This subject furnishes us with abundant matter,
1. For reproof —
[It was in this view that our Lord himself improved it in his day*: and may not we take up the same complaint against you and say, " The Queen of the South (of Sheba) shall rise up in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it : for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon is here ? " How little is Clnrist sought after and admired amongst us ! The Queen of Sheba counted no expense or trouble too great to obtain an acquaintance with Solomon; but we grudge any labour that may be necessary to bring us to an acquaint- ance with Christ : almost any thing is a sufficient excuse to keep us from the public ordinances, and especially to make us neglect the private duties of religion. Oh, let us blush and be ashamed, that when our means of access to Christ are so easy, we are so indilFerent about him ; that we rest contentedly without the knowledge of him, when, if we judged aright, "we should count all things but dung in comparison of it"!" The Queen of Sheba did not consider even the affairs of a large empire of sufficient importance to keep her from seek- ing an interview with Solomon : let nothing detain us from visiting the Lord Jesus. To sit at his feet and hear his gra- cious instructions should be regarded by us as " the one thing needful^."]
2. For encouragement —
[That the Queen of Sheba derived much spiritual benefit from her visit to Solomon is manifest, from the manner in which she adored Jehovah for his mercy and grace in raising Solomon to the throne of Israel y. And will the Lord Jesus Christ suffer any one to " seek his face in vain?" Are we not told, " Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord?" and, " The
t Matt. xii. 42. « Phil. iii. 8.
X Luke X. 42. y ver. 9.