to the king, to complain of the other woman for having hid her child, instead of giving it up according to their agreement, after having already fed upon the child of the complainants Can any case be more extreme than tliis? We are almost ready to justify the nobleman w^ho doubted the possibility of plenty being restored to the city in so short a time as twenty- four hours. But there are no circumstances mider which God cannot interpose with effect''. On the contrary, he is pleased frequently to let our troubles advance so as to appear irre- mediable, on purpose that liis power may be the more mag- nified in our deliverance''.]
2 Our great unworthiness —
[It is nothing but pride, under the semblance of humility, that leads any upright person to be discouraged by a sense of his unworthiness. If a man live in wilful and allowed sin, he doubtless can expect nothing at the hands of God : but, if he desire to be delivered from all sin, the deeper his sense is of his own unworthiness, the more readily will he find acceptance in the sight of God. The truth is, that God gives freely according to his own sovereign will and pleasure ; and often makes his "grace to abound most where sin has most abounded." To whom did he send the promise recorded in our text? To Jehoram, an idolatrous king of Israel. And under what circumstances did he send the promise ? It was, when this wicked prince, instead of being humbled by his dis- tresses, took occasion from them to rage still more against the God of Israel ; and immediately after he had, with bitter im- precations, resolved to murder the Lord's prophet that very day^. Yes, to that very murderer, at the moment he was about to commit the murder, was that promise given ! It is scarcely possible to conceive a state of greater unworthiness than his : yet, behold, to him, I say again, was the promise given. Who then that desires an interest in the Lord's promises, has any reason to despond on account of his un- worthiness ?]
3. The want of any visible means of relief —
[The nobleman doubted whether the prediction could be verified, even if the Lord should open the windows of heaven, and rain down wheat and barley upon them, as he did manna in the wilderness. And as there was no hope o^ such an inter- position, he concluded the prediction to be false. But what if he could see no way of relief : was God at any loss for means whereby to accomplish his own purposes? The Syrians shall
a 2 Kings vi. 25 — 29. with Deut. xxviii. 56, 57. ^ Isai. lix. 1. '' Deut. xxxii. 36. ^ 2 Kings vi. 31, 32.