PEOPLl!l, AND ms OATIRYING OF THE BAME INTO EFFECT. Ignorance is no safety, though knowledge is responsibility. Mere knowledge, mental gift, mental activity, mentnl acquisiUon, mental store, and store of experience, even,-these are no reliable source11 of roal safoty, neither guide nor refuge for the real life. For thue, religious education is necessary. Religious education rests on religioUB knowledge. Reli!tlous knowledae rests on religions teaching and teachers, and these mean the teaching ~nd the teache~s of revelation. So the right principles of action get reached, and motive dormant or even unborn springs into life and action. Nor is it immaterial to observe-the very opposite, indeed, of immaterial-that, in so complex and multitudinous a life 88 that or a nation, it must be more than ever hopeless, that any principle can motive its life, any mechanism regulate it, any influence elevate and purify it, except such as work just 88 religion does, on every individual equally, on the innermost thought and feeling of every individual, and with no secondary force, but with sovereign authoritative com- mand met by willingly conceded obedience from the heart. In nothing throughout all his reign was Jehoshaphat so right as in restoring and paying a.II attention to the restoring of religious education. Ill. THE GREAT, MOST EXCEPTIONAL, AND MOST TO BE DESIRED HARVEST REAPED. The greatness of that harvest was seen in the fact that it was 80 general, 80 wiuespread. "All the lands round about Judah" (elsewhere we learn or ma.y gather that this description embraced Israel also to a large extent) and "Pbilistia" and "Arabia." swelled it. They who bad silver, brought silver; and they who bad flocks, flocks. 'l'he exceptional character of it lay in the fact that it was so largely due to moral sources. Jehoshaphat had not as yet waged a war nor fought a battle. But the fame of him round about was as of the coming ma.n. And it may most justly be pronounced a harvest that was to be desired, in that it is more pointedly described, most precisely described as the result of this, that it was, behind and above all else, "the fear of the Lord" that "fell on all." There is no so honouro.ble reward, title, " present," that can be conferred on mortal man, as that which comes to that ma.n by virtue of" the fear of the Lord" falling on those around him, and yet somehow linking him with it. It looks as though he bad been very right himself, unusually right ; yet in nothing more right, nothing more happy, than in the impression which it would appear be bas honestly and successfully given, that it is and has been as the servant and minister of the Lord, that he bas been acting, under him, for him, and with the smile of his prospering blessing resting on him, and his seed-sowing and growing.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1, 2.-Spiritual fortification. J eboshaphat did well to "strengthen himself against Israel." One that ought to be in the closest possible relationship to us but that is formally separated from us and that.is likely to be jealous of our power is most to be feared by us. 'l'he a.vowed enemy is not so hostile as the envious rival, as the unfriendly "neighbour." And there was nothing of untrustfulness in this procedure of the king's, Had he gone to Syria. as his father did (eh. xvi. 2) for help against Israel, he would he.ve been open to just rebuke as Asa. was; but in keeping his own fortresses in good sound condition, in seeing that they were well manned and fortified, he was simply acting with the.t practical sagacity which is not condemned but commended of God (Luke xvi. 9, 10). The words suggest to us some lessons concerning the wisdom of spiritual fortification. I. 'l'IIE SUPREME QUESTION. Are we in the enemy's country, in a strange land; or are we in our own true home? Are we in a state of spiritual bondage or dependence, or a.re we enjoying true spiritual liberty? Is God our only Sovereign, and a.re we rejoicing in his gracious, benignant sway ? Are our souls right with him, and, being right with hiru, are they free from tbe tyranny cif all other lords? Is our spiritual estate one of honourable loyalty to God and of honourable freedom from a.11 servitude and subjection? II. 'l'nE NEXT VITAL CONSIDERATION. Are we taking wise measures to" strengthen ourselves" against our na.tuml or probable enemies? It is most unwise to assume that, because it is well with us now, it must always be well with us. "Fina.I perseverance" 208 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [on. xvn. 1-19.
as a sacred obliga_tion is an excellent doctrine, but not as a mere comforting assumption, (1) The exhortations of the Divine Word (Rom. xi. 20; 1 Cor. ix. 27; x. 12; Ilev. iii. ~, 11); (2) the numerous well-attested facts we have read and those we have wit- nessed; (3) the weakness of which we are conscious ;-all these considerations urge us to consider whnt ·we should do to" strengthen ourselves," what steps we should take that the neighbouring enemy ml\y not encroach, that the estate which God has given us to guard ml\y be held inviolate. Of what kind shall be our- III. SPmITUAL FORTIFICATION. How shall we" place forces in our fenced cities," and "set garrisons in the land" ? We shall do this: 1. By forming wise habits of devotion. (1) Of public and also (and more particularly) of private devotion; (2) such habits ns will encourage the grcntest possible measure of spontaneous and spiritual communion; (3) such habits as will secure the twofold communication-God speaking to us and our speaking to him. 2. By entering on a course of sacred usefulness. Nothing is so likely to keep the flame of piety alight on the altar of our hearts, to pre- t<erve our own moral and spiritual integrity, as doing, regularly and methodically, some real ser,ice to other souls. 3. Maintaining a right attitude of soul. The attitude of humility, and therefore of conscious dependence on God; the attitude of wariness and watchfulness against the first uprising of evil against us or within us; the attitude of thoughtfulness; the disposition to let our mind go toward those things which are highest and worthiest, toward the truth of God, toward the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. With such "fenced cities " as these in the soul, we shall be strong against the enemy whom we have most to fear.-C.