we think of the cont.rasts thus furnished, the use of all these deplorable records in the Books of Kings and Chronicles comes manifestly out. The mischief and misery which wicked kings can work must be seen in all their hideousness, so that all the more a disposition may be excited to attend to the blessings which Jesus will secure ancl multiply when he comes to reign as King. II I. THE PROSPERITY OF THIS RIGHTEOUS KrKG. It must be made clear in some grvat and cverl:lstingly conspicuous instance that practical righteousness is followed by prosperity, and that nowhere is the connection more sure beLween a cause allowed fully to operate and its full effect. The most hurtful kind of wickedness, the men who commit it do not dtlight. in for its own sake. Their aim is outward prosperity, to secure riches in the easiest. and most rapid way; and this may necessitate a degree of wickedness of which often times they seem uot in the least conscious. 'l.'hcn, of course, in the end the prosperity proves corrupt and ruins the man who risked everything for it. But now turn to the individual experience of Jesus. His course in this world had nothing in it of prosperity as some count prosperity. He Jived in poverty; he did not live long; and he did as criminals die. All these experiences, however, only bring out the real prosperity. After the cross the manifestation of his glory and power began in tho acceptance of him by hearts that he bad completely subdued. There never has been such a king as Jesus of Nazareth; never any one who has elicited such whole-hearted homage, such complete, faithful, self-denying service. He prospers and he makes bis serrnnts prosper. The more his glory shines, the more their lives are brightened. 'l'his surely is indeed a royal pro~perity. IV. THE PROSPERITY OF THE PEOPLE IS INDICATED: 1. By the king's own action in judgment and righteousness, or, as we might otherwise put it, in righteous judgment . .As one in authority and power, he has to give decisions, and these decisions are always righteous. Human kings were arbitrary and capricious; their likes and dislikes, their political necessities, had much to do with the decisions they gave. But with this righteous Scion of David it is very different. He lays down great principles which, if men would only attend to them and take in the spirit of them, would stop all dis- putings and litigations. 2. By the security of the people. The subjects of Jesus have true safety. They are safe in themselves and safe in their spiritual possessions. He wbo enables them to acquire the true riches shows also how to bold them fast; else the riches would not be true riches at all. And it is not the least boon that he gives them the power, if only they have faith to exercise it, of living without anxiety and distrac- tio11. It is very dishonouring to our great King not to believe that all our best interests arc perfectly safe in his charge.-Y.
Ver. 14.-Prophets strengthening the hands of evil-doers. Jeremiah had much to say at different times on the unfaithfulness of the prophets-bow flatly opposed they were in all their conduct to that required by the duLies of their office, how utterly negligent they were of the great opportunities of rebuke which were peculiarly their own. And there stands in this verse an expression which gives a climax to their evil- doings. A prophet shows himself most of all an evil-doer when be upholds the hands of evil-doers. I. THE PROI'IIET IS REQUIRED IN A SPECIAL MANNER TO DO WHAT IIE CAN TO WEAKEN THE IIANDB OF EVIL-DOERS. All who respect the will of God, and feel sympathy with what is right and true and Divine, are bound to hinder bad men in their actions; but he who held the office of a prophet among the people of God was looked to as speaking with an authority higher than that of a private person. Officialism, with all its drawbacks and perils, with all its risk of self-assertion, has been of great udvan- tage to practical religion. It is true, on the one hand, that to put a bad man into a holy office is to bring that office into contempt, but surely it is also true, on the other hand, that a good man in a holy office has his power for good much increased. Here iu Israel at this time there was a multitude of evil-doers, doing evil with both hands earnestly. At the same time, there were doubtless those who did evil with weak and uncertain bands. It is matter of thankfulness that evil-doers arc ao often practically restrained in this way. Disposition is willing, but resolution is weak. 'l'!Jere is the ~esire to do ,·cry bad things, bu,t the courage is lacking. We have an instance of this ID those enemies of our Lord who were so often hindered .in their de»~ns because they cu. xxm. 1-10.] 'fllE l\OOK OF THE PIWPHET JEREMIAH. 539