2 Kings vii. 18 — 20. ^nd it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of harley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall he
to-7)iorrotv, about this time, in the gate of Samaria: and that lord answered the man of God, and said. Now, behold, if the Lord should make toindoios in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said. Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shall not eat thereof. And so it fell out unto him : for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
THIS is a repetition of what had been said in the two first verses of this chapter ; or rather it is a renewed recital of the prediction, as accomplished in all its parts. Now we are not to imagine that this repetition was without design. It was doubtless in- tended to call our attention to the history in a more peculiar manner, that we might observe it carefully throughout. In truth, it is a singularly instructive history, especially as discovering to us, what we propose distinctly to consider, the folly and danger of unbelief.
I. The folly of unbelief —
Faith appears to many to be a weak credulity; and unbelief a discreet estimate of causes and effects. Sceptics look with contempt upon Believers, even as this nobleman did upon the prophet, for expecting himself, and teaching others to expect, so incredible an event, as that which he foretold. But this history rebukes the folly of such conceited men. They imagine that they have sufficient reason for their unbelief: but this history shews us, that all those things which are supposed to justify unbelief, are, in fact, no grounds for it at all. There are three grounds in particular, which, as most commonly urged in its defence, it will be proper for us to consider: —
1. The extremity of our case —
[Many, both under temporal and spiritual distresses, 'will say, that there is no hope ; and that to expect relief under such circumstances as theirs would be the height of presump- tion. But can any state be more desperate than that of Samaria at this time ? The famine was so grievous, that tilings which would not have been deemed fit for food at other times, were made articles of subsistence ; nor could they be procured but at a most exorbitant price. Yea, so extreme was the pres- sm-e of their hunger, that a woman, who had agreed with another to boil their children for their mutual support, came