August 1

Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it." And what says History more than four hundred years after, in the reign of Ahab? "In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun."

Lord, increase our faith.

AUGUST.

AUGUST 1.—"For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem."—Micah 1. 12.

THIS refers to the invasion of the Assyrian, the rod of God's anger. He had subdued and ravaged Israel, and now entered the kingdom of Judah. The prophet laments the horrors and miseries of the scene; and describes the effects of them upon the places lying in the line of his march. The village of Maroth was one of these. It was very interior, and was situated nigh Jerusalem; for which reason probably the inhabitants themselves thought that they were safer than those who lived on the borders of the country: "For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem." This may serve to remind us—of the disappointments of life—of the source of calamity—and the season of deliverance.

They "waited," waited "carefully for good;" but in vain: "evil came"—Is such a disappointment a strange or an unusual thing? What is there in life that is not uncertain, and does not expose the hope that is resting upon it? Is it substance? Is it health? Is it children? Is it friends?—Does the Scripture only cry, "All is vanity;" and, "Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils? Does not all history, observation, and experience tell us the same? Let therefore the young, let those who are entering into new connexions and conditions, let all be sober in their expectations from every thing earthly. It is the way to escape the surprise and the anguish of disappointment. And let us make the Lord our hope. He will not deceive us: he cannot fail us. If creatures are broken reeds, he is the rock of ages—"Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

See also the source of calamity—"Evil came down from the Lord." This at first seems strange: we should have been ready to say, "evil came up from another being." We are assured that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." But "let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for he cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." And this is true of moral evil, or the evil of sinning. But Micah speaks of natural evil, or the evil of suffering. And what calamity is there that the Scripture has not ascribed to God? Is it a storm at sea? "He breaketh the ships of Tarshish with an east wind." Is it barrenness of soil? "He turneth a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein." Is it the loss of connexions? "Lover

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and friend hast thou put far from me." "Is there an evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it?"—War is the evil here peculiarly intended. We often connect this more with the follies and passions of men than other evils; but the hand of God is no less really in it. He has "created the waster to destroy." "Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together." Let us never view our sufferings, public or private, personal or relative, abstractedly from God. Especially let us beware that instruments do not lead us to overlook his agency. They could have no power at all against us, except it was given them from above. The Chaldeans and the Sabeans spoiled Job: but, says he, "the Lord hath taken away."

The question is, how this evil comes from him? Much injury is done by our separating what the Scripture has joined together. Some view God's mercy as separate from his justice; and some his justice as separate from his mercy: the one of these partial views genders presumption, the other despair. These extremes would be avoided by our considering God as at once the righteous governor and the tender father. Every thing in his present administrations is adapted to show the union of his holiness and goodness, and to awaken both our fear and our hope. The evils he sends are the effects of sin; yet they are the fruits to take away sin. We deserve them, and we need them; the one shows that we have no right to complain, the other that we have no reason to complain. What is required of a Christian is a ready and cheerful submission; but this can only be produced by our seeing the reference our affliction has not only to our desert, but to our improvement. The thought of God as a sovereign may repress murmuring; but it is the belief not only that his judgments are right, but that in faithfulness he afflicts, and in love corrects us, that enables us to acquiesce, and say, "Here I am, let him do what seemeth him good."

Mark also the time of deliverance. Though God saves his people, he may permit the destruction to draw very nigh. This was the case here. He could have hindered the calamity at the frontier, but evil came down from the Lord "unto the gate of Jerusalem." So far the overflowing did come; and the insulting foe encamped in the fuller's field adjoining the city; but no further. Here were his proud waves stayed. Here ended his power and triumph. Hezekiah conquered him upon his knees. The Lord put his hook into his nose, and his bridle into his jaws, and drew him back. Yea, the angel of the Lord slew in his camp in one night upwards of one hundred and eighty-four thousand of his troops—Showing us not only that God can deliver, in the greatest straits, but that he frequently does not interpose till the evil has reached its extremity. Thus Peter was not released from prison till a few hours before his appointed execution: and Abraham had bound Isaac, and seized the knife, and stretched out his hand, before the voice cried, Forbear. Whenever therefore he seems indifferent to our welfare, and does not immediately, or even for a length of time interpose on our behalf, let us not accuse him of unfaithfulness and inattention. Let us distinguish between appearance and reality. His kindness, wisdom, and power, are secretly at work for our good. The delay is not abandonment. He is only waiting to be gracious; and the sea-