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SERMON VI.

THE DISOBEDIENT PROPHET.

1 KINGS Xiii. 26.

And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake unto him.

THE history of every age forms an awful comment upon the declaration of Scripture, that "the heart of man is deceitful above all things ;" and in no cases does this truth appear more evident, than in the lamentable examples of instability and inconsistency, which have been found even among the faithful servants of God. We have seen many who have stood unmoved amid greater difficulties and dangers, overcome by less formidable temptations. We have seen many who have conquered a mightier foe, yield immedi

ately to surprise and subtilty. Perhaps security is not an unnatural consequence of success; a fancied security, in which the heart rejoices to contemplate what has been already achieved, rather than to anticipate a future contest. And therefore we shall do well to remember the caution of the apostle, while we read the history of former events, which have been recorded for our admonition: "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."

The narrative of the chapter before us is replete with instruction. In the case of the man of God, whose sin and punishment are here related, we have an example of the necessity for the apostle's caution. We have a lesson also upon the danger of yielding to temptation, even in matters which appear unimportant and trivial; a striking demonstration of the justice of God, in visiting with its merited punishment every neglect of his word, and every contempt of his commandment. I shall endeavour to set before you the principal points of instruction, as they arise out of the narrative.

It must be remembered, that ten tribes of Israel had now revolted from the house of David. Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had drawn them away from their allegiance to the son of Solomon. But this was not all he had crowned his treason to his prince, by his rebellion against his God. He had confirmed his separation from Judah's

throne by a separation also from Jerusalem's altar. Under the pretence that the yearly appearance of the tribes at the temple of God was an inconvenient and oppressive service, he set up the idols of Egypt for the worship of his people. Still more effectually to destroy every tie that could have brought back the revolted tribes to their rightful sovereign, he changed the appointed festivals and the customary ritual, and gave the priesthood of his high places to others than the tribe of Levi. Thus did Jeroboam acquire for himself that awful pre-eminence in wickedness, which caused him to be described as the prince "who made Israel to sin." But the crafty monarch was not allowed to pursue his course, without such an interposition of God, as sufficed to vindicate his divine character, at the same time that the overthrow of the idolatrous altar was predicted. Amid the general defection of the people, it is indeed consolatory to learn, from the book of Chronicles, that the chosen servants of the Lord betrayed not their trust, but resorted to Judah and Jerusalem. One of these prophets of the Lord was sent to denounce the worship of the idol, to rend the altar, and to scatter the impious fires. With all the holy dignity of his high authority, he uttered the words of divine wrath against the apostate shrine; the token to which he appealed as the evidence of his commission was immediately accomplished;

and the hand of the king, that was stretched forth to arrest him, withered and became powerless. Still more strongly to mark the indignation of God at the idolatry of the people, the messenger was forbidden to hold any communication with those who had rejected his God: the prophet was commanded to keep himself separate from those who had separated themselves from Jehovah. With zealous boldness he refused the offers of the king, and, in obedience to the command of God, left the society of these sinners against their own souls. "Well done, thou trusty and beloved servant," we might exclaim, in admiration of this lofty character, "well hast thou performed thy holy office, and vindicated the honour of him whom thou servest!" But alas! we are not permitted long to rejoice over this display of excellence. Deceived by the false representations of another prophet, who lived among these idolaters, though he professed to be the servant of the Most High, the man of God at last returned to his house, neglected the express command of God, and suffered the penalty of his disobedience. "Therefore," says

the prophet who brought him back, "therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake unto him."

The severity of the punishment of the man of God, and its immediate infliction, together with

the apparent impunity of the old prophet, by whose temptation he transgressed, seem to present some difficulties upon a superficial consideration. We are ready to think the punishment more severe than the offence required; we lose sight of the guilt of him that was deceived, in the more heinous crime of the deceiver; we tremble at the chastisement which we see inflicted, and we forget that the doom, which was then deferred, was not the less certain to be enforced. Perhaps the punishment of the man of God is recorded for this very reason, that we may learn to regard with a due fear tl.e guilt which attaches to those who fall into temptation; lest, by thinking lightly of the danger, we relax our watchfulness and zeal, and thus fall the more readily into the snares that surround our path.

Now, let us examine more closely the nature of the trespass which the man of God committed. We must admit that he was deceived. His intentions in the main were right: he sought not to disobey that Master who had sent him. But though he was deceived,-did he use every possible precaution to examine well the step which he was about to take? Was there sufficient and satisfactory evidence that the words of the old prophet were true? If not, there was no small degree of folly, or perhaps of guilt, in this want o due attention, and this neglect of a positive

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