of David, because he scrupulously conformed himself to the theocracy of the Hebrew state."

The successors of David maintained not the true glory of Israel. Solomon perhaps equalled him in intellectual talents, and surpassed him in scientific acquirements; but he had no correct views or suitable feelings of his position as the deputyking of Jehovah, nor had he firmness of purpose to act according to his knowledge of the sacred laws of his nation. He was adorned with every excellence which could, upon the principles of human wisdom, qualify him to shed the brightest lustre on the throne of the mightiest empire. And certainly the worldly glory of the kingdom of Israel, in his day, justly deserved the universal approbation of the wise and rich and powerful. But the standard of glory, erected by human wisdom, is always found subversive of the benevolent designs of the Almighty; for it has never been, and, we conceive, never can be sustained, except at the expense of the moral degeneracy of the higher ranks, and the oppression, poverty, and misery, of all other classes, especially of the industrious and lower ranks, of the community. The grandeur and variety of the pleasures of an oriental court require an immense revenue. And this Solomon could only procure by violating the laws of his country. This conduct alienated from him the hearts of the religious; and the sufferings, which were produced by excessive taxation, predisposed the multitude to reject the royal race of David. Solomon's long reign was comparatively tranquil; owing, probably, to the influence of his father's name, the vastness of his own power, and the illusive splendour covering his throne. But even while encircled with majesty and honour, the sound of the approaching storm, ordained to shake to its foundation the throne of David, was heard in the distance; and perhaps Solomon's sepulchre was not closed on his lifeless body when anarchy and tumult inundated the nation. It was torn in pieces by the dexterous policy of Jeroboam, who acquired a dubious celebrity by founding a new kingdom, and constructing a new system of religion.

His father, Nebat, was dead; his mother was a widow in Ephraim. His powerful talents, more than his birth, may have procured him the favour of Solomon. He received the

appointment of governor of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. By his office he became extensively known, for the Ephraimites were numerous. His power, and the unhappy state of the country, may have led him to show a disposition

to act independent of Solomon, and excite the jealousy of his master. But it is more certain that Solomon had learned that Ahijah had declared to him that he was to be king of the ten tribes. Believing that his life was in danger, the king immediately sought Jeroboam's life, which occasioned his flight into Egypt, where he remained till Rehoboam ascended the throne. He then appeared as the patriot of the nation, and prudently waited till the king had completely destroyed all hope of relief to the nation. Then he found it easy to unite the ten tribes, and prevail on them to form an independent kingdom, and appoint him king over them. He had now every opportunity to rule according to the laws of God; for he was, by the solemn advice of the prophet to Rehoboam, left to enjoy his kingdom in peace. But he despised the will of Heaven, and endeavoured to establish his power by human policy. He ventured not to establish idol-worship, which would have probably roused the indignation of the people; but he formed a system of image-worship, to prevent his subjects from intimate fellowship with Judah, at the temple; and as the priests were hostile to his scheme, he chose "the lowest," properly, a part of the people, not doubtless the least influential part, for he assuredly would adopt every method to increase the power of his government. Thus he was the first ruler in Israel who had established any form of idolatry; and hence he is often referred to as the author of their apostacy. On account of his consummate wickedness, the prophets of God announced to him the utter destruction of his race; and as signs of this, his most beloved son died, and his own hand was suddenly paralysed, and miraculously healed; and, finally, the king was expressed by name who was to expose his whole system to universal contempt; 1 Kings xi. 26—40; xii. ; xiii. ; xiv. 1—20.

Jeroboam had witnessed in Egypt the mighty influence of idolatry over the multitude, and as the first object of his government was to alienate the ten tribes from Judah, he doubtless saw that nothing was more likely to produce this than to present to them a form of religion, which combined all the apparent advantages which they derived from going up to sacrifice at Jerusalem, with all that could fascinate their senses and gratify their appetites and passions. To accomplish these various objects, one cannot, perhaps, conceive any thing more adapted than the ceremonial of image-worship, which Jeroboam established, B. c. 975. To the form of worship at the temple, he added golden statues and splendid temples at

Dan and Bethel, the extremities of his kingdom. Tc assemble in these places was much more convenient than to travel to Jerusalem; and what could any one, not spiritually enlightened, see or enjoy in the latter city, equal in beauty, solemnity, or social delights, to the scenes exhibited in the former cities? From this time, the ten tribes were usually denominated the kingdom of Israel, and two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, who continued faithful to the house of David, were called the kingdom of Judah.

This disjunction of Israel eclipsed the glory of their race. The decline, of which it was a conspicuous sign, progressed more or less rapidly, till Israel ceased to be numbered among the nations. Instead of continuing to unite to witness for the True God, and to enjoy, as one family, the rich blessings of Heaven, they became rival powers; and, each being zealous for its own interests, successive wars prevailed between them, till the ten tribes, who were generally, if not always the ag gressors, were conquered and carried into captivity, about two hundred and fifty-three years from the establishment of their kingdom, B. c. 772; and during this period no less than nineteen kings had reigned over Israel.

Doubtless, their original separation from their brethren was much deplored by every pious and patriotic Israelite. But it must have given rise to grateful and adoring reflection on the goodness of Providence in future ages, for the greater number of the subjects of the Israelitish kingdom proved themselves wholly disqualified to fulfil the great work for which God had chosen their fathers, and exalted them above all nations. Individuals among them, indeed, continued to fear and confess the True God, so as to risk their all for his honour; for their adherence to his institutions brought on them a charge. of disloyalty and treachery. The majority persevered in image-worship, and gradually imported the idols of the surrounding nations. Nor did they thus apostatise from God in consequence of prevailing ignorance. For notwithstanding their rebellion against his government, and their contempt for the noble example of fidelity to him occasionally presented to them by Judah, he suffered long with them, and sent them faithful prophets, such as Jonah, Elijah, Elisha, Amos, and Moses, who braved every danger from the hatred and malice of the royal and priestly power, to reclaim them from error, rescue them from present misery, and save them from impending, total, and irretrievable ruin,--not one of their kings, nor apparently any of their great men, ever repented and returned

to the pure worship of God. They formed the closest alliances with idolatrous kingdoms; and some of them put forth their energies to destroy Judah, and, with that kingdom, to extirpate the true religion from the earth.

Ahaz exceeded all his predecessors in wickedness; and under the influence of his idolatrous queen, the worship of strange gods became universal. Jehu produced a temporary reform; but the nation was not reclaimed. They ceased to be witnesses for the True God, and therefore their destruction was inevitable.

During the period of the long-suffering of Jehovah towards the kings of Israel and Judah, several events transpired strikingly illustrative of the holiness and justice of his administration. From the relative position and connexion of these kingdoms, some of these events strongly and almost equally affected both kingdoms.

To obtain as distinct an apprehension as possible of those events, we shall first advert to those which appear to have had the greatest influence on the destiny of the Ten Tribes. Jeroboam was fully occupied all his reign in the employment of every means which he conceived suited to secure his kingdom against any attack from Judah. Many of his subjects abhorred the idolatrous system which his crooked policy imposed on them. All the tribe of Levi who resided in the regions seized by Jeroboam, with multitudes belonging to other tribes, fled to their brethren in Judah, and greatly augmented the power of Rehoboam; 2 Chron. xi. 13-17. In consequence of the increased population and strength of the kingdom of Judah, Abijah the son and successor of Rehoboam believed himself sufficiently powerful to recover the revolted tribes. Accordingly he commenced his reign by leading an immense army against Jeroboam. Though he failed in his object, yet by a complete victory, in which half a million of the Ten Tribes were slain, the power of Jeroboam was broken, and his son and successor, and all his family, were put to death by Baasha, an Issacharite, who took possession of the throne of Israel. This usurper supported the state religion of Jeroboam, and left the faithful no hope of reformation, which induced a great number of the Israelites to join their brethren in Judah, who were happy under the pious king Asa. Contentions for the throne, anarchy, and tumults prevailed several years in Israel, till Omri, one of the generals, overcame every competitor, and built for his capital the beautiful and strong city of Samaria. His son

Ahab apparently strengthened his kingdom by marrying Jezebel, the infamous daughter of the king of Zidon. Completely governed by her, he sold himself to commit all iniquity. He introduced the most abominable form of idol worship, trampled on the liberty, and disregarded the welfare of the people. In his reign the most wonderful condescension and boundless power of God were manifested by the ministry of the great reformer Elijah the prophet; and it was doubtless for the confirmation of his mission that God granted Ahab a most unexpected and great victory over Syria, and afterwards a still more signal deliverance to his people, by relieving them at once from famine and the overwhelming power of the Syrians, who besieged Samaria; but instead of acknowledging the True God, he meanly sought the friendship of the defeated and idolatrous king. This was followed by the murder of righteous Naboth, who was condemned under the most hypocritical form of piety and justice ever exhibited in any nation. This brought his affairs in relation to God, who claimed the especial sovereignty of Israel as well as Judah, to a crisis; Jehovah immediately commissioned Elijah to predict the most tremendous judgment on Ahab and his house. The king, deeply affected, gave public evidence of repentance of his sin; and this gave occasion to the manifestation of Jehovah's love and righteousness, and delight to exercise long-suffering and mercy; for, notwithstanding the defective nature of Ahab's penitence, the extreme degradation and misery threatened were not inflicted in his day. The awful words of Elijah were literally and fearfully confirmed by the fierce and sanguinary Jehu, who ascended the throne of Israel through the blood of his sovereign and of all the royal race, and of forty princes of the kingdom of Judah.

Notwithstanding the imperfection of Jehu's reformation, the righteous Sovereign of Israel and Judah publicly declared that it was His pleasure that the usurper should possess the throne of Israel to the fourth generation. Jehu's grandson, Jeroboam II. more than restored the kingdom to its pristine glory. He was stimulated to all that was good by the prophets Jonah and Hosea. He captured Damascus and Hamath, and acquired all the regions which Israel had formerly possessed, east of the Jordan, from Hamath to the Dead Sea. The decline of Israel was rapid from the succession of Zechariah, son of Jeroboam, to the throne. He was assassinated by Shallum, a servant in the palace, who, after reigning one month, was slain by Menahem, the commander of the troops