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efteemed as less than nothing, in comparifon with distinctions like these !

THE experience of the queen had taught her how happy is that people whofe rulers delight in wifdom and in virtue. She magnifies the GOD of Ifrael-fhe bleffes Solomon-fhe congratulates his fubjects. "Bleffed be the "LORD thy GOD, which delighteth in thee, to fet thee on the throne of If"rael. Because the LORD loved Ifrael "for ever, therefore made he thee king, "to do judgment and juftice." The glory of Solomon was equalled by the happiness of Ifrael. There is no earthly proof of God's love to any nation, comparable to that of his delegating his authority to wife and pious rulers. They are the minifters of God to us for goodin their time shall the righteous flourish. By their means we receive peace, and fecurity, and, what is ftill dearer, the comfort of our fouls, the public profes

fion of our holy religion. But, O God, how haft thou loved thy chofen Ifrael, the Church, in setting over us that righteous Branch of Jeffe, whofe name is Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty GOD, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace? In his days Judah fhall be faved, and Ifrael fhall dwell fafely, and this is his name whereby he fhall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Sing, O heaven, and rejoice, O earth, break forth into finging, O mountains, for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have everlasting mercy upon his heritage!

RICH and magnificent as Solomon was before, the queen of Sheba adds yet to his wealth. An hundred and twenty talents of pure gold, with precious jewels and coftly odours, are fent by her to the royal treasury. Was not this a type of that homage, which thou fhouldst receive, O bleffed JESUS, from the Gen

tile world? "The kings of Tarshish " and of the ifles fhall bring prefents"the kings of Sheba and Seba fhall of

fer gifts-yea, all kings fhall fall down "before him-all nations shall serve " him."

SOLOMON requites thefe prefents with the munificence of a patron, with the generofity of a prince. We cannot but be gainers by whatever we prefent unto thee, O GOD of wifdom and peace. Teach us to leave the remote regions of infidelity and worldly thoughts, that we may learn of thee, who giveft to all men. liberally, and upbraideft not! Then shall our faithful hearts, our fincere (tho' imperfect) fervices, find acceptance in thy fight-then fhall we be rewarded with prefent comfort, and with the joyful anticipation of eternal glory.

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XXXVI.

JEROBOAM.

THE fucceffor of David now fleeps in the tomb-his wifdom, his infirmities, his fin, and his repentance no longer awaken the forrow or the admiration of mankind. Rehoboam, his fon, fears no rival; he goes up to Shechem to take undisturbed poffeffion of the vacant throne. Thither affembled the tribes of Ifrael; and at their head the proud and factious Jeroboam.

"THY father made our yoke griev"ous-make thou it lighter, and we "will ferve thee." How much danger lurked under this fpecious requeft! Is it the promise of allegiance, or the threat

of

of fedition? Is it the voice of humility or of treason? How artfully does the parricide hold the olive-branch over his fword! If Rehoboam refufes to gratify the people, he endangers his kingdom. If he yields, he throws difgrace on the memory of his father.

THE suggestion itself, was false, as well as undutiful. The warlike reigns of Saul and David had given unavoidable caufe for complaint. All was calm when Solomon held the fceptre; the tributes of foreign nations enriched his treafury-his temples and palaces were reared by foreign labour: while the tasks of Ifrael were easy and ingenuous-as free from fervility, as from pain. In his reign, Judah and Ifrael were many as the fand on the fea-fhore, rejoicing each man under his vine and under his figtree. In his reign, filver was in Jerufalem as ftones, and cedars as fycamore trees in the vale for abundance.

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