ther Israel still sinned? and whether the temple was not yet built? They dismissed Gad with presents, and brought him in safety to Sanaa."*

The counsels of Jonadab to his children must not, however, yet be dismissed, since they will be found, not only to give uncommon interest to the preceding narrative, but tend to illustrate, in such a striking manner, the subject on account of which the whole has been introduced-The moral power of the Family Constitution.

Although the principal design of God, in desiring Jeremiah to bring forward these Rechabites, and set wine before them, was to commend filial obedience, he would by no means have so commended this, and so commended Jonadab, had there been either weakness or folly, unnecessary precaution or undue severity in his commands. On the contrary, when the signs of the times in which he lived are simply glanced at, it is presumed the reader cannot fail to admire the sagacity and the tender parental feeling of this Father: a sagacity and deep concern, by which, in connexion with the knowledge and worship of the true God, he infused a degree of moral power into the constitution of his family, such as in the history of man has probably never been surpassed, if equalled. Change of circumstances unquestionably call for change of counsel; but still, in his case, with a family at command, let us not fail to remark what parental counsel can do.

This eminent man lived at a period when various important prophecies had been left by Elijah, like so many thunder-clouds, to burst upon Israel after he

* Jewish Repository for September, 1825, p. 344.

was gone; and, from the vicinity of Jonadab's residence, as well as his general character, it may be fairly presumed, that if he was not present when the grand question was decided between Baal and the true God, about twenty years before this, and if he had not often conversed with Elijah, he surely had with Elisha, who was then living. Another contem porary of Jonadab's was Jehu, a character of a very different description, but still, of all the monarchs who reigned in Israel, he was the only one who was ever anointed by the commandment of God. A divine sanction was thus given to this monarch; for, when a man was so anointed, it always implied that he was raised up for a special purpose. For one hundred years, and particularly since the days of Jeroboam, idolatry had been awfully on the advance: Jehu was therefore anointed to destroy it, which perfectly accounts for Jonadab saying, that his heart was with Jehu's in such a design. The first meeting of these two men is drawn with that point and beauty by which the Scriptures are distinguished above all human composition.* No sooner was Jehu anointed king than he became the instrument of accomplishing the predictions of Elijah, now gone, and particularly two judgments of the Almighty, the death of Ahab's posterity, and the destruction of Baal, with all his prophets. The steps of Jehu had been marked with blood wherever he went: all whom he met, or who had met with him, fell before his sword, or were ordered to go behind him-but when Jonadab comes out to meet him, his whole deportment is changed.

* 2 Kings x. 1-28.

So superior is moral worth to mere rank, that, in some sense, Jehu appears to be the inferior of the two. He first inquires after Jonadab's sentiments, then takes his hand in solemn covenant, and at last, like the prime minister of Candace, who invited Philip into his chariot, having seated Jonadab by his side, he seems evidently elated by the sanction of such a character. "Come," says he, "see my zeal for Jehovah." Jonadab being thus driven to the king's palace at Samaria, he was present, and concurred in the destruction of Baal and his temple, with all his prophets. Such a scene was surely not to be concealed from his family at home; and So, it seems, it was not; for, in perfect harmony with this spirit, one is now delighted to find, at the distance of nearly three hundred years, additional light thrown on his character, and to find especially that he paid such attention to the welfare and continuance of his family. Hence the general consistency of his character as a good man; for the man who is consistent in his family is consistent every where, and almost in every thing.

It is however obvious, that the counsels of Jonadab seemed to encroach on the natural liberty of his Children; for what law of either God or man has forbidden the use of wine, the planting of vineyards, or the building of houses? Surrounded as they were too by the wine of Lebanon, and the wine of Helbon, and the grapes of Eshcol; dwelling in a land celebrated for its "corn and wine," his counsels must have seemed the more severe. But if the snares and temptations of his day were peculiar, and if he saw that such restrictions were called for, on the principle

of giving up a part to secure the whole; nay, if he saw that city-life, or a permanent abode under the vine or fig-tree, and the use of wine, were associated with such snares in Israel, as in these times would inevitably lead his Children not only into idolatry, but idolatrous vices; then his character was as eminent for sagacity and forethought, as it was for parental care and kindness.

Now, in his day, and after it, what was the actual course of events in Israel? There is a progress in sin, and though, when Jonadab lived, he saw it necessary to be thus strict, his advice and commands were given under an impression, that the people among whom they dwelt might wax worse and worse. Accordingly, about ninety or a hundred years afterwards, by the time of Hosea, we hear the Almighty threatening to "take away the corn, and the wine, and oil," because they did not know or acknowledge Him in these his gifts; and no wonder, for then they "looked to other gods, and loved flagons of wine." A contemporary prophet, Amos, says, "Ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them :" and why? Because they were at ease in Zion, and trusted or dwelt securely on the mountain of Samaria. "They lay," he says, " upon beds of ivory, and stretched themselves on couches; they drunk wine in bowls, and anointed themselves with the finest perfumes." If such were their family habits, their professed religious services were of a kindred nature; since " they drank the wine of the condemned in the house of their God." Such a course was not likely here to stop. By the time of Isaiah,

therefore, the scene was awful. "They have erred," said he, "through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment." The very next year after this, Judah being now equally corrupt with Israel, we hear King Ahaz saying, "Because the gods of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me,"-so " he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem, and in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods." And now, that we come down to Jeremiah, the course of degeneracy is complete. "Where are thy gods that thou hast made?” he inquired; "let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah! Seest thou now," said Jehovah," what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger."

The counsels of Jonadab must now appear in their proper light. No such Parent would have imposed such restrictions on his posterity without some powerful reason: but if the whole are thus proved to bear on idolatrous customs, or upon indulgences, which in such times generally and inevitably led to idolatry, and if, by following these counsels, Jonadab's posterity had been so far preserved, there is a peculiar propriety in their being now brought forward, not only as examples of filial obedience, but to condemn