The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 245

different vessels' earnings during the year. At last he stopped, &lld put down the pl\per. "Oh, but, sir," exclaimed several skippers, "you haven't read what So-and-so made" referring to the skipper who had fished seven days a week. " Why, what is that to gou ., I've read what gou've made: doesn't that satisfy you?'' "Why, no sir because, don't you see, he's fished every Sunday, while we've kept our trawls on b~ard.'~ "Well, well," muttered the owner, "I suppose it's sure to come out, so I may as well t,.11 you. He's at tJui bottom of the list." The man who related this story addl'd reverently, "Them that honour me I will honour, but they that despise me shall bo lightly esteemed." Those men showed true faithfulness. They would have no compromise. Oost what it might, they would obey the command of God, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." .A.ud be who gave the commnud honoured and rewarded them for their observance of it. He prospered their industry on the six days of the week more than the industry of the man who laboured on every day of tho seven. Even in temporal blessings tho policy of compromise is a policy of disaster. Much more when we look at the eternal consequences, "What shall it profit a mnn, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" We find that .A.maziah's 8pirit of compromise infected his whole character. Unfaithful hims,-if, he did, not like faithfulness in others. When he began to worship the heathen idolR, God sent a prophet to remonstrate with him. The prophet said to .A.maziah, "Why hast thou i;ougbt after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?" (2 Chron. xxv. 15). A very reasonable question,"one would say. But the king was beyond rebuke. He commanded the prophet to cease, and threatened to punish him if he continued. It is a sign that something is wrong when men and women begin to dislike faithful preaching. Those whose own conscience is clear need feel no hurt when sin is rebuked. Beware of the policy of compromise. Let there be no compromise with the world, with godlessness, with sin; no compromise with godlessness in your family; no compromise with wrong in your business; no compromise with evil customs or companionships in your social life; no calling of evil good, and of good evil. Nail your colours to the mast. Let there be no compromise with your own besetting sins. Many a man has begun well, like .A.maziab, but bas ended badly, because he made a compromise with sin. He retained some old habit. He did not put away the high places of his pride, or his ambition, or his covetousness, or bis passion-and in the long run bis sin became too strong for him.-C. H. L Vere. 5, 6.-Personal responsi1n"lity. .A.maziah visits with just execution the servants who bad conspired against bis father Joash. But he did not put to death the children of the murderers. He acted on the principle laid down by Gou through Moses (Deut. xxiv. 16), that "the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children for the fathers; every man shall be put to death for bis own sin." I. E-VERY O:!."E OF us IS RESPONSIBLE FOB HIS OWN LIFE, "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, aocording to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." lL EVERY O!\E OF US IS RESPONSIBLE FOB THE RIGHT DISCHARGE OF HIS OWN DUTIES, We cannot excuse ourselves by the unfaithfulness of otherd. Responsibility is some• thing which we can never transfer to any one else. Men may deny their responsibility. They may refuse to fulfil it. They may neglect it. But there it is. '!'hey cannot get rid of it. Our responsibility to God for the IHe and opportunities which he has given is a truth we should do well to keep constantly before us.-0. H. I. Vere. 1-29.-Significant facts in God's gO'IJernment. "In the second yee.r of Joash," etc. In this chapter we have a sketch of a succession of kings both of Judah and Israel. Here a.re two kings of Judah-Ama.ziah and:.A.zariah; and Joash, Jeroboam, and hill son Zachariah, kings of Israel. The whole chapter suggests certain significant facts in God's government of mankind. I. THE ENORMOUS FREEDOM OF ACTION WHIOH HE ALLOWS WICKED MEN. Here we learn : 1. That God allows wicked men to form wrong conceptions of himself. All these kings, although descendants of Abraham, who was a monotheist, became idolaters. "The high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt mceose on the high places." Golden calves, symbols of Egyptian worship, still stood on. xrv. 1-20.J THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 2:-Jl