lously given, and to have him so suddenly snatched away, was a calamity which might have utterly overwhelmed her. That she felt deeply was manifest, from the manner in which she prostrated herself at the prophet's feet, and from the plea she urged with him to intercede in her behalf: "Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me?" that is, If I had indulged an inordinate desire after this blessing, I might well have expected this severe chastisement: but when it was given me unsolicited, as a reward for my attentions to thee, surely it was not given merely to mock me, and to augment my sorrows. But, notwithstanding the anguish of her mind, she was enabled to leave the matter in God's hands, and to say, "It is well." Thus did she tread in the steps of Aaron, of Eli", of David, and of Job"; and afforded an example of patience to the Church in all ages.] 2. Her faith [She had not indeed any promise to rest upon; but she had a persuasion that God was gracious, and would hear the prayers of his servant in her behalf. Hence it was that she put the child upon the prophet's bed, and hastened with such speed to him, and pleaded her cause with him in such an affecting manner. In this view the history before us is referred to in the Epistle to the Hebrews; By faith women received their dead raised to life again:" and in this noble exercise of faith, she approved herself a true daughter of Abraham, who offered up his son Isaac, from a persuasion "that God was able to raise him up again, even from the dead." This divine principle calmed her spirits and composed her mind and, wherever the same principle exists, it will produce a similar composure, in proportion as its operation is encouraged and felt.] Her declaration was scarcely more the language of faith than it was of prophecy; as appears from, II. The events whereby it was verified But The prophet instantly complied with her request, and sent his servant Gehazi to lay his staff upon the face of the child, with a view to his recovery. in this he appears to have acted without any direction from God, and without that humble reference to God which the occasion demanded: and therefore God rebuked him by not accompanying the attempt a Lev. x. 3. b 1 Sam. iii. 18. c Ps. xxxix. 9. f Heb. xi. 17-19. with his blessing. The prophet, finding that his desire had failed, sought the Lord with all humility and earnestness; and, by means similar to those which had before been successfully used by Elijah, he obtained of God the restoration of the child to life. Who now must not acknowledge the truth of the mother's declaration? Verily, "it was well,” and the dispensation, though afflictive, was good, 1. As exercising and confirming her graces [How would it have been known that she possessed the graces of faith and resignation, if somewhat had not occurred to call them forth? and how could they have been strengthened, if not exercised? The pruning of the vine is therefore good, because it tends to augment its fruitfulness"; and the putting of the choicest vessel into a furnace is good, as tending to fit it for the master's use. Thus is "tribulation good, as working patience, experience, and hopek." Hence we are authorized rather to congratulate the saints upon their trials, than condole with them': and the universal testimony of God's people, after they have come out of their troubles, accords with that of the Psalmist, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted"."] 2. As displaying and magnifying God's perfections [This trial of hers occasioned an application to God in her behalf and how marvellous did the condescension of God appear in listening to the voice of his servant, and in granting his petitions! How glorious too was the display of his power! And was not a momentary suffering good, when it was an occasion of bringing so much glory to Jehovah? Is there a saint in the universe that would not gladly endure even more than that, for the attainment of so blessed an end? St. Paul desired nothing so much as that God might be glorified in him; and, provided his Lord and "Saviour might only be magnified in his body," he was indifferent whether it were "by life or by death"." And, wherever the love of God is shed abroad in the heart, not even life itself will be dear to us, except as it may be improved, or sacrificed for him.] Compare ver. 34, 35. with 1 Kings xvii. 21. The gestures were used, not as means to an end, but as emblematic of the blessing desired. h John xv. 2. k Rom. v. 3-5. Heb. xii. 11. i 2 Tim. ii. 21. 1 Jam. i. 2, 3. and v. 11. Rom. viii. 28. m Ps. cxix. 67, 71. n Phil. i. 20. ADVICE 1. Be not hasty to judge the dispensations of Providence [God's ways are in the great deep; his footsteps are not known and often those very dispensations, of which we are ready to say with Jacob, "All these things are against me," are in reality the greatest blessings that God can bestow. Behold the case of Job; how glorious was the issue of his trials! And, if we could see the end from the beginning as God does, we should pronounce a similar verdict on every trial that we are called to endure. The forty years' sojourning in the wilderness was a dark dispensation; yet we are told, "God led his people in the right way:" so he leads us also in the right way; and when we get to heaven we shall bless him as fervently for all the troubles we sustained, as for any comfort we ever enjoyed.] 2. Be not backward to improve them [Every trial has a voice to us, and is calculated to teach us some important lesson". Hence the prophet says, "Hear - the rod, and him that hath appointed it." Consider then what it is intended to speak to you: take occasion from it to examine your ways, to see wherein you may have erred, or wherein you may amend your ways. Thus will every event be made a blessing to your souls; and Samson's riddle be verified in you; "Out of the eater you will bring forth meat, and out of the strong you will bring forth sweet."] • Job xlii. 11-16. P Job xxxiii. 14-17, 29, 30. 9 Mic. vi. 9. CCCLXV. NAAMAN HEALED OF HIS LEPROSY. 2 Kings v. 13. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? MEN universally claim a right to "do what they will with their own;" but they are extremely averse to concede that right to God. Indeed there is scarcely any doctrine against which the carnal heart rises with such acrimony, as against the sovereignty of God. Nevertheless we must maintain that the Governor of the universe ordereth every thing after the counsel of his own will, and dispenseth his gifts "according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself." He once chose the Jews for his peculiar people, not for the sake of any righteousness of theirs, but because he had ordained that he would magnify his grace in them: and for the same reason has he now transferred his favours to the Gentiles. Our Lord, in his first sermon at Nazareth, warned his hearers, that, if they rejected his gracious overtures, the blessings of his Gospel should be transferred to the Gentile world: and, to shew them how futile all their objections were, and how delusive their hopes of impunity in sin, he reminded them, that God had in many instances vouchsafed mercy to Gentiles, not only in conjunction with his people, but even in opposition to them: for that there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha; but them had God overlooked, whilst he shewed mercy to Naaman the Syrian". The history to which our Lord referred, is that which is contained in the chapter before us: which we propose to consider, I. In a way of literal interpretation Under the pressure of a leprosy, which was an incurable disorder, Naaman, the Syrian, applied to Elisha for a cure. Doubtless every thing that the Syrian physicians could devise had been tried, but to no purpose. It happened however that an Israelitish maid, whom the Syrians had taken captive, was living in the service of Naaman; and that she, knowing what great miracles had been wrought by Elisha, suggested, that by an application to him her master might be restored to health. The idea being suggested to Naaman, he determined without delay to apply for a cure. This he did erroneously at first to the king of Israel; but afterwards to Elisha himself: but through his own folly and wickedness he nearly lost the benefit which he was so eager to a Luke iv. 27. b " obtain for, instead of following the direction given him by the prophet, "he turned, and went away in a rage. Here let us pause to inquire, what it was that so nearly robbed him of the desired blessing? It was, 1. His offended pride [He had come in great state, and with rich rewards in his hand, to the house of a poor prophet: and the prophet had not deigned to come out to him, but had only sent him word what he must do in order to a cure. This was considered by Naaman as an insufferable insult. In his own country he was regarded with the utmost deference; and was he now to be treated with such indignity by a contemptible Israelite? No: he would not listen for a moment to a message sent him in so rude a way. Alas! what an enemy to human happiness is pride! How acute are its feelings! how hasty its judgment! how impetuous its actings! But thus it is with all who have high ideas of their own importance. They stop not to inquire whether any insult is intended; but construing every thing according to their own conceptions, they are as full of resentment on account of a fancied insult, as they would be if they had sustained the greatest injury and in many instances do they sacrifice their most important interests to this self-applauding, but delusive, passion.] 2. His disappointed expectation [Naaman had formed an idea of the manner in which the prophet would effect the cure: nor do we at all condemn the notions he had formed. But what right had he to be offended because the cure was not wrought with all the formalities that he had pictured to himself? If he received the benefit, did it signify to him in what way he received it? or had he any right to dictate to the prophet and to God, in what way the cure should be wrought? Yet behold, because his own expectations were not realized, he breaks out into a passion, and will not accept the blessing in God's appointed way. This throws a great light on innumerable occasions of offence which are taken even among good people. We paint to ourselves the way in which we think others ought to act; and then, because they do not answer our expectations, we are offended. We forget that another person may not view every thing in precisely the same light that we do, or have exactly the same judgment about the best mode of acting under any given circumstances; and yet, as though we were infallible, and the b ver. 12. |