rate in the confirmation of prophecy. For till he received this information, he had no recollection of the fentence pronounced against her. Then indeed it recurred on his mind. "They came

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again, and told him and he faid, This is the "word of the LORD, which he spake by his fer"vant Elijah the Tifhbite, faying, In the portion "of Jezreel fhall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel : "and the carcafe of Jezebel fhall be as dung up"on the face of the field, in the portion of Jezreel, "fo that they shall not fay, This is Jezebel." As little was it from any preconcerted defign on the part of Jehu, that the defcendants of Ahab were killed in the very place where the blood of Naboth had been wickedly fhed. "Joram king of “Ifrael, and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, "each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite." It is remarkable indeed, that the vengeance threatened was brought on the houfe of Ahab, at the very time that the king of Judah was on a vifit to Jeroboam; that he might partake of the punishment, as being a defcendant of the wicked Ahab. Joram, having been wounded in battle against the Syrians at Ramah, it was providentially ordered that he fhould go to Jezreel, rather than to Samaria, to be healed of his wounds. Thither, his coufin Ahaziah had come to fee him, because he was wounded!. There is no evidence that Jehu fixed on this time, from a wish to include the king of Judah in the punish

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2 Kings ix, 30.-36. k2 Kings ix. 21.

ment

1 2 Kings viii. 29.

ment of the houfe of Ahab. It does not even appear, that Jehu knew of Ahaziah's being then at Jezreel. But all was the refult of the immutable purpose of God, and accomplished by a wonderful operation of his Providence. "The deftruction

"of Ahaziah was of God, by coming to Joram: "for, when he was come, he went out with Je"horam against Jehu the fon of Nimfhi, whom "the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of "Ahab m." In like manner, it was the will of God, that the fons of his brethren, to the number of forty-two, fhould come from Jerufalem to Samaria, at this very time, on a vifit to the children. of Ahab, who refided there, that they might be included in the common fate of that devoted family ".

VIII. I fhall only add, that the truth of what we have afferted appears from thofe events which are of a contingent nature. Events may be called fortuitous or contingent with refpect to men, as not being influenced by human forefight, or depending on fuch an operation of fecondary caufes that the refult can be matter of rational expectation. But none of these can be viewed as contin

gent with refpect to God. As they are all certainly foreknown to him, they are all difpofed and directed by his Providence. Although the iffue of the lot, if fairly managed, depends not on human skill, and lies beyond the reach of human forefight; yet we have various inftances of its

T3

being

m 2 Chron. xxii. 7.

n 2 Kings x. 11.-14.; 2 Chron. xxi. 17.

being fo regulated by God, as clearly to declare his overruling providence, and to proclaim his will as in the cafe of Achan, of Saul P, of Jonathan, and of Jonah'. The unnatural fons of Jacob had formed no fixed plan as to the manner in which they were to difpofe of their brother Jofeph. His being fold, rather than fuffered to perish in a pit, was a mere contingency to them. Not lefs fo was the appearance of the Ifhmaelites at this time. Of the fame nature was the circumftance of his becoming the flave of Potiphar. But although these things were contingent to them, they were neceffary according to the eternal purpose; and all managed, as we have already feen, by a particular providence. Ahab received his death entirely in a fortuitous way, as far as man was concerned. But, as was foretold by Micaiah, it was the decree of the Most High that he fhould fall that day. He ufed every precaution for the preservation of his life. He disguised himfelf, that he might be unknown in battle; while he ungenerously afked of Jehofhaphat to appear in his royal apparel, and thus expofe himself to the danger he wished to avoid. He alfo entered the field in complete armour. The thirty-two Syrian captains, at the command of their fovereign, employed the utmoft diligence to discover Ahab ; but, as would appear, in vain. "A certain man,' however, "drew a bow at a venture, and fmote "the king of Ifrael between the joints of the har"nefs."

p Josh. vii. 16.-18. Jonah i. 7.

p 1 Sam. x. 23.

q 1 Sam. xiv. 42.

" nefs." There is no evidence that this was one of the captains, appointed to fearch for Ahab. This archer shot without any particular aim. For he "drew a bow in his fimplicity," as the words literally fignify, having no apprehenfion that he would hit the king of Ifrael. But the arrow was directed by the divine hand, to the very fpot in Ahab's armour by which an arrow might enter, and where he might receive a mortal wound.

The doctrine of a particular providence is fraught with confolation. What reafon have we to rejoice, that nothing in our lot can be the effect of mere chance; that every thing which befals us "cometh from the LORD, who is wonder❝ful in counfel, and excellent in working ;" and that even those events which may be accidental to us, are all the effect of infinite wisdom, and produced by the unerring operation of almighty power!

Let us ftill regard and acknowledge the operation of his hand. Do we enjoy profperity? Let us remember, that it is God alone who maketh rich or great. Are we vifited with adverfity? We may derive comfort from this confideration, that "affliction rifeth not out of the ground, and "that trouble springeth not from the duft." Are we indebted to any of our fellow men as benefactors? Let us not return ingratitude for their kindness. But, least of all, let us forget the God of our mercy. Well may we imitate the conduct T 4

of

1 Kings xxii. 34.

of Ezra, who, while he acknowledged the kindnefs of Artaxerxes, efpecially remarked the divine hand; faying, "Bleffed be the LORD God "of our fathers, who hath put fuch a thing as this in the king's heart." Do we fuffer unjustly from others? Although we have given them no provocation, we may well fay, "Is there "not a caufe?" Have we not, times and ways without number, provoked that juft and holy God, who has an indifputable right to employ whom he will as the inftruments of his difpleafure? Let us imitate the conduct of David, who, when Shimei the Benjamite reviled and curfed him without a just reafon, faid to thofe who were eager to take vengeance on this worthlefs man, "Let him "alone, and let him curfe; for the LORD hath "bidden him "."

Juftly mayeft thou, O Chriftian, take comfort from this precious doctrine. That God, in whom "all live, and are moved, and have their being," who "giveth life, and breath, and all things," is thy God. Thou art not only, in common with others, under the direction of a particular providence, in all thy ways: but to thee it is wholly a providence of love. All the ways of the LORD thy God are truth and mercy. They are all truth, as exactly correfponding with his gracious promife; and all mercy, as directly tending to its full accomplishment. He does not merely compafs thy path, and thy lying down; but he ftill furrounds thee with his favour, as with a fhield.

Thy

t Ezra vii. 27.

u 2 Sam. xvi. 11.