at least, the comfortable assurance of it. Hence, when death came suddenly before him, Satan embracing the occasion to assault him with temptation, his mind was upset. He was afraid he should never see the Lord in the land of the living; and he was unable to realise any degree of peace or comfort, till the Lord removed the cloud, renewed the tokens of his love, and enabled him to rejoice in his salvation. (Is. xxxviii. 17.)

May not this be a common case? May there not be many professing Christians who may, perhaps, be in a state of real acceptance with God, through faith in Jesus Christ; but who do not live in the comfortable enjoyment of it? The object of faith is strictly regarded; but the state of the heart is overlooked. Hezekiah had been much occupied in national matters and public reformation. Perhaps he had little time to think of his

the greatest deliverances be forgotten! How easily may the heart be puffed up with pride! A little congratulation from neighbours, or friends, elates the mind; and we begin to speak and act as if we had lost our dependence on the Lord, or were no longer poor and miserable sinners. The latter part of this chapter shews our corruptions in another light. It ought to lead us all to pray, Lord, keep us from our own evil hearts, as well as from all sin and temptation. Whenever we are led to cherish complacent views of ourselves; or make vainglorious displays of our attainments, possessions, or abilities; we may be sure of incurring the Divine rebuke; and it will be well, if we do not go down mourning to our grave, and others feel the effects of our folly, after we are gone to our final rest (v. 12—21).

CHAPTER XXI.

1 Manasseh's reign. 3 His great idolatry. 10 His wickedness causeth prophecies against Judah. 17 Amon succeedeth him. 19 Amon's wicked reign. 23 He being slain by his servants, and those murderers slain by the people, Josiah is mude king.

ANASSEH was twelve years old when

and all who are engaged in imparting instruction to others, may be so fully engaged therein as, in a great measure, to overlook themselves. Were a similar message to come from God to such persons, as it did to Hezekiah, it is much to be feared, that they would be greatly distressed as he was, and for the same reason. True faith is essential for safety; but lively faith, and assured faith, is absolutely requisite for comfort and peace.

Learn, also, another fact. Distress of mind will not ease it. Tears may be a relief; but they will not wash away trouble. Prayer is a precious privilege; but it will not remove the cloud. Conscious uprightness and devotedness to the Lord are great blessings; but they will not restore peace to the mourners. All these are lovely in their places; but they are not saviours. They are nothing to trust in. When the Lord, in love to your soul, casts all your sins behind his back, then the trouble is gone; peace shines in upon the heart; and you will then be able to realise his love, and to rejoice in his salvation. But, alas! how soon may

and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 And he built altars in the house of the

LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to

anger.

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7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have

chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.

9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the the children of Israel.

10 ¶ And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,

11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

3 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, 'wiping it, and turning it upside down.

14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;

15 Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem 'from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. 17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

19 ¶ Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.

20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.

21 And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:

22 And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.

23 ¶ And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.

24 And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.

(1) Heb. he wipeth and turneth it upon the face thereof.
(2) Heb. from mouth to mouth.

THIS chapter relates the reign of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah; his great impiety; the message the Lord sent him; his death; and the wicked reign and awful end of Amon, his successor.

How many strange things do these sacred records bring to light! That wicked man, Ahaz, had that godly son, Hezekiah! That holy man, Hezekiah, had this wicked son, Manasseh! What crosses and vicissitudes do we thus see in families and nations! Grace passes over all natural bonds. It is neither restrained in its operations by the wickedness of parents; nor insured by their piety to their future offspring. It is always a free gift, wherever bestowed. It is never of "him that willeth; nor of him that runneth; but always of God that sheweth mercy." (Rom. ix. 16.) The worst of sinners are often found in the best of families; and the best of saints often spring from the most wicked parents; and we can only say, "Even sight." (Matt. xi. 26.) so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy

The wickedness of some persons becomes exceedingly aggravated, when acting in opposition to the godly instructions which they have received. No doubt Manasseh had been taught, by his godly father, in the fear of the Lord; but his future conduct was in direct opposition to those godly admonitions. He sinned, therefore, against light, knowledge, warnings, admonitions, example, and every sacred motive and principle, which ought to have had a holy influence on his

heart and life. But he burst through all restraint; and seemed madly bent on his ruin. Are you like him? Are you sinning as Manasseh did? Forgetting all you have been taught, despising all your godly instructions, are you casting the fear of God behind your back? How great must be your guilt; and how aggravated will be your condemnation if you continue in this course! The extent to which some are permitted to proceed in sin and rebellion against God is truly astonishing. This man not only did evil in the sight of the Lord; but he seemed resolved to do so; he took delight in doing so. His object appears to have been, to undo all the good his father had done; and to exceed in impiety all who had ever been before him, as his father's godliness exceeded all others since the days of David. Every thing that was vile and abominable he did. A most determined idolater; a most abandoned dealer with sorcery and familiar spirits; a most bloody and murderous persecutor; the voice of his crimes, and the blood he had shed, cried aloud to the heavens. Why did the Lord permit such a man to live? Why did he not cut him off at once; and make him a signal monument of his high displeasure? We might ask, also, another question, Can such a sinner as this be saved? Can such sins as these be pardoned? In another place, and in due time, we shall find the answer to be given to these inquiries. Here let it be only observed, that "nothing is impossible with God;" that "the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse from all sin;" and that "whosoever believeth on him shall be saved." (Matt. ix. 26; 1 John i. 7; John iii. 16.) But, let no one trifle with God. Such a message as the Lord sent this man, is enough 1 to alarm the stoutest heart. When the Lord declared he would "wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down" (v. 13), it was a plain indication that, whatever mercy may be in store, there are sore and heavy judgments reserved for the wicked, both in this world, and that which is to come. Let all, then, awake. Let all consider and repent. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the

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OSIAH was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

3¶ And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,

4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the 'door have gathered of the people:

5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,

6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

8¶ And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the

work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.

10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

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12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,

13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

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15¶ And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard:

19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine shall eyes not see all the evil which I will bring upon

ANOTHER excellent character is brought before us in this chapter. It is that of Josiah, the youthful and godly king of Judah; in reference to whom many things are recorded, and many observations are to be made.

First, we observe that the grace of God, in its saving distribution, is neither hindered in its being given to children by the wickedness of their parents, on the one hand; nor is it perpetuated in families, from generation to generation, by the piety of parents, on the other. Wicked Ahaz had godly Hezekiah. Godly Hezekiah had wicked Manasseh. He had wicked Amon; and wicked Amon had the young and godly Josiah. Now, if these facts tend to suppress pride, or, at least, to moderate undue expectations; they are, also, most certainly adapted to check despair, and to encourage the most animating hope. In the grant of divine grace, God is under no obligation to any man, why he should give it. By the same principle, since it is his own free gift, he may bestow that blessing where, and on whom, he pleases; and when he gives that blessing, it is always effectual for the purpose designed. We know but little of the character of God, in the exercise of his infinite mercy and love, or of the mode of his dealings with men in the riches of his favours, unless we have been brought clearly to perceive, and cordially to confess, that the salvation of the soul, wherever it takes place, is altogether of the free grace of God; in respect of which, the last often prove to be first, and the first are as often found to be last. (Matt. xix. 30.)

Next, let us remark Josiah's early piety. He was but eight years old when he began to reign. But he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. in the sight of the Lord. He walked in all the way of David his father. He turned not aside to the right hand, or to the left (v. 1,2). What a high commendation is this? How few are like Josiah! How few young persons really fear the Lord! Few of any class of society. Still smaller is that number the higher you ascend the scale. Least of all,