and of the whole Church, depends. You will pray that more courageous and faithful champions of it may be raised up. How many will desire that you may be preserved to show to them by an evidence, mightier than words, that there is a Spirit of Love working in the hearts of human beings, and that the lives of those who submit to it are illuminated and transfigured by it.

Believe me,

My dear Friend,

Ever gratefully and affectionately yours,

F. D. MAURICE.

London, Nov. 11th, 1852.

CONTENTS.

SERMON I.

THE NEW PERIOD IN JEWISH HISTORY.

1 SAMUEL VIII. 4-7.

Then all the Elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and

came to Samuel unto Ramah; and said unto him, " Behold

thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make

us a king to judge us like all the nations.' But the thing

displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a kiug to judge

us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said

unto Samuel, "Hearken to the voice of the people in all they

say unto thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have

rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.'

SERMON II.

THE LIFE OF SAUL.

1 SAMUEL, XIX. 24.

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1

He chose David also His servant, and took him away from the

sheepfolds; as he was following the ewes great with young ones,

He took him, that he might feed Jacob His people, and Is-

rael His inheritance.

35

"And David perceived that the Lord had established him king

over Israel, and that He had exalted his Kingdom for His

people Israel's sake."

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53

SERMON V.

THE WISE KING.

1 KINGS, III. 6—9.

And Solomon said, "Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant David,

my father, great mercy, according as he walked before Thee in

truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with

Thee: and Thou hast kept for him this greal kindness, that

Thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this

day. And now, O Lord my God, 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. And Thy servant is in

the midst of Thy people which Thou hast chosen, a great people

that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give

therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy

people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is

able to judge this Thy so great people ?”.

SERMON VI.

THE RENDING OF THE KINGDOM.

1 KINGS, XII. 21-24.

When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the

House of Judah with the Tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and

fourscore thousand chosen men which were warriors, to fight

against the House of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to

Rehoboam tlie son of Solomon. But the word of God came

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CONTENTS.

unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, “ Speak unto Reho-

boam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the

House of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the

people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, 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."

SERMON VII.

THE CALF-WORSHIP DENOUNCED.

1 KINGS, XVI. 7.

Also by the hand of the prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani, came

the word of the Lord against Baasha, and against his house,

even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, in

provoking Him to anger with the work of His hands, in being

like the House of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.

......

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SERMON VIII.

AHAB AND ELIJAH.

2 KINGS, I. 3.

But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go

up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and
say unto

them, "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye

go up to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?"

SERMON IX.

ELISHA AND JEHU.

2 KINGS, IX. 1—3.

And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the pro-

phets, and said unto him, "Gird up thy loins, and take this

box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. And when

thou comest thither, look out there Jehu, the son of Jehosha-

phat, the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up

from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber.

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CONTENTS.

Then take the box of oil, and pour it upon

PAGE

his head, and say,

139

'Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel.'

Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.”

SERMON X.

THE SHEPHERD PROPHET.

AMOS, VII. 10-15.

Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam, king of

Israel, saying, "Amos hath conspired against thee in the

midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all

his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the

sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their

own land." Also Amaziah said unto Amos, "O thou seer, go

flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and pro-

phesy there. But prophesy not again any more at Bethel, for

it is the king's chapel and it is the king's court." Then answered

Amos, and said to Amaziah, "I was no prophet, neither was

I a prophet's son: but I was an herdsman and a gatherer of

sycomore fruit. And the Lord took me as I followed the flock,

and the Lord said unto me, "Go prophesy unto my people

Israel."

155

SERMON XI.

THE VALLEY OF DECISION.

JOEL, II. 32.

In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the

Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. 176

SERMON XII.

THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE.

HOSEA, II. 8.

For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil,

and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for

Baal..........

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