that he had no other ground of displeasure against Micaiah, than his fideH-ty in declaring the messages of the Most High. And when he avowed both his hostility to him, and the grovmds of it, Jehoshaphat, notwithstanding his piety, dared not to espouse the cause of this injured prophet any further, than merely to suggest, " Let not the king say so." And, when he heard the prophet doomed to imprisonment and all its at- tendant horrors, he uttered not one word in his defence, hut left him to experience all the wrath of his vindictive perse- cutor. So it was with our Lord. When he stood at Pilate's bar, not one, out of the many thousands whom he had healed, would bear testimony in his favour, or endeavour to avert from him his impending doom. So it is at this day: " all manner of evil may be spoken, and spoken falsely," respecting a pious minister ; and the utmost that any one will dare to say in his behalf, is, " Let not the king say so." True it is, that perse- cution does not rage to the same extent as formerly; but this is owing to the laws of the land, and to the spirit of toleration which has superseded the bigotry of former times : the enmity of men's hearts, if unrestrained, would break forth with the very same fur}' that it ever did ; and tlie ciy of " Crucify him, crucify him," would be heard, wherever the character of Christ and his Apostles was exhibited.]
Desirous, however, of approving myself to God, let
me ADDRESS,
1. Those who, like Ahab, determinately follow their own way —
[Of Ahab's idolatries, I say nothing. The point before us is, his determination to follow his own way for his own temporal advantage. And need I say how common a cha- racter this is? I dare not, then, " speak flattering words" to such persons. No : " I cannot speak good concerning them, but evil." Indeed, my Brethren, God's will must be regarded by you as of paramount obligation ; and, if you will not obey his voice, you must inevitably perish. Tell me not whether a Jehoshaphat concurs with you, or false prophets uphold you : if all the Jehoshaphats in the universe concur Avith you, or all the false prophets in the world support you, I care not for it : it is at their own peril so to do ; and it is by God's word, and not by man's precept or example, that you shall be judged in the last day. Let me not, then, be deemed " your enemy, because I tell you the truth"." I cannot " sew pillars to your aim-holes," or " daub your wall with untempered mortar."
n Gal. iv. 16.
355.] Satan's stratagem to deceive ahab. 445
*' I cannot speak peace to you, when there is no peace"." Believe me, Brethren, there is no happiness but in serving God ; there is no safety but in an entire surrender of your souls to him ]
2. Those who are induced to make compliances which their own consciences condemn —
[Be assured that a holy firmness in the way of duty is best. Your ill-advised compliances will only bring shame and trouble to 3'our own souls. Who can tell what might have been the result to Ahab, if Jehoshaphat had acted with the firmness that became him ? He might, perhaps, have pre- vented all the evil that ensued. And you also, my Brethren, if you mil be faithful to your God, may prove blessings to many, whom by your dissimulation and cowardice you deceive. Let every child of God consider himself as a witness for God : let him "shine as a hght in a dark world:" let no considera- tion under heaven tempt him to be " a partaker of other men's sins." Let him ^' have no fellowship with the unfruit- ful works of darkness, but rather reprove them p." Yea, let him rebuke sin, though he be hated for it; and act uprightly, though he be abhorred for ifi. And whatever any man may suffer for righteousness' sake, let him rejoice in the thought, that they so persecuted the prophets that were before him, and that in proportion to his sufferings will be his reward in heaven''.]