The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 442

lien the secret guiding and formative power of a man's life. "As a ma.n thinketh in hie heart, so ie he." It is thought that inspires affection, moulds character, gnides the will, determines conduct, rules the man. We cannot well exaggerate the importance of the rela.tion thought bears to the highest interests of our being. But how a.re these "thoughts" of ours determined? Every man's religious ideas and beliefs, ea.y some, a.re determined for him by a thollBand influences over which he has no control-by early educa.tion, by the books that fall in his way, by human associa- tions, native temperament, conformation of bra.in, &c. There is a measure of truth in this that we dare not ignore. These things have a great deal to do with the matter, and the fact should modify our judgment of the mental position of others in relation to religious truth, and teach us to watch carefully the bearing on ourselves of such influences. Many ofus owe our Christian beliefs far more than we imagine to the force of favouring circumstances. We may well thank God that it is so; for as we mourn to think how many things there are that tend to distort the truth and hide it from man's eyes, so we rejoice that there should be so many channels through which the Light of Life me.y find its way into the soul. But however this may be, God holds every one of us under obligation to think for himeelf, judge for himself, believe for himself; to use with uprightness of spirit a.11 the means within his reach for the forme.tion of right opinions, to welcome and follow the light that shines from heaven upon his way. II. THE DUTY OF A PRACTICAL CABRYING OUT OF ONE'S OWN HONEST CONVICTIONS. " If the Lord be God, follow him." The startling " sign " that was about to be given them was intended to decide this grave alternative. "The God the.t answereth by fire, let him be God." It was great condescension in Jehovah to suffer His claims to be thus put in seeming competition with those of Be.n.l. But the prophet would have the decision of the people to spring from real conviction, and that con- viction to be based on sufficient proof: And then let it be a practical decision- final, conclusive, manifest. Let there be an end to all this miserable vacillation, this sho.meful subserviency to the lea.ding of Ahab and Jezebel and the Boal priest- hood, this dark dishonour done to the God of Israel by the multiplication all over the land of heathen groves and altars. All true religious thoughts and opinions have reference to a true life. They a.re hollow and worthless unless consummated in this. "Fo.ith without works is dead being a.lone" (James ii. 17). A heavy con- demnation rests on those who " profess tho.t t-hey know God, but in works deny him " (Titus i. 16). It ie & fatal inconsistency to believe in a.God and yet not" follow Him.'' Ho.ve you true religious ideas and convictions? Translate yotll" thinking into life. III. THE URGENCY OF THE NEED FOR THIS PRACTICAL DECISION. " How long'} " &c. We may suppose that the prophet was not only impressed with the tardiness of tho.t generation in declaring once for o.11 for the service of J ehove.h, but with the memory of the weary provoc11tion of the past, When will Iero.el be true o.nd steo.d- fust in her e.llegiauce to her God o.nd King? !tie in every respect unreo.sone.ble, un- manly, and infinitely perilous to allow the question of yotll" religious position to remain unsettled.-W. Ver. 21.-Religioua Indeciaion, Describe the gathering of the people upon Mount Carmel : the suffering they ho.d endured from the long-continued drought ; the eager expectancy of the secret worshippers of J ehove.h, and the reappearo.nce of Elijah the prophet; the general readiness to obey the summons to witness a decisive contest, &o. The deacent ·into national idolatry had been gradual. One step had me.de the next easy, and sometimes inevitable, till now the chosen nation was in the deepest degradation. Of this many of them were scarcely conscious. They had followed the example set by the court without remonstrance and without reflection. The opportunity for consideration had come at last. Elijah o.bruptly throw him- self into the current of no.tiono.l life-like a gigo.ntio rock in the stream, which c,tnnot itself be stirred, but whose presence must make itself felt, and mo.y divert the stroam into another ohe.nnel. The teat he proposed to the people was obvioual1J /air ; in- deed·, it appeared to give every advantage to the worshippers of Baal. It we.a not 452 TRE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [oH. xvm. 1-46.