Vera, 4-11.-.Affliclions may alienate men from God instead of bringi11g them near to him. This tn1th is remarkably exemplified in the conduct and reasonings of the lepers. Here are four poor men, severely afflicted by a malady which was reckoned to come, more directly than most others, from God's hand, whom we should have exi:,ected to find humbled and softened by it, more God-fearing, more tender and compnssionate towards their fellow-men, than the generality. But the reverse is the case with them. Instead of submitting themselves to God in their wretchedness, and hanging upon him, and looking to him for succour, they are sunk in a dull discontent, we_ll nigh reckless and desperate. It is scarcely possible that they had not heard how Elisha. preached a miraculous deliverance, and urged the king not to surrender the city, but "wait for Jehovah" (eh. vi. 33). Yet of deliverance they have not the slightest expectation; they are as unbelieving as the proud "lord '' of the court ; if they remain with their countrymen, they hold that they must certainly die. So they resolve not to remain, but to go over to the enemy. No feeling of shame restrains them-it does not seem even to occur to them that there is any disgrace in desertion. They are impelled by motives which are purely egoistic-what is their best chance? Whether their country- men will be damaged by its becoming known that they have now no food for their lepers, they either do not inquire or they do not care. What weighs with them is that, if they go over, they may possibly save their wretchoo lives ; if they do not, they have, they think, no chance at all. It may be said that "self-preservation is the first· law of nature;" but not self-preservation at all costs. Death is preferable to dishonour. The lepers take their departure, and reach the Syrian camp. Here an extraordinary surprise befalls them; the camp, which they had expected to be full of Syrian soldiery, ie empty-there is not a man left in it (ver. 5). .All its wealth, all its stores, are open to the first comer. How do the lepers net under these strange circumstances ? .A.gain in a purely sel6sh spirit. That they should fall upon the food, and " eat and drink " (ver. 8), was natural, and no one will blame them so far, though it would have been nobler to have at once hurried back, and proclaimed the glad tidings to the famishc,l city. But, having satiated their appetites, they are not content. Covetousness is stirred up by what meets their gaze, and they must proceed to enrich themselves by carrying off and securing a quantity of objects in silver and gold (ver. 8). When doubt begins to stir in their minds as to the propriety of this proceeding, it is not conscience that awakens, or regard for their fellow-citizens that moves them, but mere considera- tion for their own interests-" If we tarry till the morning light, we shall fiml puuish- ment" (marginal rendering). Thus, from first to last, the lepers are an example of mean and grovelling selfishness-such selfishness as poverty too often engenders, as misfortune intensifies, and to which the sense of belongin~ to a despised class lends a peculiar bitterness. 'l'heir calamities have in no way brought the lepers near to God, or induced them to cast their care upon him, but ha Ye hardened and brutalized them. We may learn from this- I. THAT, THOUGH AFFLICTIONS ARE SENT FOR OUR GOOD, WE SIU.LL GET NO GOOD FROM 'l'JIEM UNLESS WE RECEIVE THEM IN A RIGHT SPIRIT; i.e. submissively, resignedly, even gratefully, as intended to benefit us. 154 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. [OR. VII. 1-20,
II. THAT, IF WE EXTRACT NOT FROM THEM THE SWEET USES FOR WRIOH TREY WEilJII M:EA1'"T, WE SHA:LL BE APT TO GET FROM TREK IRREPARABLE HARM-the irreparable harm of a lowering of our moral tone, and an alienation of our souls from their Crea.tor. Yers. 12-15.-UnseasonabT.e distrnst. Humanly speaking, Jehoram's distrust of the report of the lepers was not m1reasonable. Such a stratagem as that which he sus- pect~ was often practised in the wars of the ancient world, with great advantage to one side and great loss to the other. But his distrust, though not unreasonable, was unseasonable from ~he Jl?int of view of faith and belief in God. Elisha having just ~nnounced suc_h an mvel"Slon of the actual state of things as could only be brought about m an extraordinary way, the occurrence of something extraordinary was to be expected. J ehoram ought to have been on the look out for some strange intelligence; and that which the lepers brought him was in such complete accordance with the tenor of Elisha's prophecy, that a very moderate degree of faith would have sufficed to make him receive it gladly, joyfully, and without any mistrust. He would then have shortened the snffe:ings of his people by a day, which must have been lost by the despatch of the two chanot.s to reconnoitre; and he might, perhaps, have saved the life of his "lord," whose dreadful death may have been caused by the impatience of a famished multitude too long restrained from sallying forth. Men are apt to be mistrustful; and it is generally just at the wrong time. They are sanguine and over-confident when it would have been well to suspect, suspicious and over-circumspect when there is no need of doubt or circumspection. God calls them to the kingdom that he has prepared for men, and bids them "come, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isa. 11'. 1); and they hang back, hesitate, delay, as if they were about t.o be entrapped. A bold impostor invites them to adopt his shibboleth, and trust in it for salvation-they listen eagerly, hang on his words, are persuaded, and join the Mormons or the Peculiar People. Rash youth boasts as it girds on its armour, and looks for an easy victory over sin and Satan, over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Timid old age faints and is weary, and despairs of winning through and "persevering to the end," though God has brought it so far upon its way. It is well to mistrust one's self; it is faithless to mistrust God. He who has borne us up hitherto on eagles' wings will still bear us up. He "fainteth not, neither is weary." He" will not leave us, nor for~ake us."