ness- the Lord smote the Ethiopians. This invasion resulted in the enrichment of the country. The spoil was enormous. And the victory ministered, not to pride, but t-0 piety (ib., xv. 8). (2) The only result, so far e.s we know, of the menaces of Bae.sha was that that king drew upon himself an invasion of Syrians (in which it is to be observed, Dan, one of the seats of the calf-worship, was smitten), and Asa ge,ined two fortresses as a protection againstfui;ure inroads (ver. 22). It 1s true that Asa betrayed a want of faith in taking the consecrated gold and silver wherewith to bribe the northern barbarians (2 Chron. xvi. 7, 8), and that he we.s chastised for the deed (ver. 9), but, all the same, his generally "perfect heart" was rewarded by more than deliverance. If he ever cried with Ja.cob, " All these things are against me,'' he must have subsequently exclaimed with Joseph," Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good" (Oen. I. 20). His troubles must have taught him this lesson, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all'' (Psa. xxxiv. 19). And so we see in the dangers and assaults which this reformer underwent proofs of the loving discipline of God-trials intended for his reformation and for the chastening of his country. It is difficult at first sight to see how so brute.I and hateful a thing as war can ever be for the good of any people, especially when we remember that a " victory is the next worst thing to e. defeat.'' But those have some reason on their side who tell us that war is the pUl'gatory of nations, and that battles in the more.I are something like thunderstorms in the physical world. There are victims in either case-what hece.tombs of victims in some cases-but the atmosphere is all the clearer afterwards. The campaign of Zerah probably taught him and his people to bridle their ambition, and to leave their neighbours alone ; it certainly taught Asa. and Israel to trust w the Lord and to cling closer to Him. They learned that " Providence does" not "always help the biggest battalions "-that everything turns on the blessing of God.;. They proved the truth of that promise, " Five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight," &c. (Levit. xxvi. 8). Psalm x:x. might have been penned with reference to this war. It certainly breathes the spirit of that time. "Deo aaJuvanu "-this is its keynote. And this, too, is the burden of Asa's prayer (2 Chron. xiv. 11), of A.zariah's prophecy (ib., xv. 2 sqq.), of Judo.h's praises (vers. 12, 14, 15). It has been remarked that in the history of the covenant people we may see pourtrayed the trials, deliverances, &c., of the covenant soul (Keble). And certainly the prosperous reign of Asa is a picture of what o. truly Christian life involves. Happy are those whose lives, in their main features, may be thus characterized : " Internal l'eforms, '' " external discipline.'' The three things which, Luther said, made the minister also make the man, "Prayer, meditation, and temptation.'' 'l'he idols must be utterly abolished by " the expulsive force of e. new affection ; '' " the horror, " the fear and horrible dread that possesses the unreconciled, must be cast out by perfect love; " everything that defileth" must be consumed by its ardent flames; the heart must be " dedicated,'' and then the loving correction of God will do the rest, and after we have suffered awhile, in the battle of life, in the chamber of sickness (eh. xv. 28), will make us perfect (1 Peter v. 10), and grant us "quietness and assurance for ever." Ver. 22.-Church and Di8sent. The building and subsequent demolition of Ramah-its building by Baasha to check the defection of his subjects to the southern kingdom and the Jewish Church; its removal by Asa in order that the highway to Judah and the temple of Jerusalem might be open to returning schismatics - this incident may serve to introduce a comparison between the kingdom of Asa and the kingdom of Christ; or rather, the history and relations of the two kingdoms of Palestine after the schism may suggest some thoughts o.s to the ~roper attitude and relations of the Catholic Church towards her eeparate<I children. And that our view of those relations, eo far ae it ie disclosed to us by this history, • •• In Gottes Segen ist a.Iles gelegeu." (Ill. J!.\. 1-24.] T1IE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 847
may not be partial nnd incomplete, it is proper that we shonld begin the survey, not with the accession of Asa, but Bome two decades earlier ; in fact, with the commencement of the schism. And we may learn- I. THAT IT IS NOT TO DE WONDERED AT THAT HERESY SHOULD BE STRONG AND AGGilESSIVE. Ten tribes worshipped the calves; only two were faithful to the Lord. J croboam's novelties carried "all Israel'' away after them. Even so "the churches of Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, and Rome have erred" (Art. xix.) Donatists, Montanists, Arians, Apollinarians-how many were the sects of the first days I And now, out of the two hundred millions of Christendom, how many a.re there whom with the profoundest sorrow we must pronounce either heretical or schis- matical. And no wonder, for "The search for troth is not one he.If so plea.sa.ni, As sticking to the views we hold e.t present."