Note: Aea's blunders followed upon hie prosperity. Few abide this test. Loss of spirituality and religious zeal accompanies the growing worldly prosperity of ohurchee 1-J. A. M. Vere. 1-8.-" Beloved for the father's sake." I. THE BTOB.Y OJI' A MISUSED OPPORTUNITY. Even in a three years' reign much might have been done. Israel had its troubles, the past its lessons of wisdom; but there wae no ear to hear the one, and no heart to attempt redress of the other. 1. The secret of failwre. (1) He was content with things as he found them. It is not said that he introduced any new idola.tries : " He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him." The sin and responsibility of those who continue to walk in the paths of sinful, though general and time-honoured, customs, and who do not for- sake the idolatries and iniquities of their fathers. (2) His love was not set upon God. The worship of Jehovah was still continued. Abijah had experienced the signal mercy of God (2 Chron. xiii) Hie heart might have been won, but it " was not perfect with the Lord his God as the heart of David his father." There was no thirsting after God, no delight in the sense of the favour which is life, and the loving-kindness which is better than life. The love of God the only source of work for God. 2. The sinful was also a troubled reign: "there was war,'' &c., and it was war with brethren. 3. The opportunity was soon ended: " he reigned three years." Opportunities abused may be soon remo...-ed. The life which sin has marred death may swiftly seal II. A RIGHTEOUS LIFE AN UNDYING POWER WITH GoD. " For David's sake did the Lord his God give him," &c. Our good does not die with us or with our gene- ration. The memory of it dwells, and prevails, with God. 1. The sinful king has a son to succeed him, and one whom God directs and blesses. 2. The city is pre- served and the flood of evil driven back-" to establish Jerusalem." God's promises, our prayers, and our purposes are alike remembered. They bloom amid our dust. Our love and loyalty to God will fall in blessing upon ages yet to come. III. SIN LEAVES ITS STAIN ON THE FAIR RECORD OF A. RIGHTEOUS LIFE. "Save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite." God will not wink at or cloak our iniquity. Is there any ma.tter of which thou and all will hear when the books are opened? If there be, is it not a call for humiliation and for prayer ?-J. U. Vars. 9--24.-" Zeal without trust." AN OPPORTUNITY RECOGNIZED AND USED. The need of the time was manfully met. Brought up in an idolatrous home, he nevertheless saw that this sin was sapping the foundation of the nation's stability and strength, and he set himself to root it out. 1. ThiJ land was cleansed from filthy abomination, from legalized, and even sanctified, sin (" And he took away the Sodomites," &c.) The nation that legalizes sin will reap corruption and shame: that which suppresses it by righteous enactment will pass up into pn,..;ty and strength and truest glory. 2. He put down idolatry with unflinching fcttth- fulness. He "removed ALL the idols which his father had made.'• "And also Maachah hie mother, even her he removed from being queen," &o. Neither reverence for the dead not fear of the living was suffered to stand in the way of his obedience to God. It is easy to condemn sin in the abstract. It is hard to stand _face to face with him who is its servant and say," Thou art the man.'' Is our faithfulness after the pattern of Asa's '} 8. His failure was one of ability, not of will (ver. 14). We may not be able to accomplish all we desire, or that is needful, but if our heart be " perfect with the Lord" all is well. 4. He did not keep back the Lord's portion. The "silver and gold and vessels," which his father and he himself bad vowed, were brought into the Lord's house. His faith- fulness was shown in what he gave as well as in what he condemned. II. THERE MAY BE ZEAL FOR GOD WITHOUT PERFECT TRUST IN GoD. The man of action is not always a man of prayer. 1. Baasha'a attempt (see 2 Chron. xvi. 7, &c.) The danger was great, but to the politician there seemed a way out of it. He was not shut up to God's help, as in the invasion by the Ethiopian king, and therefore God was not sought. (1) Forsaking the path of trust, he entered the 1 KINGS, 2 A. 864 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. Loe. xv. 1-24.
crooked wnys of worldly policy. He biibed Ben-hadad to break faith with Baashn. How often is self-help stained with meanness and unrighteousness I (2) God does not always forsake His people when they forsake Him. Asa's plo.n succeeded, The fortress tho.t was being built against him became two for him. If unbelief was so blessed, what mercies might have crowned faith ! 2, The diaea,se which embit- tered his latter day8. "Nevertheless in the time of his old age he wo,s diseased in his feet." Here, again, his faith was tried and found wanting. "In his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the physicians " (2 Chron. xvi. 12) ; and he found no relief. There is a limit to God's forbearance even with His people. How much is there of our weakness and trouble and distress over which the words are written, "Ye have not, because ye ask not" 1-J. U.