LII.

Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

Subject. The history of Ahab.1

Text. 1 Kings xxi. 29. "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me? because he humbleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house."

History of Ahab. 1 Kings xvi.-xxii. ; 2 Chron. xviii.

THE history of Ahab contains important matter for Christian improvement; yet it has been misunderstood; and it deserves examination, that difficulties may be removed, and the proper advantages deduced.

Ahab was a very guilty prince. 1 Kings xvi. 30— 33; xxi. 25. He formed an idolatrous connection, which resulted in a cruel and blasphemous persecution. 1 Kings xvi. 31; xviii. 4. The fear of GOD being extinct, he proceeded to commit a private act of great atrocity, and incurred that terrible sentence, 1 Kings xxi. 19. But God always threatens conditionally, though the threat is commonly expressed positively. Jonah iii. 4, 10; Ezek. xxxiii. 14-16. This reversal therefore of GOD's threat with respect

1 On the fall of Ahab, see Pastoralia, Outline for this Sunday.

to Ahab is in plainest agreement with the revealed laws of the divine economy. If Ahab repented, he was to be forgiven; if not, the threat was to stand. So too the promise in the text must be understood, with the condition, if he fall not from his present penitence. Ezek. xxxiii. 13. For we find that he did fall, and the original sentence took effect against him.

But why was the evil to come in his son's days ?1 The threatened destruction of the son would be a severe punishment to the parent, especially when it was considered who was the guilty cause. But we must not imagine an innocent son suffering for a guilty parent. It was a guilty son suffering through a guilty parent. Ahaziah was no less guilty than his father. 1 Kings xxii. 52, 53. More so, indeed; for, with the warning of his father's example, he followed instead of avoided.

Let us consider how the intentions of the Church at this season in setting this history before us may best be fulfilled. Contemplate

I. The history itself generally. Ahab was a follower of the sin of Jeroboam. The guilt of Jeroboam did not diminish the guilt of Ahab, but rather increased it, as Ahab knew how that sin had been chastised in its author. But he stayed not there; nor will indulged sin ever stay. (Outline for 8th Sunday after Trinity ii. 2, iii.) His marriage with Jezebel (a sin in itself) Deut. vii. 3; Josh. xxiii. 12, 13, led on to all the rest. Thus far we learn that

1. Sin is ever inexcusable. Have we been made.

1 See Pastoralia. Outline LIV. (2nd Edit.)

partakers of baptismal grace, and trained "in the nurture and admonition of the LORD ?" No excuse for sin can then be pleaded. Ahab, nurtured in sin, shall condemn us. But, is it so, that we have not received holy Baptism? or, having received it, have our parents or sponsors neglected to bring us up in the know. ledge, fear, and love of God? We cannot charge our sins on them, although God will; but He will charge our own sins on ourselves also. Ahab might say, "thus did my father-thus did an illustrious succession of princes"-but evil example excused him not. Eve said, "The serpent beguiled me:" Adam said, "The woman gave me of the tree "--but Eve could not cast her sin on the serpent, nor Adam his on Eve. (Gen. iii. 12, 13, 17-19) Gal. vi. 5. Flee from sin while you can seek pardon through the blood of the SON, and sanctification from the SPIRIT, lest God withdraw from you as from Ahab, and leave you to the delusions you have chosen! 1 Kings xxii. 22; Isa. lvi. 3, 4.

2. Every step in sin is a step in danger. It is a desertion of the narrow way, and makes it more difficult to retrace the course. Ahab's first step was never

recovered-it was his ruin.

Ahab's sin in

3. The danger of evil connections. this respect was by an evil marriage. And to this cause how much of sin and misery is attributable ! How lightly is marriage regarded! Yet they that enter it "cast a die of the greatest contingency; and yet of the greatest interest in the world, next to the last throw for eternity." (Bp. Jer. Taylor's Sermons at Golden Grove, Winter half-year, vii.) How few un

dertake it "reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of GOD," as our Church charges them! How little care is taken, in many instances, to ascertain whether the intended partner be a faithful Christian! How many alliances are concluded, where it is even known beforehand that such was not the case! How few think of the solemnity of the vow, of the prayers that they shall utter in the Church, of the charge that they shall there receive! How few regard the marriage bond as a great mystery, symbolizing the most awful things, and linked by God Him. self! (S. Matt. xix. 4-6.) "Divine in its institution, sacred in its union, holy in the mystery, sacramental in its signification, honourable in its appellative, religious in its employments!" (Bp. Jer. Taylor ubi supra.) Of the few who do this, how small the proportion who seal the engagement, as the Church suggests, and as such an engagement so urgently demands, by the participation of the great Bridegroom's Feast! How many even spurn the blessing and prayers of CHRIST's Church, and seek union in the forms prescribed by schism, or provided for unbelief! Who can wonder at the overflow of sin resulting from such causes? When such are the parents, what are the children likely to be? And what happiness can result where the LORD and source of all happiness is forgotten and dishonoured in the most solemn engagement in life? How much of our national sinfulness is owing to this cause, is beyond all calculation.

But all evil connections, whether with the same or the opposite sex, betray the sinner, especially the

young, to ruin. How many parents have been brought down in sorrow to the grave, by the addiction of their children to evil company! How many sinners have owned, in their dying hours of misery, that all their sins and sorrows had this bitter root! How awful are the threats and warnings of GOD on this subject! Prov. xiii. 20; i. 10–19; iv. 14, 15; 1 Cor. v. 11; 2 Cor. vi. 14-18. Let those who are unpolluted with this sin resolve, Ps. cxix. 63. See Ps. ci. Let those who have entered the snare determine, Ps. cxix. 115. The difficulty of the thing cannot be pleaded. S. Mark ix. 43-48.

II. The particular transaction recorded in this morn-. ing's First Lesson. To this enormous sin did Ahab's marriage lead. But it was not his first sin-nor even his first murder. 1 Kings xviii. 4. Still the manner of this particular sin was so atrocious, that it may well seem the crowning wickedness of Ahab's dreadful history. In it we behold

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Covetousness-theft

1. The proclivity of sin. murder. In infinite wisdom did GoD set His barrier against sin within the heart! Had Ahab heeded that, this last great sin had never been committed. That barrier once cleared, all else was easy-recovery alone was difficult. "Where sin is once begun, unless it is immediately arrested, it rushes forward with such impetuosity that it cannot be controlled; even as ungovernable horses, casting their bits, and unseating their riders, first inflict mischief on all they meet, then, when the way is clear, hurl themselves over the precipice." (S. Chrysost. adv. Gentes.)

2. The responsibility we incur from the sins we in