1c1eals. 3. He had richu and hooour in abundancs. This accorded with the promiee given t.o the gC1od man (Ps. cxii. 1--8). God never fails to honour them who honour him (1 Ssm. ii. 30), or to enrich, if not with materisl yet with spiritual tre&Bure~, such as serve him with fidelity and fear (Prov. iii. 16; xxii. 4). See this illustrated in the lives of David (1 Chron. xxix. 28), Solomon (1 Kings x. 24, 25, 27; eh. ix. 23, 24), a.nd Hezekiah (eh. xxxii. 7). VII. THE HAPPINESS OF ms HEART. This was "lifted up in the ways of the Lord" (ver. 6), not with pride, but: 1. With inward satisfaction. True religion diffuses such a feeling through the heart (Ps. cxix. 165; Prov. iii. 17; 181\. xxxii. 17; xlviii. 18). 2. With earnest re..o,o'/,ution. The elevation of spirit ho experienced impelled him to fabour for the reformation of his country and the improvement of his people. Sincere piety ever seeks to extend itself. Genuine goodness always aims at doing good to others. Christ commands his followers to do good and communicate (Matt. x. 8). Learn : 1. The responsibility of high station. 2. The duty of earnestness in religion. 3. The profit of true piety. 4. The joy of godliness.-W. Vers. 7-9.-..4.n oul Education .Act. I. ITS PB0M:ULGA.TION. 1. By whom1 Jeho- shaphat, the son of Asa and King of Judah. Kings and parliaments should care for the education of the people. No better mea.ns of promoting social order. 2. When 1 In the third year of his reign. Jehoshaphat postponed not a work so excellent, but assigned it a precedence, answering to its importance. Of greater conseqnence was it for the prosperity of his dominions and the peace of his reign that his subjects should be instructed, than that his armies should be drilled or his garrisons strengthened. 3. Fur what end 1 The religious improvement of the people. Under the Old Testament economy that formed part of the duty of the Hebrew state, because state and Church were then one. Under the New Testament economy, when state and Church are not coextensive, the obligation to provide religious education for both old and young rests exc ·u i 1·ely upon the Church ; the furtherance of secular instruction being the depart- ment that properly belongs to the state. If, however, the state is not required to directly furnish teaching in religion, it is not at liberty to hinder the Church, but is bound to afford her free scope for discharging the special work committed to her care. II. ITs CONSTITUTION. 1. Three orders of teachers. (1) Laymen of high rank-princes, of whom the names were Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethaneel, and Michaiab, but of whom nothing more is known. If they were " princes " in the sense of being related to the royal family, then to none could the work be more fittingly assigned; if heads of families or fathers' houses, the propriety of appointing them was still more evident; if governors of districts, it was not dimmed. (2) Levites, nine in number-Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob- adonijab, all now equally unknown. (3) Priests, two in number-Elishama and Jeho- ram. 2. Three lci,nds of instruction. '!'hie at least probable from the appointing of three classes of teachers. (1) Civil law, and the constitution of the kingdom, were pre- sumably taught by the laymen. (2) Ritual law, and what pertained to the worship of the temple, by the Levites. (3) Moral law, with the nature and obligation ofreligion, by the priests. "Thus the nation became thoroughly instructed in their duty to God, to the king, and to ea.cii other" (Adam Clarke). m ITs OPEBA.TION. It was put in force: 1. Immediately. Good resolutions cannot be too soon carried out, or good schemes too quickly set on foot. Quite as many noble projects are ruined by procrastination as by undue haste. 2. Universally. The teaching deputies went through the land, visited the cities and villages, and left no part unblessed by their labours. 3. Earnestly. They taught the people; not simply opened schools, and read dry and uninteresting lectures on civil, ecclesiastical, and religious history, but saw that the people understood and practised what was taught. Learn : 1. The true glory of a king-to care for the welfare of hie subjects. 2. The value of secular, but especia.lly of religious, instruction. 3. The best spring of prosperity for a people-knowledge of the Law of the Lord. 4. The true function of a teacher-to cause the people to understand. 5. The ultimate end of education--c,bedience.-W. Vers. 10-19.-77ie greatness of Jehoshaphat. I. JEHOBBA.PHA.T 1B NEIGHBOURS. 1. ~/mid of his greatne8s. All on the cities round Jacob and his sons when they fled di. XVIII, 1-34.] Tl-IE SECOND nook OF TtI~ CHRONICLES. 213
from S~echem (Gen. xxxv. o), the terror of J?hovah was on Jehoshaphat's neighbourR, Ilegardmg Jehoshaphat ae under the protect10n of Heaven, they hesitated to try con- clusions with him .:in thll field of war. 2. Solicitous of his/avowr. This some sough~ by means of gifts, The Philistines brought presents and silver c,f tribute or " silver a burden," i.e. a great quantity (Bertheau, Keil); the Arabians offered 'flocks-7700 he-goats, and 7700 rams. II. JEHOSHAPHA1''s BUILDINGS, 1. Oastles, or palaces. Oriental kings commonly attested their magnificence by temple and palace building; e.g. Solomon (eh. viii. 1, etc.). 2. Store-cities. Arsenals or magazines for supplying the garrisons. In them Jehoshaphat had much property (Keil). III. JEHOSHAPHA1''s WARRIORS, 1. Those who served in Jerusalem. (1) Their battalions, five-three belonging to Judah, two to Benjamin. (2) Their captains. Of Judah's divisions, Adnah the chief, Jehohanan, and Amasiah tbe son of Zichri, "who had willingly given or offered himself to the Lord," perhaps in the performance of some mighty deed. Of Benjamin, "Eliada a mighty man of valour," and Jehozabad. (3) Their numbers. Of Judah, under Ad.nab, 300,000; under Jehohanan, 280,000; under Amasiah, 200,000; in all, 780,000 men. Of Benjamin, 200,000 with Eliada, and 180,000 with Jehozabad; in all, 380,000. For the kingdom 1,160,000, upwards of one million and a half of able-bodied soldiers-a huge incubus for so small a kingdom. (4) Their duties. They waited on the king, i.e. were disposable forces at his command, ready to take the field when he should give the word. 2. Those who served in Judah. The officers and companies distributed throughout the different garrisons in the land. Learn : 1. The influence of true religion even on the wicked. 2. The superior glory of good character, as compared with great condition. 3. The dignity implied in being a soldier of Jesus Christ.-W.