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.” II. The peril of prosperity, which was too great a peril for uzziah. His splendid career elated him, and “ his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” Instead of reverent praise to God for having helped him so marvellously, he began to flatter himself with the thought that his success had been achieved by his own wisdom and skill, and “ he transgressed against the Lord, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.” It is easy to find excuses for Uzziah, which are sufficient to protect him from our blame, but not sufficient to reduce the heinousness of his sin in the sight of God. It might, for instance, be said that his old godly counsellor Zechariah had lately died. Or it might be said that he was but imitating the conduct of his father, of Jeroboam, of the idolatrous kings around him. But, whatever our charity may dispose us to urge in palliation, the fact remains that he showed his gratitude to God for the marvellous help he had received by setting at nought the express commandment of God. For when Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were destroyed, their brazen censers were made into broad plates for a covering of the altar “ to be a memorial unto the children of Israel” (so runs the law) “ that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord.” Nor can Uzziah have forgotten that law. It was, indeed, when he became wrath with the faithful priests who reminded him of it, and pressed forward with his censer, that that moment “ the leprosy rose up to his forehead,” and, conscience-smitten, he hastened out of the temple. Just think of the contrast which that sin caused between the earlier and the later parts of Uzziah’ s reign. There is another place in the Old Testament where that warning is embedded in associations of even greater interest than these--the song of Moses in the thirty-second chapter of Deuteronomy. The marvellous works which God had wrought for Israel are enumerated first. Then follow the ungrateful exaltation of Israel in their own eyes, their desertion of God, and the wrath they thereby brought quickly upon themselves. It is just a type of the process that takes place in many hearts. First of all, God blesses us, enables us to do what otherwise we could not possibly have done, makes us great in control over ourselves, and perhaps, also, in influence over others. We, in some crisis of temptation, listen to the whisper that it was our own hand that made us strong; self-complacency begets presumption; until at last conscience smites us; we know ourselves to be leprous in spirit in the sight of God, and the self-built fabric of prosperity crumbles in a moment. Blessed for us if the Lord gives us what He gave Uzziah--seven quiet years for penitence, thought, and humbler service. It may be well to linger a little upon the different stages of this process, which sometimes leads a godly man from strength to leprosy. Obviously pride was at’ the bottom of Uzziah’ s sin. Uzziah seems to have thought, “ Philistines and Ammonites, it’ s I have defeated them, and my name which they applaud and fear even to the entering in of Egypt. My father left the kingdom circumscribed, so reduced that he had to give hostages to Joash; I have made it great and free.” And still whenever by the help of God we have done any useful work, we are liable to a similar temptation, to attribute to ourselves the credit of having done it, and in our self-complacency to forget and to dishonour God. There is nothing but sin, failure, and ruin to be found in yielding to that temptation. For the immediate and necessary consequence of pride is presumption, which, though it may not take the exact form it took in the case of Uzziah, may take an equally sinful form. One form it often assumes now, in the case of men whose real knowledge of God is very defective, is that of patronising the Gospel. But much as that habit of thought requires to be guarded against, it is probably in other directions that most of us are more apt to err. The remembrance of what we have done by the help of God prompts us to attempt what we have to do apart from His help, with confidence in ourselves as sufficient for it, with a neglect of Divine aid as more or less unnecessary and superfluous. Any particle of the pride which leads us to attribute to ourselves the success of the past, whatever the particular form or particular associations of that pride, is a mistake even according to human judgment, an element of weakness which will grievously impede us, and a sin in the sight of God. And, whilst that principle teaches us what is forbidden, it teaches us also what is enjoined. Pride always means folly and failure. And therefore trust in God, the more perfect and supreme the better, means wisdom and success. It was whilst Uzziah “ looked unto God” that he was marvellously helped and made strong. And it will be in proportion as we trust in Jehovah that we shall have vigour to finish and patience to bear whatever He gives us to endure or to do. (R. W. Moss.) Destroyed by prosperity I. Uzziah’ s prosperous career. “ He was marvellously helped till he was strong.” His good fortune, as the world would call it, dated from his seventeenth year. It was a trying position for a mere boy to be placed in; for the cares and responsibilities, as well as the temptations and luxuries, of a royal palace demand a ripe wisdom and strength of moral purpose rarely found at so early an age. But God’ s grace could qualify even so young a man for the task; and I am struck with the fact, that almost every one of the good kings of Judah was quite a youth when he succeeded to the throne. There is no reason why the season of young manhood should be given up to passion and frivolity. It was a great advantage to the young Uzziah that he had the loyal attachment and confidence of his people. But what mainly guarded him from the dangers around him, and kept him steady on his throne, was a sincere piety. Never forget the quarter from whence all true prosperity must come. Success does not depend on yourselves alone. Still less does it come from chance. Take God with you into all the affairs of life. Look to Him to bless your business. Ask His help in every fresh enterprise you undertake. II. His marvellous presumption. “ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” It requires special grace to keep a man right when he has had a career of unbroken prosperity. One day, when the celebrated George Whitfield was about to commence the service, an intimation was read out from the desk below: “ The prayers of the congregation are desired for a young man who has become heir to an immense fortune, and who feels he has much need of grace to keep him humble in the midst of his riches.” Nothing tries a man so much as the favour of fortune and the flattery of the world. III. The note of warning. As there are many kinds of prosperity, so there are many kinds of presumption. A man may be “ lifted up to his destruction,” for example--1. By the pride of money. It does not take a large fortune to make some people “ purse-proud “ --and very disagreeable people these are. 2. The pride of intellect. I wish to put you on your guard against a current which is running very strong in our day. I mean the tendency to set up the reason against religion. Perhaps I might mention-- 3. Pride of wit. Now I go in for a sunny, cheerful religion. God has, put within us a faculty of mirthfulness, which He did not mean us to suppress. There is no necessary connection between dulness and piety, between a long face and a new heart. True, but there are some men who are hardly ever serious. (J. T. Davidson, D. D.) The rise and the fall To be successful or prosperous, to get on in the world, or to be strong, is what every one, be his position what it may, longs for and struggles after. Prosperity is a relative term. A king is prosperous or strong when from strength of character and purity of life he has secured the confidence and love of his people, and the respect of neighbouring sovereigns and nations. A merchant is prosperous when his dealings are followed by remunerative gains. A minister of Jesus Christ is prosperous when he benefits souls and instructs men’ s minds, and leads them to think of something higher and more lasting than the passing show of the world. To be prosperous, to be strong, is in one word to get on in one’ s own department, and at one’ s peculiar work. Whatever success be ours we ought to acknowledge that God has been with us. It is just here that men are so often thoughtless and ungrateful, and have their heart lifted up to destruction. We see this often in the case--1. Of individuals.2. Of families.3. Of Churches.4. Of nations. (W. Mackintosh Arthur, M.A.) Uzziah-his sin and punishment Rightly to apprehend Uzziah’ s sin, we must remember through what barriers he had to break before he could resolve to do this thing. He had to disregard the direct command of Jehovah that the priests alone should burn incense on His altar. He had to despise the history of his people, to reject the solemn lessons that he had learned from childhood. He was defiling his own sacred things; the Jewish history was the history of his own people, the charter of his own blessings; the temple and the priesthood were the solemn ordinances of his own worship. He was impiously defying the holy name by which he himself was called. I. Prosperity and pride. “ Uzziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.” The results of godly training and holy companionship are often seen in the prudence, and diligence, and sobriety which command success and reputation. The modes of life which the influence of the gospel forms, which are the tradition of Christian households, are just those which conduce to happiness and honour. Mere worldly prosperity is often the prelude to daring impiety. It is a perpetual question how to “ remove” the “ hireling” spirit out of the Church. Men whose ships bring them wealth, whose plans in business succeed, come to fancy themselves fit for any place of responsibility in the Church. Churches love to pay honour to men of wealth; choose for places of special service, not those of pure heart, and fervent faith, and lowly self-denial, but those who have succeeded in business, and whose plans, it is therefore thought, must needs be followed. Uzziah was a good king, but he was a bad priest; he was not the priest whom God had chosen. Men whose godliness, and integrity, and Christian conduct have won them respect are most valuable helps in all Christian activities. But mere worldly success is a poor standard by which to measure these things, and ought never to be allowed to secure to any voice and direction in Church affairs. “ It appertains not to these to burn incense unto the Lord.” It is a matter of personal experience how prosperity lifts up the heart, and lures us to destruction. “ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” II. Pride and punishment. “ Here now,” you may be ready to say, “ is something in the story which is simply Jewish, quite foreign to the life of to-day. Do you mean to say that God visits men with judgments now? Is there anything here to come home to the hearts of Englishmen?” I do say that God is judging us; the same God who judged His people of old. There is in this very part of the narrative something to set us thinking on the mysteries of our daily life, and to help in their interpretation. Suppose, now, a physician had given us a purely medical report of this incident. Suppose he had told us that there was in Uzziah an unsuspected taint of leprosy: a taint which, if he had been careful of himself, especially avoiding strong passionate excitements, might never have developed into actual symptoms of disease. Hereditary or constitutional disease may often lurk for a lifetime unsuspected, till some circumstance favours its development, and instantaneously it works itself out in all its power. Of all such favouring circumstances, strong passionate excitement is the surest; in the heat of pride the seeds of sickness are frequently quickened. What stories are more impressive or more common than those of men suddenly stricken down on the eve of the gratification of their pride, in the first thrill of triumph, in the very fever of unbridled ambition? A man has been all his lifetime amassing wealth; satisfied at length, he builds himself a lordly mansion, that he may rank with the nobles of the land. He builds, but he never enjoys it--he is found some morning smitten with impotence; and the palsied speech-muscles refuse to articulate a word. A statesmen is summoned to the royal presence-chamber; at the council-table the blood-stain at his lips declares that honours and life will soon be laid together in the dust. A student is called to preside over some learned body; his brain gives way, and the asylum is henceforth his home. Instead of leprosy, read paralysis or haemorrhage, or softening of the brain, and it is just a narrative from our daily press. Say what we will, this is true, that pride and passion, unregulated ambition and impious recklessness, do terribly punish those whom they enslave. The Jewish story interprets the English life. If Englishman trace these things to natural causes, and go no further, while the Jew says, “ God has smitten him,” the Jew is right and the Englishman is wrong. It is a sign of unbelief and folly to refuse to trace God’ s hands, save in events that are utterly unintelligible. God’ s great work is to reveal, not to hide Himself. It is part of His order of nature that bodily pains should often reveal and rebuke the workings of an ungodly soul. The hour of pride is often, too, an hour of terrible revelation of hidden spiritual taints; which of us has not found secret sine leaping to light in the heats of unbridled passion? We flattered ourselves that God made us to prosper because we sought Him. Our seeking of Him became a tradition of the past, a memory; we thought we had overcome our temptations, laid aside our easily besetting sin; and, even while we boasted, we fell before God and men. We have thanked God we were not as other men; suddenly we have had to change our boasting, we have known ourselves the chief of sinners. As long as we seek God, He will make us to prosper; but only so long. Keep we ever near Him, ever following Him, ever obeying and trusting Him, and we shall be “ marvellously helped and be strong.” III. Punishment and shame. Hope concerning Uzziah is given in the record of his hasting to go out of the temple. His proud heart was broken; he was smitten with shame. There needed not “ the priests, the valiant men,” to thrust him out: “ Yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.” It may have been mere terror that drove him forth, the force of circumstances, and not a convicted, penitent heart. His self-abasement may have been as godless as was his exaltation. It may have been so; but it may have been far otherwise. Assuredly God intended it to be otherwise. Of the seven years that he spent in the “ several house” we know nothing; of this we may be sure, that during all those years God was seeking to restore and save his soul. In solitude, while his son was over his kingdom, and regents were doing the work God had taken from his hands, he might have learnt many a lesson he had not learnt upon the throne. The dignity and service forfeited through pride may be never regained. A stain may cling to the name; the reputation long held honourable, and lost through a shameful fall, may not even after death be recovered. Sons may blush more over the dishonourable grave and the one terrible sin of their fathers than they triumph in the glory of a whole life. Impiety is a fearful thing, and has a fearful curse. (A. Mackennal, B.A.) The religious element necessary in commonwealths We need more than animals to make a commonwealth worth preserving; we need more than bodies, and more than what is usually, but too narrowly, denominated practical substance; we need the religious element, the spiritual force, that marvellous telescopic faculty that looks away beyond the visible into that which is unseen. We need to have ghostly men among us; men who see the metaphysical in the literal; men who know that nothing is true that is not metaphysically true; men who insist that we see nothing with the naked eye, and that vision is a heart-gift, an inward faculty, a sublime treasure entrusted to men of God. Thus the Church will always have an important part to play in the upbuilding of the State, in the government of kings, in the direction of great affairs. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 26:10-11 For he loved husbandry.We cannot always follow the pursuits we love Is there anything more distressing than to be compelled to do the thing we have no heart for? Many a man in the city would leave his occupation to-morrow if he could find bread in the thing he really loves. And many men are in positions that look lofty, and that are amply rewarded, for which they care nothing; they would rather be at home attending to the garden, watching the bees, reading noble books. But we cannot do what we would like to do. Herein is part of our discipline, which is part of our education. We must have the will broken somewhere. No man can reach the full stature of his manhood, and realise all that is sweetest in life, until his will has been cut right in two. (J. Parker, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 26:15 For he was marvellously helped till he was strong. Marvellously helped till strong Two kinds of help, natural and supernatural.1. A time when we cannot help ourselves. Infancy.2. A time of growth, when we can help ourselves. Youth, manhood.3. When thus strong the supernatural help ceases. Not less provision made on that account. There is joy and co-operation with God. As an earthly father requires to be obeyed and served, beholds strength and disposition to co-operate, so the heavenly Father, etc. (G. Matheson.) Prosperity I. Uzziah’ s prosperity.1. The particulars of his prosperity. (1) He prospered in war. He had an army of 307,500 men, over whom were 2,600 mighty and valorous captains. All were fully equipped for service. With these soldiers Uzziah fought against the Philistines, the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, the Mehunims and the Amorites, and in each case he was victorious. (2) He prospered in building. He repaired and fortified the walls of Jerusalem, reared towers “ a hundred and fifty cubits high” (Josephus), built walled towns in the desert, and made channels for the conveyance of water. (3) He prospered in agriculture. “ He planted it with all sorts of plants, and sowed it with all sorts of seeds.” (4) Uzziah’ s prosperity appears to have been general. He did not keep up a great military establishment at the expense of other departments. His name spread far abroad, and he was acknowledged to be an illustrious and a highly-favoured prince. 2. The author of his prosperity. This was God “ He was marvellously helped.” God helped him against his enemies, and in all he undertook. It might have been otherwise. Instead of victory he might have experienced defeat. His building and agricultural schemes might have proved unsuccessful. It is always well to set the Lord at our right hand. We may plough and plant, but He only can cause the seed to germinate, and grow, and fructify. We may contrive and work, but He only can bless our endeavours. 3. The secret of Uzziah’ s prosperity. It is distinctly set forth in the fifth verse of this (26) chapter, “ He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and so long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper.” What is there that God cannot do for a man who takes Him into his counsels? He can help him “ marvellously.” He can exalt valleys and level mountains, make crooked places straight and rough places plain. He can bring clients into the office and ready-money customers into the shop. He has the hearts of all men in His hands, and all the forces of the universe; and He can do whatsoever He will. II. Uzziah’ s pride.1. His prosperity made him proud. “ His heart was lifted up.” A great change for the worse was wrought in him. Whether it was brought about suddenly or gradually we are not told. We assume that Uzziah did not become proud all at once. He who had formerly recognised God as the prime cause of his splendid achievements became wilfully blind, and we shall soon see what effect this had upon his conduct. 2. His pride led him into presumption. The tendency of pride is to make men giddy, and as the result their vision is beclouded, their judgment is perverted. (1) The occasion of his presumption. Josephus tells us that it was “ a remarkable day, a general festival,” and we are left to supply the rest. (2) The nature of his presumption. He usurped the office of the priest. There are hereditary moral diseases as well as those which are physical and mental. Uzziah’ s folly was in some respects a reproduction of the folly of which Amaziah his father had been guilty. III. Uzziah’ s punishment.1. He was resisted in his attempt to do that which was unlawful; resisted by the proper guardians of the temple. Azariah, the high priest, seeing what he was about to do, went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, who were valiant men. No time was lost (verse. 18). 2. He was smitten with leprosy. “ The leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord.” There was the bright scaly spot which told its own terrible tale--the mark of God’ s disapprobation, and it was on his brow, where all could see it. 3. He was thrust out of the temple as unclean. It was not necessary, however, to use force; conscious that God had smitten him, he hurried out, self-condemned, probably shrieking out his woe, and cursing his folly. 4. He was separated from society (Leviticus 13:46). 5. He, being a leper, was buried alone. Josephus tells us that he “ was buried by himself in his own garden.” In all likelihood his resting-place was a field or garden adjoining the usual burial-place of the kings. Lessons:1. God is the giver of prosperity.2. Prosperous men are in danger of becoming proud.3. Pride is often followed by presumption.4. Presumption is sure of punishment. (J. Baker Norton.) 2 Chronicles 26:17-18 It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord. We must abide within our limitation The great temptation of some natures is to try to do the very things for which they are least qualified. There is a marvellous irony in human genius in this matter. It would seem to be an inscrutable mystery that men will persist in attempting to do the thing which they cannot do, and which they were obviously never meant to do. Whenever a man is out of place he is guilty of wasting strength. A man can only work well within his own limit. No man should strain himself at his labour, be he poet, or musician, or divine, be he prophet or merchantman; he should keep easily within the circle he was appointed to occupy, for all stretching is weakening, all effort that is above the line of nature tends to destruction, both to the worker and of the influence which he ought to exert. Know your own place, and keep it. (J. Parker, D. D.) The folly of self-will God has sacred places, God has allotted specific duties to men; every man will be wise in proportion as he sees his own calling, and makes his calling and election sure. Reward lies along that line. Leave your native heath, take your life into your own hands, say you will create a sphere for yourself and do as you please, and you shall be stung with disappointments as with a cloud of insects. Say you will insist upon having your own way in the world, and every rock you strike will but injure the hand that smites it. But live and move and have your being in God. Say, “ Lord, not my will, but Thine be done; make me door-keeper, or lamp-lighter, or hewer of wood or drawer of water, or a Zechariah having learning in Thy visions and power of reading all the apocalypse of Thy providence: what Thou wilt, as Thou wilt, as long as Thou wilt: Thy will is heaven.” It is towards this end that all Christian education must tend. (J. Parker, D. D.) Uzziah’ s pride punished I. His reign as king. This was pre-eminently successful. The Arab hordes on his south-east borders were subdued, and the Ammonites were reduced to tribute. He was no less vigorous in defensive than offensive operations. He paid as great attention to the arts of peace as of war. He was the special patron of agriculture; he dug wells, built towers in the wilderness for the protection of the flocks, and cultivated rich vineyards. II. Uzziah’ s sin. Uzziah was ambitious; he was not willing that any in his realm should enjoy prerogatives denied to him. III. Uzziah’ s punishment. Henceforth the most menial subject would not exchange places with the leprous king. As lessons taught by this narrative we learn--1. Prosperity is dangerous. The record of Uzziah does not stand alone. Prosperity seldom draws men to God. Gratitude does not increase in proportion as God’ s favours multiply. A man’ s piety is not usually increased by his becoming rich. It is seldom men are more religious in health than in sickness. “ Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept Thy Word.” 2. God is to be approached reverently. Uzziah seems to have thought that by being a king, successful and famous, he had earned the right to enter the holy place and offer sacred incense. It is often expected that God will accept worship if the display of wealth mingle with it largely. Does not the ability to offer such choice incense gain for one the right to lift the sacred veil and stand where God hath said His Priests only should enter, and “ the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death?” Uzziah thought that God would not exclude a favoured king from that sacred presence. Men often think that it is possible to find some incense wafted from a worldly censer which shall ascend as fragrance to the unseen holy. But what had Uzziah’ s kingdom to do toward fitting him to perform a priestly act? Man’ s approach to God is through Christ. In the Old Testament dispensation, not even a symbol of His person or work could be accepted or admitted into the holy place, other than that which God had appointed. 3. Sin, though in high places, must be rebuked. It seemed a bold act for the priests to say to Judah’ s king, “ Go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed.” They were the humble ministers of religion, and he the proud and pampered king of a victorious people. He had transcended his limit, and must be rebuked, though he be a king. Such invasions of religion are not rare. The world is always ready to take religious duties into her own hands, to tell how God is to be worshipped, what doctrines are to be preached, what duties prescribed, what faults are to be rebuked, and what allowed. She enters with a regal tread, and speaks with imperious voice. What shall be done? Does and will the Church stand firm in her antagonism to wrong and sin, though they stand in kingly pride to offer polluted incense on her sacred altars? 4. Men may be blinded to sin, till they see its consequences. It is not probable that Uzziah realised his guilt till the “ leprosy rose up in his forehead.” Then he hasted to go out of the sanctuary. Perhaps he feared other and severer judgments would follow. Had God stayed His retributive hand, and the king been suffered, with no leprous spots, to leave the altar as proud and ambitious as he entered, his guilt would have been as great. The smitten forehead, like a detective, laid the offender under arrest, and thus exposed him; but it did not create or increase his sin. Many, guilty of the most grievous wrongs, think themselves respectable, and claim the confidence of others, till some providence uncovers their evil deeds. It is a mistake to suppose that all the criminals are in prison. A bad men is as bad on one side of iron bars as on the other. (Monday Club Sermons.) 2 Chronicles 26:19 Then Uzziah was wroth. Impatience of reproof How often is the sinner only provoked to greater wickedness by the obstacles which Divine grace opposes to his wrong-doing! How few men will tolerate the suggestion that their intentions are cruel, selfish, or dishonourable! Remonstrance is an insult, an offence against their personal dignity; they feel that their self-respect demands that they should persevere in their purpose, and that they should resent and punish any one who has tried to thwart them. The most dramatic feature of this episode, the sudden frost of leprosy in the king’ s forehead, is not without its spiritual antitype. Men’ s anger at well-merited reproof has often blighted their lives once for all with ineradicable moral leprosy. In the madness of passion they have broken bonds which have hitherto restrained them and committed themselves beyond recall to evil pursuits and fatal friendships. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) . 2 Chronicles 27:3 And on the wall of Ophel he built much. Building on Ophel Ophel means “ the mount.” Where was the mount? On the southern slope. Why did the king build so much on Ophel? Because it was most accessible to the enemy. Like a wise commander he remembered that no man is stronger than his weakest point, and that no fortification is stronger than its frailest part; so the king built much where the wall was weakest, or where the access of the enemy was most open; and in doing so he gathered up and represented the wisdom and experience of the ages, and anticipated what we and all the sons of time ought to do. What is your weakest point in life? Build much there. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 27:6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God. Jotham’ s epitaph I. Every man is under God’ s inspection. How truly did the ancients realise this (Psalms 139:1-24.; Jeremiah 23:23-24; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Job 34:22). We little consider this in the present day. II. Every man should live as under God’ s inspection. A man’ s conduct will be very different if he realises that God’ s eye is on him. He will avoid sin. He will bear in mind the love of his Father who is in heaven. He will try to please Him in thought as well as in deed. III. The recognition of God’ s presence is the foundation-stone of all prosperity. It renders a man great, for--1. It makes him careful not to do that which will disgrace him.2. It entitles him to Divine protection and help.3. It fills him with a consciousness of rectitude, which in itself is a panoply of defence. (Homilist.) Jotham, king and saint This is the key-note of Jotham’ s biography: “ He prepared his ways before the Lord his God.” This may be applied like a key put into the lock of each of these verses of the record of his life. I. He went right where his father went wrong (2 Chronicles 27:2). Even on the pinnacle of success and popularity, his head was cool, and his heart was clear, and his nerves were steady, for he prepared his ways before the Lord his God. II. He covered the country with fortifications (2 Chronicles 27:3-4). The man who is spiritual to the core will not be a weakling in the city, and he will not be easily turned aside. This disposes of the idea that to be a praying man and to be a business man do not go together. III. He prevailed against his enemies (2 Chronicles 27:5). Because, before he fought he prayed. IV. His wealth increased (2 Chronicles 27:5). Prayer to God brought him his fortune. V. His humility exalted him (2 Chronicles 27:6). Conclusion: What was Jotham after all but a dim, distant, foreshadowing of Jesus Christ? If ever the text was true of any one, it was true of Him. (John McNeill.) Godwardness; or the might of an ancient The Bible is the good man’ s chart: to warn away from danger it points out the places where some good men have gone down; while to encourage, it holds up to view the principles as illustrated by the life of others who have been successful. Jotham’ s life teaches-- I. Godwardness: the true might and majesty of kings. Godwardness is the continuous shaping of our thoughts and deeds as under the immediate inspection of God. Let God be first in every consideration, consulted in every transaction, recognised and deferred to on all occasions and under all circumstances. II. Godwardness: the true strength of empires. An empire’ s strength does not depend upon--1. Riches. Ancient Tyre was rich.2. Political ability and astute statesmanship. Sparta.3. Learning. Greece.4. Legions. Rome. Napoleon Bonaparte. The strength of an empire is in God. Also, the true strength of the soul’ s empire--the Empire of Self--is Godwardness. III. Godwardness: the secret of success. The true cause of failure and weakness is often moral delinquency. “ Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord.” (Enoch Hall.) Stimulating effect of God’ s presence It is said that the air of a famous Kentucky cave has a peculiar power of stimulating the senses. After the visitor has been in its strange and silent labyrinths for an hour or two, and comes back into the open air, he can discern the very scents of the flowers, trees, and grasses. New perceptions of spiritual things will come to us if we get away into the quiet of God’ s presence, and suffer ourselves to be absorbed by His Word. (T. G. Selby.) . 2 Chronicles 28:2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. The ways of the kings of Israel Israel was for the most part more powerful, wealthy, and cultured than Judah. When Ahaz came to the throne as a mere youth, Pekah was apparently in the prime of life and the zenith of power. He is no inapt symbol of what the modern tempter at any rate desires to appear: the showy, pretentious man of the world, who parades his knowledge of life, and impresses the inexperienced youth with his shrewdness and success, and makes his victim eager to imitate him, to walk in the ways of the kings of Israel. (W. H. Bennett, M.A) Molten images for Baalim.--Molten images for the Baals The prospect of making images for the Baals is an insidious temptation. Ahaz perhaps had found the decorous worship of the one God dull and monotonous. Baals meant new gods and new rites, with all the excitement of novelty and variety. Jotham may not have realised that this youth of twenty was a man; he may have been treated as a child and left too much to the women of the harem. Responsible activity might have saved him. The Church needs to recognise that healthy, vigorous youth craves interesting occupation, and even excitement. If a father wishes to send his son to the devil, he cannot do better than make that son’ s life, both secular and religious, a routine of monotonous drudgery. Then any pinchbeck king of Israel will seem a marvel of wit and good fellowship, and the making of molten images a most pleasing diversion. A molten image is something solid, permanent, and conspicuous, a standing advertisement of the enterprise and artistic taste of the maker; he engraves his name on the pedestal, and is proud of the honourable distinction. Many of our modern molten images are duly set forth in popular works; for instance, the reputation for impure life, or hard drinking, or reckless gambling, to achieve which some men have spent their time and money and toil. Other molten images are dedicated to another class of Baals: Mammon the respectable and Belial the polite. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 28:9A prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded. The story of the prophet Oded Probably few will recognise this name. It is associated with no book of perpetual instruction, with no course of heroic action. No mighty deeds like those of Elijah or Elisha adorn his story; no length of stately service like that of Daniel is rendered by him. He is a man of one achievement; his prophecy only an argument to brotherly kindness and affection, and yet few men have ever rendered a nobler service to their fellow men than that recorded of him. It exhibits the possibility of finest usefulness as lying more near and within our reach than we had thought. The circumstances are soon told. Already the shadow of the great Assyrian monarchy had fallen on more western lands, and Damascus, Israel, Judah were threatened by it. Their policy would have been union for mutual defence; national contrition and development of those virtues which would have engaged the approval of God. Unfortunately, instead of uniting with each other, Damascus, Samaria, Jerusalem alike forget the impending danger which ultimately overtakes them; and, as if there was no foe to be feared, by their conflicts with each other destroy their power of saving themselves. One campaign had just ended. Israel and Damascus had united, and between them had inflicted a crushing blow on Judah. A hundred and twenty thousand slain is the enormous register of Judah’ s loss, and in addition Israel has taken captive of women and children two hundred thousand more. With the bitterness that belongs to a feud between kinsmen, no compunction enfeebles the elation of their victory. It has not entered any mind that any other course should be pursued but simply to use or sell the captives as slaves. They will indulge their lust, they will increase their wealth. With such purposes they bring all their spoil and all their captives to Samaria. When as they are about to enter in unbrotherly triumph, a prophet of the Lord went out to them; of no great importance, as men generally would have judged; single-handed, with none to back him. He goes forth, and addressing not the chiefs alone with whispers of policy, but the host great and small, calls on them to forego their pleasure and their wealth, and as brethren to abstain from reducing to slavery their brethren whom the fortune of war had put into their power. His argument is striking. There is no mention of Assyria, as there might have been, and of the importance of a united front; no flattery or appeal to desire for generous fame. Solemnly he points out that Judah’ s defeat is the penalty of Judah’ s sin. That in the slaughter of such multitudes as they put to death they have already committed crimes enough. That to enslave their brethren would be to provoke the anger of their Father God still more, and therefore they should liberate those whom they intended to enslave. The single voice avails. Alone in making the suggestion, he is not long left alone. “ Certain heads of the children of Ephraim” stand up stoutly against the more violent that oppose the prophet’ s word. “ Ye shall not bring in the captives hither,” they say, with the courage of their nobler mood. When lo! with that openness to generous and noble appeals that sometimes marks a multitude, the whole host suddenly catch the glow of nobler feeling, and at once the resolve to set the captives free is framed and put in execution. The treasure of the spoil is taken to relieve their wants. An incident of a kind too rare, but one which yet indicates to us how much of noble service might be rendered if all did their part towards making the world a little brighter and better than it is. I. The responsibility of leaders. A prophet worthy of his calling, and the chief men of Israel having the courage of their position, together sway the whole people with a generous impulse. No greater mercy comes from the Father of lights than leaders whose worth adorns their eminence. The tendencies to good and evil hang on so fine a balance, that let the leaders appeal to the nobler part, and it will respond. Let them appeal to the baser, and it will respond, unchecked by any scruple. If you are in any position of leadership in Church, or world, or lowly home, minister or layman, remember grand things are possible if you are faithful. Do not fall into sin of rulers, assuming a waywardness in the people which you thenceforth do nothing to control. Give those around you a clear keynote of noble duty or generous wisdom, and you will always find some to back you, and sometimes sufficient backing to achieve a grand success. An heroic leader in war will infuse his courage into feeblest followers. A generous leader in peace may win victories no less noble. Let leaders study Oded, till they learn, like him, to forego all flattery and all care for popular acceptance, and find the stately courage which can urge the worthy course upon their fellow men. II. The importance of individual action. How utterly hopeless must it have seemed to dream of turning the people from their purpose. Their blood was heated with their triumph, their passions all inflamed, their self-interest involved. What could one man do to stem such forces? But let him stand alone, or find plentiful support; let his testimony be resented with contempt or accepted with humility, Oded feels his business is to utter what seems to him to be the will of God. And uttering it, lo, he is not long alone. His generosity infects others. Try to count up the service then rendered. Two hundred thousand captives set free, and their dismal fears changed into restful gratitude. His nation saved from the guilt of a great crime. His people ennobled by a generous deed. One man did this, or rather was the occasion of its being done. One man set the bail a-rolling. Learn hence that there is no limit to what, God inspiring and using him, one man may do. Athanasius, Augustine, Luther, Knox, Wesley, their lives are but variations of this story. The conviction of the one to-day becomes that of the many to-morrow. III. The importance of presence of heart. So many, when the occasion of rendering great service rises, finding themselves with confused feelings, with heart unequal to the demand made on it. There were other saints in Samaria, doubtless, grieved over this civil war, and shrinking equally with him from idea of their brethren being made their slaves. But Oded was not confused, perplexed, overawed by concurrence of a vast multitude in a great wrong. Nor did he need a week to think what it would be best to do or say. There and then, in all calmness and self-possession, he saw what it was best to do and say, and he did and said it. That calmness comes not because the nerve is cool; it has a higher origin. It comes from walking with God and talking with Him; the sight of His throne, the knowledge of His providence; the habit of asking instructions and waiting for them, and acting when they come. (Richard Glover.) 2 Chronicles 28:10 But are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?A home question This question is pertinent to--1. Nations.2. Sects. 3. Classes.4. Individuals. I shall-- I. Put a home question to--1. The moralist.2. The accuser of the brethren.3. The outwardly religious.4. Those who make no profession of religion.5. Other classes I may have omitted. “ Are there not with you, sins against the Lord your God?” II. Put a common-sense question: “ Who are you that you think to escape the punishment of sin?” III. Give a little advice.1. Leave other people alone with regard to finding fault.2. Treat yourselves as you have been accustomed to treat others.3. Look to the eternal interests of your own souls. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Home sins An object may be placed in such close proximity to the eye as to escape all distinct perception. It may be brought into such near contact with the organs of vision as to become wholly invisible. Analogous to this natural difficulty of a close self-inspection is the general inability or indisposition of men to form a correct estimate of their own moral and spiritual character. Consider-- I. Some of our distinguishing privileges and advantages. II. The solemn and awful question, as it relates--1. To public, national, legalised transgressions. (1) Want of deference to God’ s supreme authority.(2) Sabbath profanation, its diversion from its appropriate objects upon a gigantic scale, as exemplified on our railways, in our public-houses, and in various departments of industrial occupation. 2. To social and individual sins. (1) Drunkenness.(2) Impurity.(3) Blasphemy and profaneness.(4) Covetousness, intense and unscrupulous competition of interests.(5) Vague scepticism and decided infidelity. (J. Davies, D. D.) A home sin At a meeting of the Mission to Foreigners in London, Lord Shaftesbury said he remembered taking tea with a notorious German Socialist who propounded the most destructive theories about society. His lordship mentioned to this German a nobleman who was one of the richest men in the world. The Socialist boiled over with indignation, and said that the possession of such wealth was a degradation and a scandalous robbery. Perceiving that he wore a brilliant diamond breast-pin in his shirt-front, probably worth £50, his lordship said to him, “ You have a diamond, I see; now if you will accompany me to-night to my ragged school, I will show you ragged, shoeless children, and if I were to say, ‘ Here is a diamond worth £50 that this gentleman wears in his shirt,’ they too might boil over with indignation, and declare it was iniquitous, scandalous, and a crime.” He replied, “ Well, my lord, you have me this time.” 2 Chronicles 28:14 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign.The mysterious in human development The growth of humanity is not after a horticultural manner. We cannot say that a good tree will have good off-shoots, if we are speaking of humanity. The holiest father may have a murderer for his son. The sweetest mother may die of a broken heart. Only a foolish criticism is reckless in fixing definite responsibilities in this matter of the nurture and culture of children. The Lord rebukes us when we say that because the father was good the son must be good; or because the father was evil the son must be evil. The Lord permits men to come in between who are bad, or who are good, that all our little speculation about heredity, and all our arrangements for moral progress, may be thrown back and lost in confusion. Herein is the working of that mysterious law which is often misunderstood when denominated the law of election. We cannot tell what God is doing. Your son ought to have been good, for where is there a braver soul than yourself? The boy ought to have been chivalrous, for he never knew you do a mean deed or give lodgment to an ungenerous thought. In a way, too, he was proud of his father; yet there was no devil’ s work he would not stoop to do. He did not get the bad blood from his mother, for gentler, sweeter soul never sang God’ s psalms in God’ s house. Yet there is the mystery, and it is not for a reckless criticism to define the origin and the issue of this mysterious phenomenon in human development. (J. Parker, D.D.) Holy influences resisted produce increased wickedness It is very noticeable that those who, in their early days, have resisted holy influences generally turn out the most wicked of men. This, indeed, is a fundamental law of character. Just as a good man, who is good notwithstanding a very bad up-bringing, and despite the most pernicious examples around him, is not infrequently one of the best of men, so a youth who has come from a godly home, and turns out evil himself, is one of the worst characters you can meet with. The bad son of a good father I. It is a sorrowful fact that good men are sometimes the fathers of bad sons. “ Like father, like son,” we have often heard men say. But this is not always so. Alas! we know but too well that piety, virtue, goodness do not always run in the blood. You may pass on the crown, the throne, the kingdom, but the high moral and religious qualities which make a man a king among men do not always go with the crown and sceptre. II. The bad sons of good fathers are often ruined by the sins they allow to deceive them. Read the twenty-third verse of this chapter. It is very instructive. Ahaz, weakened by his questionable ways, and not supported by the power of the God whose worship he had forsaken, fell into the hands of the foreigner. Conquered by the superior forces and better trained men of Damascus, he fondly imagined that they won because their gods, their idols, helped them in battle. Deceived, deluded, blinded by all this, he determined to follow their bad example. Others are involved in his fall. “ They were the ruin of him and of all Israel.” It would be sad enough if he were the only one blinded and deluded by sin. But unfortunately its victims are all about us. III. This chapter teaches that God often chastens the sons of godly parents who fall into sin, and seeks to win them back to Himself. God did not leave Ahaz without warning, reproof, and trouble. Through his long night of sin God often spake to him. God made this man understand that the way of the transgressor is hard. It is a mercy that God does not allow the sinner to go to hell without warning. (C. Leach, D.D.) Entering on a royal inheritance Every young man enters, like Ahaz, upon a royal inheritance; character and career are as all-important to peasant or a shopgirl as they are to an emperor or a queen. When a girl of seventeen or a youth of twenty succeeds to some historic throne we are moved to think of the heavy burden of responsibility laid upon unexperienced shoulders and of the grave issues that must be determined during the swiftly passing years of the early manhood or womanhood. Alas! this heavy burden and these grave issues are but the common lot. His lot is only the common lot set upon a hill, in the full sunlight, to illustrate, interpret, and influence lower and obscurer lives. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) Men should be educated to reign Men should all be educated to reign, to respect themselves and to appreciate their opportunities. We do in some measure adopt this principle with promising lads and gifted girls. We need to apply the principle more consistently and to recognise the royal dignity of the average life and of those whom the superior person is pleased to call commonplace people. It may then be possible to induce the ordinary young men to take a serious interest in his own future. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) The kind of “ reign” a source of anxiety to parents The fortunes of millions may depend upon the will of some young Czar or Kaiser; the happiness of a hundred tenants or of a thousand workmen may rest on the disposition of the youthful inheritor of a wide estate or a huge factory; but none the less in the poorest cottage mother and father and friends wait with trembling anxiety to see how the boy or girl will “ turn out” when they take their destinies into their own hands and begin to reign. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 28:19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel.The sin of Ahaz I. I would draw attention to some special points in the history of ahaz.1. The king himself was peculiarly the transgressor. 2. The people also were transgressors. 3. Mark the special sins enumerated in the history. (1) There was idolatry.(2) He substituted an altar of a strange pattern for the altar of the Lord God of hosts.(3) He trusted in an arm of flesh (verses 16 and 21).(4) He attempted to gain his object by conciliating the false gods and disparaging the true God. 4. Mark the consequences of all this: national desolation and ruin. II. Let us see how far our present circumstances as a nation are parallel to those here presented. III. Two practical questions.1. What can be done with our rulers? 2. What can be done with our people? (J. C. Goodhart, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 28:22-23 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord. When affliction may be said to have failed of its object I. I suppose that you have set your heart upon some cherished design--that you have dwelt upon it to such a degree as to neglect for it many social duties and all your thoughts of God. You have missed attaining it, and are deeply disappointed. If you have not learned thenceforward to strive more soberly, to plant and sow, and build and labour, and not look for success without uttering, “ Father, if it seem good to Thee, nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt” ; if you are still engaged in the same projects with the same temper, or one even more infatuated--then distress has been sent to you in vain: you are sacrificing to the gods that smote you; trespassing yet more against the Lord. II. Suppose that you have been smitten with some disease, mental or bodily--the not unnatural, consequence of dissipation or thoughtlessness, or perverseness, or the like. If you have not learned from God’ s displeasure; if you have not resolved that with renewed health you would walk in newness of life; if you have returned to your old sins with new zest from being for a time debarred from them--then the distress which God sent you has hardened and not softened you. You are worshipping the idols of your own hearts with a devotion which it will be more difficult than ever to displace. III. Or, in conclusion, suppose that you have given way to ill-temper, and that God has punished you by alienation of friends, by retaliation on the part of ill-wishers, by distrust on the part of all. Has this set you upon governing the impetuousness of passion, or checking the reproachful word? Or have you merely turned your spirit into some more unkindly channel--moroseness, peevishness, misanthropy? If so, distress and chastisement have not done their proper work upon you. Like Ahaz you are going on to trespass yet more against the Lord. (D. Hessey.) Ahaz’ s persistent wickedness I. A conspicuous example of persistent wickedness. He pushed on in face of many and powerful barriers placed in his way.1. He had a godly ancestry. “ Oh, sir,” said an aged sinner who came to his minister in great distress, “ to think of my father’ s and mother’ s prayers, and then of the vile wretch that I have been!” 2. It would seem that other like influences continued to surround Ahaz in his own palace. The mother of his son Hezekiah was the daughter of the wise and good Zechariah. 3. God often makes use of goodness to bring men to repentance. He tried this upon Ahaz. In a time of peril and alarm Isaiah was commissioned to “ say unto him, Take heed and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint-hearted.” 4. When goodness fails, it is God’ s way to try severity. II. What came of all this?1. The king’ s life was one of ill, not of good. 2. Ahaz brought ill upon others: “ He made Judah naked.” “ If,” says Dr. South, “ a man could be wicked and a villain to himself alone, the mischief would be so much the more tolerable. But the case is much otherwise. The guilt of the crime lights upon one, but the example of it sways a multitude. Especially is this true if the criminal be one of note or eminence. For the fall of such an one by any temptation is like that of a principal stone or stately pillar tumbling from a lofty eminence into the deep mire of the street. It does not only plunge and sink into the black dirt itself: it also dashes or bespatters all that are about it, or near it, when it falls.” 3. In character and influence Ahaz went from bad to worse. 4. He went to an unhonoured and hopeless grave. (Monday Club Sermons.) Sinning under the rod I. Ahaz was the son of a pious king of judah. II. For his wickedness God visited him with a series of sad calamities. III. We see here the guilt and danger of hardening ourselves under God’ s afflicting hand. IV. Those who receive afflictions may grow more rebellious under them. V. The guilt of any approach to such a condition may be easily seen. VI. It becomes us to inquire, what have been the effects of God’ s chastenings upon ourselves? (W. H. Lewis, D.D.) The use and danger of despising afflictions . I. The use of afflictions. The end of all the Divine dispensations towards mankind is their eternal salvation, in subserviency to the honour of His great name. This end can only be accomplished in the way of repentance, faith, and holiness. The aim, therefore, of all ordinances, providential dispensations, and means of grace, is to beget or strengthen in us these three branches of Christianity. Among the various means which the Lord makes use of for this end, affliction is one of the chief. The right use of afflictions will lead us--1. To humble ourselves beneath His mighty hand.2. To ascribe righteousness to Him by confessing our sins and acknowledging the justice of His dealings with us.3. To return to Him by Jesus Christ.4. To cleave to Him with full purpose of heart.5. To submit to His will.6. To depend upon His grace and power.7. To walk in His ways. II. The dreadful case or those who despise and abuse them (Proverbs 29:1). Ahaz trespassed more and more. Too many are like him (Revelation 16:10-11). (W. Richardson.) Lessons from the life of Ahaz I. That a course or sin is continually downward. Sin propagates itself, but is not reformatory. II. That God is faithful in checking men in this downward course. God ever seeks by His providence and Spirit to turn men from an evil course which will end in ruin. III. That if men will not be checked in an evil course, they may become notable examples of punishment. (James Wolfendale.) Evil habits 1. Evil habits strengthen by indulgence.2. The world increases its power over its votaries as they advance in life.3. Sinners in mature years lose the perception of religious truth.4. There is a limit to Divine endurance. (Biblical Museum.) 2 Chronicles 28:23 Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them. Destructive substitutes We may not try to substitute one god for another, or to patch out our tattered theology by borrowing and misappropriating the ideas of the enemy. There is one fountain at which we may draw and draw evermore, and that is the Bible. We never knew any man oppose the Bible who had really comprehended its inner meaning. No man can doubt the inspiration of the Bible who has read it, not galloped through it. But once lose the feeling, “ Surely God is in this book: this is none other than the book of God,” and we take the course of Ahaz; we go down and see what is being done in the world. One man has been delivered by wealth, and we begin to worship the golden idol; another has been delivered by various factitious circumstances, and we instantly become artificers in life, and try to mechanise life and set into motion forces that can co-operate with one another and modify one another, and issue in a plentiful harvest of good fortune for ourselves. And after all this toil we come home wasted, weakened in every joint, the subjects of a complete and disastrous collapse. (J. Parker, D. D.) But they were the ruin of him.--Seeking false inspirations How many men have been mistaken in seeking false inspiration or in coveting false benedictions? The young man says he has a difficult task to-morrow, he has to meet persons with whom he has no sympathy and from whom he expects no quarter; constitutionally he is nervous, self-distrustful, somewhat afraid of a certain aspect of controversy; he therefore says, I will fortify myself, I will take wine, the wine will quicken the flow of my blood, will pleasantly and usefully excite the nervous centres, and I shall go forward boldly and confidently and make the best of myself” ;--but it was the ruin of him. There are others who will sacrifice at the altar of appearances. Over their poverty they will put some borrowed rag in the hope that observers will look at the rag and not at the poverty, and treat them as occupying a certain social position. False pride will be the ruin of them. (J. Parker, D. D.) Costly and fatal help Ahaz came to the throne when a youth of twenty. From the beginning he reversed the policy of his father, and threw himself into the arms of the heathen party. He did not plunge into idolatry for want of good advice. The greatest of the prophets stood beside him. Isaiah addressed to him remonstrances which might have made the most reckless pause, and promises which might have kindled hope and courage in the bosom of despair. Hosea in the northern kingdom, Micah in Judah, and other less brilliant names were amongst the stars which shone even in that dark night. But their light was all in vain. He was ready to worship anything that called itself a god, always excepting Jehovah. He welcomed Baal, Moloch, Bitumen, and many more with an indiscriminate eagerness that would have been ludicrous if it had not been tragical. From all sides the invaders came. From north, north-east, east, south-east, south, they swarmed in upon him. They tore away the fringes of his kingdom; and hostile armies flaunted their banners beneath the very walls of Jerusalem. And then, in his despair, like a scorpion in a circle of fire, he inflicted a deadly wound on himself by calling in the fatal help of Assyria. Nothing loth, that warlike power responded, scattered his less formidable foes, and then swallowed the prey which it had dragged from between the teeth of the Israelites and Syrians. That was what came of forsaking the God of his fathers. I. First then, let me ask you to notice how this narrative illustrates for us the crowd of vain helpers which a man has to take to when he turns his back upon God. If we compare the narrative in our chapter with the parallel in the Second Book of Kings, we get a very vivid picture of the strange medley of idolatries which they introduced. This story illustrates for us what, alas! is only too true, both on the broad scale, as to the generation in which we live, and on the narrower field of our own individual lives. Look at the so-called cultured classes of Europe to-day; turning away, as so many of them are, from the Lord God of their fathers; what sort of things are they worshipping instead? Scraps from Buddhism, the Vedas, any sacred books but the Bible; quackeries, and Charlatanism, and dreams, and fragmentary philosophies all pieced together to try and make up a whole, instead of the old-fashioned whole that they have left behind them. But look, further, how the same thing is true as to the individual lives of godless men. Many of us are trying to make up for not having the One by seeking to stay our hearts on the many. But no accumulation of insufficiencies will ever make a sufficiency. You cannot make up for God by any extended series of creatures, any more than a row of figures that stretched from here to Sirius and back again would approximate to infinitude. The very fact of the multitude of helpers is a sign that none of them are sufficient. There are no end of “ cures” for toothache, that is to say, there is none. Consult your own experience. What is the meaning of the unrest and distraction that marks the lives of most of the men in this generation? Why is it that you hurry from business to pleasure, from pleasure to business, until it is scarcely possible to get a quiet breathing time for thought at all? Why is it but because one after another of your gods have proved insufficient, and so fresh altars must be built for fresh idolatries, and new experiments made, of which we can safely prophesy the result will be the old one. You are seeking what you will never find. The many pearls that you seek will never be enough for you. The true wealth is One, One pearl of great price. II. So, notice again, how this story teaches the heavy cost of these helpers’ help. Ahaz had, as he thought, two strings to his bow. He had the gods of Damascus, and of other lands up there, he had the King of Assyria down here. They both of them exacted onerous terms before they would stir a foot to his aid. As for the northern conqueror, all the wealth of the king and of the princes and of the temple was sent to Assyria as the price of his hurtful help. Do you buy this world’ s help any cheaper, my brother? You get nothing for nothing in that market. It is a big price that you have to pay before these mercenaries will come to fight on your side. Here is a man that “ succeeds in life,” as we call it. What does it cost him? Well! It has cost him the suppression, the atrophy by disuse of many capacities in his soul which were far higher and nobler than those that have been exercised in his success. It has cost him all his days; it has possibly cost him the dying out of generous sympathies and the stimulating of unwholesome selfishness. All! he has bought his prosperity very dear. There are some o! you who know how much what you call enjoyment has cost you. Some of us have bought pleasure at the price of innocence, of moral dignity, of stained memories, of polluted imaginations. The world has a way of getting more out of you than it gives to you. At the best, if you are not Christian men and women, whether you are men of business, votaries of pleasure, seekers after culture and refinement or anything else, you have given heaven to get earth. Is that a good bargain? Is it much wiser than that of a horde of naked savages that sell a great tract of fair country, with gold-bearing reefs in it, for a bottle of rum and a yard or two of calico? III. Lastly, we may gather from this story an illustration of the fatal falsehood of the world’ s help. Ahaz pauperised himself to buy the hireling swords of Assyria, and he got them; but, as it says in the narrative, “ The king came unto him and distressed him, but strengthened him not.” He helped Ahaz at first. He scattered the armies that the King of Judah was afraid of like chaff, with his fierce and disciplined onset. And then, having driven them off the bleeding prey, he put his own paw upon it, and growled “ Mine!” And where he struck his claws there was little more hope of life for the prostrate creature below him. Ah! and that is what this world always does. A godless life has at the best only partial satisfaction, and that partial satisfaction soon diminishes. The awful power of habit, if there were no other reason, takes the edge off all gratification except in so far as God is in it. Nothing fully retains its power to satisfy. Nothing has that power absolutely, at any moment: but even what measure of it any of our possessions or pursuits may have for a time, soon, or at all events by degrees, passes away. And do not forget that, partial and transient as these satisfactions are, they derive what power of helping and satisfying is in them only from the silence of our consciences, and our success in being able to shut out realities. One word from conscience, one touch of an awakened reflectiveness, one glance at the end--the coffin and the shroud and what comes after these, slay your worldly satisfactions as surely as that falling snow would crush some light-winged gauzy butterfly that had been dancing at the cliff’ s foot. Your jewellery is all imitation. These fatal helpers come as friends and allies, and they stop as masters. Ahaz and a hundred other weak princes have tried the policy of sending for a strong foreign power to scatter their enemies, and it has always turned out one way. The foreigner has come and he has stopped. The auxiliary has become the lord, and he that called him to his aid becomes his tributary. Ah! and so it is with all the things of this world. Here is some pleasant indulgence that I call to my help lightly and thoughtlessly. It is very agreeable and does what I wanted, and I try it again. Still it answers to my call. And then after a while I say, “ I am going to give that up,” and I cannot. I have brought in a master when I thought I was only bringing in an ally that I could dismiss when I liked. (A. Maclaren, D. D.) . 2 Chronicles 29:1-11 Hezekiah began to reign.Hezekiah’ s reformation The surroundings of Hezekiah in his youth seem, at first view, to have been unfavourable in the extreme. He was the son of a depraved father. He grew up at a corrupt court. Good kings and bad follow one another in very illogical succession. It must be that there is a self-acting power at the centre of every personal life. Let us cling to the belief, too, that, however vast the moral inequalities of human lives may be, no life is allowed by the Creator to be altogether destitute of gracious influences. In Hezekiah’ s case, at least, we can have no doubt that such influences were present. It is not unnatural to believe that his mother, presumably the daughter of Zechariah, the faithful prophet of King Uzziah’ s day, was a woman of devout character. To the loving nurture of a mother was added the faithful counsel of godly men. Moral giants lived in those days. Micah was prophesying, Nahum was about to begin his work. During the entire lifetime of Hezekiah, Isaiah was fulfilling his office in Jerusalem. Tradition says that he was Hezekiah’ s tutor; there can be no doubt that he was his faithful counsellor. Repulsed by the father, he would naturally turn with greater earnestness to the son. But all this touches only the outer circle of the gracious influences by which Hezekiah was encompassed. It has been said, and there is a world of truth in the saying, that more than half of the environment of any man is--God. The God who is not far from every one of us was near to the young prince in the corrupt capital of Judah. We have good reason for believing that Hezekiah had not been unresponsive to his heavenly promptings. A work begun so quickly after his accession to the throne must have been premeditated. We must suppose that Hezekiah had lived a thoughtful life. The character of the work to which the king addressed himself is deserving of attention. It was a radical work. Great as was the peril to which the kingdom was exposed from external attack, great as was its moral unsoundness, Hezekiah saw that all its trouble was rooted in ungodliness. The king’ s initial sot in “ opening the doors of the house of the Lord” was, it is likely, more philosophical than he himself realised. Reverence for God lies at the basis of all that is trustworthy in private character and of all that is enduring in public order. Hezekiah’ s reform was also positive in nature. It addressed itself not chiefly to the extermination of idolatry, but to the development of a genuine faith. Of their own accord the people went out to “ break in pieces” the emblems of idolatry. When God wishes to regenerate the soul He does not at the outset uproot sinful affections, He implants love for Himself. Hezekiah’ s was a thoroughgoing work. The taunting charge of illiberality could not extort from him the smallest concession to the false religions of other lands. Not only image and “ grove” --the sacred pillar or tree of Astarte--were to be hewn down, but the worship of the “ high places” was to be destroyed. Of Asa and Jehoshaphat we are told both that they did and that they did not interfere with this form of worship. They probably destroyed such sanctuaries as had become openly idolatrous, and allowed the others to remain. But Hezekiah adopted extreme measures. The brazen serpent fashioned by Moses in the wilderness, and still preserved, the people regarded with superstitious veneration. Hezekiah declared that the image was like any other “ piece of brass,” and broke it in pieces. Hezekiah would not consent that even the germs of idolatry should remain in the land. How difficult was the mission to which Hezekiah thus committed himself! In the mode of procedure adopted by Hezekiah in carrying through his reformation are certain things worthy of notice.1. It is peculiarly gratifying to observe that he acted promptly. The die was cast. In the first month of his reign Hezekiah, like Abraham, who, when bidden to offer Isaac, “ rose up early in the morning and went to the place of which God had told him,” was wise in allowing himself no time for hesitation. Delay never softens the hard aspects of duty or lessens its difficulties. For committing one’ s self to the service of Christ no other time is so favourable as the first year, the first month, the first day, of one’ s entrance upon a new sort or period of life. 2. It is instructive to notice that Hezekiah engaged personally in the work of reform. He did not commit it all to subalterns. 3. Deserving of special mention is the fact that in the prosecution of his policy Hezekiah relied chiefly upon moral influences. He might have compelled, but he chose rather to persuade. In this he showed the utmost wisdom. If the reform was to be real, the hearts of the people must be enlisted in it. We are, finally, prepared to inquire what results were effected by the king’ s determined effort. The immediate outcome was most gratifying and most wonderful. The officers of religion responded--the priests somewhat slowly, but the Levites with all their hearts. The people did the same. The nation felt to its utmost limits the electric thrill of a new life. The crusade against idolatry waxed strong throughout the kingdom, and “ a burst of spring-time,” as Dean Stanley beautifully calls it, succeeded. “ The thing was done suddenly,” the record says. But is not the same true of well-nigh every successful reform? Those advocating a righteous cause have at least two excellent reasons for viewing it with larger hope than external appearances warrant. Something in every moral being is in secret alliance with truth and justice. The second reason is stronger still; it is that by which the sacred historian explains the success of Hezekiah: “ The Lord had prepared the people.” We may reckon with confidence upon God’ s care over any work of His. To the reformatory work of King Hezekiah must be attributed a result still more imposing, though to be sure not more important. It delivered the southern kingdom from the fearful peril by which the northern kingdom had been overwhelmed. Is it not a painful thing to have to add that even so thorough a reform as this did not prove lasting? Some of the people doubtless remained steadfast, but the most fell away. (T. S. Barbour.) Hezekiah, the good king I. Hezekiah’ s good beginning.1. Correct in life (verse 2).2. Prompt in action (verse 8).3. Holy in influence (verse 5). II. Hezekiah’ s sad confession.1. The Lord forsaken (verse 6).2. The sanctuary abandoned (verse 7).3. The penalty incurred (verse 8). III. Hezekiah’ s wise appeal.1. To make a covenant (verse 10).2. To avert wrath (verse 10).3. To perform duty (verse 11). (Sunday School Times.) Hezekiah’ s reformation The best way to settle a kingdom is to settle the religion of it, to begin reigning with reforming. Hezekiah’ s reformation went on in a true step and pace, for it began first with the temple and ministry. It is but Christian prudence to cleanse the spring if we would have the stream clear; to look to God’ s house, and those that should dispense His Word and ordinances if we would have the people brought into conformity with Him. (T. Manton, D.D.) Starting well A friend, who is deeply interested in work for Christ among our sailors, told me that at the close of a prayer-meeting of which he had been the leader, a young seaman, who had only a few nights before been converted, came up to him, and laying a blank card before him, requested him to write a few words upon it, because, as he said, “ You will do it more plainly than I can.” “ What must I write?” said my friend. “ Write these words, sir; ‘ I love Jesus--do you?’” After he had written them, my friend said, “ Now you must tell me what you are going to do with the card.” He replied, “ I am going to sea to-morrow, and I am afraid if I do not take a stand at once I may begin to be ashamed of my religion, and let myself be laughed out of it altogether. Now as soon as I go on board, I shall walk straight to my bunk and nail up this card upon it, that every one may know that I am a Christian.” Hezekiah’ s action, the result of previous brooding The statement in verse 8 may be taken as a general resume of what follows in detail, but this vigorous speech to the priests was clearly among the new king’ s first sets. No doubt his purpose had slowly grown while his father was affronting Heaven with his mania for idols. Such decisive, swift action does not come without protracted, previous brooding. The hidden fires gather slowly in the silent crater, however rapidly they burst out at last. (A. Maclaren, D.D.) Taking the right stand at first We can never begin good things too early, and when we come into new positions, it is always prudence as well as bravery to show our colours unmistakably from the first. Many a young man, launched among fresh associations, has been ruined because of beginning with temporising timidity. It is easier to take the right standing at first than to shift to it afterwards. Hezekiah might have been excused if he had thought that the wretched state of political affairs left by Ahaz needed his first attention. Edomites on the east, Philistines on the west and south, Syrians and Assyrians on the north, compassed him about like bees, and worldly prudence would have said, Look after these enemies to-day, and the temple to-morrow. He was wiser than that, knowing that these were effects of the religious corruption, and so he went at that first. It is useless trying to mend a nation’ s fortunes unless you mend its morals and religion. And there are some things which are best done quickly, both in individual and national life. Leaving off bad habits by degrees is not hopeful. The only thing to be done is to break with them utterly and at once. One strong, swift blow, right through the heart, kills the wild beast. Slighter cuts may make him bleed to death, but he may kill you first. The existing state was undeniably sinful. There was no need for deliberation as to that. Therefore there was no reason for delay. Let us learn the lesson that, where conscience has no doubts, we should have no dawdling. “ I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandment.” (A. Maclaren, D. D.) He brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together. Co-operation needed No one is so strong that he needs no help in carrying out his plans of reform. The head of a nation or of a state must have the co-operation of many, if he would correct abuses and promote a better state of things in the administration of his government. A pastor must seek the aid of the leaders of his people in trying to raise the standard of his church. A superintendent cannot carry his school to any higher point than that to which he can first bring his teachers. The head of a business establishment, who neglects to give wise counsel to those just below him, finds the lack of it in all the departments which they oversee. The true method of uplifting the masses is by uplifting the leaders of the masses. (H. Clay Trumbull.) 2 Chronicles 29:5 Sanctify now yourselves and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers.Personal consecration I. What is involved in this personal dedication? Thomas Aquinas made three kinds of baptism: Sanguinis, fluminis, fiaminis--the blood, the flood, the fire! By repentance and faith in Christ’ s atonement the sinner is saved, and by water-baptism received into the visible Church. But, to be wholly prepared for the Master’ s work, there must be the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire. The aim of Christianity is to lead us from the material to the spiritual; from the instrumental and accidental to the absolute and eternal. This house is an instrument in the service of God. Its best consecration is the consecration of its occupants, and this is accomplished by the radical work of the Holy Spirit. The tongue of the preacher, the pen of the author, the lips of the singer, the fingers of the musician, and the brush of the painter, are servants of a governing purpose--channels through which thought and feeling, genius and culture, express themselves. If the soul that controls these instruments be consecrated, then they are hallowed. As the wondrous river we read of in ancient fable turned to gold the very sand its currents washed, so does the fountain of a holy heart, pouring forth its enriching flood in speech and effort, dignify the humblest employment or surroundings. With this spirit of consecration enter and occupy this sanctuary, and you will make the place, indeed, holy. II. What are the fruits of this radical, hearty, and permanent consecration? The people by this spirit of high consecration, are set free from the bondage of low and false views, prevalent in worldly circles. And, finally, if the pure and holy spirit of self-dedication, thus outlined, prevails, genuine revivals of religion will surely follow, healthful growth in activity, love, and liberality will be seen, and true Christian unity will be fostered among all who really love our Lord Jesus Christ. (Prof. E. P. Thwing.) Reformation must be thorough A reformation to be worth much must be thorough. Half-way work in this line is of little value. Again and again the kings of Judah, when they swept away all idol worship, left untouched the high places where Jehovah was sacrificed to irregularly; and, because of their failure at completeness, their people went quickly back to gross idolatry. So in all partial attempts at reform. The man who proposes to give up drinking, or gambling, or profanity, or dishonest courses, without surrendering himself wholly to the Lord, is not likely to succeed even to the extent of his attempts. And it is with the house of the Lord as it is with persons. Unless it is wholly the Lord’ s, it does little honour to Him. H it is in use for religious purposes on Sunday, and for concerts and fairs and lectures and shows during the week; or if part of it is for a house of worship, and part for shops of trade--it is at the best a much abused sanctuary. “ Carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.” (H. Clay Trumbull.) 2 Chronicles 29:8 Wherefore . . . the Lord . . . hath delivered them to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and an hissing, as ye see with your eyes. The results of sinning It is easier to see than to foresee the results of sinning. If a young man won’ t foresee the results of an intemperate or a licentious life, those who observe him will, sooner or later, see with their eyes the worst that he was warned of. If a business man won’ t foresee the results of a dishonest course, others will see it, by and by, in his character and reputation. The future looks fair to most evil doers at the beginning of their career. It is s pity that they do not more commonly consider at the start what a tossing to and fro, what an astonishment, what a hissing, they are sure to be delivered to in the sight of those who watch them, if they go on in the path which now opens attractively before them. (H. Clay Trumbull.) 2 Chronicles 29:10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel.The best covenant I. What is meant by making “ a covenant with the Lord “ In our days it means that gracious engagement on God’ s part to bestow on man the very favour which he supremely needs, and on terms of God’ s own ordering; and on the part of man, his acceptance of these terms, according to apostolic exhortation--“ Be ye reconciled to God.” There is implied on man’ s part--1. The conviction of (1) the fact,(2) the folly, and(3) the sin of his being out of covenant with God. 2. The willing and entire abandonment of every other covenant under which the soul has been enslaved. 3. A hearty reception of the terms on which a covenant with God can be made. II. What counsel and direction can we offer to those who have it in their heart to make a “ covenant with the Lord” ?1. Be not satisfied with only having it in your heart to do so. 2. Let the past mistakes which you have made through trusting to your own hearts set you upon your guard against trusting them in future. 3. If you make a covenant with the Lord, resolve that it shall be a perpetual one. (John Lewis.) The use of covenanting with God A truly pious man will not be satisfied with serving God in his closet. He will exert his influence to bring others also to a sense of their duty. We have a noble example set before us in the conduct of Hezekiah. I. Show when we have reason to apprehend that God’ s anger is waxed hot against us.1. When our sins are multiplied against Him. 2. When His judgments are multiplied upon us. II. Point out the best means of averting His wrath.1. Repentance and faith. 2. Devoting ourselves to God in s perpetual covenant. 3. Under the Old Testament dispensation, covenants were judged acceptable to God. (Asa, 2 Chronicles 15:12-15; Josiah, 2 Kings 23:3.) 4. Isaiah and Jeremiah speak of the making of such covenants as characteristic of the gospel times (Isaiah 44:5; Jeremiah 1:4-5). 5. Paul commends the Macedonians (2 Corinthians 8:5); and recommends s similar practice to all Christians (Romans 12:1). 6. Hezekiah manifestly supposed that God would accept him in this duty. III. Urge upon you the adoption of them.1. There is no time for delay. 2. If we neglect this duty we cannot hope to escape the wrath of God. 3. If we heartily engage in this duty, we have nothing to fear. (Skeletons of Sermons.) 2 Chronicles 29:11 For the Lord hath chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him.Divine service I. Some persons may ask, “why should we serve God? He doesn’ t seem as if He troubled about us?” We admit that so far as outward appearances go, it seems as if this great universe was something like a well-regulated machine with God as the invisible engineer. When a human being, man, woman, or child, goes against the laws of this great machine, God does not stop it, as a human mechanic would his engine. The Christian believer sometimes wonders why God does not in some critical emergency interfere; but shall we that are but as the creatures of a day express any doubt of the wisdom of God? II. Permit me to say a few words to those who are now serving God.1. Be cheerful in your service. 2. Let your service be pure and unselfish. One man who had been helping in a good work for a few months, with a cry of discontent said, “ I shall not come any more because nobody ever thanks me.” Does the violet, or the rose, or the sun need thanks for giving forth beauty, and perfume, and light? The beat reward of good service is in the heart of the server. A man who engages in the Divine service from selfish motives is like a fettered bird. The bird could wing itself into the vault of yonder blue sky; but it has a stone tied to its leg. Your selfishness is a stone which fetters your usefulness. 3. Let your service be continual. III. Let me speak to those who have no hope of ever becoming the servants of God. God knows and cares for you. (W. Birch.) Diligence and exertion in the Chistian ministry Let us endeavour-- I. To explain the counsel or Hezekiah to the priests and Levites: “ be not now negligent.” This is sometimes rendered: “ be not now deceived.” This conveys the idea that we are never more apt to impose upon ourselves than when we are remiss in duty, for we vainly imagine that God will not be strict to mark against us what is so natural and so pleasing to the depraved heart of man. It implies a former deficiency in the performance of duty. This counsel was--1. Most necessary.2. Highly important and useful3. Peculiarly reasonable. II. To consider some motives to its enforcement.1. If we would act in accordance with the design of God in the appointment of the sacred office of the ministry, we will use the utmost diligence in His service. 2. The number, the variety, the difficulty and importance of the duties connected with the office of the ministry, require diligence. 5. Consistency with your professed character. 4. The shortness and uncertainty of the time allotted. 5. The sense of responsibility. “ Ye serve the Lord Christ.” (W. Schaw.) The Christian ministry I. While all God’ s children are called “ to serve Him,” there is a special sense in which the minister of God is “ chosen to serve Him”1. He is outwardly “ chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them” in the church. 2. He is inwardly brought to it; for he declares that he “ thinks in his heart that he is truly called.” II. The object of the ministerial office is the glory of God in the salvation of sinners. III. The means whereby this result is to be effected are--1. The preaching of the Gospel. (1) Faithfully.(2) Boldly.(3) Affectionately. 2. The right discharge of his regular official duties, baptism, marriage, etc.3. Personal intercourse with his flock.4. The minister’ s consistency of life. IV. The attitude of the minister is one of peculiar dignity; it is to “ stand before the Lord.” Exhortation; “ be not now negligent.”1. In Prayer.2. In study, It is said of the Venerable Bede, that “ he never knew what it was to do nothing, and always found it sweet to be either learning, teaching, or writing.”3. In labour.4. In conduct. (F. B. Ashley.) The complex idea of worship We make mistakes if we suppose that worship is a mere cloud, a foam of sentiment; it is work of all kinds, door-opening and lamp-lighting and floor-sweeping, cleansing, preparing, ventilating, expecting the people and welcoming them with joy; and then incense-burning, and cross-uplifting, and cry of thunderous and mute eloquence, and hymn, sweet, gentle, tender, and prayer that beats against heaven like artillery--all these things and many more ere included in the complex idea of worship. Let each man, therefore, do what he can in this matter, knowing that no one man works the whole ministry of worship, but that it is an act of co-operation and combination, one part playing with another part, and each interrelating itself with each other, so as to constitute a sum total significant of unity, adaptation, music, and homage. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 29:17 Now they began on the first day of the first month A new year in Jerusalem Let us consider-- I. The work done (2 Chronicles 29:18-19). What a grand work of an analogous character is thereby suggested--as a work, that may possibly be accomplished in the beginning of this year (1 Corinthians 3:16). II. How it came to pass that it was done, and “ done suddenly” .1. “ God has prepared the people” (2 Chronicles 29:29). 2. In so doing He had rendered the priests and Levites greatly useful (2 Chronicles 29:12-16). 3. King Hezekiah greatly influenced the spirit of the priests, the Levites, and the people, as evident from the character of his address (2 Chronicles 29:5-11). But “ there is another king, one Jesus,” who builds the temple of the Lord, and cleanses it, to whom we are all invited to look, and who “ shall bear the glory.” III. Some immediate results.1. A great impulse given to the spirit of worship (2 Chronicles 29:28-30). 2. Extension of a spirit of liberality in connection with the worship and service of the Lord (verse35). 3. Great joy. And that how valuable! (1) In itself.(2) In relation to moral improvement--for “ the joy of the Lord is your strength.”(3) In relation to trials (Hebrews 3:17-18).(4) In relation to usefulness (Psalms 51:12-13). 2 Chronicles 29:27 When the burnt offering began, then the song of the Lord began also.Sacrifice and song This chapter contains a brief, graphic account of the great reformation which Hezekiah wrought in the beginning of his reign. The text is part of that account. I. How often these two things--sacrifice and song--self-denial and joy--are associated. We see the union every, where.1. In the home. When is the husband or wife so supremely happy as when by some deed of self-sacrifice he or she has made the other glad? When does the father’ s heart sing for joy? Not when he has bent the stubborn will of the child, but when, by the sacrifice of some luxury he has made the little soul glad on its birthday. 2. In the best works of fiction, i.e., those which are most true to human nature who does not remember the half-sovereign which Tom Pinch, the poor half-starved clerk, concealed in a piece of paper and put into the hand of Martin Chuzzlewit at their parting? And who has not envied the feeling of happiness with which he returned to his bare home and grinding lot? 3. In the lives of God’ s servants. The memorials of Robert and Mary Moffat, show what sacrifices they had to make in carrying on their work in Africa. They leave no doubt that they found a joy in them that the selfish and luxurious are seeking in vain. 4. In our own lives we have all experienced it. II. They are indissolubly associated--joined together in the nature of things. Man cannot have the one without the other. Let there be no sacrifice and there will be no song, no self-denial and there will ere long be no joy. That is a law written broadly over human nature, attested by the widest experience, and recognised by Proverbs 11:24-25. It explains some of what seem to be the hardest sayings and most difficult demands of our Lord, as, e.g., Matthew 16:24-25; John 12:24; and His question put to the two ambitious disciples (Mark 10:37-38). The lesson is clear. We all want happiness--that our joy may be full. But we cannot have it by aiming at it directly. Begin to sacrifice, to give to God what you really value; say, “ I will not offer unto the Lord my God that which doth cost me nothing.” Give your money, interest, time, effort. Copy the example of Him who went about doing good, and “ pleased not Himself.” Try to make lives brighter, homes happier, business more pure. Take up the cross. Then this bit of old-world history shall record your experience: “ When the burnt offering began, then the song of the Lord began also” --a song which grew louder and mightier as the sacrifice went on, and never ended until the sacrifice itself came to an end. (J. Ogle.) 2 Chronicles 29:31 Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord. Consecration The reign of Hezekiah was like the spasmodic brightness of a candle about to go out for ever. The root principle in consecrating anything is the recognition of God’ s exclusive ownership. I. A real consecration is an act of free will. II. Consecration means a giving to God Himself. III. Nor will such consecration be complete without a personal consecration. (Bishop Charles E. Cheney.) Worship and thank-offerings I. The occasion referred to: it was the opening of the house of God.1. This house was a sacred edifice, consecrated to God and typical of the body of Christ. 2. In the house they opened for God, they recognised a place of meeting between God and souls. 3. In the house that was opened for the worship of God, there was an inner court. Into this inner court we have now “ access by the Spirit unto the Father.” II. The nature of their worship. By sacrifice. There is no acceptable worship of God without sacrifice. III. The expressions of thankfulness among the people. They were happy--1. In the knowledge of their acceptance with God.2. In the extension of the life of God in their souls.3. In the revival of the worship of God among them publicly.4. In the expression of their ardent concern to rival one another in the service of God--for they all brought their thankofferings. (Joseph Irons.) 2 Chronicles 29:36 For the thing was done suddenly. Quickly done I. That God very often appears to work with a suddenness that is startling.1. In the realm of nature. (1) Storms.(2) Earthquakes.(3) The transition of the seasons. 2. In the realm of providence. (1) Israel’ s deliverance at the Red Sea.(2) The elevation of Saul to the throne of Israel.(3) Nebuchadnezzar’ s humiliation. 3. In the realm of grace. (1) The conversion of Manasseh, of Saul the persecutor.(2) Revivals in churches. II. The fact that although god’ s works may appear to be marvellously sudden, yet at the same time, they have been preceded by a preparation that has perhaps lasted for years. It was so in this particular case. Hezekiah thanked God for having prepared the people. Do you ask me how they were prepared? I think I could venture to answer that question by saying they were prepared by the very openness of the sin of the previous monarch. Ahaz had gone to such a tremendous length in iniquity that his very excesses of crime had awoke a counter-feeling amongst the people. So is it in everything. First in the realm of nature. The storm that comes with racehorse speed across the sky might doubtless be traced back to atmospheric agencies far, far remote. The storm is only a climax. As in the realm of nature, so in the realm of providence. The deliverance at the Red Sea--it appeared sudden--it was not. It was only one link in a long chain. From the very beginning God had determined how He would deliver His people. Is not it specially so in the realm of grace? Look at Manasseh, whom we have used as an example of sudden conversion. It at your leisure you refer to his history, you will find in the thirty-third chapter, eleventh and twelfth verses, the account of God’ s preparation. “ And Manasseh was caught in the thorns, and was taken a captive to Babylon; and in his distress he sought the Lord.” Take the case of Pentecost. If you read the second chapter of the Acts attentively, you will see that God had brought together at Jerusalem at one time an immense number of people out of every country, and I read they were “ devout men” ; that is, they were inquirers after the truth. God had heaped together prepared fuel, then He made Peter strike the spark which resulted in the grand Pentecostal blaze. So is it in revivals. A revival appears sudden, and yet it is only the result of previous preparation. You are revived and you say that you are revived suddenly. Let me ask you a question or two, and I think you will see there has been prior working. Did you have any troubles in your business? Did you lose a child? Were you sick? What an encouraging thought it is to every worker for God that mighty things can thus be accomplished in a moment. (A. G. Brown.) “ Suddenly” Observe the conjunction of words: “ prepared--suddenly.” That is the true order of progress--preparation as to process, suddenness as to revelation. As the volcano, it is always gathering its heat, the moment of explosion is sudden; it always comes unexpectedly; it is like death itself, for though we have reckoned about the time death will come, when he does come his white ghastliness makes us forget our preparation and say, It was so sudden at the last! Have some of us not had preparation enough? Is it not time now for enthusiasm? We have heard thousands of discourses; we have attended thousands of religious services; we have even gone so far as to criticise the services we have attended. Has there not been preparation enough? Is it not time for a little suddenness, outburst, genuine enthusiasm? “ The Lord shall suddenly come to His temple.” “ Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host” ; and yet all the ages had been preparing for that one moment. Eternity had been waiting for that crisis, and yet even then it was said, “ And suddenly.” “ And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, a sound as of a rushing, mighty wind.” . . . Yet, though apparently so unexpected, “ this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” (J. Parker, D.D.) . 2 Chronicles 30:7-8 That the fierceness of His wrath may turn away.Mercy turned to penalty The fire that cheers, refines, and purifies, also bums and tortures. It all depends on our relation to the fire, whether it be our friend or foe. In Retsch’ s illustration of Goethe’ s “ Faust,” there is one plate where angels are seen dropping roses upon the demons who are contending for the soul of Faust. But every rose falls like molten metal wherever it touches. God rains roses down, but our sinful hearts meeting Divine love with wilful disobedience turn His love into wrath. (Christian Age.) The duty of yielding ourselves to the Lord I. A blessed season of grace marked for all israel. Now were the doors of the house of the Lord opened (2 Chronicles 29:3). II. Their duty in that blessed season of grace.1. Negative. “ Be not stiff-necked.” It is a metaphor taken from bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke, who make great difficulty and resistance about taking it on. 2. Positive. (1) Yielding themselves to the Lord. Hebrew, give ye the hand to the Lord.(2) Entering into His sanctuary.(3) Serving Him. (a) In His ordinances. (b) In their daily walk. (T. Boston, D.D.) A season of grace In a season of grace, in which God is offering to lay His yoke on sinners, they should beware of being stiff-necked, or refusing to take it on. I. What is that yoke which the Lord is offering to lay on sinners. It is the Soft and easy yoke for the salvation and welfare of penitent sinners. “ Take My yoke upon you, saith Jesus, and learn of Me: For My yoke is easy.” This is the yoke of kindly willing subjection to God in Christ. 1. The yoke of subjection to the will of His commandments. 2. The yoke of His providential will. He claims to dispose of you, as seems good to Him. II. This obedience of the sinner to God is called a yoke, because--1. Coming under it, we are in a state of subjection as those under a yoke. 2. It is laid on us for labour or work. 3. By it we are not only kept at work, but kept in order at our work. They who truly bear the yoke, are uniform and orderly in their obedience. “ They have respect unto all God’ s commandments.” 4. Of its uneasiness to the flesh. 5. It fixes subjection upon us. The bonds of obligation are sweet and agreeable to His willing people. III. Motives.1. God is the party with whom we have to do. 2. There will be nothing gained by stiff-neckedness to the yoke of God. 3. God has waited long on you, but will not wait always (Proverbs 29:1). Now, while a season of grace is afforded to sinners, it is their duty to fall in with it speedily, to give the hand and yield themselves to the Lord. Here We shall-- I. Show how sinners have a season of grace afforded them1. By their being continued in life. 2. By the call of the Gospel so directed to them. “ Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” 3. By solemn sacramental occasions afforded to a people. This is the case in the text. These make a precious “ now” not to be slighted. At ordinary occasions of the gospel, the blessed bargain is offered; but now the seal of heaven is ready to confirm it. 4. By some inward motions felt within one’ s own soul, pressing them to comply and yield at length. II. Inquire what is supposed in this gracious call to sinners. It supposes--1. That sinners are naturally in a state of rebellion against the Lord. 2. That though the Lord can break the sinner in pieces for his rebellion, yet He would rather that the sinner yield (Ezekiel 33:11). 3. That God’ s hand is stretched out to receive the sinner yielding himself (Isaiah 65:2). 4. That forced work will not be acceptable here. 6. That the sinner willingly yielding shall be kindly received and accepted. III. Show what it is to give the hand or yield ouselves to the Lord.1. In general, it comprehends-- (1) The work of conviction. (2) The work of illumination in the knowledge of Christ, in receiving the discovery of a Savour. (3) The work of humiliation, in becoming pliable to the Divine propose in the Gospel; leading them to say, “ Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” The iron sinew in the sinner’ s neck is broken. The outer door of the mind, and the inner door of the will, are both cast open to the Lord Christ. (4) The work of faith in the sinner’ s believing on, and so closing with Christ, as his Saviour from sin and wrath, renouncing all others. (6) The work of repentance from dead works, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh (Colossians 2:11). Faith and repentance are inseparable. That faith which produceth not evangelical repentance, is but dead faith. (6) The work of entire resignation. 2. In particular. (1) Yielding the soul, or inner man--mind--conscience--will--to the Lord. (2) Yielding the body or outward man to the Lord. (3) Yielding up all lusts and idols to Him as traitors which you can no more harbour. (4) Yielding all lawful enjoyments to Him, so as to be at His disposal, and never to break with Him for any of them. (5) Yielding, your lot and your all to Him; saying,” “ He shall choose our inheritance for us. Improvement Use 1: Of conviction and humiliation, in respect of the sad bias which man’ s nature has got. Use 2: Of exhortation.(1) You must yield yourselves to one or other, for you are not self-sufficient. (2) The Lord hath the best right to you. (3) Consider what the Lord has yielded for you (Romans 8:32; Romans 5:8). (4) The Saviour is very desirous of your yielding. (5) He is not seeking your yielding yourselves for nothing (Hosea 3:3). (6) You must yield or die, bow or break. (7) Yield and all your former rebellions shall be forgiven. (8) Yield or the Lord Will have war with you for ever. How will you bear His coming? (2 Thessalonians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). (T. Boston, D. D.) The manner in which the soul should yield itself to the Lord I. As in a marriage covenant (Hosea 2:19).1. Wholly.2. For ever. II. As to a conqueror. III. As to your king and sovereign Lord. At discretion and not by capitulation. IV. As filial servants to a fatherly master (T. Boston, D. D.) 2 Chronicles 30:17-20 For them were many in the congregation that were not sanctified.Unfitness for the Communion I. There are seasons when we feel unfit for the sacred ordinance of the Lord’ s house. Let us think of the ways in which the Israelites were rendered unfit for the Passover and see how far they tally with our unfitness for the Supper.1. Some were kept away by defilement. (1) The dead in sin lie all around us; contact with their ways and motives, unless we are continually cleansed by Divine grace, is defiling in many ways. (2) The mass of sin within our own selves is a constant source of defilement. 2. When a man was on a journey he could not keep the Passover. The heart’ s blood of the Eucharist, is nearness to God; and when we are afar off, it is a poor dead ceremony. 3. You may have been in an evil case from unknown causes. You feel it is not with you as in days past. Marring influences not mentioned in the Book of Numbers may have been preventing you from eating the spiritual Passover to your heart’ s content. Among these causes are-- (1) Little faith. (2) The absence of overflowing joy. (3) Spiritual weakness at all points. (4) A feeling of uselessness. Whatever your disqualifications, bring them and turn them into confessions of sin. II. Though we feel and lament our want of preparation we may still come to the feast. Let us to some extent follow in the track of the men in Hezekiah’ s time.1. They forgot their differences.2. They removed the idols.3. They endeavoured to prepare their hearts.4. They made open and explicit confession unto God.5. Confession made, let prayer ascend to heaven. III. In so coming we may expect a blessing. At the Passover in Hezekiah’ s days there was--1. Great gladness.2. Great praise to God.3. Great communion with God.4. A great enthusiasm.5. Great liberality.6. Another great breaking of idols. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Personal sanctification requisite for acceptable worship I. The principle which is essential to acceptable worship. Sanctification (Hebrews 10:22). Sanctification of heart is necessary if you consider--1. The character of God who is worshipped (Isaiah 6:1-5).2. The nature of the worship required.3. The design of all religious worship. (1) To glorify God.(2) To promote our increasing likeness to God. II. The assertion that in many this principle was wanting. This charge is--1. Comprehensive.2. Tremendously awful. Connect it with the declaration of the Saviour, “ If I wash thee not thou hast no part with Me.” (Essex Congregational Remembrancer.) The people’ s state and condition This text, though it speaketh of the celebration of the Passover, yet will well enough befit the solemnity of the Lord’ s Supper. I. The indisposition or unpreparedness of the people.” A multitude of the people had not cleansed themselves.”1. In these times in which there is much care had about the right celebration of a sacrament, there are many yet that are unworthy. (1) Because there is a great deal of laziness in people, and an unwillingness against such a soul-searching ordinance as the sacrament. (2) There is a great deal of hypocrisy in many men, and it is possible that they may carry their naughtiness so secretly that they may hide it from the most discerning eye. 2. If when much care is taken about the ordinances, many are unworthy to come, it serveth, (1) To show what need we in this land have to humble ourselves, as for other sins, so especially for our sacramental sins. (2) For a double exhortation: (a) To pastors, that they should use all diligent care to prevent this unworthiness, by instructing the people in the nature of the ordinances, and by admonishing them of the danger of their unprepared coming. (b) To the people. To stir them up every one to look unto himself whether he be not one of the number. A gracious heart is apt to suspect itself (Matthew 26:22). The unprepared, unworthy receiver is he that doth not come with answerable meet affections, and so holy and reverent a frame of spirit as God requires we should bring into His presence. They are--All ignorant persons that cannot discern the Lord’ s body. Those that do not judge and condemn themselves (1 Corinthians 11:31-32). A gracious prepared heart is a self-judging heart: a wicked heart is loth to come to trial. Those that come in uncharitableness and malice. 3. There is no cause why men should abstain from the use of ordinances, for fear of communicating with wicked and profane men. II. Their practice notwithstanding. “ Yet they did eat the Passover otherwise than was written.” Many rush on ordinances notwithstanding their unpreparedness. The reasons are--1. The remissness, or abuse of the censures, of the Church, that do not restrain such persons from coming. 2. It proceedeth from ourselves, because-- (1) There is a great deal of ignorance and unbelief in the hearts of most men. (2) Custom prevaileth with most rather than conscience. Custom usually eateth out the strength of any performance, and dissolves it into a mere formality. III. The fault of their practice. They ate otherwise than was written. God’ s service is a written service. We offend in our duties when we do otherwise than is written. We do this--1. When we do too much. 1. The essentials of a sacrament are set down in the institution; there is the rule. If we seek to patch it up with some zealous additions and pieces of our own, we go beyond the rule. 2. In the outward part of duty, in corporal service, and in the pomp and solemnity of his worship, there we may do too much--more than we need to have done. It is easy to be too pompous in a sacrament, and to sin against the plainness of the ordinance. Duties are like your coats of arms, best when they are plainest, and not overcharged with too many fillings; or like wine, then most generous and sprightly, when it is pure and uncompounded. The sacraments were to feed men’ s hearts, not to please their eyes, or tickle their ears. Ordinances nourish best when they come nearest their primitive institution. We may, then, do too much here. A sense-pleasing religion is dangerous, it is too much suitable to our natural inclinations; and that is the reason why country people are so much taken with these shows; they do not love the native beauty that is in duties half so well as they do the painting of them. It is a miserable thing when you will place religion in that for which you have no ground nor warrant. If you will find yourselves work, and not take that which is cut out for you, you know who must pay you your wages. Mark the question of the Saviour (Matthew 15:3). 2. When we do too little. When we come not up to the spiritual part of the commandment. Consider what is required about duty-- (1) Something about the heart before duty. Preparation (verse 19). We must come with faith and repentance and other qualifications; we must come with a desire to find the Lord (Psalms 93:1). (2) Something about the heart in duty. Stirring it up. A duty done without life and efficacy is as a duty not done at all. We come short of the rule if we come not with holy life and activity, with a working waiting spirit that will warm our hearts within us, and make them burn under the ordinances. See what a qualification James requireth in prayer (James 5:16). There is an expression (Acts 27:7). “ Instantly serving God day and night,” which means in the original, with the forcible putting to of all their might and strength, with their stretched-out strength. There can never be too much done in respect of the spiritual part of the commandment. 3. Something to be done after duty. Recollecting and running over all the carriage of the heart towards God in the duty, and the gracious intercourse that the soul had with God. (T. Manton, D. D.) Hezekiah’ s prayer for the Israelites I. The irregularity which some of the people were guilty of. II. Hezekiah’ s prayer for them. III. The success of this praying. Application:1. Let this history engage us to seek the God of our fathers, by observing all His ordinances. 2. Let this subject make us solicitous to prepare our hearts for every religious solemnity. 3. Let this subject encourage those whose hearts are prepared to seek God. 4. Let this subject excite those who have the care of others to watch over them and pray for them. (J. Orton.) . 2 Chronicles 31:1 Until they had utterly destroyed them all.Utterly Mark the word “ utterly.” It is for want of that word that so many men have failed. Many men have cut off the heads of weeds. Any man can do that. The weed is in the root, and the root is not straight down in the earth, so that it can be taken out easily; after a certain depth it ramifies, and care must be taken that we get out every fibre and filament, and having got it out, turn it upside down, and let the sun do the rest. A man has undertaken to abstain from some evil pursuit for a month: he has clipped off the top of the weed and looks just as well as anybody else, but he is not; he has still the root in him, and that must be taken out, though he be half murdered in the process. (J. Parker, D.D.) Reform must lead to regeneration To utterly destroy an idol first, even were it possible, would not be lasting. What must come first in the order of time? Religious enthusiasm, religious conviction; deep, intense spiritual fellowship with God; a look into heaven; vital sympathy with the Cross; a purification of hand and life and tongue, and body, soul, and spirit, by the Passover rightly eaten; and then what giants will go forth with axes of lightning to smite pillar and asherah and idol and every vain thing. Men cannot strike finally if they sot only as reformers. Reform is an active word, and is to be regarded with great favour, and is the only word that is permissible under some circumstance; but the greater word is regeneration. Reform that does not point to regeneration is a waxen flower that will melt when the sun is well up in the heavens. (J. Parker, D. D.) Reform There are three effects which ought always to follow our solemn assembly on the Lord’ s day. We should go home and-- I. Break in pieces all our images.1. Self-righteousness.2. Bacchus.3. Lust.4. Business; false measures and false weights.5. Pride. II. Cut down the groves. Groves are the places where the images have been set up. There was nothing mark you, positively sinful in the grove; but they have been used for sinful purposes, and therefore down they must come. We would specify--1. The theatre.2. The tavern.3. So-called recreation, dancing, etc.4. Evil books. Light literature, the moral of which is anything but that of piety and goodness. III. Throw down the high places and altars, etc. God had said that He would have but one altar, namely, at Jerusalem. There should be a casting down of everything in connection with the true worship that is not according to the law of God and the word of God. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, unto their own cities.--Home missionary zeal In evangelising our own countrymen we must proceed--I. In the employment of those means which are congenial with the spirit of the dispensation under which we live. The men of Israel were fully justified in doing as described in the text. They lived under a Theocracy, and idolatry was high treason. We live under a different dispensation. “ The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” To destroy the idolatry which still reigns in our land we must go forth and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hezekiah’ s proclamation of the Passover and its consequences as described in the preceding chapter suggests how this has to be done.1. Distinctly (verse 1).2. Boldly. In spite of ridicule (verse 10).3. Affectionately (verse 6-9).4. Prayerfully (verse 18). II. By ourselves living consistently with the profession we make, and the great cause we have espoused. Our lives must be characterised--1. By sincerity and uprightness (2 Chronicles 31:20-21).2. By joy and praise (2 Chronicles 30:21).3. By self-denial and sacrifice (2 Chronicles 30:24). III. With a determination to take no rest till the object we have in view is fully accomplished. “ Until they had utterly destroyed them all.” (H. Townley.) 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good. Hezekiah-an example for young men I. Hezekiah’ s religion.1. It was expensive. He set about reforming the national religion. The spirit of such a life should be, must be, respected in every one of us if the religion we possess is to be worth anything. The young man whose mind is that of Jesus Christ has learned to live, not for himself, but for others. Harlan Page was a house joiner at Coventry, in America. His social position gave him but little influence, but what he had he gave to God. He was the living missionary wherever he went. See how God’ s grace brought him out of self. He wrote: “ When I first obtained a hope I felt that I must labour for souls. I prayed, year after year, that God would make me the means of saving souls.” Is your position that of a clerk? Imitate David Nasmith, who without talent or money sanctified the desk by working for Christ and perishing souls. He was the founder of City Missions, and the home heathen owe more to the Glasgow clerk than to any man who ever lived. Is your position that of a military officer? Imitate Hadley Vicars. The soldier of the Queen became the soldier of Christ. He had hard work to stand his ground at mess, but he did stand it; and one of the soldiers said, “ Since Mr. Vicars became so good he has steadied about four hundred men in the regiment.” Is your position that of a merchant? Imitate George Moore, who rose to his partnership by sterling integrity, high principle, and hard work. He had no idea of growing rich and forgetting those by whose labours he accumulated his wealth. Every clerk and servant in his employment knew, in a very tangible way, that a good year’ s business had been done. In a word, young men, whatever you may be, peer or peasant, professional man or tradesman, merchant or mechanic--come out in God’ s strength as a religious man, and live for others. Let your sympathies embrace suffering bodies and perishing souls. Never mind being poor. Much of God’ s work in this world has been done by men of little education, slender means, and few advantages. Do your duty for Christ and your influence will reach further than you think. “ Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah.” 2. It was sound. He “ wrought that which was good and right, and truth before the Lord his God..” A young man’ s religion, to be worth anything, must be sound. If he is to do anything which is “ good and right and truth,” he must-- (1) Be able to give some account of the hope which is in him; he must get out of the company of those who “ understand neither what they say, nor what they affirm.”(2) Base his religion on a personal study of the Bible.(3) Support his religion by the plain lessons of history; the religious history of our own country.(4) Continually submit to the teaching of the Holy Spirit.(5) Above all, his religion must be centred in a personal Saviour. 3. It was whole-hearted. II. Hezekiah’ s reward. “ And prospered.”1. His reward was of God. 2. He had his reward in his country. What a benefactor he must have appeared in the eyes of his subjects. 3. He had his reward in himself. (John Burbidge.) Life in earnest I. The sphere which Christian earnestness occupies in the Divine life.1. It will make a man think very earnestly for his Lord and Master. In the diary of Jonathan Edwards we find the following account of his feelings towards the Lord’ s work: “ I had great longing for the advancement of Christ’ s kingdom in the world; my secret prayer used to be in great part taken up in praying for it. If I heard the least hint of anything that had happened in any part of the world which appeared to me in some respect or other to have favourable aspect on the interest of Christ’ s kingdom, my soul eagerly caught at it, and it would much animate and refresh me. I used to read public news letters, mainly to see if I could find some news favourable to the interest of religion in the world.” When we are full of zeal for God it is the same with us. 2. It will make a man plan and purpose for the cause of Christ. 3. It will show itself in perseverance. 4. It will show its zeal in an entire dependence upon God, and in intensely fervent prayer for God’ s help and for God’ s blessing. II. Arguments which provoke to this earnestness.1. The greatness of the work we have to deal with.2. The earnestness of Satan.3. The responsibilities which lie upon us as a Church.4. The onflowing of the stream of death.5. The love which we have received of Jesus. III. May god give me fresh grace while i undertake the solemn work of dealing with careless and unconverted souls. (C. H. Spurgeon.) The character of Hezekiah Every man who wishes to do good in his generation, who would bless others and be blessed himself, must cultivate the same principle of goodness that Hezekiah did. In every work that he began, “ he did it with all his heart.” I. Inducements which should lead us to adopt this prudent and decisive conduct.1. It saves time; or at least it leads us to apply every part of it to the best advantage. It prevents our life being abridged by years of irresolution and delay. It gives us the assurance that we are husbanding our talent well.2. It secures our continual happiness.3. Its beneficial effects on society are incalculable. II. Examples of this principle are to be found--1. In the Bible. Moses, Ezra, Nehemiah, etc.2. In general history. The origin and progress of almost everything great and good in society has been achieved by the zeal and active virtues of a few individuals. The advancement of the arts and sciences; the extension of commerce; the blessings and security of a legal government; the inestimable value of a pure and reformed religion, etc. (J. Hewlett, B.D.) Hezekiah’ s good reign A beautiful lily laid in your hand would show you nothing of the mud and slime of the river bed from which it sprung. Like such a lily is Hezekiah, the flower of kings. Some natures seem to grow strong in virtue, by contact with its opposite. Joseph, Moses, end Daniel ripened in strange gardens, and Hezekiah must have sucked honey out of thistles. Consider-- I. His reverence. Victor Hugo affirms that neither Wellington nor Blucher won the battle of Waterloo. Napoleon conquered himself. His own excessive weight destroyed the equilibrium. “ He vexed God” by his importance, and so his fall was decreed. Hezekiah began his reign by exalting God and humbling himself. II. His religious zeal. III. His public spirit. IV. His sincerity of heart. (Monday Club Sermons.) How to succeed in life There are three lessons we may learn from Hezekiah. I. He was not afraid of work. He did not seek success without toil. “ Depend upon it,” said Sir Walter Scott, “ there is nothing to be had without labour.” Horace Greely said to the youth of America, “ The darkest day in any man’ s earthly career is that wherein he first fancies that there is some easier way of gaining a dollar than by squarely earning it.” “ When I was a telegraph operator in Pittsburgh,” said Andrew Carnegie, “ I knew all the men who speculated. I have lived to see all of them ruined--bankrupt in money and bankrupt in character. There is scarcely an instance of a man who has made a fortune by speculation and kept it.” II. Hezekiah concentrated his effort. What he did, he did “ with all his heart.” “ The one prudence in life is concentration,” says Emerson, “ the one evil is dissipation.” There is a proverb which says, “ A canoe is paddled on both sides,” which means that to succeed you must do one thing at a time, and do it with all your heart and all your powers. III. Hezekiah aimed at thoroughness in his work. (A. F. Forrest.) Hezekiah’ s thoroughness in God s service I. We learn from Hezekiah a lesson of concentration of energy. II. Method and punctuality, too, seem to be hinted at in the text, and they are almost indispensable to prosperity. III. The great lesson is the value of thoroughness in doing whatever we undertake, and doing it well. Do nothing as if it were trifling. IV. Emulate Hezekiah’ s ardent and consistent piety. He stands in the front rank among the saints of Scripture as a man of prayer. (J. Thain Davidson.) Concentration A number of tiny brooklets will turn no mill, and will probably dry up when the sun is hot, but all the water turned into one channel will move the wheel to grind the corn which may supply a town with bread. All apostles of progress in religion, or science, or philosophy, have been men whose aims have all converged to one great centre, and whose forces have been thrown upon one sublime purpose. (Handbook of Illustration.) The objective point In military operations there is always what is called the objective point. The objective point is the point to be made, the thing to be done; all the forces in the army are concentrated on the making of that point, and when that is made, success follows. In one sense life is a warfare, and every one should have his objective point, a clearly defined purpose, and work up to it with undeviating persistency. This is the only way he can succeed. Enthusiastic service A dealer in pictures who makes it his business to find as many new painters as possible, both in this country and abroad, was asked recently in regard to his methods of selecting pictures to buy. He was very frank in his talk, and one thing which he said is shrewd enough to be worth quoting. “ Of course,” he said, “ with my experience I am able to judge whether there is promise in a painter’ s work, but I never buy with any idea of putting the painter on my list until I have seen the man and talked with him myself. I always watch him closely, and I never buy his pictures unless his eye lights up when I talk to him about his work and about his profession.” The artist whose heart was really in his work could not discuss it without kindling, and the man who did not paint from the heart was not the one whose pictures the dealer wanted. The remark was not only one which showed insight and shrewdness on the part of the dealer, but it is one of a good deal of significance in regard to all work. The man who does anything worth doing is the man who cannot talk about what he has accomplished or what he hopes to accomplish without enthusiasm, no matter how far short of his ideals what he has actually done may seem to him to fall. National righteousness From Hezekiah’ s conduet, and from God’ s approval of it, we learn-- I. That to establish religion in a land is the duty of every righteous government. II. That to employ the power and appliances of the state in order to extend the knowledge of God, is beneficial both to the individual and to the nation at large. (Louis Stenham, M.A.) Impassioned men It is the impassioned men that have made history always, religious and secular both. They are the torch to the heaped-up combustibles; they are the pulse to the general body that is listless and waiting. No man has moved the world like Jesus Christ, because no man besides Him has embodied so wide, so profound, and so Divine enthusiasm. People are passionate in everything but their passion for men; and that is the one Christian passion. (C. H. Parkhurst.) . 2 Chronicles 32:4 Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?Stopping the fountains Nothing was more thought of in ancient times in order to add to the greatness of a city than an abundant water supply. It was one of the greatest glories of old Rome that it had never-failing aqueducts, and the same thing was true of Jerusalem in still earlier times. In all the hard sieges the city endured there never was any failure of the water supply. The Jews had chiefly to thank Hezekiah for this. He was both most brave and wise--this old-time Judean king. He turned his attention first of all to the water supply of the country north of Jerusalem, by the route along which the invading hosts must come. There was the upper watercourse of Gihon, not far from the holy city. The springs were abundant there and their fresh waters united to form a brook which ran strongly down the valley. Hezekiah’ s engineers saw what was to be done, at once to cripple the enemy and greatly to benefit the Jews. The springs should be drawn from their natural outlet to pour their waters into a capacious subterranean aqueduct built strongly and leading the current into vast reservoirs in Jerusalem cut in the rock far below the foundations of the temple, between the walls of Jerusalem proper and the city of David. So it is said by the inspired chronicler that Hezekiah stopped the fountains, that is, he covered them up after diverting the water, so that the Assyrians might not find them, and he brought the stream by aqueduct straight down to the west side of the city of David. For why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water? I. We are justified in thinking of ourselves in our character as the servants of God in the Christian life, as typified by the people of God in olden time, the jews; and the king of assyria for us is the evil one himself with all his hateful hosts. He has ever desired to avail himself of the springs of our human life, to sustain and aid him in his assaults upon our souls. The springs of human life are many and various.1. There are our intellectual faculties, the mind with all its marvellous power of imagination and memory, the intelligence which reasons out things, and by sheer force of resistless logic discerns the true from the false. 2. There is the will, that strange forceful energy which drives our powers and faculties in this way or in that, compelling them to work its bidding, a will so often, alas! set against the Divine will and purpose which called us into being. 3. There are our affections, the emotional side of our nature, working sometimes quite independently of reason, persuading us to this or that course of action because the present inclination outweighs every other consideration. II. These springs of our human life are full of vigour and send forth a full stream of effective energy. It is no wonder that the enemy of souls desires to appropriate them to his own purpose.1. He would use the mind to set reason against faith, to be wise in its own conceits, to refuse to accept anything that is not made plain to it. 2. He would use our wills to perform his own purposes against the Most High. He says to us, “ You are free agents, to do as you please. You shall not surely die if you eat of the forbidden fruit.” 3. Once more there is the emotional side of our nature, our affections. We feel that these have relation especially to the pleasures of life, the happiness of love and of sell-indulgence in natural desires of many sorts. The devil would use these for his own purposes, as of old the kings of Assyria would eagerly have used the springs of Gihon. Cunningly does he urge it on the human soul, “ Why has God given you passions and natural desires of all sorts if you are not meant to gratify them?” III. Now that wise king Hezekiah in the olden time, when he perceived that the abundant springs of Gihon were likely to help his enemy to the grievous discomfiture of the people of God, set to work at once to cover the springs, having diverted the channel that the water might flow by subterranean conduits into the holy city. The first great thought he had was to hinder the Assyrian from availing himself of those precious springs. And that may well read to us a lesson of the exceeding profitableness of covering our minds and wills and affections from the evil one.1. Our intellectual powers should be covered that the enemy of souls may not use them to our discomfiture. 2. The will is likewise one of those springs of life which Satan especially seeks to find and to avail himself of. We cover it from him by subjecting ourselves to a higher will through the principle of obedience. 3. Then there are those choice springs of life which we call the affections. We must set restraint upon our natural desires in all sorts of ways, by remembering that our nature has been perverted by original sin; its lusts and appetites are in rebellion against their lawful master the will, and they are sure to lead us into mischief unless strongly repressed by loyalty to the teachings of God. IV. Hezekiah was not content to stop the fountains of Gihon that his enemy might not find abundant water in that dry and dusty country; with a master stroke of policy he built a great subterranean conduit, and carried all the fresh sweet water from its source in the valley to enormous rock-hewn reservoirs which he constructed in jerusalem. One who did not know what the king had done might come to that place where once the waters of Gihon had flowed so freely, and lament the dry wady and filled-up wells. And so the world often looks upon the lives of earnest Christians, thinking how much they are losing through their scruples; the intellectual powers restrained within the dull limits of orthodoxy, the will subjected to what seems like a servile obedience to old-time traditions, the affections not allowed any strong vigorous license to brighten the sadness of this present world. It is only those who do not comprehend the real truth who can talk so however.1. The mental powers which here would not be prostituted to taking interest in those subjects of human research which blasphemed God’ s truth, and ridiculed the faith of the ages; subjects which under the specious disguise of realism delved unblushingly into vice and shameful immoralities, and declared it was the part of true wisdom to know the evil as well as the good--these shall find splendid exercise and joyous development ever more and more in the eternal truths of the universe, in the mysteries of the Divine Being, in the secrets of Divine love which are inexhaustible, and which overflow with supremest delights. 2. The will which here refused to assert its independence of the known laws of the Creator, shall in the holy city find full range for all its craving after freedom. 3. The affections which here resisted the drawings of sensuality and of worldliness, being willing to surrender the loves of this present world for the love of God, shall in the city which is on high find the rapture of heart joy, the bliss of satisfied affection surging back upon the soul from the very being of God Himself. (Arthur Ritchie.) 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God.Hezekiah and the Assyrians The story of Hezekiah and his preservation is one of the most vivid and thrilling. Rightly interpreted, it echoes the words of our text to all time. The king of Assyria is a representative character. The powers of this world are joined against the children of God, and they are variously commanded. Some Sennacherib rises from hour to hour and threatens, often with formidable front and fell purpose. But God’ s people may always say, “ There be more with us than with him,” etc. (Monday Club Sermons.) We look too much to men Oliver Cromwell was but a gentleman farmer, but the exigency of his time was such that he took up arms on behalf of his country. He was a man of prayer, and went to the battlefield from the prayer meeting. After one great victory, he writes to Parliament, “ God brought them into our hands God is not enough owned. We look too much to men and to visible helps. This hinders our success.” The arm of flesh I. The character of our enemies described by an arm of flesh. II. The source, of our support, and cause of victory. “ But with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battles.” This denotes--1. Possession.2. Presence.3. Support.4. Victory.5. The Father is with us.6. The Son is with us.7. And the Holy Ghost is with us. III. The result of God’ s manifested presence. “ And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.” (T. B. Baker.) Conditions of victory I. At the negative side.1. Numbers are no surety. Gideon’ s army had to be reduced before it could conquer the Amalekites. 2. Worldly wisdom, policy, shrewdness, enterprise, will not ensure success. 3. Unlimited creature resources of every kind are insufficient. 4. The most seemingly favourable outward circumstances, as to time, place, auspices, expectations, combinations, oftentimes but deceive into carnal security and insure the worst kind of defeat. II. At the positive side--the assured, unfailing conditions of victory in the sense of Righteousness and Godliness.1. We must have God on our side. There must be no doubt on this point. 2. We must be careful to be on God’ s side. 3. This brings out the point which the Apostle John emphasises so strongly (1 John 5:4-5). (J. M. Sherwood.) And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.--Words to rest on I. The kind of man whose words are likely to be rested on. He must be--1. A great man.2. A good man.3. A courageous man.4. A hearty man.5. In such a case God will add His sanction by granting success and he will be a prosperous man.6. A man who has respect for God’ s word. II. In the second place let us turn the other way and look at the kind of people who rest on such a man’ s word.1. Children do so with their parents. 2. Illiterate people who cannot read. 3. Unconverted persons who have no spiritual discernment. 4. Persons who naturally run in a groove. Having attended at such a place of worship, and having been brought up in the midst of a certain set of godly people, they scarcely deviate one jot from the teaching that they have received. Almost by the necessity of their nature they rest on what they hear. 5. Persons who profess always to do their own thinking. If you will trace them home, they are in nine cases out of ten the veriest slaves that ever lived. They are the bondservants of some heretic or other who has put it into their heads that in following him they become free men. III. The kind of words you may rest on. You may safely rest on--1. Words which urge you to faith in God.2. Words which are the words of God Himself.3. Words which are sealed by the Lord Jesus.4. Words which have been blessed to other men.5. Words which breathe a sense of rest into the soul. (C. H. Spurgeon.) 2 Chronicles 32:20 Prayed and cried to heaven.True prayer True prayer is not pestering the Throne with passionate entreaties that a certain method of deliverance which seems best to us, should be forthwith effected; but is a calm utterance of need, and a patient, submissive expectance of fitting help, of which we dare not define the manner or the time. They are wisest, most trustful and reverent, who do not seek to impose their notions or wills on the clearer wisdom and deeper love to which they betake themselves, but are satisfied with leaving all to His arbitrament. True prayer is the bending of our own wills to the Divine, not the urging of ours on it. When Hezekiah received the insolent letter from the invader, he took it and “ spread it before the Lord,” asking God to read it, leaving all else to Him to determine: as if he had said, “ Behold, Lord, this boastful page. I bring it to Thee, and now it is Thine affair more than mine.” The burden which we roll on God lies lightly on our own shoulders; and if we do roll it thither, we need not trouble ourselves with the question of how He will deal with it. (Alex. Maclaren, D.D.) “ Fire upwards” A story of the wars of the first Napoleon has often come back to me. He was trying in a winter campaign to cut off the march of the enemy across a frozen lake. The gunners were told to fire on the ice and break it, but the cannon balls glanced harmlessly along the surface. With one of the sudden flashes of genius he gave the word, “ Fire upwards!” and the balls crashed down full weight, shattering the whole sheet into fragments, and the day was won. You can fire upwards in this battle even if you are shut out from fighting it face to face. You can do your share within the four walls of your room. (Miss Trotter.) 2 Chronicles 32:24-25 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death. Hezekiah’ s sickness and recovery I. The great contrasts in the events of life. II. The suddenness with which these events happen. III. The distress with which they are often attended. IV. The wonderful deliverance which God can grant. (James Wolfendale.) But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him-- A ruler’ s sin I. An undoubted truth; that sins of the rulers and the people ruled, are so intimately connected, that one invariably involves the other (Zechariah 10:3). II. The intelligible motive. God gives us in the present order of things a large share in one another’ s punishments, that He may make us take a deeper interest in one another’ s duties. All are deeply interested in all. The government of every Christian country is intimately connected with the transgressions of the people; and the governed are closely involved in the sins of the government; so that each has an important duty to perform to the other. The government, apart from all political considerations, to curb and repress the immoralities and the wickedness of the people; and the people, firmly though mildly, to warn and caution and speak plainly to the government, lest by partaking silently and voluntarily of other men’ s sins, they become partakers in other men’ s pains. (H. Blunt.) Hezekiah deserted I. The person here spoken of.1. His personal character.2. His peculiar necessities. II. The dispensation here described.1. The suspension of grace.2. The withdrawment of comfort. III. The purpose of that dispensation.1. To discover sin, with a view to its cure.2. To conduct to greater happiness and honour. IV. The issue of the trial--he sinned.1. Wherein was the sin? He neglected an opportunity of proclaiming the true God, and indulged in a vain self-seeking.2. How small in comparison with the sins of others--of ourselves.3. How soon repented of.4. How severely visited. (J. C. Gray.) Ingratitude to God an heinous but general iniquity Among the many vices that are at once universally decried and universally practised in the world, there is none more base or more common than ingratitude; ingratitude is the sin of individuals, of families, of Churches, of kingdoms. None of us can flatter ourselves that we are in little or no danger of this sin when even so good and great a man as Hezekiah did not escape the infection. In order to make you the more sensible of your ingratitude towards your Divine Benefactor, I shall-- I. Give a brief view of his mercies towards you. II. Expose the aggravated baseness of ingratitude under the reception of so many mercies. (S. Davies, M.A.) A rendering for mercies I. That those that have received mercies must be careful to give in answerable returns or render according to what they have received.1. There must be a rendering. There is a reflection upon God from all His works. Hell-fire casts back the reflection of the lustre of His justice and the power of His wrath. The world is round, and the motion of all things circular; they begin in God, and end in God (Romans 11:36). (1) We must be effected with the mercies. (2) Solemnly praise God for them. (3) Renew the remembrance of them (Psalms 111:4). (4) Improve them to some good use. We must improve them to-- (a) Greater trust in God. (b) Greater love to Him (Psalms 116:1-2). (c) Fearing Him more, lest we should offend so good a God (Hosea 3:5). (d) More complete obedience. 2. This rendering must be proportionate. (1) Real mercies require real acknowledgments. (2) The acknowledgment must answer the proportion of the mercy. (a) If the acknowledgment be in word, it must be taken notice of in a more than ordinary manner (Psalms 150:2). (b) If in deed, some notable thing must be done for God (Esther 6:3; 2 Samuel 7:2). 3. This reproves-- (1) Those that instead of rendering according, render the quite contrary; who the more God hath blessed them, grow unthankful, proud, sensual, dead formal in prayer, less in communion with God, more licentious in their actions. They are like tops never well but when they are scourged; abuse their mercies to the contempt of God, as the Israelites took the earrings of gold and silver, which were the spoils of the Egyptians, and made a golden calf of them. As the sea turneth all the sweet dews and influences of heaven into salt water, so they turn all their mercies into occasions of sin. (2) Those that do not render ought at all. There was a law in (Ezekiel 46:9). He that went in at one gate was not to go out at the same gate, but an opposite; some say, lest he should turn his back upon the mercy-seat. (3) Those that render something but not suitable. (a) We must be first reconciled to God before we can do anything acceptable. (b) Awaken the heart to the work. (c) Search out the works of God (Psalms 111:2). (d) Consider what the world gaineth by every discovery of God. (e) Desire God to give you the heart to render (Psalms 51:15). (f) Reason and argue from your experiences to your duty (Ezra 9:13). II. That it is a sign we are unthankful under mercies when the heart is lifted up upon the enjoyment of them.1. Because God can never be rightly praised or exalted while the heart is proud (Isaiah 2:17). God is exalted in the creature’ s self-abasement. 2. A proud heart cannot be rightly conversant about blessings. It doth not give them their-- (1) Due rise, as David (2 Samuel 7:18).(2) Due value (Psalms 78:20; Esther 5:13; Malachi 1:2).(3) Due ends. 3. How shall we know when the heart is lifted up? It is mainly shown-- (1) In security. Men live as if they were above changes. God is neglected, or but coldly owned, as if we now had no more need of Him (Lamentations 1:9). (2) In insolency. This is manifested-- (a) By contention. When we are delivered, then we revive old quarrels; as timber warpeth in the sunshine. (b) By insultation over enemies. (c) By oppression and violence. 4. Use. (1) Take heed of secret thoughts of merit (Deuteronomy 9:4).(2) Take heed of ascribing to your wisdom, power, and conduct (Hebrews 1:16; Deuteronomy 8:14; Deuteronomy 8:17). 3. Take heed of the pride of self-dependence. Conclusion:1. A special recognition and recalling of sins is not unseasonable (Ezekiel 36:30-31). 2. Meditate upon the changes of providence (Psalms 39:5). Belisarius, a famous general to-day, and within a little while forced to beg for a halfpenny. Things and persons are as the spokes of a wheel, sometimes in the dirt and sometimes out. (S. Manton, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 32:26 Notwithstanding, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart.Hezekiah’ s sin and humiliation I. Show the nature and grounds of hezekiah’ s humiliation. His sin does not seem great in human estimation; but it was exceeding sinful in God’ s sight.1. He sought his own glory. He wished to show what a great man he was, in order that his alliance might be courted and his power feared. 2. He sought his own glory in preference to God’ s honour. He had now a happy opportunity of magnifying the God of Israel. He might have (1) recounted God’ s past dealings with His people;(2) commended Jehovah as an answerer of prayer. 3. He sought his own glory before the good of his friends. He should have recompensed the great kindness of the ambassadors by instructing them in the knowledge of the God of Israel. II. Enquire whether we also have not similar grounds for humiliation.1. Pride is deeply rooted in the heart of fallen man. We are vain (1) of any natural endowments of body or mind.(2) Of any acquired distinctions.(3) Even the gifts of grace become occasions of pride. 2. We indulge this disposition to the neglect of God’ s honour and of the eternal welfare of those around us. (1) We have many opportunities of speaking for God.(2) But how rarely is our intercourse with each other made subservient to His glory. III. Inferences.1. What dreadful evils arise from small beginnings. Hezekiah at first probably intended only to show civility to his friends. 2. How great is the efficacy of fervent prayer and intercession. God deferred the evil threatened till the next generation. (Skeletons of Sermon.) 2 Chronicles 32:31 God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.Hezekiah’ s fall considered and applied I. Hezekiah’ s sin.1. Its nature. (1) All sin originates in the heart. Hezekiah’ s sin did not, like that of David, break forth into gross and external violations of the Divine law, but it betrayed itself in the indulgence of secret pride, in the gratification of a vainglorious spirit, in an idolatrous exaltation of the creature above the Creator. His heart was lifted up. (2) The particular nature of his sin will be more clearly discerned, if we advert to the occasion of his fall (2 Kings 20:13). (a) He was actuated by a wrong spirit. (b) His action had a wrong tendency. It was calculated to erase every serious impression which a recital of the wonder done in the land might have made on these heathen strangers. It was also calculated to confirm them in the conviction that the kings of Judah, notwithstanding their superior pretensions to the knowledge and favour of the true God, in reality neither possessed nor avowed any better source of protection and prosperity than the kings of other nations enjoyed.2. Its aggravations. (1) His whole life had been an uninterrupted succession of great distinguished mercies. (2) He had lately experienced a most remarkable proof of the Divine interposition in his favour. II. The particular view of this transaction exhibited in the text.1. It unfolds the cause of Hezekiah’ s fall. “ God left him.” What a striking illustration is thus incidentally presented to us of man’ s depravity and weakness. No sooner was the barrier removed than the stream rushed with impetuosity into the channel of sin. To guard us against presumption the Scriptures present to us the examples of some of the most eminent servants of God, not all falling whenever they were left to themselves, but falling in those very points where we should conceive them to have been most firmly established; Abraham, Moses, etc. What need for us to pray, “ Take not Thy Holy Spirit from us.” 2. It discloses to us the secret reasons of the Divine conduct in thus permitting him for a season to be overcome. God left him “ to try him,” that Hezekiah himself might know all that was in his heart. (1) Nothing but a deep sense of our natural depravity can effectually destroy our vain self-confidence, and can excite us to a diligent use of those means which are essential to our growth in grace, and to our perseverance in well-doing. We shall (a) Regard our heart with a holy jealousy. (b) Studiously examine the secret motives of our conduct. (c) Sedulously avoid those places and practices which are most likely to prove a snare to us. (d) Be instant in prayer for a supply of the grace that is in Christ. (e) Fear to resist and grieve the Holy Spirit of God. (2) In exact proportion to our views of the depravity of our heart will be the degree of our self-condemnation and humiliation before God. Hence, how highly should we value self-knowledge, and how anxiously should we labour to acquire it. Address-- 1. Those who studiously close their eyes and shut their ears against every discovery of the sin which dwelleth in them. 2. Those who having in vain endeavoured to stifle their convictions of sin, are filled with consternation and terror at the extent of their depravity. (E. Cooper.) Hezekiah’ s trespass with the ambassadors from Babylon 1. Nations professing God’ s holy name must beware of sinful compromises with those by whom His truth is corrupted. The chief fault for which judgment befel Hezekiah was listening to the proposal to become the ally of a heathen prince. 2. It is an imperative duty which rests upon Christians to do somewhat for the spiritual welfare of foreigners who visit them. 3. The necessity for recognising every moment our need of Divine help. (R. Bickersteth, M.A.) Hezekiah’ s sin A fragment of the history of the Assyrian writer Berosus tells us that at this time Babylon had shaken off for a season the supremacy of Assyria, and, under Berodach Baladan, was strengthening herself as a rival sovereignty. The fame of the discomfiture of Sennacherib before Jerusalem had reached his ears, and it might well seem to him that an alliance with Hezekiah would be useful against a common danger. The recovery of Hezekiah and the miraculous sign furnished a suitable occasion for an embassy which was sent ostensibly to congratulate the king and “ inquire of the wonder done in the land.” There was no sin in Hezekiah showing the embassy what was costly, useful, beautiful, but in the vanity which gave these things chief prominence. I. Here is a lesson for us as a nation. Let us also show strangers whatever we have of interest; but let us not keep in the background what should be chief of all, and let them go away thinking that what we most value is wealth, power, pleasure. It is the duty of the Christian pulpit at such a time to ask the people, “ What have you shown? What is in your heart?” Has God the chief place? Is righteousness more to us than riches, and principle than policy? Are we more desirous to live in the fear of God than to keep in awe other nations? If we pompously display our treasures, may we not some day be ignominiously despoiled? If in any form we embrace Babylon, may not our nation some day be crushed by Babylon? Whatever our princes and statesmen may do, let the people, who, more and more, are the nation and responsible for its character and conduct, let the people cherish and make manifest the conviction that worth is more than wealth, and piety than power, and righteousness than rank, and purity than pleasure, and God than gold. “ In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence” ; “ The throne is established by righteousness” ; “ Righteousness exalteth a nation” ; “ Seek, first, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” II. The lesson is applicable to the Church as well as to the Nation. What is our idea of the chief excellence and stability of any Church? Is it the support of Law, the patronage of princes, a grand hierarchy, rich endowments? Is it noble buildings, imposing ritual, inspiring music? Is it learning and eloquence in the pulpit, with congregations numerous, or cultured, or wealthy? These features have their value more or less, and these can be shown, displayed, gloried in. But the chief treasures of the Church cannot thus be exhibited. Alas for the Church that prides itself chiefly in the outward and visible. Do we desire for our church such things chiefly and regard them most worth seeking, prizing, extolling? Or are we cultivating, praying for, and valuing far more--Penitence, Faith, Love, Zeal, Holiness, Usefulness? What is in our heart? III. We may apply the lesson to individuals. What do we ourselves regard as our chief treasure? This may be developed by circumstances. It has been said that after the massacre at Culloden certain flowers bloomed where blood had been copiously shed, unknown before. The seeds were dormant, till favourable conditions brought them forth. Hezekiah was a good man, but in his heart were latent weaknesses, which it was well for him to know before it was too late. Better that they should be revealed and cured than be hidden, unchecked, and with worse and more lasting fruits. Crises in the life of nations and individuals have developed unsuspected capacities, both for good and evil. For both in the case of David and Peter. For the commission of the worst of crimes in the case of Judas. If occasion occurred of displaying our most valued possession, what would we select? We may reasonably show what is showable--house, garden, books, pictures, children; if gratefully to the Giver, and not in vanity. But are these our chief treasures? If angels came to us from their far country, what would they see we prize most? Were some such unexpected visitor to enter our abode to interview us, would he find family religion--the gathered household at the domestic altar, private prayer, personal godliness? Is the maturity of Christian character sought more than the prosperity of business and the increase of wealth? Do we regard the favour of God more than the praise of men; communion with heaven more than intimacy with the great ones of the earth; a good conscience more than stores of silver and gold? Temptation may come to try what is in our heart. By some departure from strict integrity business may be promoted and wealth increased. If we yield it is evident that we regard money as more worth having than a good conscience. If some gratification is indulged at the cost of sobriety and virtue, we show that pleasure is more to us than purity. On what do our thoughts chiefly dwell? “ As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” On what do we chiefly set our affections and direct our energies? “ Where a man’ s treasure is there will his heart be also.” Hezekiah’ s wealth went to the Babylon he courted. If we choose the world we perish with it. Jerusalem in ruins is an emblem of a soul without God. (Newman Hall, LL.B.) Danger of prosperity The naturalists observe well, that the north wind is more healthful, though the south be more pleasant; the south with his warmth raiseth vapours, which breed putrefaction, and cause diseases; the north with his cold drieth those vapours up, purging the blood, and quickening the spirits. Thus adversity is unpleasant, but it keepeth us watchful against sin, and careful to do our duties; whereas prosperity doth flatteringly lull us asleep. It never goes worse with men spiritually than when they find themselves corporeally best at ease; Hezekiah was better upon his sick-bed than when he was showing off his treasures to the ambassadors of the King of Babylon. (J. Spencer.) The danger of being left to oneself One day I went out with my little girl. I said to her, “ Emma, you had better let me take hold of your hand.” She said, “ No; I had rather keep my hands in my muff,” and she walked off very proudly. Presently she came to some ice, and down she went, and was hurt a little. I said, “ You had better let me hold on to your hand.” She said, “ No; but let me hold on to your finger.” Presently she came to some more ice; she could not hold on to my finger, and down she went, and hurt herself still more. Then she said, “ Papa, I wish you would hold on to my hand.” So I took her wrist in my hand, and she couldn’ t fall. (D. L. Moody.) 2 Chronicles 32:32-33 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness.Hezekiah’ s goodness I. The genuine goodness shall not want appropriate record and remembrance.1. God, the inspirer of goodness in the hearts of men, will not forget it. 2. The beneficiaries of goodness will not be unmindful of their benefactors. 3. Sympathetic imitators will mirror forth their goodness, from whom they have derived its idea and impulse. Christian philanthropists like John Howard and Elizabeth Fry are living over again in their practical admirers and copyists. II. The seasons selected by God for such recognition are often sober and sorrowful.1. Public calamity. Sennacherib’ s invasion.2. Personal affliction. Hezekiah’ s sickness.3. Death. Hezekiah’ s burial. “ Blessed are the dead.” (J. Spencer Hill.) Goodness of heart The wind is unseen, but it cools the brow of the fevered one, sweetens the summer atmosphere, and ripples the surface of the lake into silver spangles of beauty. So goodness of heart, though invisible to the material eye, makes its presence felt; and from its effects upon surrounding things we are assured of its existence. And they buried him in the chiefast of the sepulchres of the sons of David. The life and character of Hezekiah A very wise and salutary custom prevailed among the ancient Egyptians; that of sitting in judgment upon the life and character of a man after his death, that, according as he had been deserving or undeserving, honourable burial might be granted to him or denied. The Jews appear to have brought something like the same custom out of Egypt, and to have acted upon it in the ease of their wicked kings (1 Kings 14:13; 2 Kings 9:10; Jeremiah 22:18; Isaiah 14:19). Hence a burial specially mentioned in the Scriptures signifies honour, approbation, and affectionate remembrance, more distinctly than among us. The funeral of Hezekiah is the proper place for a review of his life and character. Consider-- I. His public zeal for worship of God and the good of his people. II. The peculiar troubles with which he was exercised. III. The remarkable deliverances which he experienced. IV. The singular circumstances under which he passed his closing years. V. The excellences and defects of his religious character and conduct. (Daniel Katterns.) . 2 Chronicles 33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old.Manasseh; or, the material and the moral in human life There are two great mistakes prevalent amongst men, one is an over-estimation of the secular, the other a depreciation of the spiritual. Man is one, and all his duties and interests are concurrent and harmonious; the end of Christianity is to make men happy body and soul, here and hereafter. I. The elevation of the secular and the degradation of the spiritual. Here is a man at the height of secular elevation. He is raised to a throne, called to sway his sceptre over a people the most enlightened, and in a country the most fertile and lovely on the face of the earth. In the person of this Manasseh, you have secular greatness in its highest altitude and most attractive position. But in connection with this you have spiritual degradation. Penetrate the gaudy trappings of royalty, look within, and what see you? A low, wretched, infamous spirit, a spirit debased almost to the lowest point in morals.1. Look at him socially. How acted he as a son? His father, Hezekiah, was a man of undoubted piety--a monarch of distinguished worth. His sire was scarcely cold in his grave, before the son commenced undoing in the kingdom all that his pious father had for years endeavoured to accomplish. “ He built up again the high place which Hezekiah his father had destroyed,” etc. How did he act as a parent? Was he anxious for the virtue and happiness of his children? No, “ he caused his children to pass through the fire of the son of Hinnom.” 2. Look at him religiously--dupe of the most stupid imposture. “ He observed times and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards.” 3. Look at him politically ruining his country, provoking the indignation of heaven.” So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.” This elevation of the secular, and the degradation of the spiritual, so manifest in the life of this monarch, and so manifest, alas, in all times and lands, is not destitute of many grave and startling suggestions. First: It shows the moral disorganisation of the human world. This state of things can never be, according to the original plan of the creation. A terrible convulsion has happened to the human world; a convulsion that has thrown every part in disorder. “ All the foundations of the earth are out of course.” The social world is in a moral chaos. The Bible traces the cause, and propounds the remedy of this terrible disorganisation. Secondly: It shows the perverting capability of the soul. The greater the amount of worldly good a man possesses, the stronger is the appeal of the Creator for his gratitude and devotion. Moreover, the larger the amount of worldly wealth and power, the greater the facilities as well as the obligations to a life of spiritual intelligence, holiness, and piety. The perverting capability of the soul within us, may well fill us with amazement and alarm. Thirdly: It shows the high probability of a judgment. Under the government of a righteous monarch, will vice always have its banquets, its purple, and its crown? Will the great Lord allow His stewards to misappropriate His substance, and never call them to account? II. The degradation of the secular, and the elevation of the spiritual. The judgment of God, which must ever follow sin, at length overtook the wicked monarch. The Assyrian army, under the direction of Esarhaddon, invaded the country, and carried all before it. The miserable monarch quits his palace and his throne, flies in terror of his life, and conceals himself in a thorn brake. Here he is discovered. He is bound in chains, transported to Babylon, and there cast into prison. Here is secular degradation. First: That man’ s circumstances are no necessary hindrances to conversion. If the question were asked, What circumstances are the most inimical to the cultivation of piety? I should unhesitatingly answer--Adversity. I am well aware indeed that adversity, as in the case before us, often succeeds in inducing religious thoughtfulness and penitence when prosperity has failed. But, notwithstanding this, I cannot regard adversity itself as the most suited to the cultivation of the religious character. Sufferings are inimical to that grateful feeling and spiritual effort which religious culture requires. It is when the system bounds with health, when Providence smiles on the path, that men are in the best position to discipline themselves into a godly life. But here we find a man in the most unfavourable circumstances--away from religions institutions, and friends, and books, an ironbound exile in a pagan land--beginning to think of his ways, and directing his feet into the paths of holiness. Such a case as this meets all the excuses which men offer for their want of religion. It is often said, “ Were we in such and such circumstances, we would be religious.” The rich man says, “ Were I in humble life, more free from the anxieties, cares, responsibilities, and associations of my position, I would live a godly life; whilst the poor, on the other hand, says, with far more reason, “ Were my spirit not pressed down by the crushing forces of poverty; had I sufficient of worldly goods to remove me from all necessary anxiety, I would give my mind to religion, and serve my God.” The man in the midst of excitement and bustle of commercial life, says, “ Were I in a more retired situation, in some moral region away from the eternal din of business--away in quiet fields, and under clear skies, amidst the music of birds and brooks, I would serve my Maker.” The fact, after all, is that circumstances are no necessary hindrances or helps to a religious life. Secondly: That heaven’ s mercy is greater than man’ s iniquities. III. The concurrent elevation both of the spiritual and the secular. The Almighty hears his prayer. He is emancipated from his bondage, brought back to his own country, and restored to the throne of Israel. There he is now with a true heart, in a noble position--a real great man occupying a great office. This is a rare scene; and yet the only scene in accordance with the real constitution of things and the will of God. It seems to me that if man had remained in innocence, his outward position would always have been the product and type of his inner soul. Manasseh’ s restoration to the throne, and the work of reformation to which he sets himself, suggests two subjects for thought. First: The tendency of godliness to promote man’ s secular elevation. The monarch comes back in spirit to God, and God brings him back to his throne. As the material condition of men depends upon their moral, improve the latter, and you improve the former. As the world gets spiritually holier, it will get secularly happier. Secondly: The tendency of penitence to make restitution. Concerning Manasseh it is thus written: “ Now, after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish-gate,” etc. Here is restitution, and an earnest endeavour to undo the mischief which he had wrought. Thus Zaceheus acted, and thus all true penitents have ever acted and will ever act. True penitence has a restitutionary instinct. But how little, alas! of the mischief done can be undone! (Homilist.) 2 Chronicles 33:10-11 And bound him with fetters. Divine discipline The proper way for a sinner to be brought to God is for God to speak to him, and for him to hear. Manasseh would not come that way, so God fetched him back by a rougher road. I. The Lord often allows temporal trials to take men captive.1. Business disasters.2. Want of employment.3. Extraordinary troubles.4. Bodily affliction.5. The loss of dear friends. II. The lord sometimes allows men to be bound by mental trials; “ bound with fetters.” Such as--1. When sin ceases to afford pleasure. The very things that once made him all aglow with delight do not affect him now, nor cast a single ray of light on his path.2. The daily avocation becomes distasteful.3. There is great inability in prayer.4. Your old sins come out of their hiding-places.5. A great want of power to grasp the promises.6. A fear of death and dread of judgment. Conclusion: In order to your comfort and peace--1. Know that the Lord is God.2. Humble yourself before Him.3. Begin to pray.4. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (C. H. Spurgeon.) 2 Chronicles 33:12; 2 Chronicles 33:18 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God.Manasseh’ s wickedness and penitence I. Manssseh’ s career in crime. II. His return to and acceptance of God. III. The gracious results of his penitence. Improvement.1. The lamentable wickedness and duplicity of the human heart.2. The freeness, fulness, and efficacy of Divine grace.3. The consequences of salvation are reformation and obedience. (T.B. Baker.) Manasseh Manasseh is an eminent instance of the power, richness, and freeness of the Divine mercy. Observe-- I. The sins which he committed. 1. Their contributory cause. His early freedom from restraint, his coming to supreme power when only twelve years of age. 2. Their special nature. The catalogue is appalling. 3. Their aggravated nature. (1) They were committed in defiance of religious education, and of the admonitions and example of his father.(2) They were of more than common enormity.(3) They were productive of more than ordinary evil to others.(4) They were in defiance of the expostulations of the prophets (verse 10). II. The repentance which he exercised.1. Its cause. (1) Its more remote cause was probably his religious education. The case of Manasseh is not discouraging to training children in the way they should go.(2) The immediate cause was affliction. 2. Its nature. (1) Deep conviction of sin.(2) Deep contrition.(3) Earnest prayer.(4) Reformation of life. III. The mercies which manasseh received.1. Temporal nature. 2. Spiritual He was brought to the spiritual knowledge of the God of his salvation. “ Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God.” This knowledge led him to fear, trust, love, and obey. This obedience was accompanied by the deepest self-renunciation and abasement to the end of his life. Lessons. 1. To those who are insensible of their sinfulness. 2. To those who are ready to sink into despair under the weight of their sinfulness. 3. To those who are disposed to presume on the mercy of God. Manasseh’ s son Amon was quickly cut off in the midst of his sins (verses 21-28). He seems to be a beacon set up close by the side of his penitent and accepted father, to warn all persons against presuming on the mercy manifested to Manasseh. (Homilist.) Manasseh’ s repentance I. His character as a sinner.1. He was a notorious sinner. 2. He was not a hopeless sinner. II. His conduct as a penitent.1. The period of his repentance is specified. “ When he was in affliction.” 2. The nature of his repentance is described. (1) Deep humility.(2) Fervent prayer. These invariably distinguish the conduct of every true penitent (Jeremiah 31:18-19; Luke 18:13; Acts 9:11). III. His salvation as a believer.1. He obtained the pardoning mercy of God. 2. He received a saving knowledge of God (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.) Manasseh humbled I. The benefit of afflictions in bringing the sinner to a true sense of his condition and converting him to God. II. The mercy of God in so bringing and receiving him. III. The remaining and lasting portion of the evil of sin, even after the individual is pardoned. In the Second Book of Kings it is repeatedly declared that Judah was destroyed on account of the sons of Manasseh.1. A man looks back with sorrow and contrite concern upon the follies and sins of his youth; but what of his companions in guilt? Some, perhaps, whom he seduced into sin, and many whom he encouraged and confirmed in sin. 2. Some writers have employed their pens in the odious cause of immorality and irreligion. Such persons have lamented their errors; but the publication has done its work; the poison has been circulated, and the corruption is incurable. (J. Slade, M. A.) The conversion of Manasseh I. That early advantages may be succeeded by complicated sin. II. That sin is frequently the cause of severe affliction. III. That affliction, when sanctified, exalts to prayer, and promotes humiliation. IV. That prayer and humiliation are always attended with distinguished blessings, and produce valuable effects. V. From the whole.1. The patience of God.2. The sovereignty of God.3. The wisdom of God in adapting means to the conversion of men.4. The mercy of God in saving the chief of sinners. (S. Kidd.) The repentance of Manasseh We will connect the important change which took place in the mind of Manasseh-- I. With his early advantages. John Newton states somewhere, “ When I was in the deepest misery, and when I was committing the most atrocious sin, I always seemed to feel the hand of my sainted mother pressing my head.” II. With the afflictions by which it was produced. III. With the effects which it unfolded. IV. With the sovereignty of Divine Grace. (A. E. Farrar.) Manasseh brought to repentance I. His life of sin.1. It was in direct contrast to the good reign of his father. 2. His sin involved many in guilt. He “ made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err.” 3. He was not moved by the sight of the same wickedness in those whom he despised (2 Kings 21:9). 4. His sin was not checked by God’ s punishment of others. The heathen had been driven out from the land because of their wickedness. Judah occupied their place and adopted their vice. II. The life of manasseh under God’ s chastisement. We learn from recently discovered Assyrian inscriptions what is meant by “ among the thorns.” The word thus translated means a hook, which was put through the under lips of captives. The depths of Manasseh’ s degradation may be imagined. Yet it was sent in mercy to turn him to God. III. His repentance and restoration. IV. His re-establishment of the worship of God. Lessons.1. Never to be ashamed of repentance.2. We see the meaning of God’ s chastisements.3. The power of a single man when he has turned from sin to God.4. The necessity of solitary communion with God.5. The patient love of God. (Monday Club Sermons.) The conversion of an aged transgressor I. Let us attend to the circumstances which by the grace of God led to the conversion of Manasseh.1. Affliction.2. Solitary reflection.3. Prayer. II. Consider next how the grace of God operated in Manasseh.1. He humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.2. He was made to know that the Lord was God.3. He brought forth fruits meet for repentance. III. The circumstances which made his conversion peculiarly striking.1. It was the conversion of an atrocious sinner.2. Of an aged sinner.3. It took place at a distance from the ordinary means of grace. (H. Belfrage, D.D.) Manasseh God contents not Himself to have left on record in His word declarations and promises of grace as beacons of hope to the sinner. We have examples also of His acts of grace. Abounding iniquity, and more abounding grace, are the special features presented to us in this history of Manasseh. I. Abounding iniquity marked Manasseh’ s course.1. He was the son of Hezekiah the servant of the Lord. We place this foremost as an aggravation of his sin, that in spite of a father’ s example he cast off the fear of the Lord and sinned with a high hand against his God. That father, indeed, was early taken from him, for Manasseh was but twelve years old when he began to reign; still, the memory of Hezekiah’ s piety could not have been utterly forgotten. Too marked had been the interposition of Jehovah in that father’ s deliverance from Assyria and in his recovery from sickness for the report to have passed away. But Manasseh heeded not these things; “ he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke Him to anger.” 2. Manasseh added to his disregard of a godly parent this iniquity also, that he led his children unto sin,” he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom.” . . . Some godless parents have shown a happy inconsistency, in that whilst pursuing themselves that path “ whose end is destruction,” they have desired for their offspring that they should seek the Lord. The force of example, indeed, meeting as it does with “ the evil that is bound up in the heart of a child,” will in such eases often prove too powerful to be withstood. But Manasseh took no such course, but dedicated his children as well as himself to the service of the false gods. Alas, the reproducing power of evil! Thou that art a citizen of the world, intent on gain or pleasure, can it be expected but that thy children should walk after thee in the same destructive road? 3. Manasseh bade defiance to Jehovah in His own sanctuary. Not only did he build again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed, but “ he set a carved image,” the idol which he had made, “ in the house of God.” It was not enough that he himself should bow down to idols, and that his children should also do them homage, but with yet more prsumptuous sin he declared himself, in the face of all Israel, an idolater, and desecrated to this base end the very temple, of which the Lord had said, “ My Name shall be there.” It is the very character of Jehovah that He is “ a jealous God,” “ His glory will He not give to another.” 4. But further, Manasseh “ shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.” The faithful who warned him were doubtless the ones especially sacrificed to his vengeance, and it is supposed that Isaiah suffered death under this fearful persecutor of the Church of God. For the wickedness of Manasseh could not plead this even in palliation that he was unrebuked: “ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not hearken.” What depth of malignity is there in the unchanged soul! what pollutions! what ingratitude! what rebellion! Were it not for the restraining grace of God, what a scene of bloodshed and of all enormity would this earth be! II. More abounding still the grace of God.1. In chastisement the first faint streak of mercy manifested itself. The voice of plenty had spoken to him in vain, the voice of warning had been treated with neglect, but now the voice of correction speaks in tones not to be gainsaid. The alarm of war is heard in that guilty court. 2. His deep penitence bore witness to the workings of grace. He humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers That word “ greatly” speaks much as recorded by the Spirit of truth. As with the gospel itself, so with the chastenings of the Lord, they are either “ a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death.” 3. The voice of prayer went up from that prison-house, “ He besought the Lord . . . and prayed unto Him.” Tears, many it may be, fell before one prayer was uttered. 4. Abounding grace, shone forth, too, in the answer granted to prayer. “ God was intreated of him.” He heard his cry, and hope sprung up in his downcast soul. 5. The workings of God’ s grace were further evidenced by the fruits of faith in life according to godliness. Manasseh restored to his kingdom, has now but one object in view, the glory of God, and that object he consistently pursued. The idol is east out from the temple, and the altars of the false gods out of the city, and the people are commanded “ to serve the Lord God of Israel.” He turned not aside from his purpose to bring back to Jehovah those whom formerly he had led away to sin; and this godly course he pursued unto the end. Lessons.1. The first is, that there is a fulness of grace in God as our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus beyond the power of heart to conceive, or of tongue to utter. 2. But this history also reminds us of the dreadful nature of sin. Deep are its furrows, lasting its effects. Manasseh is pardoned, but,could he repair the evil he had done? (F. Storr, M.A.) Manasseh We shall consider Manasseh-- I. As a sinner.1. He sinned against light, against a pious education and early training. It is a notorious fact that when men do go wrong after a good training they are the worst men in the world. The murder of John Williams at Erromanga was brought about by the evil doings of a trader who had gone to the island, and who was also the son of a missionary. He had become reckless in his habits, and treated the islanders with such barbarity and cruelty that they revenged his conduct upon the next white man who put his foot upon their shore. 2. He was a very bold sinner. 3. He had the power of leading others to a very large extent astray. II. As an unbeliever. He did not believe that Jehovah was God alone.1. The unlimited power that Manasseh possessed had a great tendency to make him a disbeliever. 2. His pride was another cause. 3. Another cause was his love for sin. III. As a convert. He believed in God--1. Because God had answered his prayer. 2. Because He had forgiven his sin. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Manasseh’ s repentance Manasseh is unique alike in extreme wickedness, sincere penitence, and thorough reformation. The reformation of Julius Caesar or of our own Henry V, or to take a different class of instance, the conversion of Paul, was nothing compared to the conversion of Manasseh. It was as though Herod the Great or Caesar Borgia had been checked midway in a career of cruelty and vice, and had thenceforward lived pure and holy lives, glorifying God by ministering to their fellow-men. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) He was intreated of him. Pardon for the greatest guilt The story of Manasseh is a very valuable one. I feel sure of this, because you meet with it twice in the Word of God. God would have us again and again dwell upon such wonders of sovereign grace as Manasseh presents to us. I. Let us examine the case before us.1. Manasseh was the son of a good father. 2. He undid all his father’ s actions. 3. He served false gods. 4. He desecrated the Lord’ s courts. There are some to-day who do this; for they make even their attendance at the house of God to be an occasion for evil. 5. He dedicated his children to the devil. Nobody here will dedicate his children to the devil, surely; yet many do. Have I not seen a father dedicate his boy to the devil, as he has encouraged him to drink? And do not many in this great city, dedicate their children to the devil by allowing them to go into all kinds of licentiousness, until they become the victims of vice? 6. He fraternised with the devil, by seeking after all kinds of supernatural witcheries and wizardries. 7. He led others astray. 8. He persecuted the people of God. It is said,--we do not know whether it was so or not,--but it is highly probable, that he caused Isaiah to be cut asunder with a wooden saw. 9. In short, Manasseh was a compound of every sort of wickedness. 10. Notwithstanding all this Manasseh was pardoned. How it came about? (1) Being in great trouble, he turned to Jehovah his God.(2) He humbled himself greatly.(3) He prayed. II. Let us consider why there should be others like Manasseh. Judging from many probabilities, that God will save other great sinners as He saved Manasseh.1. Because He speaks to such great sinners and commands them to repent (Isaiah 1:16-18). Because of the great promises God has given to great sinners. 3. Because of the nature of God. 4. From what I know of the value of the blood of Jesus. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God.--Forgiveness and the knowledge of God Men first begin to know God when they are forgiven. What did the prodigal know about his father when he asked for the portion of goods that fell to him, or while he was wasting his substance in riotous living? Because love and forgiveness are more strange and unearthly than rebuke and chastisement, the sinner is humbled by pardon far more than by punishment; and his trembling submission to the righteous Judge deepens into profounder reverence and awe for the God who can forgive, who is superior to all vindictiveness, whose infinite resources enable Him to blot out the guilt, to cancel the penalty, and annul the consequences of sin. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 33:12; 2 Chronicles 33:18 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God.Manasseh’ s wickedness and penitence I. Manssseh’ s career in crime. II. His return to and acceptance of God. III. The gracious results of his penitence. Improvement.1. The lamentable wickedness and duplicity of the human heart.2. The freeness, fulness, and efficacy of Divine grace.3. The consequences of salvation are reformation and obedience. (T.B. Baker.) Manasseh Manasseh is an eminent instance of the power, richness, and freeness of the Divine mercy. Observe-- I. The sins which he committed. 1. Their contributory cause. His early freedom from restraint, his coming to supreme power when only twelve years of age. 2. Their special nature. The catalogue is appalling. 3. Their aggravated nature. (1) They were committed in defiance of religious education, and of the admonitions and example of his father.(2) They were of more than common enormity.(3) They were productive of more than ordinary evil to others.(4) They were in defiance of the expostulations of the prophets (verse 10). II. The repentance which he exercised.1. Its cause. (1) Its more remote cause was probably his religious education. The case of Manasseh is not discouraging to training children in the way they should go.(2) The immediate cause was affliction. 2. Its nature. (1) Deep conviction of sin.(2) Deep contrition.(3) Earnest prayer.(4) Reformation of life. III. The mercies which manasseh received.1. Temporal nature. 2. Spiritual He was brought to the spiritual knowledge of the God of his salvation. “ Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God.” This knowledge led him to fear, trust, love, and obey. This obedience was accompanied by the deepest self-renunciation and abasement to the end of his life. Lessons. 1. To those who are insensible of their sinfulness. 2. To those who are ready to sink into despair under the weight of their sinfulness. 3. To those who are disposed to presume on the mercy of God. Manasseh’ s son Amon was quickly cut off in the midst of his sins (verses 21-28). He seems to be a beacon set up close by the side of his penitent and accepted father, to warn all persons against presuming on the mercy manifested to Manasseh. (Homilist.) Manasseh’ s repentance I. His character as a sinner.1. He was a notorious sinner. 2. He was not a hopeless sinner. II. His conduct as a penitent.1. The period of his repentance is specified. “ When he was in affliction.” 2. The nature of his repentance is described. (1) Deep humility.(2) Fervent prayer. These invariably distinguish the conduct of every true penitent (Jeremiah 31:18-19; Luke 18:13; Acts 9:11). III. His salvation as a believer.1. He obtained the pardoning mercy of God. 2. He received a saving knowledge of God (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.) Manasseh humbled I. The benefit of afflictions in bringing the sinner to a true sense of his condition and converting him to God. II. The mercy of God in so bringing and receiving him. III. The remaining and lasting portion of the evil of sin, even after the individual is pardoned. In the Second Book of Kings it is repeatedly declared that Judah was destroyed on account of the sons of Manasseh.1. A man looks back with sorrow and contrite concern upon the follies and sins of his youth; but what of his companions in guilt? Some, perhaps, whom he seduced into sin, and many whom he encouraged and confirmed in sin. 2. Some writers have employed their pens in the odious cause of immorality and irreligion. Such persons have lamented their errors; but the publication has done its work; the poison has been circulated, and the corruption is incurable. (J. Slade, M. A.) The conversion of Manasseh I. That early advantages may be succeeded by complicated sin. II. That sin is frequently the cause of severe affliction. III. That affliction, when sanctified, exalts to prayer, and promotes humiliation. IV. That prayer and humiliation are always attended with distinguished blessings, and produce valuable effects. V. From the whole.1. The patience of God.2. The sovereignty of God.3. The wisdom of God in adapting means to the conversion of men.4. The mercy of God in saving the chief of sinners. (S. Kidd.) The repentance of Manasseh We will connect the important change which took place in the mind of Manasseh-- I. With his early advantages. John Newton states somewhere, “ When I was in the deepest misery, and when I was committing the most atrocious sin, I always seemed to feel the hand of my sainted mother pressing my head.” II. With the afflictions by which it was produced. III. With the effects which it unfolded. IV. With the sovereignty of Divine Grace. (A. E. Farrar.) Manasseh brought to repentance I. His life of sin.1. It was in direct contrast to the good reign of his father. 2. His sin involved many in guilt. He “ made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err.” 3. He was not moved by the sight of the same wickedness in those whom he despised (2 Kings 21:9). 4. His sin was not checked by God’ s punishment of others. The heathen had been driven out from the land because of their wickedness. Judah occupied their place and adopted their vice. II. The life of manasseh under God’ s chastisement. We learn from recently discovered Assyrian inscriptions what is meant by “ among the thorns.” The word thus translated means a hook, which was put through the under lips of captives. The depths of Manasseh’ s degradation may be imagined. Yet it was sent in mercy to turn him to God. III. His repentance and restoration. IV. His re-establishment of the worship of God. Lessons.1. Never to be ashamed of repentance.2. We see the meaning of God’ s chastisements.3. The power of a single man when he has turned from sin to God.4. The necessity of solitary communion with God.5. The patient love of God. (Monday Club Sermons.) The conversion of an aged transgressor I. Let us attend to the circumstances which by the grace of God led to the conversion of Manasseh.1. Affliction.2. Solitary reflection.3. Prayer. II. Consider next how the grace of God operated in Manasseh.1. He humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.2. He was made to know that the Lord was God.3. He brought forth fruits meet for repentance. III. The circumstances which made his conversion peculiarly striking.1. It was the conversion of an atrocious sinner.2. Of an aged sinner.3. It took place at a distance from the ordinary means of grace. (H. Belfrage, D.D.) Manasseh God contents not Himself to have left on record in His word declarations and promises of grace as beacons of hope to the sinner. We have examples also of His acts of grace. Abounding iniquity, and more abounding grace, are the special features presented to us in this history of Manasseh. I. Abounding iniquity marked Manasseh’ s course.1. He was the son of Hezekiah the servant of the Lord. We place this foremost as an aggravation of his sin, that in spite of a father’ s example he cast off the fear of the Lord and sinned with a high hand against his God. That father, indeed, was early taken from him, for Manasseh was but twelve years old when he began to reign; still, the memory of Hezekiah’ s piety could not have been utterly forgotten. Too marked had been the interposition of Jehovah in that father’ s deliverance from Assyria and in his recovery from sickness for the report to have passed away. But Manasseh heeded not these things; “ he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke Him to anger.” 2. Manasseh added to his disregard of a godly parent this iniquity also, that he led his children unto sin,” he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom.” . . . Some godless parents have shown a happy inconsistency, in that whilst pursuing themselves that path “ whose end is destruction,” they have desired for their offspring that they should seek the Lord. The force of example, indeed, meeting as it does with “ the evil that is bound up in the heart of a child,” will in such eases often prove too powerful to be withstood. But Manasseh took no such course, but dedicated his children as well as himself to the service of the false gods. Alas, the reproducing power of evil! Thou that art a citizen of the world, intent on gain or pleasure, can it be expected but that thy children should walk after thee in the same destructive road? 3. Manasseh bade defiance to Jehovah in His own sanctuary. Not only did he build again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed, but “ he set a carved image,” the idol which he had made, “ in the house of God.” It was not enough that he himself should bow down to idols, and that his children should also do them homage, but with yet more prsumptuous sin he declared himself, in the face of all Israel, an idolater, and desecrated to this base end the very temple, of which the Lord had said, “ My Name shall be there.” It is the very character of Jehovah that He is “ a jealous God,” “ His glory will He not give to another.” 4. But further, Manasseh “ shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.” The faithful who warned him were doubtless the ones especially sacrificed to his vengeance, and it is supposed that Isaiah suffered death under this fearful persecutor of the Church of God. For the wickedness of Manasseh could not plead this even in palliation that he was unrebuked: “ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not hearken.” What depth of malignity is there in the unchanged soul! what pollutions! what ingratitude! what rebellion! Were it not for the restraining grace of God, what a scene of bloodshed and of all enormity would this earth be! II. More abounding still the grace of God.1. In chastisement the first faint streak of mercy manifested itself. The voice of plenty had spoken to him in vain, the voice of warning had been treated with neglect, but now the voice of correction speaks in tones not to be gainsaid. The alarm of war is heard in that guilty court. 2. His deep penitence bore witness to the workings of grace. He humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers That word “ greatly” speaks much as recorded by the Spirit of truth. As with the gospel itself, so with the chastenings of the Lord, they are either “ a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death.” 3. The voice of prayer went up from that prison-house, “ He besought the Lord . . . and prayed unto Him.” Tears, many it may be, fell before one prayer was uttered. 4. Abounding grace, shone forth, too, in the answer granted to prayer. “ God was intreated of him.” He heard his cry, and hope sprung up in his downcast soul. 5. The workings of God’ s grace were further evidenced by the fruits of faith in life according to godliness. Manasseh restored to his kingdom, has now but one object in view, the glory of God, and that object he consistently pursued. The idol is east out from the temple, and the altars of the false gods out of the city, and the people are commanded “ to serve the Lord God of Israel.” He turned not aside from his purpose to bring back to Jehovah those whom formerly he had led away to sin; and this godly course he pursued unto the end. Lessons.1. The first is, that there is a fulness of grace in God as our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus beyond the power of heart to conceive, or of tongue to utter. 2. But this history also reminds us of the dreadful nature of sin. Deep are its furrows, lasting its effects. Manasseh is pardoned, but,could he repair the evil he had done? (F. Storr, M.A.) Manasseh We shall consider Manasseh-- I. As a sinner.1. He sinned against light, against a pious education and early training. It is a notorious fact that when men do go wrong after a good training they are the worst men in the world. The murder of John Williams at Erromanga was brought about by the evil doings of a trader who had gone to the island, and who was also the son of a missionary. He had become reckless in his habits, and treated the islanders with such barbarity and cruelty that they revenged his conduct upon the next white man who put his foot upon their shore. 2. He was a very bold sinner. 3. He had the power of leading others to a very large extent astray. II. As an unbeliever. He did not believe that Jehovah was God alone.1. The unlimited power that Manasseh possessed had a great tendency to make him a disbeliever. 2. His pride was another cause. 3. Another cause was his love for sin. III. As a convert. He believed in God--1. Because God had answered his prayer. 2. Because He had forgiven his sin. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Manasseh’ s repentance Manasseh is unique alike in extreme wickedness, sincere penitence, and thorough reformation. The reformation of Julius Caesar or of our own Henry V, or to take a different class of instance, the conversion of Paul, was nothing compared to the conversion of Manasseh. It was as though Herod the Great or Caesar Borgia had been checked midway in a career of cruelty and vice, and had thenceforward lived pure and holy lives, glorifying God by ministering to their fellow-men. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) He was intreated of him. Pardon for the greatest guilt The story of Manasseh is a very valuable one. I feel sure of this, because you meet with it twice in the Word of God. God would have us again and again dwell upon such wonders of sovereign grace as Manasseh presents to us. I. Let us examine the case before us.1. Manasseh was the son of a good father. 2. He undid all his father’ s actions. 3. He served false gods. 4. He desecrated the Lord’ s courts. There are some to-day who do this; for they make even their attendance at the house of God to be an occasion for evil. 5. He dedicated his children to the devil. Nobody here will dedicate his children to the devil, surely; yet many do. Have I not seen a father dedicate his boy to the devil, as he has encouraged him to drink? And do not many in this great city, dedicate their children to the devil by allowing them to go into all kinds of licentiousness, until they become the victims of vice? 6. He fraternised with the devil, by seeking after all kinds of supernatural witcheries and wizardries. 7. He led others astray. 8. He persecuted the people of God. It is said,--we do not know whether it was so or not,--but it is highly probable, that he caused Isaiah to be cut asunder with a wooden saw. 9. In short, Manasseh was a compound of every sort of wickedness. 10. Notwithstanding all this Manasseh was pardoned. How it came about? (1) Being in great trouble, he turned to Jehovah his God.(2) He humbled himself greatly.(3) He prayed. II. Let us consider why there should be others like Manasseh. Judging from many probabilities, that God will save other great sinners as He saved Manasseh.1. Because He speaks to such great sinners and commands them to repent (Isaiah 1:16-18). Because of the great promises God has given to great sinners. 3. Because of the nature of God. 4. From what I know of the value of the blood of Jesus. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God.--Forgiveness and the knowledge of God Men first begin to know God when they are forgiven. What did the prodigal know about his father when he asked for the portion of goods that fell to him, or while he was wasting his substance in riotous living? Because love and forgiveness are more strange and unearthly than rebuke and chastisement, the sinner is humbled by pardon far more than by punishment; and his trembling submission to the righteous Judge deepens into profounder reverence and awe for the God who can forgive, who is superior to all vindictiveness, whose infinite resources enable Him to blot out the guilt, to cancel the penalty, and annul the consequences of sin. (W. H. Bennett, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 33:23 But Amon transgressed more and more. Consolidation in the forces of evil It is wonderful what evil can be done with a profession of religion. Amen was sacrificing unto all the carved images; he was so religious as to be irreligious; he reached the point of exaggeration, and that point is blasphemy. When there is mere ignorance, God in His lovingkindness and tender mercy often closes His eyes as if He could not see what is being done: but when it is not ignorance but violence, determination, real obstinacy in the way of evil, and utter recklessness as to what it may cost--what if God should be compelled to open His eyes, and look the evil man full in the face, and condemn him by silent observation? It is wonderful, too, how much evil can be done in a little time. Nothing is so easy as evil. A man could almost fell a forest before he could grow one tree. Every blow tells: every bad word becomes a great blot: there is an infinite contagion in evil; it affects every one, it poisons quickly, it makes a harvest in the night-time. To do good how much time is required! How few people will believe that we are doing good! We have to encounter suspicion, criticism, distrust; men say, “ We must wait to see the end; we cannot believe in the possibility of all this earnestness and sacrifice” ; they ask questions about its possible permanence; even good men are apt to hinder other good men in endeavouring to do good. But evil has no such disadvantages to contend with. There is a consolidation in the forces of evil that is not known among the forces of good. It would seem as if the poet’ s description were right--“ Devil with devil damned, firm concord holds.” It may be that in that energetic expression Milton has stated the reality of the case. (J. Parker, D.D.) 2 Chronicles 33:25 Josiah his son king in his stead. Far-reaching heredity Josiah was the son of Amon--which is equal to saying that the greatest sinner of his day was the progenitor of one of the finest saints that ever prayed. If that is not a miracle, what is meant by the term miracle? Read the account and say if it be not the reading of music:--“ And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father” (2 Chronicles 34:2) “ and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.” Then he had more fathers than one. That is the explanation. You are not the son of the man that went immediately before you; you are only his son in a very incidental manner. Josiah was the son of “ David his father” --the larger father, the deeper root, the elect of God; a sun fouled by many a black spot, but a shining orb notwithstanding. We must enlarge our view if we would come to right conclusions regarding many mysteries. Amen was but a link in the chain. The bad man here, or the good man there, taken in his solitariness, is but a comparatively trivial incident in life’ s tragedy. Heredity is not from one to two; it is from one to the last; from the beginning to the ending. In every man there lives all the humanity that ever lived. We are fearfully and wonderfully made--not physically only, but morally, religiously, temperamentally. All the kings live in the last king or the reigning monarch. We are one humanity. Solidarity has its lessons as well as individuality. We know not which of our ancestors comes up in us at this moment or that--now the tiger, now the eagle; now the praying mother, now the daring sire; now some mean soul that got into the current by a mystery never to be explained; now the cunning, watchful, patient deceiver, who can wait for nights at a time and never complain of the dark or the cold, and now the hero that never had a fear, the philanthropist that loved the world, the mother that never looked otherwise than God Himself would have her look. We can never tell which of our ancestors is really thinking in us, speaking through us; we cannot tell the accent of the immediate consciousness;--these are mysteries, and when the judgment comes it will be based upon all the ground, and not upon incidental points here and there (J. Parker, D. D.) . 2 Chronicles 34:1-8 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign.Josiah’ s early piety I. The possibility of youthful responsibility. Other children besides Josiah have been called to the cares of a kingdom. Manasseh commenced to reign at twelve, Joash was seven, Uzziah sixteen; Henry III and Edward VI of England were both nine; four of the Scottish kings, James II, III, IV, and V, ascended the throne when children. Of the French kings, Louis I. began to reign at sixteen, Louis IX at eleven, Louis XIII at nine, Charles VI at eleven, Charles IX at ten; Louis XIV, inheriting the kingdom at five, assumed full control by his own force of character at thirteen. Charles I of Spain, better known as Charles V of Germany, became king at sixteen; Charles II at fourteen, seizing the kingdom from an ill-governing regency which had existed since his fourth year. II. Early piety is possible and desirable. When does the period of moral accountability begin? We cannot fix it definitely. But this much is certain: whenever the child can intelligently choose this or that because it is right or wrong, then has moral accountability commenced, and the child can be a Christian. III. The influence of good advisers. Josiah was but a boy, and yet around him were spiritual Titans--Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah. IV. The energy of youthful piety. V. The influence of the surrounding atmosphere on piety. We must be watchful against irreligious influences. (Monday Club Sermons.) Importance of early piety Ancient nations would not receive old men into their armies, as being unfit for service. Let us not wait until we can only offer unto “ Him who hath loved us” dry and worthless bones. (W. M. Taylor, D.D.) The example of Joash There is at the top of the Queen’ s staircase in Windsor Castle a statue from the studio of Baron Triqueti, of Edward VI., marking with his sceptre a passage in the Bible, which he holds in his left hand, and upon which he earnestly looks. The passage is this concerning Josiah: “ Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David, his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.” The statue was erected by the will of the late Prince Consort, who intended it to convey to his son the Divine principles by which the future governor of England should mould his life and reign on the throne of Great Britain. (T. Hughes.) Early piety I was admitted into the Church at the early age of eight. I don’ t remember that I experienced at the time any extraordinary work of God on my soul. I loved Christ, and felt a strong desire to be identified with His people. When I mentioned the fact to some of the deacons some of them looked askance, and expressed grave doubts as to the propriety of allowing one so young to sit at the Lord’ s table. Among them, however, there were wiser men. Their counsels prevailed, and after some months of probation I was admitted. From that day until now I have never ceased to thank God that I was induced to take the important step at the time I did. Had I not done so I doubt whether I should have been a missionary--if a member of the Christian Church at all. (Griffith Johns.) Josiah the old-fashioned young man As the sensitive plate in the photographic camera, when the person who sits for a likeness is placed in a powerful light, takes an impression of him in which every line upon the countenance and every furrow upon the brow are exaggerated, so that the artist has to touch the negative in order to do him simple justice, so, when a man sits in the fierce glare of public light, his failings are so prominently recorded, and his defects so clearly brought out, that it is necessary for us in fairness to touch the negative with the pencil of charity, and thus soften down the defects. Remembering this, this description of Josiah fills us with wonder. Consider-- I. His disadvantages.1. His extreme youth.2. The degeneracy of the times. He ascended the throne in a dark age.3. He was the son of a bad father. II. What is the explanation of his piety? It may have been largely due to the quiet but all-powerful influence of a good mother. But there are wonders of grace often wrought in the lives of the children of wicked men which you cannot explain. III. The manifestation of his piety. He “ walked in the ways of David his father.” Four hundred years separated Josiah from David. Thank God, there are seasons, even in degenerate times, when the old purity of things is restored, when the grand old faith is received and lived over again, and when the heroism of those who are gone comes back like a new inspiration to young lives. “ Ah! he is an old-fashioned young man: he lives behind the age; he ought to have been living in the time of David, for he has quite adopted his ancient ways,” exclaimed some young men of the period. All the conceited striplings of the day would join in the chorus, “ Poor Josiah, he does not move with the age. He is an eccentric young fellow, very puritanic in his notions, and sings psalms as if he lived in the days of old King David.” My young friends, a true man likes to be old-fashioned sometimes. It is noble to move with the age when the age is going forward; but it is grand to remain with the past when the age in which we live retrogrades from ancient purity and ancient faith. When there is no spiritual vigour or moral fibre in our day, it is well to stick to the old days when there were strength and fibre in religion and morals. Do not be afraid of the charge of being old-fashioned. It is cheaply made, and is often meaningless, save as it is the highest possible compliment. Be in the company of the world’ s best and noblest men: never mind whether they live to-day, or whether they lived eighteen hundred years ago, or even more. (D. Davies.) 2 Chronicles 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David. Seeking after God I. Why we should seek after God.1. We are by nature without God.2. To be without God is certain misery.3. In God alone we can obtain peace and rest. II. How we are to seek after God.1. With respect to God Himself. Josiah sought--not the God of nature; not the God of Providence; but “ the God of David his father.” And why? David was a type of Christ; the covenant made with David a type of the covenant of grace, and “ the sure mercies of David,” symbols of the better blessings of the New Covenant. 2. With respect to ourselves. By repentance, faith, and obedience. III. When we are to seek after god. (Robert Stevenson.) Early piety and its advantages I. Enlightened piety consists in seeking God.1. Earnestly.2. Promptly.3. Perseveringly. II. Seeking God early will conduce to honour.1. It keeps alive religious susceptibilities.2. It saves from snares.3. It brings eminent usefulness in life.4. It prepares for happy death. (J. Wolfendale.) Youth the best time to serve God Let us think of some reasons why we should seek God in childhood.1. The first reason is because youth is the best time. 2. Another reason is because youth is the most important time. “ Satisfy us early with Thy goodness, that we may be glad and rejoice all our days.” What seems a slight mistake at the beginning may make a terrible difference at the end. 3. Another reason for seeking God in early life is because it is noblest to do right now, not to wait until we have spent most of our life doing wrong. (Christian Age.) Well started I. That any soul should begin early to seek the Lord, is an event that would be thought unimportant by some, but it is chronicled in heaven. II. Every man must search carefully his own heart, and determine whether the definite desire after God is there or not. The desire is equivalent to spiritual sight. To help to build up righteousness is serving God. III. Some will say: “ but i have no such opportunities as josiah.” Have you sought them? Is not influence on relatives, friends, comrades, fellow-workers an opportunity? Can you never seize suitable occasions for uttering a Christian sentence or scowling on a social sin? IV. A further objection is “ but i have so many difficulties in my way, that i can do nothing useful.” Think of those Josiah must have met with. V. Others say: “ but i never had any special call to serve God.” What if parents, or brothers, or sisters, or friend never mentioned it? Have you never heard it in your heart, and cannot you hear it now? The very passage of time calls you to serve God. VI. Those who begin life with Christ as Saviour, Guide, Helper, Eternal Friend, and who are honestly trying to serve Him, may be sure that He will rejoice over them, and remember them, even though them names may not be emblazoned on any great world-roll of honour. VII. Some are conscious that they are not making a good beginning of life. They are drifting onwards and towards dangerous rapids and a deathly abyss. Christ comes to save and to give a fresh start. This is an opportunity which is worth seizing. (F. Hastings.) Early piety I. What Josiah turned from.1. From what is familiarly called “ the way of the world.”2. From the carnal appetites of youth, which craved to be pampered by their gratification.3. From all vanities of the imagination.4. From the exercise of power, before weighing its responsibilities.5. From false friends and evil counsellors.6. From the delusions of the gaudy appendages of a worldly Court. II. What Josiah turned to. He fixed his heart and the faith of his soul upon God, as his--1. Friend.2. Father.3. Guide. III. He was faithful and pious from his earliest days. (A Gatty, M.A.) Early piety I. Nothing is more amiable in itself, or more pleasing to God, than early piety. II. Youth is a season in which you have the greatest advantages for cultivating the principles of piety, and the greatest need of religion, as a defence from temptation and dangers. III. By early piety you will prepare tranquility and joy for old age, whilst by an opposite conduct you will fill it with remorse and fears. IV. Regard to the feelings of all pious persons in the Church universal, a respect to the happiness of your parents, should induce you early to devote yourselves to God. V. On your conduct in youth, your salvation or perdition almost infallibly depend. (H. Kollock, D. D.) Early piety I. We shall briefly notice the striking example of youthful piety here presented to our view.1. He was a decidedly religious character. 2. His genuine religion commenced at an early period. 3. An exemplary life and conversation abundantly proved the sincerity and ardour of his piety. 4. Josiah’ s early piety is adduced as the pledge if not the basis of his future eminence in religion. 5. Josiah and his country reaped great advantages from his early devotedness to God. II. We shall produce arguments urging upon all our young people the exemplification of similar decided piety.1. A due regard to your personal welfare. 2. The plea of relative usefulness-- (1) In the family.(2) The social circle.(3) The Church. 3. Many whom you dearly love feel deeply interested in your spiritual welfare. (1) Parents.(2) Ministers. 4. The compassionate Saviour not only claims but kindly encourages youthful piety. (Essex Congregational Remembrancer.) Early piety exemplified in Josiah I. Josiah imitated david.1. God was David’ s teacher.2. God was David’ s comfort.3. God was David’ s delight.4. God was David’ s defence. II. The manner how he sought after god. He sought God--1. From a deep conviction that his conduct and the conduct of Israel generally was highly offensive to God, and that they were exposed to imminent peril.2. In deep self-abasement of soul.3. By destroying the idols out of the land.4. By restoring God’ s true worship and frequenting it.5. With all his heart (2 Kings 23:25). III. The period of life when he did it. (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.) Josiah Josiah was-- I. An early seeker. Our Queen wears a velvet cap under her crown lest it should hurt her head: this eight-year-old king had more need of such a covering. The crown is a heavy burden for young soldiers. Yet there have been younger kings than Josiah. An old Norse king was called Olaf Lapking because he was king while on his mother’ s lap. Royal boyhood is often poisoned boyhood. The people of Israel around little Josiah were doing worse than the heathen. The sins and sorrows of that time are described in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, whose heart they had broken, Yet Josiah at the age of eight did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and at sixteen began to seek the God of his father David with more earnestness than ever. God calls us to seek Him earlier. In our Latin exercises there was a story about a simpleton sitting one evening at the river’ s brink. A traveller coming up wished his company in crossing. “ No,” he replied, “ I am waiting till the river flows past.” The tiny stream of difficulties between you and Christ won’ t flow past, but will flow on, and broaden and deepen, till it grows like an angry torrent, swollen with winter floods, that threatens to sweep down the old man who would ford it. II. Josiah was also a hearty hater of evil. He did not hate in others the sins he practised himself, He was not like the Czar of Russia who used to say, “ I reform my country, and am not able to reform myself.” Dr. Arnold used to say, “ Commend me to boys who love God and hate evil.” Love without hate makes a mere milksop, and Christ’ s disciples are to be the salt, and not the sugar of society. We need boys who will hate all evil as young Hannibal hated Rome. The young Christian ought to be the sworn foe of the kingdom of darkness. III. Josiah was a real hero. A hero is one who, in doing duty, scorns great dangers. He had the spirit of Chrysostom, who replied to the threats of the Empress Eudoxia, “ I fear nothing but sin.” Josiah’ s love for the Bible would open his soul to all the best influences from the heroic lives of Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Samuel and Gideon. Thus was developed in him what Dr. Chalmers calls “ the expulsive power of a new affection.” IV. Josiah was missed and mourned when he died. There is a night in Spain called “ the sad night” : and so in the history of Judah, the death of Josiah was “ the sad day.” The Rabbis say that “ the memory of him was like costly incense, and sweet as honey in the mouths of all.” (James Wells, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 34:14-33 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.Restoring God’ s house I. Spiritual desolation.1. The negligent priesthood (2 Chronicles 34:5).2. The dilapidated temple (2 Chronicles 34:7).3. The perverted utensils (2 Chronicles 34:7). II. Abundant offerings.1. Opportunity to give (2 Chronicles 34:8).2. Called to give (2 Chronicles 34:9).3. Giving cheerfully (2 Chronicles 34:10). III. Effective work.1. Skilled workmen (2 Chronicles 34:12).2. Diligent service (2 Chronicles 34:13).3. Renewed devotion (2 Chronicles 34:14). (Sunday School Times.) The book of the law found 1. We to-day are in some danger of losing the Scriptures. Not as a volume of literature. (1) It is possible for the Word of God to sink out of our consciousness through our indifference. (2) We may also make so much of prayer-books and creeds, of systems of doctrine and religious treatises, that the Scriptures themselves are seen only by a reflected light. (3) Because we have been acquainted with the Scriptures from childhood, as we grow older we may fancy that we know what they contain, and leave them unstudied and unread. (4) It is not unusual in public worship for the devotional services and the sermon to come between the soul and God’ s Word. (5) It is not unusual to find men so wedded to traditional interpretations, having origin in some theological theory, that when they read the Bible they are like one looking upon a landscape through coloured spectacles. When this tendency rules we are in danger of losing the Bible. 2. The discovery of “ the book of the law” gave Josiah a new basis for faith. He must have felt when he read it, that he was supernaturally strengthened in his great task of reformation. There are few of us who do not desire to have our various undertakings approved by those in whose sagacity and moral discernment we trust. Josiah undertook his work with a new heart, for he felt that the Lord was with him. 3. We have here suggested the broad distinction between our certainty of what seems to be true and our certainty of what is vouched for as true by the Word of God. 4. This discovery of the law enlarged Josiah’ s conception of duty. The knowledge that came to him and to the nation, through this book, was what a flash of light is to a ship on a dangerous coast; the light reveals the rocks upon which she nearly struck; it also reveals the safe channel and the course to the harbour. The Bible performs this double office for all to whom it comes. It reveals sin; and it discloses the path to a better life. God’ s prohibitions are not restrictions upon life, but protections to it. God’ s calls to men are calls to blessedness. 5. This narrative illustrates the way truth enters a human life and recreates it. 6. Two reflections. (1) The large importance to each one of us of our finding the truth of God.(2) The chief blessing we can confer on others is to give them the truth God has given us. The men who went to the temple treasury came back with more than money. (G. E. Horr.) The book of the law found I. The results of losing the law.1. Knowledge of the truth was lost.2. True religion passed away.3. The services of the temple ceased.4. The sanctuary was polluted.5. False religion “ came in like a flood.” “ The land was full of idols.”6. “ Crimes of violence and deeds of oppression abounded everywhere.” When man ceases to fear God he begins to hate his fellow-man.7. “ Immorality was rampant.” Morality does not live without religion.8. Misery and final destruction followed. II. The results of finding the law.1. False religion was put away.2. The people repented and turned to God.3. The truth was learned.4. The temple was beautified and opened for services.5. A measure of mercy was found.6. The truth was handed down to other ages. Miscellaneous lessons:1. Temple and services are vain without the truth.2. Those who seek to serve God discover his will3. When men desire to do wrong they hate the Word of God.4. The Bible will survive all efforts of man to destroy it.5. Where leaders set an example of piety the people follow.6. Sin, vice, misery, and destruction come where the truth is not possessed.7. If the times are bad we should hold up the law of God.8. The Bible is a lost book to those who (a) neglect it; (b) disbelieve it; (c) disobey it. 9. Every child should own, read, and love the Bible. 10. One can be loyal to God amid the most opposing surroundings. 11. One’ s course in childhood generally determines what the youth and manhood will be. 12. The world greatly needs the services of children and men and women of righteousness. (J. E. Jacklin.) Josiah and the newly found law I. The discovery of the book of the law. We see here--1. A striking instance of the indestructibleness of God’ s Word. It has a charmed life. 2. That honest efforts after reformation are usually rewarded by clearer knowledge of God’ s will. If Hilkiah had not been busy in setting wrong things right, he would not have found the book in its dark hiding-place. We are told that the coincidence of the discovery at the nick of time is suspicious. So it is, if you do not believe in Providence. If you do, the coincidence is but one instance of his sending gifts of the right sort at the right moment. 3. That the true basis of all religious reform is the Word of God. The nearest parallel is Luther’ s finding the dusty Latin Bible among the neglected convent books. Faded flowers will lift up their heads when plunged into water. The old Bible, discovered and applied anew, must underlie all real renovation of dead or moribund Christianity. II. The effect of the rediscovered law. If a man will give God’ s Word a fair hearing, and be honest with himself, it will bring him to his knees. No man rightly uses God’ s law who is not convinced by it of his sin, and impelled to that self-abased sorrow of which the rent royal robes were the passionate expression. The first function of the law is to arouse the knowledge of sin, as Paul profoundly teaches. Without that penitential knowledge religion is superficial, and reformation merely external. III. The double-eyed message of the prophetess. Josiah does not seem to have told his messengers where to go; but they knew, and went to a very unlikely person, the wife of an obscure man, only known as his father’ s son. Where was Jeremiah of Anathoth? Perhaps not in the city at the time. This embassy to Huldah is in full accord with the high position which women held in that state, of which the framework was shaped by God Himself. In Christ Jesus “ there is neither male nor female,” and Judaism approximated much more closely to that ideal than other lands did. Huldah’ s message has two parts.1. The confirmation of the threatenings of the law.2. The assurance to Josiah of the acceptance of his repentance and gracious promise of escape from the coming storm. These two are precisely equivalent to the double aspect of the gospel, which completes the law, endorsing its sentence and pointing the way of escape. (A. Maclaren, D.D.) The Scriptures found and searched I. The bible lost.1. It is lost to nations. Sometimes kings and governments forbid its circulation. 2. In communities where it freely circulates in the vernacular of the people--by misconstruction, false teaching and disregard. 3. It is lost to individuals by the way they treat it. How many a man suffers the Bible to lie in his home unused, dust-covered, like the sacred roll in the Temple, until it be almost forgotten! How many cast it away because it reproves them as it reproved the wicked kings of Judah! II. Degeneracy inevitable without it. The Word of God is the great source and conservator of moral life and health. It is sunlight to the moral world. It is the invigorating element in the moral atmosphere. No more surely do plants grow pale without sunlight, or animal life grow feeble without oxygen, than all that makes a worthy life in man, individual or collective, wanes and fails when deprived of the Word of God. How true was this of Judah! When the Word of God was lost, the nation sunk rapidly into wickedness and consequent weakness. False religion ran riot. The smoke of incense to heathen gods filled the land. The consciences of the people were debauched. And whenever the Word of God has been lost by prohibition or neglect, the downward tendency of national life has been marked. Other elements of strength may have withstood it, and, for a time, upheld with seeming success the fabric of state. But, the best elements being wanting, degeneracy and feebleness sooner or later inevitably appear. But illustrations of the matter under consideration are more open to observation in regard to communities. Whenever the Word of God is not set on high, and honoured as the arbiter in morals, the teacher in religion, and the guide in life, there wickedness and vice will prevail. But individual life furnishes the best illustration. Without the word of God abiding in the mind and regnant in the life, deterioration in all things good certainly supervenes. Take out of a man’ s life the distinctive truths of the Divine revelation, and he is utterly exposed. Every avenue of his being is open to temptation. He will surely run down, sink to a lower plane, and ordinarily to a plane lower and lower the longer he lives. How many parents weep over sons and daughters tarnished, degraded, lost, because they would not heed the voice of God! III. Its effect when found.1. In the case of Josiah, it was astonishment. That such a book should have existed, stating so clearly the Divine will, so full of denunciations against the sins of the land, filled him with amazement. This is natural and legitimate. Only let men to whom the Bible has been lost wake to the solemn reality that its statements are everlasting truth, and that they will hold with unrelaxing energy in life, in death, and in eternity, and amazement must overwhelm them. “ Is it possible that these things are true and I have not realised them?” 2. Another effect was to set him to earnest study. God was speaking. It was necessary for him to know what was said that he might order his conduct accordingly. Investigation of the Bible follows naturally a realisation of its nature. 3. Another result was to awaken anxiety. Study of the “ book of the law” revealed his true condition. And so it is always. The Bible does not create the facts of our existence, but it does reveal them. In it we see our necessities and our danger. The past is marked with sin, the present full of corruption; the future forbidding, through fear of coming doom. 4. Again, the Bible found leads to repentance and reformation. How thorough was it in the case of Josiah! How deeply he deplored the sins of the land, how strenuously put them away! So it is always. It shows men what they are, and what they have done. It reveals the intensity of their sinfulness and the multitude of their sins. New thoughts, new desires, new affections, new purposes dwell within; new conduct, new habits mark the external life. And the same thing occurs in a wider field. Communities are waked to newness of life by finding the Bible. All this is true of tribes and nations. Many are the nations which have been revolutionised by it in the past, and it is doing the same to-day. Freedom of conscience attends the Bible, and civil liberty follows close behind. The Bible is the charter of the world’ s hope and the mainspring of its reformation. How sad is the thought that to so many of our race there is no Bible! (Monday Club Sermons.) Finding the book of the law 1. Many precious things are found when we set to work at repairs. Try to remove the dust from old sanctuaries of life and memory, and see what you will light upon. 2. How one good thing leads to another. First “ walking in the way of the Lord” ; then interest in the house of the Lord; then the book found. 3. The connection between pecuniary integrity and the Divine blessing. When they brought the money they found the book. 4. How many old things are new to us when we are in trouble and distress of mind. 5. The age of sixteen is a time of his life which no man ever forgets. 6. Devotedness to God at sixteen is so great a step in the life of a youth that it cannot be alone; you must make another onward into the sphere of spirit and of life. 7. God always finds some work to do for those who are His. 8. There is no deeper distress possible to us than that which pierces us in the discovery of our enmity to God. (B. Kent, M.A.) The loss of the Scriptures Consider what we should lose if we were to part with the Christian Scriptures, and with all the institutions and blessings for which we are indebted to them. I. We should lose the knowledge of the true god. Mankind needs a book to keep alive in the earth the knowledge of a spiritual and personal God. II. We should lose sooner or later our institutions of benevolence. III. We should lose our institutions for popular education. Popular education is of Bible origin. Other than Christian religions build themselves on the ignorance of the masses. IV. We should lose sooner or later our institutions of civil liberty. History shows that the great charter of freedom in the world is the Word of God. The great free nations of the earth are the great Christian nations. (A. Phelps.) 2 Chronicles 34:27 Because thine heart was tender. The tender heart We see that waters of the same colour have not the same nature and effect, for hot waters are of the same colour with plain ordinary waters, yet more effectual; so the words of man coming from a man may seem at first to be the same with others, yet notwithstanding, the words of God coming from the Spirit of God carry a more wonderful excellency in them even to hearts of kings. Therefore Huldah speaks to the king, “ Thus saith the Lord,” etc. Josiah in uprightness sends to inquire, and the Lord returns him a full and upright answer. Whence we may learn-- I. That God doth graciously fit prophets for persons, and His word to a people that are upright in their hearts. Where there is a true desire to know the will of God, there God will give men sincere prophets that shall answer them exactly. But those that are false-hearted shall have suitable teachers, who shall instruct them according to their lusts. If they be like Ahab, they shall have four hundred false prophets to teach falsehood to please their lusts (1 Kings 22:6); but if they be Davids they shall have Nathans. If they be Josiahs they shall have Huldahs and Jeremiahs. God commended Josiah because his heart was tender. A tender heart is--1. Sensitive.2. Pliable.3. Yielding. II. That it is a supernatural disposition of a true child of God to have a tender, soft, and a melting heart. All by nature have stony hearts in respect of spiritual goodness. Say what you will to a hard heart, it will never yield. A hammer will do no good to a stone. It may break it in pieces, but not draw it to any form. So to a stony heart all the threatenings in the world will do no good. You may break it in pieces but never work upon it. It must be the Almighty power of God. All that are gracious must of necessity have soft hearts. III. Therefore i will show--1. How a tender heart is wrought. It is made tender by Him who made it (Ezekiel 11:19). 1. God through the use of means softens it by His Word, in producing apprehension of judgment. 2. It is wrought by an apprehension of tenderness and love in Christ. Many say that an adamant cannot be melted with fire, but by blood. I cannot tell whether this be true or no; but I am sure nothing will melt the hard heart of man but the blood of Christ. 3. When the heart is made tender by the Spirit, many things will work tenderness. (1) The works of God.(2) His judgments.(3) The Word and sacraments.(4) God’ s promises. 2. How it may be preserved and maintained. (1) Keep under the means whereby God’ s Spirit will work.(2) Seek to realise the forlorn state of the Church abroad.(3) Labour for a legal and evangelical faith.(4) Associate with those who are tender-hearted.(5) Take heed of the least sin against conscience. As water, when it begins to freeze, will not endure anything, not so much as the weight of a pin upon it, but after a while will bear the weight of a cart; even so at the beginning, the heart being tender, trembles at the least sin, and will not bear with any one; but when it once gives way to sins against conscience, it becomes so frozen that it can endure any sin, and so becomes more and more hard.(6) Take heed of spiritual drunkenness; that is, be not drunk with an immoderate use of the creatures (Hosea 4:11).(7) Take heed of hypocrisy.(8) Take heed of great sins.(9) Consider the miserable estate of hardness of heart. 8. How it may be discerned from the contrary. By applying of the soul unto objects-- (1) To God. As it is tender from God, so it is tender for God. He that hath a tender heart cannot endure to dishonour God himself, or to hear others dishonour Him.(2) To His Word. A tender heart is sensitive to-- (a) Its threatening (Isaiah 66:2; 2 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Peter 3:11); its promises, its directions (Isaiah 6:8; Psalms 27:8). (3) To the works of God. A tender heart quakes when it sees the judgments of God upon others.(4) To our regard of the estate of others, whether they be good or bad (Psalms 119:136; Philippians 3:18; Matthew 23:37; Matthew 11:25). Conclusion:1. What an excellent thing a tender heart is (Isaiah 57:15).2. It fits a man for the end for which he was created. The service of God.3. It is fit for any blessedness. It is capable of any beatitude.4. Consider the wretched state of a heart that is not tender, and will not yield. (R. Sibbes.) A tender heart I. Give a general account of a tender heart. It implies--1. A quick and ready sense and feeling in spiritual things. (1) Quickness of apprehension.(2) Ready reflections of conscience.(3) A disposition to be easily affected. 2. A pliable disposition to yield to Divine influences. II. Describe the way in which such a temper should express itself.1. In relation to the Word of God. A man of religious tenderness of spirit will-- (1) Make it his business to acquaint himself with the mind of God.(2) Pay ready subjection to the authority of God in His Word.(3) Be afraid to do anything which he doubts to be disagreeable to God’ s Word.(4) Will frequently compare his heart and life with God’ s Word. 2. In relation to sin.3. In relation to providential events.4. In relation to the honour of God. III. What foundation is laid for such a temper in Christianity.1. The rule of our faith and practice is more complete.2. The recompenses of the life to come are more fully revealed to us.3. Richer discoveries of grace are made to us.4. Ceremonials have given way to substantials of religion.5. The softening spirit is more plentifully communicated. IV. Inferences.1. Discern the differences between a truly Christian temper and some things mistaken for it. It is not-- (1) Natural easiness of disposition--(2) Occasional. 2. Let us all seek after and cultivate this tenderness of spirit.3. If conscious of its possession, take the comfort of it as good evidence of a renewed and Christian state. (J. Evans, D.D.) And thou didst humble thyself. Self-humbling I. The acceptable act.1. It was a real and personal act.2. It was voluntary. “ Thou didst humble thyself.”3. It was a sincerely devout act.4. It was a very deep and thorough one. II. Reasons for imitating it.1. A deep sense of sin, its heinousness and the punishment it deserves.2. Our origin and our end.3. The sovereign grace which has made us to differ.4. The greatness of God.5. The life and death of Christ. III. The encouraging results which followed.1. Humiliation will often avert judgment.2. It always brings a positive blessing with it.3. It will improve our spiritual health.4. It promotes our usefulness. (C. H. Spurgeon.) The art of self-humbling I. That it is a disposition not unbefitting kings to humble themselves before God. II. That the actions of grace are reflected actions. They begin from a man’ s self, and end in a man’ s self. Yet we must not exclude the Spirit. For the further expression of this humbling of ourselves before God, we will consider--1. The kinds and degrees of it. (1) Inward. (a) Humiliation in the mind in regard of judgment and knowledge, when our understandings are convinced, that we are as we are. (b) Affections of humiliation, shame, sorrow, fear. (2) Outward. As manifested in words and in outward behaviour and carriage. 2. Some directions how we may humble ourselves, (1) Get poor spirits, that is spirits to see the wants in ourselves and in the creature; the emptiness of all earthly things without God’ s favour; the insufficiency of ourselves and of the creature at the day of judgment. (2) Let us bring ourselves into the presence of the Great God and consider His attributes, His works of justice abroad in the world, and upon ourselves in particular (Job 42:6; John 1:27; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Matthew 8:8; Genesis 32:10). (3) Let us be content to hear of our sins and baseness by others. (4) Look to the time to come, what we shall be ere long, earth and dust; and at the day of judgment we must be stripped of all. (5) Let us set before us the example of our blessed Saviour. (6) Let us work upon our own souls by reasoning, discoursing, and speaking to our own hearts. 3. The motives to move us to get this humiliation. (1) Consider the promises that are made to this disposition (Isaiah 57:15; James 4:10). As examples we have Peter, David, Manasseh, Josiah. Every branch of humiliation hath a promise. A humble heart is a vessel of all graces. Humility emptieth the heart for God to fill it. God hath but two heavens to dwell in; the heaven of heavens and the heart of a poor humble man. When a man is humbled he is fit for all good. As all the water that is upon the hills runs into the valleys, so all grace goes to the humble. (2) All outward actions benefit other men; but this inward action of humbling a man’ s self makes the soul itself good. (3) A humble soul is a secure and safe soul. 4. The notes whereby it may be known. (1) Holy humiliation is voluntary. (2) It is ever joined with reformation. (3) Sin must appear bitter to the soul. There is in every renewed soul a secret loathing and hatred of evil, and is expressed-- (a) In a serious purpose and resolution not to offend God in the least kind. (b) There must be a constant endeavour to avoid the occasions and allurements of sin. (c) There must be a hatred and loathing of sin in our confessions (Psalms 51:4). (4) True humiliation proceeds from faith. It quakes, at the foresight of judgment, but the wicked never humble themselves but when judgment is upon them. (5) With true humiliation is joined hope. (6) Hypocrites are sorrowful for the judgment that is upon them, but not for that which is the cause of judgment, but the child of God is humbled for sin. (7) True humiliation is a thorough humiliation. It is not like Ephraim’ s morning dew, quickly gone. (R. Sibbes.) The art of mourning “ Rending of clothes” was a thing frequently used in old times, and it was a visible representation of the inward sorrow of the heart (Job 1:20; Job 2:12; Acts 14:14; Mark 14:63; Isaiah 37:1). It was frequently used among the heathen also. Observe-- I. That the body and soul must join together in the action of humiliation. II. That when God will afflict or humble a man, it is not a kingdom that will save him. III. That tears and mourning for sin, when it comes from inward grief, is a temper well befitting any man. IV. That it concerns magistrates above all others, to take to heart any danger whatsoever that is upon their people. V. That it is the duty of every Christian to take to heart the threatening of God against the place and people where he doth live. VI. That God takes a particular notice and understands the prayers we make unto Him. God hears our prayers, because--1. He is gracious and merciful.2. He is our Father.3. He has promised to do so (Psalms 50:15).4. They are the motions of His own Spirit (Romans 8:26-27).5. They are offered up in the name of a Mediator.6. They are made according to His will. Conclusion: If we would have God hear us, then--1. Let us hear God as Josiah did.2. Our prayers must proceed from a broken heart.3. We must add to them the wings of love, faith, hope and earnestness, as Josiah did here.4. Let us have such a resolution and purpose of reformation like Josiah’ s. (R. Sibbes.) 2 Chronicles 34:28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers. The saint’ s refreshing I. That God takes notice of every good thing His children do and rewards them for it even in this life. II. How the Spirit of God in common matters doth raise up the soul to think highly of them. It sweetens death with the phrase of “ gathering.” III. That death is nothing but a gathering. IV. That the changes of God’ s children are for the better. V. That burial is a comely and honourable thing. VI. That death is less miserable than the ill which a man may live to see in this life VII. That our times are in God’ s hands. VIII. That it is the sight of misery which works the deepest impression. IX. That those which be dead in the Lord are freed from seeing of any evil or misery. X. Another conclusion, that takes away their invocation of saints. XI. That the lives of God’ s children do keep back judgment and evil from the place where they live, and their death is a forerunner of judgment. Because--1. Gracious men do make the times and the places good where they live.2. Gracious men do bind God by their prayers. XII. That the evils which we suffer are from the evil of sin. XIII. That God will give good men faithful servants that shall deal faithfully with them. The messengers dealt faithfully with Josiah. XIV. That the care of the commonwealth and of the Church is a duty. 2 Chronicles 35:2 And encouraged them. Cheer up, my comrades The first thing is to get every man into his proper place; the next thing is for every man to have a good spirit in his present place so as to occupy it worthily. At this time it shall not be my business to arrange you, but assuming that it is well for you to keep where you are, my object shall be to encourage you to do your work for the Lord without’ being cast down. I will speak-- I. To those who think they can do nothing. II. To workers who are laid aside. III. To those who are much discouraged because they have but small talent. IV. To workers who are under great difficulties. V. To those who are not appreciated. VI. To those who are discouraged because they have had so little success. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Encouragement “ I never should have reached success,” Lord Beaconsfield once wrote, “ had it not been for one woman who, in the darkest hour, believed I could win, and cheered me on.” 2 Chronicles 35:21 For God commanded me to make haste.Spiritual haste Haste is not hurry. Hurry implies confusion and disorder. It is not the same with speed. I. What it refers to. We should not err were we to apply it to the duties of relative and secular life. It applies particularly--1. To the salvation of the soul.2. To a course of godliness.3. To labour for the welfare of others (Proverbs 3:27-28). II. On what it is founded.1. The importance of the thing itself.2. The limitation of our opportunities.3. This only season is short. (W. Jay.) 2 Chronicles 35:24-25 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot.The lamentation for Josiah I. The nature and quality of the lamentation.1. Extensively. All Judah and Jerusalem.2. Intensively. Bitter lamentation.3. Protensively. Of long duration, “ an ordinance in Israel.” II. The cause and ground of it. The loss of a good leader whose life had been useful. III. Doctrine. That faithful, active, and public-spirited men in the Church of God should not be laid in their graves without great lamentations. In replication I will show--1. Negatively. On what account the death of good men is not to be lamented. 2. Positively. The true grounds and causes of such lamentation. (1) Because so much of the Spirit of God as dwelt in them, when amongst us, is now recalled and gathered up from this lower world. As it is a real loss to a company when any merchant withdraws a great stock he had running in trade, out of the bank; so certainly it is a great loss to the Church of God, when the precious gifts and graces of the Spirit, dwelling in the saints, are drawn out by death. (2) Because thereby a breach is made to let in the judgments of God upon the remnant that is left. (3) The beauty and ornaments of the places they lived in are defaced and removed by their death. (4) Because the propagation of religion is obstructed in the places from whence they are removed. (5) The consideration of the time in which good men die aggravates the loss, if it falls out,-- (a) In a declining state of religion. (b) When the numbers of the godly are thinned and lessened. (c) When the spring and succession of good men is obstructed. (6) When we consider what influence our sins and provocations have had upon those judgments and calamities. I look upon every good man, as a good book, lent by its owners for another to read, and transcribe the excellent notions and golden passages that are in it for his own benefit, that they may return with him when the owner shall call for his book again. But in case this excellent book shall be thrown into a corner, and no use made of it, it justly provokes the owner to take it away in displeasure. Application. This reproves--1. The worst of men, such as secretly rejoice at the removal of such men. 2. The insensibleness of good men, who are apt too slightly to pass over such tremendous strokes of. God (Isaiah 57:1). 3. The very best of men, who though they do bewail and lament the loss of such men, yet they do not lament it in the due manner. (John Flavel.) The death and burial of Josiah 1. That the best of men may err in judgment and in act. 2. The danger of undertaking any work without asking counsel of the Lord. 3. How universal is the reign of death. 4. That we should be cautious how we attribute sudden and violent death to the vengeance of the Most High. 5. That it is not wrong to mourn for the dead. (J. S. Wilkins, B.A.) The death of Josiah I. What the people of God did upon the death of Josiah.1. There was a general mourning for him.2. The prophet Jeremiah made a particular office for it.3. This office was used among others upon the day of lamentation.4. This use was established by a law upon Israel, which was observed till the end of the Babylonian Captivity. II. The reasons of their doing it.1. Because it was caused by their sins. 2. Because it was a punishment for their sins. (Bishop W. Lloyd.) A nation’ s tears Why does the Jewish nation now weep over Josiah? The reasons are: I. The great national loss which the event involved. Josiah was a prince--1. Of a reflective nature. His mind was in the quest of the highest truth.2. Of a tender spirit.3. Of reformative disposition. II. The sad memory of the moral cause of the calamity. III. The terribly distressing mystery associated with the dispensation. Josiah was the most useful man of his age; yet he dies at thirty-nine. Mystery though it be, it teaches us--1. That Heaven’ s government is no respecter of persons.2. The irresistibility of death.3. That there is nothing on this fleeting earth on which we should set our hearts.4. That there must be an after life. (Homilist.) . 2 Chronicles 36:15-17 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by is me messengers, rising up betimes. Presumptuous rebellion I. We see here continued rebellion, which suggests--1. That habits are easily commenced. There is little difficulty in forming’ habits. They are not acquired by one mighty bound, but by a series of almost imperceptible steps. 2. That habits are readily strengthened. Every step that is taken is planted with firmer grip. With every ripple that flows the stream becomes wider and swifter, fed as it were with other streamlets on the way. Every time an action is repeated the easier it becomes, and the more deeply rooted in the soul. 3. That habits are seldom eradicated. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Yea, easier than a man unassisted by Divine help can break away from evil habits. They become part of the nature of the man himself. II. We see the presumption of continued rebellion. We are constantly reminded of the fact that God is merciful. But there is a limit to the mercy and forbearance even of God. This is evident--1. From the fact that it is impossible always to continue His warning and judgments on the impenitent. If the obstinacy of one person cannot be overcome it were unjust on that account to remove the chance of salvation from others. 2. From the inevitable progress of temporal affairs. Death comes on with his rapid step and cuts short the life and with it the opportunities of repentance from the obdurate spirit. Then the door of mercy must be shut for ever. 3. From the very nature of the refusal. Is it likely that He, the Lord of all, will continue offering heavenly treasures to human swine who only trample His gifts in the mire? Oh, it is a sad and an awful truth that man may presume too far even on infinite love! III. We see the awful end of presumptuous sin. The consequences are at the last utter destruction and irretrievable loss. This stands to reason if we remember--1. That God must vindicate His character. 2. That an example must be set to the world at large. 3. That the sinful must be removed out of the way. (Homilist.) Unheeded warning The island of Ischia was a favourite summer resort of Italians. In 1883 the sinking of water in wells, mutterings and rumblings underground, distinctly foretold a coming earthquake; these signs were noticed and understood, but through fear of frightening visitors, and so losing custom, hotel-keepers and others refrained from making public these warnings. Ruin and death ensued, involving those who knew and heeded not, and those who, through lack of warning, had unwittingly exposed themselves to peril. Till there was no remedy. No remedy These words contain three facts of great importance.1. That there was, at least at one time, a remedy. 2. That the remedy went on, and might have been used, for a very long period. 3. That there came a time when the remedy ceased. I. All life is a remedy. The conditions of things require it. Life a great restorative process.1. Comes that marvellous provision of God in Jesus Christ. 2. All providences have a curative character. 3. Every one carries within himself an antidote to evil. Conscience, till silenced, a sure antidote to evil. II. Notice the word “till.” It shows how slow God is to take away the remedy. We may sin ourselves into a state, not in which there is no forgiveness, but no thought or desire to seek forgiveness. “ No remedy,” not on God’ s account, but your own; not in God’ s want of will to save you, but in your own incapacity to will your own salvation. (J. Vaughan, M.A.) 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 Now, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persta. Cyrus: the divinely-directed deliverer I. God stirred up cyrus to do a great and necessary work. II. Cyrus was a fitting instrument for the great work. III. God has various means whereby to incite to action. IV. The divine incitement to the necessary work was at a most opportune time. V. God teaches his instruments how as well as when to act. VI. As the lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, so he can stir men now. (F. Hastings.) He made a proclamation.--The decree of Cyrus; or, all things for the Church I. God uses kings and rulers for His Church. That the Lord raises up men within the Church to be leaders and mighty workers in her behalf is a fact which the Bible and all history fully prove. Such men were Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Paul, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Wesley. But He calls men from without also to work for her. Conspicuous among this number is Cyrus, the Persian king. Though Cyrus be a marked illustration of the matter under discussion, especially so because of the clear declarations of prophecy on his behalf, still he is by no means the only one. Through the intervention of Joseph, God made Pharaoh the preserver of His people. The immediate successors of Cyrus on the Persian throne followed his example. Through the influence of Esther and Mordecai, Ahasuerus, in a most critical time, became the saviour of the Jews. Later, in the time of Darius, the interrupted work upon the temple at Jerusalem was renewed and pushed forward. Still later, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, Artaxerxes expended his royal treasure in establishing the remnant of the Jews in their ancient and. Alexander the Great, marching upon Jerusalem with a bitter purpose in his heart, is suddenly changed from foe to friend. Like Cyrus, he too doubtless was shown the sacred books of the Jews, and in the prophesy of Daniel saw himself described and his career delineated. The general policy of the Roman government was severe, but many of the emperors, moved by kindness of disposition or considerations of State, were lenient towards the Christians. Ere long the government itself became Christian, and throughout the Middle Ages, power was on the side of the Church. At the Reformation, whenever and wherever needed, men were raised up among the rulers of the world to be abettors of the new faith and breakwaters against the floods of persecution. Such were the elector of Saxony in the days of Luther, and measurably so Henry VIII of England. Such were the Syndics who stood around Calvin At Geneva. Such Elisabeth, Gustavus Adolphus, Cromwell And the same thing is transpiring in our own days. II. God handles the nations for the good of the Church. We know that the nations round about the Hebrews in all their history were instruments in God’ s hands for disciplining them and fashioning them to His will. To this end He ordered their affairs. And the same thing is apparent in these modern ages. Was it fortuitous that England early became Protestant and the champion of the new faith? Was it a thing of chance that Saxony, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, resisted the tyranny of the Pope? Did it merely happen that this broad land of ours was sealed against the efforts of Rome to possess it, and was preserved as virgin soil for a pure faith and a free government? Is not God’ s hand in England’ s occupancy of India, and can we not see that thereby that land is bespoken for Christ? Is Italy’ s emancipation from the Pope wholly of man? Is Germany’ s attitude to Rome of Bismarck as much as it is of God? Blind is he who cannot see God’ s use of the nations in these modem times! III. God uses the world’ s material resources and forces for the Church. God has always put the world’ s wealth under tribute as He has needed it, from the day when Israel went out of Egypt to the present time. And the tribute increases as the Church increases. More of the world’ s wealth is flowing into the channels of the Church now than ever before. But not merely wealth--money expression of value--but every good and uplifting form at work among men God uses for the development of His plan. Discovery, invention, progress in economical and industrial arts, natural science--all these things, which are represented in the complicated civilisation of our day, are likewise represented in the Christianity of the times. Providence takes them up and utilises them as they appear; nay, more, orders the time and the manner of their appearance. How true of the art of printing! The first book printed was the Bible, And from that day forward God has been presiding at the printing press and scattering its leaves for the healing of the nations. The fleets of commerce beam the gospel to the corners of the world. Discovery in geography, ethnology, philology adds new buttresses to Christianity. All these and the like, though material and natural forces, yet work spiritual results.1. By all these means God fulfils His prophecies and accomplishes His purpose. None can hinder, none compel. On the trains of providence there are neither accidents nor delays. 2. Herein we see the undying nature of the Church. Great has been the heat of her affliction, but by it have her enemies been consumed. 3. The Spirit of God is abroad in the world, preparing the way for the coming of Christ’ s kingdom. How should the servants of the Lord be encouraged in labour and in prayer by the Spirit’ s antecedent work in every heart! 4. In all these things we have the assurance of the triumph of God’ s kingdom. (H. S. Kelsey.)