"Ver. 6.-..4. king's contrition. It is an illustration of the power of truth, of the commanding majesty of the faithful &nd fearless preacher, which we witness in this narrative. An unknown Hebrew, with nothing to recommend him, nothing to enforce attention, comes to a foreign city, passes through the public places, reproaches the citizens for their sins, denounces destruction upon the inhabitants as the punishment due to them because of their wickedness. And what is the result i' Is it neglect, or derision, or incredulity? On the contrary, the people feel the justice of the rebukes, acknowledge their ill desert, humble themselves before God, and entreat mercy, for- brarance, pardon. What & testimony to the reality of the moral law, to the authority of conscience I Jonah preaches, and the king of a mighty empire divests himself of the insignia. of power and rule, a.be.sea himself before God in sackcloth and ashes I L KINGS ABE SOMETIMES THE LEADERS OF TBEm PEOPLE IN em. Surrounded by everything that can minister to selfish gratification, beset by flatterers, possessed in some instances of absolute power, it is not to be wondered at that the occupants of thrones are often the foremost in cruelty, in vice, in self-indulgence. 'l'hey may be to blame, but in a just estimate their perilous circumstances will be considered. Their temptations a.re many, and their faithful friends are few. li. K!NGS ARE .ACCORDINGLY SOMETIMES RESPONSIBLE FOB THE MISERIES OF TREIB SUP.JECTS. When royal ambition has led to culpable warfare and slaughter; when i,cadstrong purposes have issued in national disaster, impoverishment, and disgrace; when luxury in palaces has ent&iled hunger upon the occupants of 'hovels ;-in such cases sovereigns have a terrible account to render to him who is no respecter of persons, who is King of kings a.n<l Lord of lords. IlL KINGS ABE SUITABLY EKPLOYED IN BEADING EVERY ELEVATING AND PROFIT- ABLE HOVEMENT. Happily there are many examples of such conduct 9n the pa.rt of those occupying the very highest stations. Institutions ani agencies for imparting knowledge, for refining life, for relieving sufi'ering, are better deserving the "~atrona.ge" and the attention of royalty than schemes of pleasure or methods of destruction. IV. WREN KINGS AB WELL AS SUBJEOTS HAVE SINNED IT BECOMES ALL TO UlilTlo JN SACBIFICEB OF CONTBITION AND IN vows OF BEFOBHATION. The frank, dignified, right-minded conduct of the King of Nineveh raises him in our esteem. No man is disgraced by admitting hie faults. And every man, even though he be a king, la in his right place when low on his knees in penitence and in prayer.
Vers. 7, 8.-Ceremonial and mural, f'epentam:e. It must have been a striki:ng and picturesque spectacle that was presented by Nineveh when the decree of the king and nobles was carried out when a genera.I fa.et was observed, when sackcloth and ashes were worn by man and beast, and when general prayer ascend~ in a !°ighty cry to Heaven. But to the reflective mind it must have been still more interestmg to observe the population turning from their evil ways and refraining from acts of violence, on. m. 1-10.J THE BOOK OF JONAH. 63