Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

expressed his conscientious scruples and refused. Ahab, pampered by dominion and prosperity, pined for it like a spoiled child, and refused his food. But, Jezebel (v. 5-14,) sneeringly asks him whether he is king, when he permits one of his subjects to stand between him and his pleasure-and tells him, if he will allow her the use of the royal seal, and leave the matter to her, he shall soon be gratified. He knows her unprincipled character, and gives the seal; and Naboth is murdered, by orders under his seal. The mean and wicked wretch, who dared not actually commit the crime (v. 15—18,) goes down exulting to enjoy the fruits of it. But (v. 19-24,) on the spot, which he had so eagerly coveted, and which he had acquired through such a crime, he meets Elijah. Oh, what power is there in these words-"Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?" What a conflict of various passions-what terror-what malice-what disappointment-what a smiting-what a scorpion, conscience-does it disclose. Can we not picture to our mind the cowardly murderer-the wicked tyrant -balked in his schemes of enjoyment, and starting at the venerable and awful form of the prophet? Can we not imagine him baffled, but not penitentawed, but not contrite-awakened to the vengeance he has incurred, and grieved at losing also the price of his crime-pale-fierce-spiteful-shrinkingand horror-struck-as the dreadful sentence of retribution is pronounced, in words which must have burst as thunder on his heart." Thus saith the Lord: In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine!" And-" The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel." What fruit had he then, of those things of which he was ashamed, and of which the end is death? In the place, to which he had waded in blood, where he ex

-over

pected pleasure, he found an enemy, and à terrible enemy. And why? Because he had "sold himself to work evil in the sight of the Lord." And every man, that sells himself to work evil in the sight of the Lord, will always find an enemy to spoil his expected pleasure. He may not find Elijah there, but he will find an upbraiding conscience he will find disease, or disappointment-he will find, in short, that God has various messengers, who will turn his triumph into terror, and his pleasure into eternal sorrow. The remainder of the chapter describes Ahab's temporary repentance.

EVENING PRAYER-FIRST PROPER LESSON. 1 Kings xxii.

THIS chapter relates the execution of the sentence denounced upon Ahab, (v. 38,) which is the connecting link between it and the former. It also bears upon the epistle for the day, as shewing the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood-the former, displayed in the honest declaration of the virtuous Micaiah; and the latter, in Zedekiah, and his lying and fawning associates. We do not find anything in this chapter requiring special notice, and shall, therefore, take the following reflections on it from Travell's Lectures :

We may remark in this chapter, in the first place, the fo dness which men generally have for flattery. Ahab hates Micaiah for his honesty, and chooses rather to be deceived than to hear unwelcome truths. Let us, on the contrary, reverence truth above all things, and instead of encouraging those who would give us a false opinion of ourselves by glossing over our vices, let it be our great care to forsake our sins, by which alone we can hope to escape the dangers that may threaten us. Secondly, let us admire the integrity

of Micaiah, who dreaded not the anger of the king, when sacred truth was concerned. And who is there that would hesitate to obey God rather than man, when called upon to make his choice? Lastly, we may remark how exactly the prophecies of Elijah and Micaiah concerning Ahab were fulfilled. The vengeance of God may sleep for a time, but the evil hour will come at last, when all obstinate and rebellious sinners shall meet with their deserts; and they who have thirsted for blood shall forfeit their own blood with their lives"

ELIJAH.

WE stated in No. 82, that it was our intention, when we should have finished those Proper Lessons, in which the church makes mention of this illustrious prophet, to give a short account of him. It is not any where written whose son he was. He appears first in scripture, when he presents himself to Ahab, and predicts the drought which caused a famine. We have read of the courage, with which he encounters this wicked King and his unprincipled Queen, Jezebel-and of the wondrous manner in which the Almighty exerts his miraculous power to support him in his trials and sufferings. His departure, too, from earth, is not less remarkable than his conduct while living here. He was borne away in a fiery chariot, leaving his mantle, as a token of his commission, to appoint Elisha his successor. But not only on account of his faith and piety is he deserving of our particular notice, but also for the very honorable manner in which he is spoken of in the Gospel dispensation. A very general notion or tradition prevailed among the Jews, that Elijah, or Elias, as he is generally called in the New Testa

ment, was still alive, and would appear again upon earth. This tradition it was, that led the Jews, who were standing round the cross when our Saviour uttered that cry of anguish, "Eli, Eli, lama sabacthana," to say "he calleth for Elias," and "let us see whether Elias will come.' Even the prophet Malachi shews that he was to be connected with the coming of the Messiah, for he says, " behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

But this particularly related to St. John the Baptist, who was to come in the spirit of Elias, who, in many passages of his life, resembled him, being in the wilderness in the same dress-a garment of hair, and a leathern girdle-and who, with the same undaunted courage, proclaimed the will of the Lord, called the Jews to repentance, and rebuked the wicked Herod, as Elias did Ahab. But Elias not only made good the prophecy in the person of John the Baptist, who came in his spirit, and of whom he was a type; but he also actually appeared in person upon earth, (see Matt. xvii. Mark ix. Luke ix.) with Moses, when Jesus was transfigured. These circumstances, as well as the instructive and edifying matter contained in the chapters, in which he has been brought under our notice, afford good reasons, for the conspicuous place given to him, in the appointment of these Proper Lessons. And if it be asked why our church thought him worthy of such honor, we may answer in the words of the author of the book of Ecclesiasticus :

"O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee? who didst raise

up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the Most High: who broughtest kings to destruction, and honorable men from their bed: who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb, the judgment of vengeance: who anointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him: who wast taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses: who wast ordained for reproofs in their tines, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment, before it brake forth into fury; and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob."

ORIGINAL POETRY

FAITH TRIUMPHANT.

A VOICE FROM THE BED OF DEATH.

Oh, every side is bright!

My gracious Lord has thrown

A glorious halo round

Each trial I have known.

Oh, light and small,
Earth's sorrows all,
To those he calls his own.

Ye see me on my couch,
Thus wasting day by day,
The hectic on my cheek,
My slow, but sure decay.
And mark the while,
My children smile,
Amid their quiet play.

Those three most precious ones,

Ye deem it sad and strange,

They should be left so soon,

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »