vors, from the presence of the righteous. Next to being good, it is happy to converse with them that are so if we be not bettered by their example, we are blest by their protection.

Who wonders not, to hear a prophet call for a minstrel, in the midst of that mournful distress of Israel and Judah? Who would not have expected his charge of tears and prayers, rather than of music? How unseasonable are songs to a heavy heart! It was not for their ears, it was for his own bosom, that Elisha called for music; that his spirits, after their zealous agitation, might be sweetly composed, and put into a meet temper for receiving the calm visions of God. Perhaps it was some holy Levite, that followed the camp of Jehoshaphat, whose minstrelsy was required for so sacred a purpose. None but a quiet breast is capable of divine revelations. Nothing is more powerful to settle a troubled heart, than a melodious harmony. The Spirit of prophecy was not the more invited, the prophet's spirit was the better disposed, by pleasing sounds. The same God, that will reveal his will to the prophet, suggests this demand; Bring me a minstrel.' How many say thus, when they would put God from them! Profane mirth, wanton music, debauches the soul; and makes no less room for the unclean spirit, than spiritual melody for the divine.

No prophet had ever the Spirit at command. The hand of the minstrel can do nothing, without the hand of the Lord. While the music sounds in the ear, God speaks to the heart of Elisha; Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches; ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be full of water,' &c.

To see wind and rain in the height of that drought, would have seemed as wonderful as pleasing; but, to see abundance of water without wind or rain, was yet more miraculous. I know not how the sight of the means abates our admiration of the effect. Where no causes can be found out, we are forced to confess omnipotency. Elijah relieved Israel with water, but it was out of the clouds, and those clouds rose from the sea; but whence Elisha shall fetch it, is not more marvellous than secret. All that evening, all that night, must the faith of Israel

and Judah be exercised with expectation. At the hour of the morning sacrifice, no sooner did the blood of that oblation gush forth, than the streams of waters gushed forth into their new channels, and filled the country with a refreshing moisture. Elijah fetched down his fire at the hour of the evening sacrifice: Elisha fetched up his water at the hour of the morning sacrifice. God gives respect to his own hours, for the encouragement of our observation. If his wisdom hath set us any peculiar times, we cannot keep them without a blessing. The devotions of all true Jews, all the world over, were in that hour combined how seasonably doth the wisdom of God pick out that instant, wherein he might at once answer both Elisha's prophecy, and his people's prayers!

The prophet hath assured the kings, not of water only, but of victory. Moab hears of enemies, and is addressed to war. Their own error shall cut their throats: they rise soon enough to beguile themselves: the beams of the rising sun, glistering on those vaporous and unexpected waters, carried, in the eyes of some Moabites, a semblance of blood. A few eyes were enough to fill all ears with a false noise the deceived sense miscarries, the imagination; This is blood; the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.' Civil broils give just advantage to a common enemy: therefore must the camps be spoiled, because the kings have smitten each other. Those, that shall be deceived, are given over to credulity. The Moabites do not examine, either the conceit or the report; but fly in, confusedly, on the camp of Israel; whom they find, too late, to have no enemies but themselves. As if death would not have hastened enough to them, they come to fetch it; they come to challenge it: it seizeth on them unavoidably: they are smitten, their cities razed, their lands marred, their wells stopped, their trees felled; as if God meant to waste them but once.

No onsets are so furious, as the last assaults of the des perate. The king of Moab, now hopeless of recovery, would be glad to shut up with a pleasing revenge. With seven hundred resolute followers, he rushes into the battle, towards the king of Edom; as if he would bid death wel

come, might he but carry with him that despited neighbor; and now, mad with the repulse, he returns; and, whether as angry with his destiny, or as barbarously affecting to win his cruel gods with so dear a sacrifice, he offers them, with his own hand, the blood of his eldest son, in the sight of Israel, and sends him up in smoke to those hellish deities. O prodigious act, whether of rage or of devotion! What a hand hath Satan over his miserable vassals! What marvel is it, to see men sacrifice their souls, in an unfelt oblation, to these plausible tempters, when their own flesh and blood hath not been spared? There is no tyrant to the prince of darkness.-2 Kings ii. iii.

ELISHA WITH THE SHUNAMITE.

THE holy prophets under the Old Testament did not abhor the marriage-bed. They did not think themselves too pure for an institution of their Maker.

The distressed widow of one of the sons of the prophets comes to Elijah to bemoan her condition. Her husband is dead; and dead, in debt. Death hath no sooner seized on him, than her two sons, the remaining comfort of her life, are to be seized on by his creditors for. bondmen. How thick did the miseries of this poor afflicted woman light on her! Her husband is lost; her estate clogged with debts; her children ready to be taken for slaves! Her husband was a religious and worthy man. He paid his debts to nature; he could not, to his creditors. They are cruel; and rake in the scarce-closed wound of her sorrow; passing an arrest worse than death on her sons. Widowhood, poverty, servitude, have conspired to make her perfectly miserable.

Virtue and goodness can pay no debts. The holiest man may be deep in arrearages, and break the bank; not through lavishness, and riot of expense (religion teaches us to moderate our hands, to spend within the proportion of our estate); but through either iniquity of times or evil casualties.

Ahab and Jezebel were lately in the throne. Who can marvel, that a prophet was in debt? It was well, that any good man might have his breath free, though his estate

were not.

Wilfully to overlash our ability cannot stand with wisdom and good government; but no providence can guard us from crosses. Holiness is no more defence against debt, than against death. Grace can keep us from unthriftiness; not from want.

Whither doth the prophet's widow come to bewail her case, but to Elisha? Every one would not be sensible of her affliction; or if they would pity, yet could not relieve her; Elisha could do both. Into his ear doth she unload her griefs. It is no small point of wisdom, to know where to plant our lamentation; otherwise, instead of comfort, we may meet with scorn and insultation.

None can so freely compassionate the hard terms of a prophet, as an Elisha. He finds, that she is not querulously impatient; expressing her sorrow, without murmuring and discontentment; making a loving and honorable mention of that husband, who had left her distressed: readily therefore doth he incline to her succor; 'What shall I do for thee? Tell me what hast thou in the house?'

Elisha, when he hears of her debt, asks of her substance. Had her house been furnished with any valuable commodity, the prophet implies the necessity of selling it for satisfaction. Our own abundance can ill stand with our engagement to others. It is great injustice, for us to be full of others' purses. It is not our own, which we owe to another. What is it other than a plausible stealth, to feed our riot with the want of the owner?

He, that could multiply her substance, could know it. God, and his prophet, loves to hear our necessities out of our own mouths; Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.' It is neither news nor shame for a prophet to be poor.

Grief and want, perhaps, hastened his end: both of them are left for the dowry of his careful widow.

She had complained, if there had been any possibility of remedy, at home. Bashfulness had stopped her mouth thus long, and should have done yet longer, if the exigence of her children's servitude had not opened it. No want is so worthy of relief, as that which is loathest to come forth. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of

all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few: and when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.'

She, that owed much and had nothing, yet must borrow more, that she may pay all. Poverty had not so discredited her with her neighbors, that they should doubt to lend her those vessels empty, which they had grudged full.

Her want was too well known: it could not but seem strange to the neighbors, to see this poor widow so busily pestering her house with empty tubs, which they knew she had nothing to fill. They knew well enough she had neither field, nor vineyard, nor orchard; and therefore must needs marvel at such unprofitable diligence.

If their curiosity would be inquiring after her intentions, she is commanded secresy. The doors must be shut on herself and her sons, while the oil is increasing no eye shall see the miracle, in working; enough shall see it, once wrought. This act was no less a proof of her faith, than an improvement of her estate it was an exercise of her devotion, as well as of her diligence. It was fit her doors should be shut, while her heart and lips were opened in a holy invocation.

Out of one small jar was poured out so much oil, as by miraculous multiplication filled all that empty cask. Scarce had that pot any bottom; at least, the bottom that it had was to be measured by the brims of all those vessels: this was so deep, as they were high: could they have held more, this pot had not been empty. Even so the bounty of our God gives grace and glory according to the capacity of the receiver : when he ceaseth to infuse, it is for want of room in the heart that takes it in: could we hold more, O God, thou wouldest give more: if there be any defect, it is in our vessels; not in thy beneficence.

How did the heart of this poor widow run over, as with wonder, so with joy and thankfulness, to see such a river of oil rise out of so small a spring! To see all her vessels swimming full, with so beneficial a liquor!