word of the Lord, by the mouth of his prophet, executed in the most awful manner, upon this very wicked, and wretched woman; namely, That in the portion of Jezreel, in that part where Naboth's vineyard was, shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel.

And moreover, we further read that, after the defeat and slaughter of the two kings, the son and grandson of Ahab; and the degrading death of the detestable queenmother, Jezebel; king Jehu sent, and had the heads of seventy other sons of Ahab, which lived in Samaria, cut off, and brought to him in baskets in Jezreel. And likewise that, when he soon after went down from Jezreel into Samaria himself, he slew two and forty more grandsons, or near kin, of Ahab, at the pit of the shearing-house. Thus was the tremendous prediction, pronounced by the prophet Elijah, upon the house of Ahab, upon both root and branch, for their great wickedness; and especially for the murder of the pious Naboth, his poor neighbour, and the taking away of his little vineyard, to which he was stirred up by his wife Jezebel; most strictly and awfully consummated.

REFLECTIONS.

1. Although we read, that king Ahab had made himself an ivory house, and had built many cities, and had other and better vineyards, he yet coveted the one poor little paternal vineyard of his neighbour Naboth, for a garden of herbs, because it was near his palace. And when he could not buy it, he was willing to murder his neighbour, to obtain it. Such, and so awful, is the end of unrestrained covetousness.

2. Naboth had been very happy in his little vineyard, and probably did not covet the king's royal gardens, or palaces. But the position of it proved fatal to his peace, and even to his life. If it had been in some obscure place, it had doubtless been uncoveted, and he had lived long to enjoy it. So little do we know what it is best for us to have So dangerous is it often, to be too near to great

neighbours. And so, frequently, do a man's possessions prove a snare unto him.

3. We should feel humbled, when we perceive the wickedness that is committed under the name of religion. A fast was proclaimed, and a mock trial was instituted, to cover a most barbarous plot against an innocent man. But fasting and prayer are not unholy, because thus abusNor is innocence less innocent, because thus in

ed.

jured.

4. Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? Thus are God's ministers deemed enemies for telling the truth. Nevertheless, with a resolution as high as heaven, and a pang of seraphic zeal,' they must not hold back, when God commands. And thus will the judgments of God ever follow after the sinner. If they do not speedily come, or even should they never come in this world, yet in another world, will a man's own conscience be constrained to say, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?

5. How easily can God turn our comforts into torments. What is gotten by sin, cannot satisfy. Ahab had no sooner gotten his vineyard, and gone down to view it, and trim it, and enjoy it, than down comes that hated Tishbite with his startling, I have found thee; and his appalling prediction. And this was but the beginning of his

sorrows.

be an

6. We are taught by this history, that there may outward show of repentance, without an inward, abiding sincerity. There may be a rending of the garments, a putting on of sackcloth, a sitting in the dust, and walking softly, without a humbled and renewed heart. God is pleased even with a temporary, partial penitence, rather than none; but it is only the genuine, and radical penitent, that will escape not only temporal, but eternal punishments.

7. Not one word of the Lord shall fall to the ground. His judgments fail not. The threatenings, which were long delayed, were all fulfilled upon the house of Ahab. The dogs licked the blood of Ahab. The dogs ate the mangled limbs of Jezebel. God remembered the little vineyard of poor murdered Naboth. And he will remember our sins. The miserable end of the wretched Jeze

bel is very affecting. Proud, and voluptuous, and cruel, and idolatrous, and a king's daughter, and a king's wife also; she was pitched out of the window upon the wall by her own servants, trodden under foot by the horses of Jehu, and so garbled by the dogs, that no one could know her to say, This is Jezebel. Thus ever will the enemies of God perish, and their memories shall rot.

8. Women and Wives should here take careful warning, from the example of this wicked queen, Jezebel. Before this domestic murder of Naboth, this cursed woman, as she is called by Jehu, who lived through three reigns, had introduced idolatry; had slain the Lord's prophets; and stirred up the heart of her husband, and her sons, to do wickedly. But her day came at last. And even a false, and seducing prophetess was afterwards called by her name; and, like her, received a fearful ruin, as we read in the Apocalypse. Let then all wives hence

learn, not to stir up their husbands to do wickedly, lest some Jehu of the Lord be sent to drive furiously his judgments against them, as he did against that wretched woman, Jezebel.

9. We learn, how soon the most secure, and numerous families may be cut off, by the judgments of God. In a moment, as it were, the seventy sons, and two and forty grandsons, of Ahab, had their heads in the baskets, and their bodies in the shearing-house pit, by the furious energy of the Lord's avenger, Jehu, when they saw no danger. Thus, in the midst of life, are men in death; and therefore should men be always ready.

10. We should learn, from the character of Jehu, to have our zeal according to knowledge. Jehu had zeal, but he had also much falsehood and fraud joined with it; and he retained his favourite idolatry. And his, Come, see my zeal, neutralized the whole. Thus should we guard against a partial subjection to God; and not think, because we perform some religious duties, that we may neglect others, which are less agreeable; if we would hope for the rewards, not merely of a partial, but of a universal obedience.

WHEN We look out into the world, does not the eye perceive, does not the heart feel, that the Lord is good to all the creatures he hath made; to the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, the herds on the hills, and the insects in the breeze; to every living thing that walks upon this beautiful green earth, swims within the cool dark waters, or flies beneath the warm blue sky?

But it will be my present purpose to prove, principally from Scripture, that the Lord is particularly good to Mankind. Wherever we turn our view, whether up to the influences of the heavens, or down to the issues of the earth; whether into far distant lands, or abroad on the ocean; over the busy scenes of life, or into the domestic circle all proves, that whatever may be the character of man, whether holy or unholy, grateful or ungrateful, the text ever has been, and is now abundantly true- Thou, Lord, art good.

I. GOD IS GOOD TO MANKIND IN GENERAL. 1. God is good, not to one nation only, not to the crowded and cultivated citizen of London or of Paris, of Pekin or of Rome, merely, is he good; but to the scattered and less refined inhabitants of Kamscatka and the Isles of the Ocean; to the proud princes in the palace and the humble dwellers in the caves, is he alike good. Many, O Lord, cries grateful David, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thoughts which are to us-ward; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee;

if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. And what says God in Jeremiah? I will rejoice over them to do them good. And what says John? The Father himself loveth you. Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. Lord, art good.

And Paul? Surely, Thou,

2. The goodness of God is impartial. God is no respecter of persons. The poor, as well as the rich, have souls equally welcome to be saved, and equally liable to be lost. Whether Jew or Gentile, he is the same Lord, rich unto all that call upon his name. We read that, in a temporal sense, he that gathered much had nothing to spare; and he that gathered little had no lack. Upon the just and the unjust, is sent the former and the latter rain; and seed-time, and harvest, health, friends, and worldly good things happen to all alike. And, in a spiritual sense, to all who will obey the truth, whether Scythian or Barbarian, bond or free, the answer is in Luke, that yet there is room. And in Revelation we read, Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. How different is this, from the goodness of man.

This

3. The goodness of God is unchangeable. goodness does not depend upon any caprice, nor is it liable to be withdrawn. It is not confined to one, or two, or any particular number of years, but is unlimited in all the years of man's pilgrimage. In Isaiah God says, Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. And again, The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. And in Hebrews says God, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. How different is this also, from the goodness of man.

II. THE GOODNESS OF GOD IS MANIFESTED TOWARDS MANKIND, IN PARTICULAR INSTANCES.

1. In forming them for happiness. God was under no obligation to form man for happiness. He was perfectly happy in himself, and the happiness of man could not add to his happiness. But he did thus form man, be