Vers. 22-26.-Rulers and their enemies. "And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had left," etc. By thie fragment of Jtwish history two observations a.re suggested. I. MEN ARE SOMETIMES ELEVATED INTO RESPONSIBLE POSITIONS. Gedaliah, a friend of Jeremiah's, and acting under the prophet's counsel, took the government of Judrea, aLd fixed his court at Mizpah. He seemed on the whole qualified for the office he assumed. The people committed to his charge were those who were left in the country after Judah had been carried away into Babylonian captivity. They were, perhaps, considered too insignificant to be removed. However, being peasantry, who could till the land and dress the vineyards, he counselled them to submit to his rule, promising them that they should retain their possessions and enjoy the produce of the land. Such was the responsible position to which this Gedaliah was elevated. In every age and land there are some men thus distinguished-men that rise to eminence and obtain distinction and power. Sometimes it may be by the force of their own genius and character, and sometimes by the force and patronage of others. Hence in Church and stRte, literature, commerce, and art, we have rulers ecclesiastical, political, scholastic, and mercantile. This arrangement in our social life has many signal advantage~, although often exposed to many terrible evils. I!. MALIGNANT EN]l[JTY SOMETIMES FRUSTRATES THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MEN, "But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nathaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, ea.me, and t.en men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpa.h." Thus envy is always excited by superiority, and one of the most cruel of human passions termirmted the life of Gedaliah and the purpose of his mission a. few brief months after his elevation to office. Envy murdered Gedaliah, and drove back those poor scattered Jews to Egypt, which they loathed. Thus envy is ever at work, blasting the reputa- tions and degrading the positions of distinguished _men. "Envy is t~e. daughter of Pride, the author of murder and revenge, the begmner of secret sed1t1on, and the perpetual tormentor of virtue. Envy is the filthy slime of the soul; a. worm, a. poison or quicki;ilver which consuweth the flesh, and drieth up the marrow of the bones" (Socrates).-D. 'l'.
Vers. 21-30.-Jehmachin as a victim of tyrannic despotism, and as an object of ddivl'ring mercy. "And it came to pass in the seven and thinieth year," etc. The life of this man has been already sketched. The incident here recorded presents him- I. As A VICTIM OF TYRANNIC DESPOTISM. He had been in prison for thirty-seven years, and was fifty-lh-e years of age. It was Nebuchadnezzar, t~e tyra~nic King of Babylon, that slripped this man of liberty and freedom, and shut him up m,a. dungeon for this long period of time. Snch despotism has prevailed in all oges and lanas. II. As AN 011JECT OF DELIVEillNG MEP.CY. We are told that as soon as Evil- Mtrrodu,c/, cawe w the throne ou the death of his father Nebuchadnezzar, mercy stirred OU, XXV, 1-30.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS.