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exact predictions of the leading circumstances of our Redeemer's sufferings on earth, that those compositions carry with them the appearance of historical narration, rather than of prophecy."

David affords another strong proof that the gift of the Spirit does not destroy free agency, nor render him upon whom it has been poured, incapable of transgressing against GOD. For David did evil in the sight of the Lord, in procuring the death of Uriah', and Satan was permitted to provoke him to disobey the commandment of the Lords.

Solomon, who succeeded David his father, was also "king over all Israel." He built the temple according to the directions which David had given him". And GoD appeared unto him in a dream by night, and said, "Ask what I shall give thee"." And Solomon said, "Give thy servant an understanding heart, to judge my people, that I may discern between good and bad" And GoD said, "Behold, I have done according to thy word; lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto theey." So "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding

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much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore." Nevertheless "it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his GOD, as was the heart of David his father; and Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord a.” He that had raised a magnificent temple to the Lord GOD, "did build an high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the hill before Jerusalem; and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon "."

Thus the understanding to "discern between good and bad," did not secure Solomon from transgressing against GOD. Like Adam, he had obtained the knowledge of good and evil; but, as a descendant of Adam, as an inheritor of the frailty and weakness of the flesh, he was not able, in every instance, to " eschew evil and do good." Solomon, then, affords a striking example of the insufficiency of human wisdom to attain to the law of righteousness.

"Wherefore the Lord GOD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to

1 Kings, iv. 29. • 1 Kings, xi. 4–– 8. ↳ 1 Kings, xi. 7.

1 Peter, iii. 11. d Rom. ix. 31.

thy servant. Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake; but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit, I will not rend away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosene." And the prophet Ahijah said to Jeroboam, "Thus saith the Lord, the GOD of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee; but he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israelf." Accordingly, after the death of Solomon, ten of the tribes of Israel said, "What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! now see to thine own house, David §." "So Israel rebelled against the house of David"," "there was none that followed the house of David, save the tribe of Judah onlyi.”.

Thus Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, reigned in Judah and Benjamin; and Jeroboam was king over the ten other tribes'. Thus the children of Israel were divided into two kingdoms. The kingdom of the ten tribes (which was

* 1 Kings, xi. 11—13.
1 Kings, xi. 31, 32.
* 1 Kings, xii. 16.

i 1 Kings, xii. 20.

* 1 Kings, xii. 23.

1 1 Kings, xii. 20.

called the kingdom of Israel), after having continued a distinct kingdom during a period of 254 years, under a succession of kings, all of whom?" did evil" in the sight of the Lord, was carried away captive, by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, into his own country, whence they never returned; nor is any thing further known respecting them or their descendants. "The Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight, there was none left but the tribe of Judah only." "So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria, to this days."

Judah continued a distinct kingdom (from the time of its separation from the ten other tribes which constituted the kingdom of Israel) until 115 years after the destruction of this latter kingdom, when it became subject to Ne buchadnezzar king of Babylont. And, in a few years afterward, Nebuchadnezzar again besieged Jerusalem, and carried out the inhabitants and the treasures, leaving only "the poorest sort of the people of the land "." And, in nine years afterward, he again besieged the city and took it, and he put out the eyes of

▸ 1 Kings, xiii. 33; xiv. 9; xv. 26, 34; xvi. 13, 25, 30; xxii. 52. 2 Kings, iii. 2; x. 29, 31; xiii. 2, 11; xiv. 24; xv. 9, 18, 24, 28; xvii. 2.

92 Kings, xvii. 3—6.

2 Kings, xvii. 18. • 2 Kings, xvii. 23. * 2 Kings, xxiv. 12.

" 2 Kings, xxiv. 11–14.

Zedekiah the king, and carried him away captive". "And all the vessels of the house of GOD, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and of the princes; all these he brought to Babylon. And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia." "So Judah was carried away

out of their land"."

The kings of Judah had (with a few splendid exceptions2) "done evil" in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord had said, "I will remove Judah also out of my sight as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem, which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there b."

Still, while the kingdom of Judah continued, the ordinances of the Mosaic law were observed

2 Kings, xxv. 1–7.

* 2 Chr. xxxvi. 18-20.

2 Kings, xxv. 9—17.

y 2 Kings, xxv. 21.

* 1 Kings, xv. 11, 14; xxii. 43. 2 Kings, xiv. 3; xv. 3;

xviii. 3; xxii. 2.

a 1 Kings, xii. 28; xv. 3. 2 Kings, viii. 18, 27; xiii. 2; xv. 9; xvi. 2—4; xxi. 2, 21; xxiii. 32, 37; xxiv. 9, 19. b2 Kings, xxiii. 27.

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