ascertain from it the whole counsel of God. We must not dwell on the promise to the exclusion of the thrt?atening, or think that any part is without its use" for doctrine, for reproof, for correction," etc. (2 Tim iii. 16). 3. Conviction by the Word. "'l'he Spirit of God,'' say the Westminster Divines, "maketh the reading, but especially the preach- ing of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners." Remark- able re'livals of religion have often been produced by the reading of the Word alone. It was so in the case of Josiah. The book of the Law was the only preacher, but, ns Shaphan read it aloud, its wor_ds went like sharp swords to the heart of the king. He knew previously that the nation had committed great sins, with which God was dis- pleased, and he had done what he could to institute reforms. Now for the first time he learned what direful woes were predicted on those who should commit such sins, and he saw the enormity of the nation's evil as he had never before realized it. In deepest emotion he rent his clothes, and sent at once an honourable deputation "to inquire of the Lord concerning the words of the book" of the Prophetess Huldah. We see : (1) The power of the Word to couvince men of sin. This power belongs to the words of Scripture as to those of no other book. "The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul," etc. (Ps. xix. 7). " The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword," etc. (Heh. iv. 12). The fact that it is so is an evidence of the divineness of Scripture. The power of the Bible is derived from the nature of the truths it declares, from the inspired grandeur of its utterances, from the" thus saith the Lord" which stands behind them and drives them home with authority, and from the inward attestation which its words find in the conscience (2 Cor. iv. 2). Great reformations have always been accompanied with an extended circulation of the Bible (Wickliffe, Tyndale, Luther, etc.). (2) An example of the right reception of the Word. Josiah did not act like the profane Jehoiakim, who, when God's threatenings were read to him, took his pen.knife and cut the prophet's roll to pieces, casting it into the fire (Jer. mvi. 20-24). He trembled at God's Word (Isa. !xvi. 2). He was, like Noah, "moved with f=," when he heard of the dreadful evils God would bring upon the nation. He did not dispute the justice of God's three.tenings, but acknow- ledged that he was righteous, and the people wicked. He included himself in the general condemnation: "Great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against UR, because our fathers have not hearkened," etc. 'l'his is how God's Word ought always to be received-with humility, with faith, with trembling of heart at his tbreatenings, if also with joy and hope at his promises. IIL LIGHT SOUGHT ON Goo's WoRD. 1. A holy woman. 'l'he kinr;, as above stated, sent" to inquire of the Lord" at the hands of an accredited prophet, with the view of ascertaining what means should be adopted to reverse, if possible, the curse which the sins of long generations had brought upon the nation. 'l'he persons sent were five- Hilkiah the priest, Shaphan the scribe, and his son Ahikam, Achbor the son of Michaiah, aud ABahiah a servant of the king's,-an honourable deputation. The person to whom they went was a prophetess named Huldah, who dwelt in Jerusalem. This holy woman was no recluse, but the wife of Shallum, the keeper of the royal (or priestly) wardrobe. In the distribution of God's gifts, woman is not less honoured than man. We learn from Huldah that religion and the duties of common life do not stand apart. 2. ~ Word confirmed. On the general question the prophetess had little to give them in the way of comfort. Probably she had already learned the tenor of the threatenings in the sacred book, or its words were now read to her; but she could only speak to give the threatenings emphatic confirmation. "Tell the man that sent you, 'l'hw- saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place," etc. The words of the Law would be fulfilled, because the people had committed the sins which the Law denounced: "They have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods," etc. This is nut contrary to Jeremiah's word, "If that nation, against whom I have pro- nounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them" (Jer. xvili. 8; cf. eh. xxvi 3). It was the knowledge and foresight that Judah would not truly repent which gave the absoluteness to the prophecy. Jeremiah, while exhorting to repentance, also gives expression to the other side of the truth, that the nation's condition is .hopeless (Jer. vii. 16; xv. 1, etc.). 3. Mercy to the king. To the "man" Huldah had no rr,_essage of comfort; but to " the King of Judah " she had a word of mercy to send. Because Josiah's heart was tender, and he had humbl~ err. xxm. 1-37.J '!'HE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 451
himself when he he.d hee.ril of the deeole.tion e.nd the curse the.t would come upon the le.ncl, therefore God had heard hirn, and would spare him the experience of the evil the.t we.a to come. He would be taken away "from the evil to come" (Isa. !vii. 1). Had the nation e.s e. whole repented in like manner, we cannot doubt that it would he.ve been similarly spared. God never rejects the humble and contrite heart (Isa. lxvi. 2). It is noteworthy that this prediction was fulfilled in a way which externally was a gree.t calamity to the nation, viz. Josiah's defeat and death at Megiddo, in battle with Pharaoh-Nechoh (eh. xxiii. 29, 30). God's mercy veils itself under strange dis- guises.-J. O.