interfered with his defires; and yet he goes down to his house heavy and difpleased-he throws himself on his bed. he refuses to take fuftenance. How ill can a proud heart endure contradiction! The monarch of Ifrael, the conqueror of Syria, the vanquisher of him who brought two and thirty tributary kings into the field of battle, is a prey to anger, to grief, to pining fickness, because he cannot poffefs the vineyard of Naboth. O the infatiable defires of covetoufnefs! O miferable Ahab, who in the midst of royal fplendour, and most fignal victories, art loft to all enjoyment, while one trivial wifh remains unfatisfied! CORRUPT as was the heart of Ahab, he fears to make use of either fraud or violence for the accomplishment of his defigns. The king of Ifrael is a mere novice in wickednefs, when compared with his Zidonian wife. Jezebel approaches K 4 proaches the bed where her lord abandoned himself to the petulance of childish forrow. "Doft thou now govern "the kingdom of Ifrael? Arife, and "eat bread, and let thine heart be merry. I will give thee the vineyard " of Naboth the Jezreelite." She chides the pufillanimity of her husband, and perfuades him that his power is fettered, if he regards the laws of juftice. She demands his royal fignet-she frames a letter in his name to the elders of Jezreel-fhe bids them proclaim a fast, fuborn false witneffes against Naboth, accufe him of blafphemy and treason, and confign him to inftant death. Such is the price which Naboth must receive for his envied poffeffions! WHO can without indignation contemplate the impious Jezebel naming a faft? The enemies of GOD can yet turn religion to their own advantage. She was not ignorant that, amongst the Ifraelites, Ifraelites, blafphemers were punished with death-fhe knew that a fin of this crying nature was expiated by public humiliation-that two witnesses were neceffary to convict the offender. All this fhe urged to her own purpose. There is no mischief fo diabolical, as that which is masked with piety. Villainy is then redoubled-and the guilt of murder itself receives a deeper dye. BUT fhall the rulers of Jezreel tamely acquiefce in these inhuman proceedings ? Shall they not fhudder at the idea of being accomplices in fuch wickedness ? The LORD, who forbade Naboth to alienate the inheritance of his fathers, forbade them alfo to frame a perjury, to belie the truth, to abet corruption, to condemn the guiltlefs. Alas, the depravity of Ifrael was extreme—they, whofe office called them to the punishment of crimes, were most eager to offend-they who were called to the adminiftration niftration of juftice, were not afraid to fhed innocent blood. Jezebel well knew whom the addreffed-she found the ready obedience which the expected. A faft is proclaimed-the offender is fummoned before his impious judgesfalse witnesses rise up-the magistrates rend their garments, to testify their horrour at Naboth's crime, and their regret on account of its confequences. The blameless man is difmiffed to inftant execution-his vineyard, forfeited by his imaginary crimes, defcends not to his children, who probably shared the fate of their father-the remorfeless tyrant arifes from his bed-goes down to the vineyard of Naboth, and takes immediate and unmolested poffeffion. How often does GOD, in his extreme displeasure, permit the finner to effect * Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Na both, and the blood of his fons, faith the LORD. 2 Kings ix, 26. the HOVAH. the purposes of a wicked heart! The temporary fuccefs of guilt feems to argue that heaven and earth befriend it-till the flow but fure retribution, bursting on the head of the offender, proclaims at once the justice, and the power of JEWhile Ahab is rejoicing in his new acquifition, and promifing himfelf convenience and pleasure, he beholds Elijah fent to him from GOD with denunciations of vengeance. How does the king's countenance change at once! With what paleness in his cheek, what confternation in his eye, doth he behold the unwelcome prophet! What a tumult of agonizing paffions is in his foul, while his tongue faintly utters, "Haft thou found me, O mine ene"my?" How great is the power of confcience! Elijah and Ahab had parted as friends the king knew himself indebted to the interpofition of the man of GoD for |
