and of the people; and He who wrought out this deliverance is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. VI. Although Jehoshaphat had been exposed to great danger by grieving the Lord by his affinity with Ahab, he was again ensnared by that wicked house, and joined in a commercial treaty with Ahaziah, the son and successor of Ahab; but the Lord, in mercy, frustrated his design; ver. 35, &c. VII. The evil effects of the unholy alliance with the house of Ahab were felt long afterwards by the posterity of Jehoshaphat, and by the people of Judah. Jehosha phat slept with his fathers. But before his death, he had made provision for the younger branches of his family, as well as for his successor; he gave them "great gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah; but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the first-born. But when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord;" chap. xxi, 3. Indeed, so cruel and wicked was this prince, that after a short reign of eight years, stained with blood, and idolatry, and crime, "the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease," so that he died, and departed without being desired. He was succeeded by his son, Ahaziah, who, after a wicked reign of one year, was slain by Jehu. And when Athaliah, his mother, saw that her son was slain, she arose, and slew all the seed royal, with the exception of Joash, who was, by the special hand of Providence, preserved from her cruel and vindictive sword, that the sceptre might not depart from Judah until Shiloh came. these sad disastrous events seem to have happened solely in consequence of Jehoshaphat's fatal alliance with the bloody and idolatrous house of Ahab. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers;" for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? or what communion hath light with darkness? and what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what 66 All agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said,—"I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive and will be a Father unto you, and shall you, ye be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty;" 2 Cor. vi, 14. A SCENE IN A DESERT. ACTS, VIII, 39. "He went on his way rejoicing." with go, In either case AT sundry times, the Almighty God has sent special messengers on various missions to the children of men. Sometimes He has told them where to go, and what to do; at other times He has only told them where to out giving them the why and wherefore. it was their province to obey, like Abraham, who, "when he was called to go out into a place which he should hereafter receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went;" or like St. Paul, who nobly said to the elders of the church at Ephesus,-"And now, behold, I go, bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." At one time the prophet Elijah was instructed to go and anoint Hazael to be king over Syria, Jehu to be king over Israel, and Elisha to be prophet in his stead; 1 Kings, xix. At another time the Spirit of the Lord hastened him into the wilderness to wait the Divine direction. Ananias was told to go into the street which is called straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, and speak words of comfort to him. And the angel of the Lord said to Cornelius,— "Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter, he lodgeth with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea-side; he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." But here, the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip :-" Arise, and go toward the south, into the way that goeth down to Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." But He did not tell him for what purpose. The road which he was to take was distinctly marked out, but what he was to do in that road, or how far he was to proceed in it, he was not told. Prompt obedience was required, and it was cheerfully given; he instantly arose and went. Most likely he would look this way, and that way, in the desert, but for some time would see nothing; at length, behold, a man of Ethiopia, in a chariot! I. The peculiar circumstances of this Ethiopian. III. Make some remarks. I. The peculiar circumstances of this Ethiopian. 1. He was treasurer to Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, a man of great authority, and high in office. As a general rule, not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but there have always been some in every age. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Job, were all men of comparative affluence and honour. David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah, were princes; Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea, were counsellors; and here we have "a man of great authority." And there have also ever been elect ladies, like those of Berea, "honourable women not a few," firm and true lovers of Jesus Christ, who have stood forth in the ranks of the most active and zealous, in doing and suffering the will of God. And so it is at the present day. Although it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, yet, thank God, it is not impossible. It is not riches, but the trust in riches that hinders them; it is not money, but the love of money, that is the root of all evil. The rich are as welcome to the kingdom of God as the poor, if they will only strive as earnestly to enter in. And perhaps there never was a period when there were so many of the great and noble of this country engaged in the kingdom and patience of Jesus as at the present time, teaching and serving in the churches. 2. He had taken a long journey for the purpose of worshipping God. Like the wise men, he had come, not, indeed, from the east, but from the south, to Jerusalem. The queen of Sheba had, long before this, come from this uttermost part of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; but this man, as he drove from Jerusalem towards Gaza, could say,-" Behold, a greater than Solomon is here!" Whether he was of Jewish descent, or a proselyte to the Jewish religion, we cannot tell; but at all events he took a long journey to worship God. How many there are in our day who find very much fault if they have to go a mile or two to worship! yea, if they have to pass through a few streets. O, think of this noble Ethiopian, and be humbled and ashamed! The circumstance stamps the country with greater interest. O Ethiopia! thou shalt hereafter stretch out thine hand unto God; yea, the time cometh when the pure river of the water of life shall compass the whole land of Ethiopia, as Gihon did in olden times; Gen. ii, 13. 3. He was in the lonely desert. He had been up at Jerusalem for to worship. Probably he had been at one of the great feasts, and had been in company with some of the priests, scribes, and elders, but they had told him nothing of Christ. No! it was in the desert where he heard of Jesus, and then was brought to pass the saying that is written :-"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose." Since that day many have found Jesus in the wild deserts of the earth; for Jesus now, as in the days of His flesh, often takes His disciples apart into a desert place. What encouragement we have here for seekers, teachers, and preachers! The Ethiopian little thought, when he entered the desert, of meeting with one who would preach unto him Jesus; and Philip as little expected to meet with such a man, one ready to receive the truth as it is in Jesus with all his heart. There was not a great company present. The most good is not always done in the large congregation, nor in the beautiful sanctuary. The Master says,-"Wherever two or three are met together, there am I," even if they be in a desert. 4. He was reading the Scriptures. He was reading the prophet Esaias, and reading aloud too, to impress it upon his own mind, and to benefit his attendants. He was seeking the Lord according to the light he had, and the Lord knew it, and sent His servant to him, that he might be led into the way of truth, and receive the Holy Ghost. II. The preaching of Philip, and its effects. "Then the Spirit said unto Philip,- Go near, and join thyself to this chariot."" Philip having obeyed, and gone into the desert, now saw the hand of God in it; he therefore ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said," Understandest thou what thou readest ?" He was not offended at this abrupt question, but said,-" How can I, except some man should guide me?" And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him; and having ascended the chariot, he found that he was reading Isaiah, liii, 7, 8; and, beginning at this Scripture, Philip preached unto him Jesus, very probably in the way of a familiar dialogue. "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and, like a lamb, dumb before the shearer, so opened He not His mouth." "I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?" anxiously inquired the Ethiopian. "Not of himself," replied Philip, "but of another, even of Christ Jesus the Lord, who came into the world to-" |