yet in such a way as you confess was the very best for you.

Thus does the experience of believers correspond with the Scripture doctrine; and, comparing both together, may we not well say, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him?" These glorify him as God; these honour Jesus, and use him as a Saviour indeed. How is the truth of Scripture confirmed in every age by experience! See you not, O believers, what the real way of life is? Does not the experience of every step throw stronger light about it? It is the way of humble reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ. Shall not the end be as true as all the introductory steps? Yes, surely. Go on relying on him; and when he shall appear, you shall appear with him in glory. Now you see him not; but he sees you and every one, and is continually dealing out his benefits to all who rely on him. Let experience, then, give hope. By frequent meditation keep him in your eye, in the truth and power of his offices. You must still walk by faith. The time is short: you will soon be called to walk by sight, and enjoy him without a cloud for ever,

Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.

It is to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, that these words are spoken by a prophet of the Lord. It will be proper to consider a littlé the circumstances, as well as the character and conduct, of this prince; which may help us in illustrating, and fixing with some degree of exactness, the duty of godly persons, with respect to their behaviour toward the ungodly. I may then address a few words of application to your consciences.

The fault here found with Jehoshaphat is plainly this, that he too much encouraged, and was too fond of, the society of the ungodly. A really good man may be guilty of this; and Jehoshaphat surely was a really good man. But false professors of religion should take care not to suppose themselves like Jehoshaphat, because they imitate him only in the

worst part of his character. If you will carefully read over the xviith, xviiith, xixth, and xxth chapters of the Second Book of Chronicles, and the iiid chapter of the Second Book of Kings, you may attain a competent knowledge of this prince. It is said of him, that he walked in the first ways of his father David; that he sought the Lord God of his father ; that his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord; that he took much pains to spread the knowledge of true religion among his people, and sent Levites to teach throughout his kingdom. Words can scarcely be strong enough to praise all this, considering the too common conduct of great men, who make the knowledge of God one of the last things they attend to: and God prospered him abundantly.

But there was a dead fly which marred this precious pot of ointment: he joined affinity with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. Certainly it would have been right for Jehoshaphat to have gone so far as to prevent farther shedding of blood. To have put a stop to the destructive wars which formerly had raged between Israel and Judah, and to have kept peace with his neighbour, would have been laudable in all respects, howeyer bad the character of that neighbour was. But he was not content with this: he joined affinity with Ahab, and married his son Jehoram to Athaliah the daughter of Ahab he went down to visit, also, that idolatrous king, and suffered himself to be pre

vailed on to join with him in a military expedition against the Syrians, and was in that battle in which Ahab was slain. The Lord gave him some warning here of his displeasure, by exposing him to imminent danger of his life. Being encompassed with enemies, he cried out; and the Lord helped him, and God moved them to depart from him: perceiving him to be not the king of Israel, they left him. How awkward, and out of his element, does this pious king appear in this bad company! Yet, as a real lover of the Lord, he cannot but shew his true character in Ahab's presence: "Inquire," says he, "I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to-day." Ahab is complaisant enough to send for his prophets, four hundred men, who all encourage the expedition. Such is the extreme difference between those who are led by the Spirit of God and men of this world, that even when the latter want to oblige the former by paying some attention to religion, they know not how to do it. Jehoshaphat wanted to have some religion: Ahab will give it him, and in large quantity; four hundred prophets! but not a true one among them. Jehoshaphat is not satisfied. "Is there not here," says he,

"a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?" Ahab owns there is one Micaiah: "but I hate him; for he never prophesies good unto me, but always evil.” There is the same sort of hatred in all ages. The unconverted still think godliness to be

harsh, gloomy, melancholy: therefore numbers flee from the sound of it, as a plague; and those that hear it are willing to harden their hearts, that they may not submit to it. It is not possible to be faithful and agreeable to you, O unconverted men, at the same time. You need a Divine change: you wish to continue as you are: you must undergo the pain of conversion, if ever you be saved. Jehoshaphat shews himself in a beautiful light by answering, "Let not the king say so."

There seems in all this business something like an attempt to mix together things that cannot incorporate. The world would often wish godly men to be as they are, and to have intimacies kept up between them, that so the distinction between them might be lost; but the effect of this would be, that godliness itself would be lost if this prevailed. It is the will of God that his people should be a distinct and separate people; that others may take notice and learn from them, and that God may be glorified, and his truth and wisdom be seen and honoured among men. At the last day the distinction will be complete, final, and everlasting. As different as heaven is from hell, as distinct as the sound, Come, ye blessed," is from "Depart, ye cursed," such is the real difference of character between the godly and ungodly. How wrong, then, to think of their being united!

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Ahab carries his complaisance so far as to send