come. The day of judgment is emphatically called, "the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God." Then shall every thing be taken into consideration, either to extenuate or aggravate our crimes: "The servant that knew his lord's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; whilst the more ignorant transgressor shall be beaten with few." Every one's "end will be according to his works:" he will be weighed in a perfect balance, and will "receive according to that he hath done in the body, whether it be good or evil." His views, his motives, his principles will all be judged: "God will make manifest the counsels of his heart:" and every one shall be constrained to confess that his doom is just

Let us then LEARN from this subject,

1. To be candid in judging others

[A person looking only superficially at this history would be ready to condemn both David and Solomon for their conduct but when we view their situation, and enter properly into their motives, we are constrained to approve it. Thus it must often happen. We see an action, but we do not exactly enter into all the circumstances that gave it birth: and therefore we judge erroneously respecting it. But we should leave all judgment to the Lord, who alone is able to decide on the motives and principles from which it springs. We must indeed of necessity pass judgment in many cases, where the crimes are so glaring that they cannot possibly be mistaken: but where there is the least ground for favourable interpretation, we should exercise that "charity which hopeth all things and believeth all things." That rule cannot be too strictly attended to, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."]

2. To be severe in judging ourselves—

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[Here we are in little danger of excess. A person gloomy disposition may indeed write bitter things against himself without occasion; but, in general, self-love will lead us rather to extenuate every thing that is amiss, and to justify many things which God will condemn. Let us remember, therefore, that God will not accommodate his judgment to ours: "he will judge righteous judgment:" to him all things are naked and open:" "his eyes are as a flame of fire," that will search the inmost recesses of the heart, and try every disposition of the mind. Let us endeavour to bear in mind, that his eye is over us; and let us strive to walk as in his immediate presence. And let our every act and word and thought be regulated by the consideration, that the hour is quickly coming, when every the minutest circumstance of our lives will be brought to light, and our eternal state be fixed by a righteous and unerring God.]

CCCXXX.

SOLOMON'S CHOICE.

1 Kings iii. 11-13. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment: behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

SUCH is the condescension of Almighty God, that he not only conversed familiarly with man in a state of innocence, but even in his fallen state has talked with him as a man talketh with his friend. So free was the intercourse which he maintained with Abraham, that that patriarch was "called the friend of God." With Solomon too his communications were most familiar, as the instance recorded in our text will evince. Solomon, after he was seated on the throne of David his father, offered a thousand burntofferings at Gibeon, where God's principal altar was, previous to the building of the temple. After that pious work was performed, God visited him, and revealed himself to him in a dream or vision, and bade him ask any blessing that he chose; assuring him that it should certainly be granted. Solomon accepted the offer, and made known to God the request contained in our text.

Let us consider,

I. The choice of Solomon

His request was for a more abundant measure of wisdom

[In this request, he desired intellectual wisdom, whereby he might be fitted for all the duties and services of his high station. He was conscious, that, without this, he should but ill discharge the office to which God in his providence had called him. He felt the awful responsibility attached to the

office of a monarch; and he longed to approve himself both able and faithful in the execution of his trust.

But it is evident that he desired spiritual wisdom also; for he wanted "to discern in all things between good and bad," which he could not do without a clear discovery of the Law, which is the only true test of good and evil.

Now this was a wise choice. He might, as God tells him, have asked for riches, or honour, or power over his enemies: but he felt that none of those things could make him happy, or render those happy who were committed to his care. Indeed we need only look at those who have been most famed for their conquests, and we shall find, that no acquisitions of wealth or territory could satisfy them; and that they have been no less a curse to the people they governed, than to those whom they endeavoured to subdue; since they sought only to gratify their own ambition at the expense of those, whose welfare they should have solely regarded. But without extending our views to them, we need only look within the narrow circle of our own acquaintance, and we shall see, that wisdom conduces more to the happiness of men, than all other things whatever. See the man that is enabled to conduct himself well in the most arduous affairs of life, how happy does he make all who are connected with him; especially, if he be endued with spiritual wisdom also, so as to have a spiritual discernment in every thing relating to God and man! What a light then shines around him; and what blessings does he communicate wherever he comes! Compare such an one with the great, the rich, the mighty, and he will be found far happier than them all.

This choice moreover was approved of God himself, who not only commended it as wise, but honoured it with a rich reward; giving him in a very abundant measure the blessing he desired, and bestowing on him also those minor blessings which he had forborne to ask.]

From this brief view of Solomon's choice we may easily collect,

II. The instruction to be gathered from it—

It clearly shews,

1. That an ability to discharge our duty aright is the most desirable of all blessings

[In whatever line of life we be, this will be found a truth. Persons in higher life may, if truly gracious, do extensive good: but wealth and power are abused, so as rather to diminish than augment the happiness of those who are within the sphere of their influence. Besides, in many cases, wealth and power can

a 1 Kings iv. 29–31.

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do no good at all; whereas wisdom is serviceable in every situation in which we can be placed; nor is there a man existing who may not be benefited by the possessor of it. Wisdom, we are told, "is profitable to direct:" and whilst it regulates the motions of others, it will enable a man to “ guide his own affairs with discretion," and to "walk wisely before God in a perfect way."

Need I say from how many difficulties and evils it will keep a man; or what peace and joy it will bring into the soul? Truly, as in the want of this not all the world can give any permanent satisfaction, so, in the absence of all other things, this will afford the richest comfort and support. We may well therefore say, that nothing in the universe is to be compared to it. Would to God that the rich and great in every place made it, in the days of youth too, the one object of their pursuit!]

2. That it is the gift of God alone

[Education will improve our talents; but it will never confer solid wisdom: that" cometh from aboved." We may go to every creature in the universe, and they will all give us the same answer, "It is not in me; it is not in mee." The man famed for wisdom almost as much as Solomon himself', has directed us to God as the only true source of all wisdom. We must seek it therefore, not by study only, but by prayer; for "it is God that giveth wisdom; and out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understandingh." If any man could have derived it from any other source, surely Solomon might; seeing that he was naturally possessed of strong mental powers, and had the advantage of being instructed by the most pious and experienced of kings. But he felt that none but God could open the eyes of his understanding, or enrich him with that spiritual knowledge, which alone could qualify him for the discharge of his high office.]

3. That where a desire after it is supreme in the soul, God will signally honour and bless us

[The desire after wisdom ought to be so predominant in the soul as to have no rival there: if it be not supremely coveted, the desire after it is not sincere. But where it is really sought as the supreme good, there God promises that he will grant it, yea and liberally too, if we come to him in faith, and ask it at his hands'. To desire this is the best way of obtaining

b Ps. ci. 2.

c Prov. iii. 13-18.

d Jam. i. 17.

e See that eloquent passage, Job xxviii. 12-23.

f Ezek. xxviii. 3.

8 Dan. ii. 20, 21.

i Jam. i. 5. Eph. iii. 20.

h Prov. ii. 1—6.

other blessings in the measure that is good for us: for God promises, that, if we "seek spiritual blessings first, all other things shall be added unto usk" We are far from saying, that other things are not to be sought at all; we only say, that they must be regarded as altogether subordinate to spiritual blessings, and be valued only as they may be subservient to the advancing of God's honour and the good of mankind. In this view, riches, honour, and power may be desired; but in comparison of true wisdom, they must be regarded only as the small dust upon the balance.]

ADDRESS,

1. Those who are ambitious of earthly honours— [Think but how speedily they will vanish, and you will raise your ambition to that which shall endure for ever1—

2. Those who desire the approbation of their God

[God makes the same offer to you that he did to Solomon. Let your choice then be the same as his: and seek it with all the ardour and earnestness it deserves"———]

k Matt. vi. 33.

1 Ps. xc. 12.

m John xiv. 13, 14. and xvi. 23, 24.

n Prov. iv. 5-7.

CCCXXXI.

THE STILLNESS WITH WHICH THE TEMPLE WAS BUILT.

1 Kings vi. 7. And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building.

NEVER was there upon the face of the globe a building, that in point of elegance or grandeur could be compared with the temple of Solomon. It had been the desire of David to erect it; but he was forbidden of God to do so, because he had been engaged in many wars, and had shed much blood. God however approved of his desire, and told him, that his son should have the honour which was denied to him. Nevertheless David began immediately to make preparations for the building; and Solomon in three years after he came to the throne was ready to begin the work; which in somewhat more than