word of his that argued wisdom. Not to give sudden resolutions. in cases of importance was a point that might well beseem the son of Solomon. I wonder that he who had so much wit as to call for leisure in his answer should show so little wit in the improving of that leisure in the return of that answer.

Who cannot but hope well to see the gray heads of Solomon's secret council called to Rehoboam's cabinet? As councillors as ancient as Solomon's, they cannot choose but see the best, the safest course for their new sovereign. They had learned of their old master that a soft answer appeaseth wrath; wisely therefore do they advise him, If thou wilt be a servant to this people this day, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for

ever.

It was an easy condition, with one mouthful of a breath to purchase an everlasting homage; with one gentle motion of his tongue to bind all people's hearts to his allegiance for ever. Yet, as if the motion had been unfit, a new council-table is called. Well might this people say, "What will not Rehoboam grudge us, if he think much to give good words for a kingdom?"

There is not more wisdom in taking variety of advice where the matter is doubtful, than folly when it is plain. The young heads are consulted. This very change argues weakness. Some reason might be pleaded for passing from the younger counsel to the aged, none for the contrary. Age brings experience, and it is a shame if with the ancient be not wisdom: youth is commonly rash, heady, insolent, ungoverned, wedded to will, led by humour, a rebel to reason, a subject to passion, fitter to execute than advise. Green wood is ever shrinking and warping, whereas the well seasoning holds a constant firmness.

Many a life, many a soul, many a flourishing state, hath been ruined by undisciplined monitors. Such were these of Rehoboam, whose great stomach tells them that this conditionating of subjects was no other than an affront to their new master, and suggests to them how unfit it is for majesty to brook so saucy a treaty, how requisite and princely to crush this presumption in the egg: as scorning therefore to be braved by the base vulgar, they put words of greatness and terror in their new prince; My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. My father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. My father hath chastised you with whips, I will chastise you with scorpions. The very words have stings.

Now must Israel needs think, "How cruel will this man's hand be when he thus draws blood with his tongue! Men are not wont to speak out their worst: who can endure the hopes of him that promiseth tyranny?" There can be no good use of an indefinite profession of rigour and severity. Fear is an unsafe guardian of any state, much less of an unsettled. Which was yet worse, not the sins of Israel were threatened nor their purses, but their persons; neither had they desired a remission of justice, but of exactions; and now they hear of nothing but burdens and scourges and scorpions.

Here was a prince and people well met. I do not find them sensible of aught save their own profit. They do not say, "Religion was corrupted in the shutting up of thy father's days. Idolatry found the free favour of priests and temples and sacrifices. Begin thy reign with God; purge the church; demolish those piles of abomination; abandon those idol-mongers; restore devotion to her purity." They are all for their penny, for their ease: he, on the other side, is all for his will, for an imperious sovereignty; without any regard either of their reformation or satisfaction. They were worthy of load that cared for nothing but their backs; and he worthy of such subjects who professed to affect their misery and torment.

Who would not but have looked any-whither for the cause of this evil rather than to heaven? yet the holy God challenges it to himself; The cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying by Abijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam. As sin is a punishment of sin, it is a part of justice. The Holy One of Israel doth not abhor to use even the grossest sins to his own just purposes while our wills are free to our own choice, his decrees are as necessary as just. Israel had forsaken the Lord and worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and Chemosh and Milcom. God owes them and Solomon a whipping: the frowardness of Rehoboam shall pay it them. I see Jeroboam's plot, the people's insolence, the young men's misadvice, the prince's unreasonable austerity, meeting together, through the wise providence of the Almighty, unwittingly to accomplish his most just decree. All these might have done otherwise for any force that was offered to their will; all would no more do otherwise than if there had been no predetermination in heaven; that God may be magnified in his wisdom and justice, while man wittingly perisheth in his folly.

That three days' expectation had warmed these smoking Israel

ites, and made them ready for a combustion. Upon so peremptory a resolution of rigour the flame bursts out, which all the waters of the well of Bethlehem could never quench. The furious multitude flies out into a desperate revolt: What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David.

How durst these seditious mouths mention David in defiance? One would have thought that very name had been able to have tempered their fury, and to have contained them within the limits of obedience. It was the father of Rehoboam and the son of David that had led Israel into idolatry : Solomon hath drawn contempt upon his father and upon the son. If Israel have cast off their God, is it marvel that they shake off his anointed? Irreligion is the way to disobedience. There can be no true subjection but out of conscience. They cannot make conscience of civil duties who make none of divine.

In vain shall Rehoboam hope to prevail by his officer when himself is rejected. The persons of princes carry in them characters of majesty when their presence works not, how should that message? If Adoram solicit the people too late with good words, they answer him with stones. Nothing is more untractable and violent than an enraged multitude. It was time for Rehoboam to betake himself to his chariot: he saw those stones were thrown at him in his Adoram: as the messenger suffers for his master, so the master suffers in his messenger. Had Rehoboam been in Adoram's clothes, this death had been his. Only flight can deliver him from those that might have been subjects. Jerusalem must be his refuge against the conspiracy of Shechem.

Blessed be God for lawful government. Even a mutinous body cannot want an head: if the rebellious Israelites have cast off their true sovereign, they must choose a false. Jeroboam the son of Nebat must be the man. He had need be skilful, and sit sure, that shall back the horse which hath cast his rider. Israel could not have any where met with more craft and courage than they found in this leader.

Rehoboam returns to Jerusalem lighter by a crown than he went forth.

Judah and Benjamin stick still fast to their loyalty: the example of a general rebellion cannot make them unfaithful to the house of David. God will ever reserve a remnant free from the common contagion. Those tribes, to approve their valour no less

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than their fidelity, will fight against their brethren for their prince, and will hazard their lives to reduce the crown to the son of Solomon. An hundred and fourscore thousand of them are up in arms, ready to force Israel to their denied subjection. No noise sounded on both parts but military; no man thought of any thing but blood; when suddenly God sends his prophet to forbid the battle. Shemaiah comes with a message of cessation; Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house: for this thing is from me, saith the Lord. The word of one silly prophet dismisses these mighty armies. He that would not lay down the threats of his rigour upon the advice of his ancient counsellors will lay down his sword upon the word of a seer. Shall we envy or shame to see how much the prophets of the Old Testament could do, how little those of the New? If our commission be no less from the same God, the difference of success cannot go away unrevenged.

There was yet some grace in Rehoboam, that he would not spurn against that which God challenged as his own work. Some godless ruffian would have said, "Whosoever is the author, I will be revenged on the instruments." Rehoboam hath learned this lesson of his grandfather, I held my peace, because thou, Lord, hast done it. If he might strive with the multitude, he knew it was no striving with his Maker: quietly therefore doth he lay down his arms, not daring, after that prohibition, to seek the recovery of his kingdom by blood.

Where God's purposes are hid from us, we must take the fairest ways of all lawful remedies; but where God hath revealed his determinations, we must sit down in an humble submission: our struggling may aggravate, cannot redress our miseries.

JEROBOAM.-1 Kings xii, xiii.

As there was no public and universal conflict betwixt the ten tribes and the two, so no peace. Either king found reason to fortify the borders of his own territories.

Shechem was worthy to be dear to Jeroboam; a city, as of old seasoned with many treasons, so now auspicious to his new usurpation. The civil defection was soon followed by the spiritual. As there are near respects betwixt God and his anointed, so there is great affinity betwixt treason and idolatry: there is a connexion betwixt Fear God and Honour the king; and no less betwixt the neg

lects of both. In vain shall a man look for faith in a misreligious heart.

Next to Ahithophel, I do not find that Israel yielded a craftier head than Jeroboam's: so hath he plotted this conspiracy, that, whatever fall, there is no place for a challenge: not his own intrusion, but Israel's election, hath raised him to their throne. Neither is his cunning less in holding a stolen sceptre. Thus he thinks in himself; "If Israel have made me their king, it is but a pang of discontentment: these violent thoughts will not last always: sudden fits have commonly sudden recoveries. Their return to their loyalty shall forfeit my head together with my crown: they cannot return to God and hold off from their lawful sovereign: they cannot return to Jerusalem and keep off from God, from their loyalty: thrice a year will their devotion call them up thither, besides the exigence of their frequent vows. How can they be mine while. that glorious temple is in their eye; while the magnificence of the royal palace of David and Solomon shall admonish them of their native allegiance; while, besides the solicitation of their brethren, the priests and Levites shall preach to them the necessity of their due obedience, and the abomination of their sacrifices in their wilful disobedience; while they shall by their presence put themselves upon the mercy or justice of their lawful and forsaken prince? Either therefore I must divert them from Jerusalem, or else I cannot live and reign. It is no diverting them by a direct restraint: such prohibition would both endanger their utter distaste and whet their desire to more eagerness. I may change religion, I may not inhibit it; so the people have a God, it sufficeth them. They shall have so much formality as may content them. Their zeal is not so sharp but they can be well pleased with ease. I will proffer them both a more compendious and more plausible worship. Jerusalem shall be supplied within mine own borders. Naturally men love to see the objects of their devotion; I will therefore feed their eyes with two golden representations of their God. nearer home; and what can be more proper than those which Aaron devised of old to humour Israel?

Upon this pestilent ground Jeroboam sets up two calves in Dan and Bethel; and persuades the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

O the mischief that comes of wicked infidelity! It was God's prophet that had rent Jeroboam's garment into twelve pieces, and had given ten of them to him, in token of his sharing the