II. THE WORK 011' TIME IN MANY PARTIOULAR8. No man can be a mighty man, in 11 spiritunl sense, who is not: 1. A large possessor of Divine wisdom. A superficial knowledge of Divine truth may serve for e. while in simpler and subordinate positions; but he who occupies e.n important post, to which large responsibilities and delicate duties belong, must be furnished with a large measure of spiritual sagacity. And this can only be gained by serving the Lord for many years and in many ways. It is the acquisition of one whose "ways have been firm before ,Jehovah;" who has been living before God, and learning of him from year to year, from period to period. 2. A man of much self-command. A hasty or impulsive man is necessarily a weak man. Ooly those who can control tbemselves can command their fellows or direct affairs. Patience, self-possession, the ruling of our own spirit-this is an essential condition of all real strength; and this, again, is the work of long-continued struggle and discipline. It is the harvest of strenuous effort and of earnest prayer; it is a steady, spiritual accumu- lation. 3. One that has acquired slcill and strength in exerciMe and activity. No man can do a thing really well till he has first done it imperfectly and tentatively. Excel- lency is always the fruit of practice, of patient, continuous ·endeavour. And here, again, is gradual acquisition or accumulation. 4. One that enjoys a good measure of esteem. It is the man of whom we say, "We know the proof of him;" the man who has approved himself in many a field of labour and in many a flood of trial; to whose words we listen, whose will we obey, whom we permit to guide and rule us. And, of all things, esteem is the product of consistency and beauty in life, of much walking "in the ways of Jehovah." 11!. A GOAL TO BE PURSUED AND ATTAINED, It is true that power, or might, is, to some extent, an endowment; it is a direct gift of God. But it is far from being wholly so. In the kingdom, large or small, over which we are placed, we may "become mighty;" we may rise to influence; we may make our mark, which will not soon, if ever, be erased. (1) By a thorough consecration of ourselves to Jesus Christ and his cause; (2) by consistency and excellency-by blamelessness and beauty of life and spirit; (3) by earnestness of purpose and endeavour; (4) by prayer for Divine com- munications (Eph. iii. 16; Col. i. 11) ;-we also may "become mighty" to bear our witness, to overcome our foes, to do our work before we die.-C.
Vera. 1-9.-.A "brief record of a bright reign. I. JoTHAM, A GOOD MW. 1. Of honourable pa.rentage. (1) His father Uzziah, though guilty in his lifetin;e of a great sin (eh. xxvi. 16), and dying under a cloud (eh. xxvL 21), was essentially a sincere worshipper of Jehovah. Good men may commit acts of wickedness, from the temporal consequences of which they cannot, in their lifetime, shake themselves free (e.g. Moses, Jacob, David); yet are their characters and standing before God not to be judged by these, but by the whole course of their earthly careers. (2) His mother Jerushah, a native of Jerusalem (Josephus, '.Ant.,' ix:. 11. 2), and the daughter of Zadok-if this was the high priest mentioned in 1 Chron. vi. 53 (Bertheau)-was probably a woman of piety. Incalculable is the influence of mothers in determining the characters of sons (e.g. Jochebed, Eunice, Monica, Susanna Wesley). 2. Of excel- lent character. (1) He followed in his father's steps in so far as these were good (ver. 2), which was all he was warranted to do (Acts iv. 19). Religion doubly influential upon the young when recommended by the example of devout fathers and mothers. Who would make others good, himself must be good. Irreligious parents not likely to succeed in the godly upbringing of their children. (2) He avoided the mistake his father had committed (ver. 2). Mistakes of ourselves or others not actions to be repeated or patterns to be copied, but beacons to be observed and paths to be shunned. Whether, had Uzziah not been" stricken of the Lord," but permitted to assume the priest's office, Jotham would have discontinued the practice as an unwarrantab~e intru- sion into a province that belonged not to kings, may be doubtful; it was to his credit that he was able to interpret the lesson of God's judgment on his parent, aud meekly acquiesce in the same (Ps. cxix. 75, 120). (3) He persevered in the right way in spite of the sinful practices of his people. These" did corruptly" (ver. 2), i.e. worshipped idols, sacrificed, and burnt incense in the hio-h places (2 Kings xv. 32) ; and it the representations of the prophets may be credited, were sunk in deplorable immorality (Isa. ii. 5, eto.; v. 7, etc.; Micah i. 5; ii, 1, etc.). Cf. the phrase used of the Babylu- 830 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CH~ONICLES. [oH, xxvn. 1-9.