has denounced her doom. She is to be eaten by dogs in the portion of Jezreel. "And they went to bury her; but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands." These fragments were a proof that she was devoured, and not removed for burial by some friend. Here is the hand of Providence. Though Jehu gave orders for the burying of Jezebel, yet, providentially, these orders are not given immediately after her death. A space intervened for the dogs to do their part of the work. And why were the dogs so voracious in the streets of Jezreel? Surely this is not usual. It is strange that Jehu knew the prediction about Jezebel, and did not fulfil it. He either neglected this part of the business, or it did not at first occur to him. But when he was told what had happened, he immediately recollected the word of "Wherefore they came again, and told

the Lord.

him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: and the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel." -2 Kings ix. 36, 37.

PROVIDENTIAL PRESERVATION OF JEHOASH.

2 Kings xi.

Notwithstanding the transgressions of the house of David, God remembered his covenant given to

him; and his Providence took care that his seed should not fail him on his throne. On the death of Ahaziah, his mother destroyed the seed royal, yet Providence saved one of them to sit in the seat of David. "And when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bed-chamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.”—2 Kings xi. 1, 2. In due time the true heir to the kingdom was manifested and invested with royal authority. Conspiracies may take place in kingdoms, but their success or failure is of the Lord. It would be as easy to dethrone the sun in the firmament, as the greatest of the tyrants of the earth, unless the thing is of the Lord. "The powers that be are ordained of God." In any other kingdom under heaven, it would have been rebellion against God to resist Athaliah. God for the time had put her into power. But his express authority gave the throne to the house of David, and made it duty to put Jehoash on the throne. Even in Israel a similar thing would have been rebellion against God, except when God had expressed his will. In Judah the throne was at all times exclusively confined to the heirs of David's house.

In the catastrophe of royal houses, how many providential escapes do we find similar to that of Jehoash!

The deepest counsels, the most subtile contrivances of statesmen, are often providentially defeated, or, when they succeed for a time, are ultimately frustrated.

CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL EFFECTED PROVIDENTIALLY.

2 Kings xvii.

Hoshea did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and Shalmanezar, king of Assyria, subjected him. This was quite in the way of ordinary Providence. No command was given to the king of Assyria to attack the king of Israel. No miracle was wrought to effect subjugation. But mere subju. gation was not enough. Israel had fallen almost universally into idolatry; and must be removed from their land. Hoshea rebels, and the captivity is effected. "The Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight."

In these events we have a specimen of what is continually going on in the world. The rise and the fall of nations are in every step the work of Providence.

THE BOOK OF THE LAW FOUND IN THE TEMPLE IN

THE TIME OF JOSIAH.-2 Kings xxii.

Why did the book of the law so long lie hid from Israel, who had received the treasure from the Lord ? Why was it now found? There was now a Josiah to make a good use of it, and to make known its

contents to all his people. It was found, like the loadstone, when God designed to use it for his own glorious purposes. The finding of the law was accident; it was Providence. In like manner, the Scriptures, for many centuries, lay hid in an unknown language. But when God determined to make them known for salvation, they are beginning to be published in all languages.

CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH.-2 Kings xxiv.

Jehoiakim was, for his sins and the sins of the kingdom, subjected providentially to the king of Babylon. But the sins of Israel called for greater vengeance. The king rebelled, and the nations are let loose on his people. "And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; and also for all the innocent blood that he shed: (for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood;) which the Lord would not pardon." The assailing nations are all urged on by ambition and selfish motives, Yet they are all going at the bidding of the Lord, though he had given them no express command. Why are they now excited? Why are they all excited at once? Why

now more than formerly? Why were they now successful, when they had so often failed? Jehoiakim succeeds to the throne, and sins like his father: Nebuchadnezzar comes and carries him, with the principal part of the people, to Babylon. Zedekiah succeeds, madly rebels, and the captivity is completed. "For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon." All this is effected by the Lord in a way of Providence. He works here as he is every day working in the kingdoms of the world. Zedekiah's rebellion, and madly persevering obstinacy, was his own work, yet it was "through the anger of the Lord."

GLORY AND WEALTH OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL IN THE TIME OF SOLOMON.

The house of God in Jerusalem was a type of the church of God. An inspired apostle tells us, that the house of God is the church of God. It was necessary, then, that the glory and magnificence of the one should in some measure correspond to those of the other, God, in his Providence, provided Solomon with the means. Let us learn from this, that in building his temple, Jesus, who sits on the throne of his Father, will be at no loss in providing the means. When he chooses he will bring down every temple of Dagon; and the maintenance of the