Thus also do we question the representations which God gives respecting us —
[These are doubtless very humiliating, both in the Old Testament and the New® And we are ready to ac- count them libels upon human nature. If we have been moral and sober hitherto, we have no conception that we could ever be induced to " run to the same excess of riot" as others have done. But may we not all find in ourselves the seeds of those iniquities, which in others have obtained their full growth? Have we not seen too, in many instances, that persons who
^ ver. 12.
<= This is supposed by some to mean, * How can so insignificant a creature as I am, do such great things ? ' But the common interpre- tation seems the more natural, more especially as the situation he occupied under Benhadad rendered the performance of such things not so very impracticable, if he should ever be disposed to do them.
^ ver. 15. and 2 Kings xiii. 3, 7.
® Jer. xvii. 9. Eccl. ix. 3. Gen. vi. 5. Rom. iii. 10 — 19. and viii. 7.
once thought themselves as superior to temptation as we now do, have sunk into the grossest habits of vice, and astonished the world with their iniquities ? We can know but little of ourselves, if we have not learned to ascribe to God alone what- ever difference there may be found between us and others^.]
Let us learn then from the prophet,
II. What ought to be the frame of our minds in relation to it — If we have not been left by God to perpetrate the more heinous crimes to which we have been tempted, still it will be proper for us to consider what our frame should be,
1. In reference to our depravity, so far as we have discovered it —
[Elisha wept at the contemplation of the future crimes of Hazael : and should not we weep at the evils of our oum hearts, yea at the evils which we have actually committed ? Verily, the best of us have done enough to humble us in the dust, and to make us weep with the deepest self-abasement. Let us look back and think of our past conduct towards God as our Sovereign, towards Jesus as our Redeemer, and towards the Holy Spirit, who has been striving vdth us all our days
Is here no cause for tears ? If Prophets and Apostles
wept so bitterly for others who kept not God's law, should not we for ourselves^? Yes, the best of us, as well as the worst, needs to " go on his way weeping," andean only hope to "reap in joy," when he shall have humbly " sown in tears" ]
2. In reference to that which is yet hid from our
eyes —
[Much, very much, there is in us, which we have never yet seen : either we have never been brought into situations to call it forth, or God has mercifully withheld us from per- petrating all that was in our hearts. But our hearts are altogether corrupt ; and therefore we should tremble, yea and " work out our salvation with fear and trembling," even to our latest hour: " we should not be high-minded, but fear;" " watching continually and praying, that we may not enter into temptation." The confidence of Peter, as well as that of Hazael, may be a lesson to us. To God then must we look to " keep us by his power," even to Him who alone " can keep us fi-om falling, and present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy."]
f 1 Cor. iv. 7.
g Ps. cxix. 136. Jer. xiii. 17. Rom. ix. 1 — 3. Phil. iii. 18.
370.] ELISHA PREDICTS HAZAEL's ATROCITIES. 513
That we may yet further improve this subject, let us learn,
1. To be thankful for God's grace —
[What is the reason that we have not been as vile as the most abandoned of mankind? Are we made of any better materials than they? or have we in ourselves any more strength than they ? No : we owe it entirely to the distin- guishing grace of God. It is He who has " hedged up our way," and even in many instances " built a wall against us," that we might not fall into those temptations which would have utterly overwhelmed us: "^He kept us, though we knew him not ;" and " by his grace alone we are what we are." O let us adore and magnify him for all his goodness towards us; and when we see others wallowing in iniquity, remember who alone has made us to differ from them !]