SERMON XII.

On the CHARACTER OF HAZAEL.

2 KINGS, viii. 12, 13.

And Hazael faid, Why weepeth my Lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Ifrael. Their ftrong holds wilt thou fet on fire, and their young men wilt thou flay with the fword, and wilt dafh their children, and rip up their women with child. And Hazael faid, But what, is thy fervant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elifba anfwered, The Lord bath fhewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.

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IN the days of Joram king of Ifrael flou- SERM. rished the Prophet Elisha. His character was so eminent, and his fame fo widely spread, that Benhadad the king of Syria, though

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SERM. though an idolater, fent to confult him concerning the iffue of a diftemper which threatened his life. The meffenger employed on this occafion was Hazael, who appears to have been one of the princes, or chief men of the Syrian court. Charged with rich gifts from the king, he presents himself before the prophet; and accosts him in terms of the highest respect. During the conference which they held together, Elisha fixed his eye ftedfaftly on the countenance of Hazael; and difcerning, by a prophetic fpirit, his future tyranny and cruelty, he could not contain himself from bursting into a flood of tears. When Hazael, in surprise, inquired intothe caufe of this fudden emotion, the prophet plainly informs him of the crimes and barbarities which he forefaw that hereafter he should commit. The foul of Hazael abhorred, at this time, the thoughts of cruelty. Uncorrupted, as yet, by ambition or greatness, his indignation arose at being thought capable of fuch favage actions as the prophet had mentioned; and with much warmth, he replies, But what? is

thy

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thy fervant a dog, that he should do this great thing? Elisha makes no return but to point out a remarkable change which was to take place in his condition; The Lord hath fhewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. In courfe of time, all that had been predicted came to pafs. Hazael, ascended the throne; and ambition took poffeffion of his heart. He fmate the children of Ifrael - in all their coafts. He oppreffed them during all the days of King Jehoabaz*; and, from what is left on record of his actions, plainly appears to have proved what the prophet forefaw him to be, a man of violence, cruelty, and blood.

In this paffage of history, an object is prefented which deferves our ferious attention. We behold a man who, in one state of life, could not look upon certain crimes without furprise and horror; who knew folittle of himself, as to believe it impoffible for him ever to be concerned in committing them; that fame man, by a change of condition, transformed in all his fentiments, * 2 Kings, xiii. 22.

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and

SERM. and as he rose in greatness rising also in

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guilt; till at last he completed that whole character of iniquity which he once detested. Hence the following obfervations naturally arise. I. That to a mind not entirely corrupted, fentiments of abhorrence at guilt are natural. II. That, notwithstanding those sentiments, the mind may be brought under the dominion of the vices which it had moft abhorred. III. That this unhappy revolution is frequently owing to a change of men's external circumflances and condition in the world. These obfervations are to make the subject of the prefent difcourfe; and will lead us to fuch a view of human nature, as, it is hoped, may be of general use.

I. SENTIMENTS of abhorrence at guilt are natural to the human mind. Hazael's reply to the prophet fhews how strongly he felt them. Is thy fervant a dog, that he fhould do this great thing? Is he, or can he ever be, so base and wretched as to perpetrate crimes, which would render him unworthy

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worthy of bearing the name of a man? SERM. This is the voice of human nature, while it is not as yet hardened in iniquity. Some vices are indeed more odious to the mind than others. Providence has wifely pointed the sharpeft edge of this natural averfion against the crimes which are of moft pernicious and deftructive nature; fuch as treachery, oppreffion, and cruelty. But, in general, the distinction between moral good and evil is so strongly marked, as to stamp almost every vice with the character of turpitude. Present to any man, even the moft ignorant and untutored, an obvious inftance of injuftice, falfehood, or impiety; let him view it in a cool moment, when no paffion blinds, and no interest warps him; and you will find that his mind immediately revolts against it, as fhameful and base, nay, as deferving punishment. Hence, in reasoning on the characters of others, however men may mistake as to facts, yet they generally praise and blame according to the principles of found morality.