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vealed to the king, we are not informed, but his menacing aspect, from that time, towards Jeroboam, obliged him to retire into Egypt, where he remained during Solomon's life, which terminated in the fifty-eighth year of his age, and the fortieth of his reign.

CATHERINE. Who now shall hope to persevere in virtue, if a prince, so indulged with every worldly gratification, and so highly endowed with intellectual accomplishments, did not "retain his integrity?"

MRS. M. Yet, let us not be discouraged, but rather profit by the result of his experience, and follow his own beautiful precept: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper-either this or that -or whether both shall be alike good." And there is reason to believe that the aberrations of this illustrious prince, though great, were but transient: for his book of Ecclesiastes, emphatically styled, "The Preacher," written in the latter part of his life, contains the abundant confession, that the pomp and the pleasures he had pursued, were but vanity! The better part of his life was spent in study, as he tells concerning all things that are done under heaven;" and he has left us, on record, the transcript of a mind exercised in the contemplation of man, in all his various relations and circumstances. His "Proverbs," a part of which only have reached us, are the inexhaustible mine, whence the boasted philosophy of the world has derived all her wealth. His temple and his palaces are crumbled into dust, and Jerusalem has fulfilled the prophecy, and become the by-word of the traveller :-but his transcendent wisdom has erected an edifice, which shall endure until earthly palaces are no more!

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CATHERINE.

His book, called Solomon's Song, is not so happy. Indeed I do not pretend to discover its use.

MRS. M. It is believed to be a prophetical allusion to the union of Christ and his church. It is altogether in the metaphorical style of the East, and therefore not understood by common readers. Yet much of its imagery is elegant, and obvious; though not so instructive as the plainer parts of Scripture.

On the death of Solomon, the people of Israel, with one accord, placed the crown on the head of his son Rehoboam. (B. C.975.) But, notwithstanding the flourishing state of the kingdom in the late brilliant reign, discontents had arisen, which the accession of a new king seemed to present a favourable opportunity of removing. Jeroboam, who still resided in Egypt, was accordingly invited to return, and contribute his talents to the meditated plan of reform. Headed by this formidable rival, their complaints soon reached the throne; and three days were required by the prince to consider their petition. The old counsellors of his father were now consulted; and readily gave their opinion, that his own interest would be promoted by compliance. But the inclinations of the king were opposed to the sage experience of years, and younger statesmen were called in to confirm them. Directed only by the pride of newly-acquired power, these tyros in the science of government, saw no way so likely to secure the obedience of the people, as that of increasing, instead of diminishing, their taxes. This then was the measure adopted; and the ungracious answer, my hand shall be heavier than my father's," produced an immediate revolt. Jeroboam, and the malcontents, without farther deliberation, raised the standard of rebellion, proclaiming aloud, in the words of

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the insurgent, Sheba, "What portion have we in David? -neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel!-Now see to thine own house, David!"

The two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, alone, adhered to their lawful monarch; whilst all the other ten, united against them, and declared Jeroboam their sovereign. Thus were the Israelites divided into two separate states, and thenceforth denominated-the kingdom of Israel, and the kingdom of Judah.

FANNY. Then the rending of the prophet's garment was already realized, and by means the most perfectly natural in the common course of affairs?

MRS. M. The affairs of the Israelites were generally conducted in that manner, although an extraordinary providence still directed them-nor had miracles yet ceased.

CHARLES. Did Rehoboam submit to the loss of his subjects, without an effort to recover them?

MRS. M. He did not at first: but assembled an army of an hundred and eighty thousand men to reduce the revolted tribes: but he relinquished the pursuit at the command of a prophet, who was sent to forbid his opposition to the execution of the divine decree.

Jeroboam was less attentive to the will of the Most High. Notwithstanding he had been told that the ten tribes were taken from Solomon, because of his defection from the worship of one only God-and that they should remain with the house to which they were transferred, so long as it continued faithful to the constitution-yet not only was he diffident of a title so substantial, and chose rather to confide in his own devices; but, in so doing, he fell into the very sin, for which the kingdom had been

divided. Although the ten tribes had revolted from the house of David, it was not their intention to depart from the religion of their fathers. But Jerusalem was the place, where alone its holy mysteries might be celebrated; and thither the subjects of Jeroboam must repair three times in every year: this necessity was full of danger to the new king. The glories of the holy city might revive the affections of his people for the pious founders of the temple; and, uniting with their brethren at the solemn feasts, might excite some regret for their rash separation. To prevent, therefore, these serious consequences, after having repaired Shechem, the city which Abimelech had destroyed, in the days of Gideon, and fixed his court at Tirzah, near to Shechem, Jeroboam set up two golden 'calves, the one at Bethel, and the other at Dan, the two extremities of his kingdom, and proclaimed them "the gods of Israel, which brought them out of Egypt !" Altars were erected for their service-priests, from the lowest orders of the people, were appointed, instead of the consecrated levites, who had all, perhaps, left his territories and gone down into Judah-and sacred festivals were ordained, at seasons differing from those selected by the Mosaic Law.

FANNY. I suppose they derived their propensity to worship a calf from the Egyptians, who stupidly worshipped an ox.

MRS. M. No doubt it was so, since we find the first idol which their ancestors erected when they came out of Egypt was in that form. They were then punished by a miracle and now another reproved their impiety, and was accompanied by one of the most remarkable prophecies recorded in sacred writ. Whilst Jeroboam, sacrilegiously

burnt incense on the altar at Bethel, a prophet from Judah appeared before him, and in these awful words denounced the vengeance of the offended Deity: "O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord: Behold a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name, and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. And this is the sign which the Lord hath spoken: Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out." The insolent monarch, now lost in the giddy maze of his destructive ambition, instantly put forth his own hand to seize the bold monitor-when, to the astonishment of the spectators, it was palsied in the attempt -and in the same moment the altar, dividing in the midst," the ashes were poured out." The power and veracity of Jehovah were now acknowledged, and his messenger implored to intercede for a restoration of the king's hand but although the mercy was accorded, Jeroboam neither repented of his sin, nor returned to his duty. Yet, he evidently knew better than to put any confidence in his graven images, or his unhallowed priesthood: for when a favourite child soon afterwards fell sick, and he felt the want of genuine consolation, he sent his wife in disguise to Shiloh, to consult Abijah the prophet, who, being previously informed of the quality of his visitor, was commanded to take this opportunity of informing the reprobate king, not only that his child would die of this sickness, but that he alone of all his house, should die a natural death-because some good was found in him: but for the ingratitude of Jeroboam, and the wickedness of his family, they should be cut off, every soul, by violent hands!

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