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to themselves; but these are not the marks of the Divine disapprobation, but the contrary. "Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." The ungodly have their troubles and afflictions, but they have no sanctified effect. There is as much difference between the sufferings of the saints and those of the ungodly, as between the cords with which an executioner pinions a condemned malefactor, and the bandages wherewith a tender surgeon binds his patient.

2. The choice was wise because it is the high privilege of the people of God that their sorrows and afflictions continually work for their benefit. The ungodly

have sorrow, and it works, but it works death, for it is the sorrow of the world. But the afflictions of those who love God work for them good, yea, work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while they look at the things not seen.

3. The choice was made in wisdom, for Moses had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Suffering affliction with the people of God has nothing really meritorious in it; but the Lord, in His goodness, has been pleased to promise a reward to His people, a crown of glory that fadeth not away, which is reserved in heaven, not for Moses only, but for all who love God.

CAUSE OF DIVINE ANGER.

1 KINGS, XI, 9.

"And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had ap peared unto him twice."

Although Adonijah was the eldest son of king David, yet he gave the kingdom to Solomon. Probably Adonijah had been with his father in the wars, and had shed blood, and on that account, like his father, was unfit to build the house of the Lord, and therefore Solomon, by Divine direction, was anointed during his father's lifetime. On the death of David, as might be expected, Adonijah aspired to the throne; indeed, when Solomon was anointed, he had himself proclaimed king. Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the captain of the host, espoused his cause, and helped him; but Adonijah saw it wise to desist, and Abiathar and Joab were deposed, and succeeded by Zodok and Benaiah. After the death of David, in order to pave his way to the throne, he sought to obtain his father's nurse as his wife; and in order to effect this, he pressed into his service the influ ence of Bathsheba, the king's mother, who went into the royal apartment; and Solomon bowed unto her, and ordered her a seat at his right hand, and she said to him,

"I desire one small petition of thee, my son, and I pray thee say me not nay."

"Ask on, my mother," said the king, "for I will not say thee nay;" little thinking what her request would

be.

"My desire is," she replied, "that thou wilt allow Abishag the Shunamite to be given to Adonijah, thy brother, to wife."

And king Solomon answered,-"O the simplicity of thy womanly heart! Thou little knowest the import of thy request; thou mightest just as well ask for him the kingdom at once, for it means that. I cannot grant

that, my mother. Why did Adonijah impose upon thee, and get thee to ask that of me? God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life." And the king sent by the hand of Benaiah, his chief captain, and he fell upon him that he died.

Then Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord, and said to him,-" Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; thou art indeed worthy of death; but I will spare thee at present, because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David, my father."

Then tidings of these things came to the ear of Joab, the captain of the host, who had turned after Adonijah, although he followed not Absalom; and Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold of the horns of the altar, supposing that the sacredness of the place would secure his life; but Solomon sent Benaiah, who went up, and fell upon him, and slew him.

Then Shimei, who had cursed David during the usurpation of Absalon, was placed in a state of probation, but he broke the covenant, and was put to death; and the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David, his father. And the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night, and said,-" Ask what I shall give thee." And Solomon replied,— "Give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and evil." And God said,-“I have done according to thy words; lo! I have given thee a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee."

And his wisdom was soon put to the test, when two women came before him, and disputed about a child. One said,—It is mine; and the other said,—It is mine. And Solomon called for a sword, and proposed to cut it in two, and give to each a half; and this brought out the yearning, tender nature of the real mother, and decided the case in her favour.

And the king went on, and grew great, and rich, and wise-wiser than all the sages of his day; and his fame was in all nations round about. He spake three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five. He spake also of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; and he spake of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

And he built the temple of the Lord, with all its furniture, and ornaments, and magnificence; and he dedi cated it to the Most High. There was a public feast, and a public prayer-meeting, in which he himself asked mercies of the God of heaven: and the Lord heard him, and again appeared to him, and made a covenant with him, full of promises.

He was seven years in building the house of God, but it took him thirteen years to build his own palace; and his fame was so great, and so widely spread, that the queen of Sheba, having heard of his greatness, resolved to see it for herself; and she travelled to Jerusalem. And when she came there, and saw, "there was no more spirit in her." She was surprised above measure, and said although she had heard much of his splen dour and greatness, yet the half had not been told her; it was far above her highest expectation.

But Solomon loved many strange women of the heathen, and they turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David, his father; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and burnt incense; and this most pious, wise, and great man, sacrificed unto other gods, and the Lord was angry with him. Observe,

I. The cause of the Divine anger; and

II. The effects of it.

I. The cause of it. The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice.

1. For what purpose had the Lord appeared unto him the first time? To give him all that his heart desired, and more. When God said to him,-" Ask what I shall give thee," he replied," An understanding heart;" and the Lord was pleased with his humble and modest

request, and granted it, and added much more, for He said to him,-"Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, nor riches, nor the life of thine enemies, I give thee a heart wiser than that of any man of thy age; and I will also give thee that which thou hast not asked-riches and honour, superior to that of any other king; and if thou wilt follow me fully, I will lengthen thy days." All this the Lord had done for him. He had given him knowledge, riches, honour, and splendid renown which astonished all the kings and queens around him; and yet his heart was turned from the Lord God of his fathers, and he went after the idols of the heathen.

What has the Lord done for you? Perhaps He has not appeared to you in a dream, but He said," I will fulfil the desire of them that fear me; I also will hear their cry, and save them." Did you tell Him your desire, and cry to Him? Did He save you? Did He grant you the desire of your heart? Did He add many other good things for which you did not ask? Has He done you good, and not evil, all the days of your life? And have you left Him? gone away, if not openly into the world, yet secretly in heart and affection? Are you following afar off? O return to the strong-hold, thou prisoner of hope! Arise, and depart; this is not thy place! He calleth for thee!

2. The second time the Lord appeared to Solomon was to tell him that He had heard the prayer which he had offered at the dedication of the temple, and had also answered it :-"I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, said the Lord; I have hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually; and if thou wilt walk before me uprightly, I will establish thy throne for ever." But although the Lord made these conditions, Solomon broke them; he turned from the Lord God of Israel, and served other gods-the vile, base, senseless gods of the heathen!

Did you pray to the Lord in His house, in your house, in your closet? Did He answer your prayer? Did He tell you so by His Spirit? Did He answer your prayers many a time? And have you forsaken Him? Have

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