me.kes u~ fe.miliar; the deeper dree.m, or that which young Samuel's more resembled; or thinking in night's deep stillness, with all its unstinted retrospect of the day on which it had just closed. In brief, whatever the nbsolute fact was, it is not necessary to supposo that God appeared then any more literally or visibly than now sometimes to us, or that he appears any less really many a time to us. 3. The times; i.e. immediately upon Solomon's practical conduct, right conduct, devout and religious conduct, and conduct that drew in with itself the nature, the idea, the fact of publio worship, publio service, the action of the combined Church. To human works no merit belongs. They claim no worthiness of this kind. They cannot earn or deserve anything of God. Yet is it to be most distinctly and unequi.ocally not.ed how often God appears to viow in connection with human works, interposes to aid and bless in the very crises or sequel of rightly intended human endeavour or bold deed. It is as though he would graciously ever associate his noblest, kindest, freest giving with our deeds, so that they be simple and sincere deeds, that these may be reacted upon at other times by the quickening, enco1.11"8.ging memory thereof. It is not simply written that "God appeared" in the night, but emphatically "in that night." 4. The object, or very matter qf it. Aston- ishing to say, it is not to hear a petition, not to answer a petition, but positively to ask for a petition-to ask to be asked for some good gift. This, when projected upon the plain page of the Divine book, is recognized as amazing condescension; but it is nothing in excess of what is ever going on in God's dealings with us. It comes of the fulness of bis overflowing goodness, of his natural liberality, and of bis unfeigned forgiving- ness of spirit, to his erring family. 5. The contradiction couched in it, to the idea of human life, character, action, being based on any fatalistic scheme emanating from above. A man's own choice is here asked, elicited, challenged, acceded to, and granted I And herein, in all five particulars, we have but expressed in graphic parable the facts between God and human, individual life in all ages. II. THE lTh"HESITATING PRAYER OF SOLOMON. There cannot be held to be any doubt that this prayer was approved, divinely approved, in what it contained. It cannot, perhaps, be asserted as positively that it "lacked nothing," and was as unchal- lengeable in what it did not contain. When we have travelled many a mile with Solomon, and have come to the latter milestones of his journey, thoughts make themselves a voice, and we fear that the prayer erred by defect. Let us take note first of what was incontestably good in it. 1. It found its spring in the sense of genuine responsibility- responsibility that had come from father to son, and more sacred and venerable for this; responsibility that was heightened by the memory of its being in matter that had enlist.ed special Divine promise, and which promise must not be allowed to fall to the ground through lack of human co-operation; and responsibility because of the intrinsic nature of the subject in hand. Prayer thus rising to the surface is earnest, sincere, deep; and no doubt it was so now with Solomon, 2. It was prayer relatively high in its aim, by the expressed Divine admission and commendation here. "Wisdom and knowledge" were above "riches, wealth, honour, the life of enemies, or long life for self." 3. It was pr4yer for means, strength,grace to do duty, to be equal to the require- ments of lofty duty, and duty that in its significance and its results looked far out- side individual interest or individual interest and honour combined. The standpoint of duty is equally grand and momentous! There may be prayer for high possessions- possessions of knowledge and wisdom even, that have selfishness and ambition in them, but not a grain of grace or an atom of sense and love of duty, and acknowledging of solemn responsibility. Solomon's prayer stands in vivid contrast to this Hort of thing. He prayed for wisdom and knowledge that he might fill his father's place worthily, his own place aright-" serve his generation by the will of God," and in thus doing "please God" himself! 4. It was prayer that fail,ed, to make provision for the highest, deepest, B1J,f'uf; needs of all; viz. humility, persona.I, practical, preserving piety, ever "a clean heart" and the renewing ever of" a right spirit." Of these things, masked in the prayer, nothing is promised in its answer; and the sad clue may lie herein to much in Solomon's subsequent life. Thinking hereof, may we not lay it to heart for our own timely warn- ing, when we are compelled to say of Solomon at this critical moment, "lie left wnprayed the things be ought to have prayed"? III. THE ANSWER WITH PROMISE MADE BY Goo To SOLOMON. 1. It expressly said to Lim, it reminds ourselves, how God knows the heart and measures prayer by th@ oil, 1. 1-17.] THE SECOND BOOK OF 'l'IIE CHRONICLES. 0
heart. "Because," he says, "this was in thy heart." There is many a prayer of th( lip, of memory, of habit, of superstitious sentiment, of some vague feeling of duty, but the heart is fur away, and from such prayers, so-called, God himself is equally far away. 2. God granted that peHtion, not simply because it was a heart's true desire, bui because it was also "most expedient "-it was a true heart's true desire I It was "most expedient" for Solomon, for the high place he held, and" all Israel"-"thy people"-over whom he reigned. 3. God crowns the answer with promise as well. The precious thing granted by way of answer, incomparably the best thing by far, God wreathes with splendour-a splendour, he expressly says, nnknown before, and hereafter never to be eclipsed I So, how often has it been that those who have with single eye, stead- fast heart, sought first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, have fo1;nd all other things added to them I So, how often bas it been that "those who feared God" have found they "lacked no good thing" I And even earthly honour, earthly wealth, earthly good, have been bestowed with overflowing cup on those who could safely receive it, because they bad shown they desired first, prayed first, for purer, higher good-the real, the right, the true, the lasting.