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SERMON XIII.

JEROBOAM.

ANNUAL FAST, APRIL 9, 1801.

AND they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord. -2 KINGS, xvii. 21.

IN reading the history of nations, we commonly meet with some memorable events, which had peculiar influence upon their rise, progress, declension, and final ruin. Such events, whether recorded in sacred or profane history, are of all others the most entertaining and instructive. The first memorable event in the history of the Jews, is the calling of Abram, the father of the nation. The second memorable event is the descent of Jacob and his family into Egypt. The third memorable event is the return of the children of Israel to their own land. The fourth memorable event is the introduction of kingly government, under Saul the son of Kish. And the next memorable event is the accession of Jeroboam the son of Nebat to the throne of Israel. This strange and deplorable event laid the foundation for a train of national calamities, which have continued from that day to this; and how much longer they may continue, we pretend not to be able to determine. For the admonition and instruction of all future ages, God has been pleased to record the character and conduct of Jeroboam, together with the fatal consequences of his impious reign, with great particularity and plainness. The sacred historian never loses sight of the baneful effects of his administration, from the twelfth chapter of the first book of Kings to the seventeenth chapter of the second book of Kings, which contains the words of our text. Here his history terminates, with the account of the captivity and dispersion of the once happy people whom he corrupted and destroyed.

It is the design of the present discourse,

I. To draw the character of Jeroboam, before he was king. II. To represent the state of the nation when they made him king.

III. To inquire how it came to pass that they did make him king.

IV. To show what methods he employed, after they had made him king, to drive them from following the Lord.

I. The character of Jeroboam before he was king, deserves. particular attention.

He early discovered some of those distinguishing natural and moral qualities, which formed him for the extraordinary part which he finally acted on the stage of life. His natural genius was sprightly, bold, and enterprising, which he evidently cultivated, notwithstanding the peculiar disadvantages and embarrassments, which attended his education. Though he lost his father in his youth, and was left to the care of his mother, who was a widow; yet by the mere dint of his brilliant talents and close application, he recommended himself to the notice and patronage of his wise and sagacious sovereign. We read, "Jeroboam was the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruiah, a widow woman. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph." His appointment to such an office, by such a penetrating prince, is an infallible evidence of his popular talents and pleasing address. These excellent and amiable accomplishments, had they been properly directed to the public good, would have rendered him a great blessing to the nation.

But it appears from his history, that a base, turbulent, ambitious spirit led him to prostitute his fine abilities to the vilest purposes. Whether his ungovernable disposition were owing to the unhappy circumstance of being deprived of paternal instruction and restraint, or to a native malignity of heart, it certainly prompted him to disturb the peace of society, and oppose the best form and administration of government. For, though Solomon highly favored him, and put him into a lucrative office in one of the principal tribes of Israel, yet he conspired against his royal master, and became a ringleader in sedition. His business of collecting the public taxes in the tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh, gave him a peculiar opportunity of tampering with the people, and of instilling into their minds the most absurd prejudices against the king and his public measures. He could easily persuade the unthinking multitude, that they were unreasonably loaded with taxes, and

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that they ought to do themselves justice by overturning the government. Having in this or some other way, widely diffused a disloyal and rebellious spirit among the people, he presumed to throw off the mask and appear in open opposition to the best of princes. It is expressly said, "He lifted up his hand against the king. And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father." Here it is strongly intimated, that Jeroboam complained of oppression, and that he made this complaint with a view to destroy his sovereign, and eventually seize his throne. This was a most bold and daring attempt in a young man; for which he deserved to be treated as an ungrateful and detestable traitor. Accordingly the king "sought to kill Jeroboam :" but by some means or other, Jeroboam fled into Egypt, and remained there, until the death of Solomon.

This seems to have been the most fatal period in Jeroboam's life; for whilst he lived in that land of idols, he totally apostatized from the religion of his country, in which he had been early initiated, and became a gross idolater. He was certainly of the seed of Abraham, and probably born and educated in Jerusalem, where he received the seal of circumcision, and usually attended all the religious institutions which God had appointed. These things must have made deep impressions on his young and tender mind, which he could not easily, nor instantly eradicate. It must have required strong and repeated efforts to disbelieve what he had once firmly believed, and to despise what he had once inwardly revered. Hence it is to be presumed that he gradually apostatized from the religion of his country. Whilst he lived in Jerusalem, where all the tribes of Israel statedly repaired to worship the only living and true God, it is probable he treated sacred and divine things, with apparent decency and respect. But after he removed from the seat of true religion, to take the charge of the house of Joseph, he had a fair opportunity of neglecting those religious duties, and of renouncing those religious principles, which laid a painful restraint upon his corrupt inclinations and pursuits. He was, no doubt, an infidel at heart, while he was sowing the seeds of sedition, and plotting to ruin his king and country; but for political reasons, he might not openly avow his infidelity, until he fled into Egypt, to escape the hand of public justice. Having taken this desperate step, and exchanged a land of moral light for a land of moral darkness, neither his interest, nor his reputation required him any longer to conceal his sentiments, but all the circumstances in which he was placed, conspired to form him a complete, confirmed, and avowed

apostate. He could do nothing more gratifying to the Egyptians, than openly to conform to their religion, and renounce his own. And a man of such a corrupt and intriguing disposition as he was, would not hesitate a moment to sacrifice his God, his religion, and his eternal interest, to answer his political views, and effectually secure popular influence and applause. He could not have lived among a more dangerous people than the Egyptians, who were then the most noted nation in the world, for learning, magnificence, superstition, and the grossest idolatry. Hence his residence in Egypt prepared him to return to his native country a more bitter enemy to the God of Israel, and a more malignant opposer of all his sacred rites and institutions, than any pagan priest, or Egyptian philosopher. Such was the ominous character of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, before he reached the object of his wishes, and was placed in the first seat of government. I proceed,

II. To represent the state of the nation, when a base and unprincipled majority raised him to a supreme power.

He

His two immediate predecessors were great and illustrious princes, who reigned long and prosperously. David was a mighty man of war, who subdued the enemies of his country, enlarged the boundaries of his kingdom, and when he died, left his people in the enjoyment of perfect peace. Solomon, his son and heir, was a wise and peaceful prince, who employed all the resources of his noble and capacious mind, in refining, enriching, and strengthening his kingdom. He built a beautiful and magnificent temple for the residence and service of God. He instituted the best regulations for the decent and devout performance of public worship. He built, and repaired, and fortified, a great number of cities; and made ample provision for the general defence of the country. raised a large navy, and enriched both himself and his people by an extensive and lucrative commerce. Silver and gold were in his days, as plenty in Jerusalem as stones in the street. By promoting the interest and happiness of his people, he attracted the notice and admiration of the world. We are told, "Judah and Israel dwelt safely every man under his vine and fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba all the days of Solomon. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom." The children of Israel never enjoyed so much peace and prosperity in any period of their national existence, as they enjoyed during the glorious reign of Solomon. And when he ceased to govern the nation, he left them in a more free, flourishing, and happy situation than any other people

then in the world. Such was the state of things when Jeroboam the son of Nebat ascended the throne of Israel.

Let us now inquire,

III. How it came to pass that ten tribes out of twelve should raise such an impious and dangerous man to royal dignity.

Jeroboam had not the least claim to the crown, either by birth or by merit. He was the son of Nebat a servant; he had acted the part of a traitor; and he had fled from his country to escape the punishment which he had justly deserved. Besides, Rehoboam was the proper heir to the throne of his father, and had arrived at the most proper age to take the reins of government into his hands. How then should it ever enter the minds of the nation to make choice of the son of Solomon's servant to reign over them? The answer to this is easy. Jeroboam the son of Nebat had long been a man of intrigue. He had secretly employed every artifice to prejudice the people against the former administration of government, and had openly presumed to lift up his hand against the king. All this he had done before he fled into Egypt; and it is extremely probable that during his residence there he kept up a secret and traitorous correspondence with the disaffected in Israel, and only waited for the death of Solomon to return and seize his throne. It is certain however, that as soon as Solomon expired, his dis-affected subjects immediately sent to Egypt for Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and set him up as the rival of Rehoboam, the proper heir to the crown. Let us read the account of this extraordinary conduct. "And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead. And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, heard of it, that they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed." So far Jeroboam succeeded in his designs. He had long been preaching and acting sedition. And he found upon his return from Egypt, that he had actually thrown the people into a strong delusion, by making them really believe that they had been cruelly oppressed under the reign of Solomon. He also perceived that the major part of the nation were ready to join with him in opposing Rehoboam, who had given him three days to employ all his political skill to rob him of his subjects.

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