The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 61

IV. THAT WE OUGHT TO LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE GoD, DESPITE THEIR IGNORANCES, tNFIRMITIES, AND IMPERFECTIONS. If the Eternal Love overlooks our" only," sw-ely we onght to overlook the" only" of others. ,ve may regret their views, we may ihink them unsotmd in the faith, we ma.y la.ment their superstition, their le.ck oJ "sweetness and light," their vulgarity, or fanaticism, but if God loves them, and receives them notwithstanding, what right have we to do otherwise? If they love our Lord, then they are entitled to ow· love. " Grace be unto all them that love our Lord Jesus Chi:ist in sincerity." We find, conaequently, in the religion both of the Old Testament and of the New- V. TH.AT LOVE IS EVERYTHING. It is 1. The fulfilling of the law (Rom. xiii. 8. 10; Matt. xrii. 37-40). We cannot break the law if we love. "Habe caritatem etfac quicquid vis," said St. Augustine. 2. The stamp and seal royal of the Christian. "He that loveth, is bom of God." ''By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love," &c. It has been said," Pectus est quod theologumfacit." It is equally true that the heart makes the Christian. 8. The glory of the man. It was the greatest glory of Solomon. The highest praise recorded of him is, not that" he was wiser than all men" (eh. iv. 81), nor yet that he" exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and wisdom" (eh. x. 88), but that he loved the Lord. "The best thing that can be said of a man is that he loves God." Solomon in all his glory is not greater than the poorest of the saints. 4. The one thing needful. The one thing God demands is the heart. (Adelaide Procter's beautiful poem, " Give me thy heart," affords a fine illustration here.) It is the mainspring of the man. The life depends on the heart. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the Roman Catholics were commanded to attend Church under pains and penalties, some of their leaders applied to the Pope for guidance. "Let the Catholics of England," was the astute reply, "give me their hearts, and the Queen may do what she likes with the rest.'' Vers. 5-15.-God'a Gifts and Solomon'a Choice. "And God said, Ask what I shall give thee," &c. "Happy Solomon!" we exclaim, as we read these words. He had all that earth could give already-youth, wealth, prosperity. glory, greatness. He stood already on the topmost pinnacle of human felicity. And now Heaven offers him his choice of blessings; now the treasw·e-house of the infinite God is opened, and he is bidden to take what he will. Behold the favourite of Heaven! It is indeed true "there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee" (ver. 12). But stay! Solomon's is not an ex, ceptional case. If we have not his temporal advantages, we may share his spil-i.tual blessings. For to us-to all, that is, who, like Solomon, "love the Lord'' -does the same voice speak, saying, "Ask what I shall give thee.'' Yes; He who spake to this new-crowned king in the night visions hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, saying," Aifk, and it shall be given you.'' Let us consider- I. LIKE SOLOMON, WE ARE COMMANDED TO ASK. It is not that we are per, mitted so to do: it is made a positive duty. If we do not ask, we sin. " Ask," "seek,'' " knock "-these are the injunctions of our Lord and Master. Asking is an essential part of our religion. "Prayer is the Christian's vital breath." II. LIKE SOLOMON, WE HAVE BUT TO ASK, AND GOD WILL GIVE. Solomon was not a favourite of Heaven. God has no favourites-that woulrl argue imperfection in tile Deity. "Every one that asketh receiveth," &c. " Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord," &c. " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, . . • and it shall be given him." If we have not wisdom, blessing, pardon, peace, it is all for want of asking. God is "more ready to hear than we to pray." And observe liere : we are commanded to ask, and God is sw·e to give, because He loves to give; it is His natw·e and property to give. Not only (as has been beautifully said) is "the greatest Being in the world the greatest giver," but it is an_ essential part of His perfections to give. We often say "It is more blessed to give than to re- ceive," but God acts on this principle. It is the nature of man to take.. The :first lesson the child learns is to grasp. Covetousness, the desire to have, 1s a part of our being. It is a part of His being to desire to impart. He P.bhors Pi vacuum.  Tim FIRST BOOK OF KINGS; 56