1 Kings 13:30-34

The Law of Extremity.

God has made us free to choose or refuse good or evil Will cannot be coerced and yet be free; coercion here, therefore, would be destruction. But while God does not compel us to choose the right, He induces by gracious promises, and admonishes by alternative penalties. Still we remain free to elect the good with its blessings, or the evil with its entailments of misery. But so loth is He to see His creatures wretched that He has opened a way of repentance and reformation for sinners. In this, mercy is carried to the extreme limit which consists with the welfare of the universe, which must ever depend upon the order and harmony of righteousness. At this point there comes in the law of extremity; and the sinner passing it has to encounter "judgment without mercy."

I. THE OLD PROPHET SOUGHT MERCY .

1 . His conduct expressed repentance .

2 . His conduct also expressed faith .

II. BUT JEROBOAM ENCOUNTERED THE EXTREMITY OF WRATH .

1 . He disregarded the goodness of God .

2 . He disregarded his remonstrances .

HOMILIES BY A. ROWLAND