ways most at ease when most private; -that the tumult and distraction of a large family were not fit for the filent meditations of fo holy a man, who would perpetually there meet with fomething either to interrupt his devotion, or offend the purity of his manners;- -that moreover, under fuch an independent roof, where he could take fhelter as often as his occafions required, she thought he might taste the pleafure which was natural to man, in poffeffing something like what he could call his own, and what is no fmall part of conferring a favour, he would scarce feel the weight of it, or at least much feldomer in this manner, than where a daily invitation and repetition of the kindness perpetually put him in mind of his obligation. If any thing could

ftill

ftill add to this-it was that it did not appear to be the dry offer of a faint civility, but that it came directly from the heart. There is a nicety in honest minds, which will not accept of a cold and fufpected offer,-and even when it appears to be fincere and truly meant, there is a modefty in true merit which knows not how to accept it; and no doubt she had one, if not both thefe difficulties to conquer in their turns.— For we read, that she constrained him, and in all likelihood forced his acceptance of it with all the warmth and friendly openness of a humane and hofpitable temper.

It is with benefits as with injuries in this refpect, that we do not fo much weigh the accidental good or evil they do us, as that which they were defigned

to

to do us,That is, we confider no part of them fo much as their intention; and the prophet's behaviour confequent upon this, fhews he beheld it through this medium, or in fome fuch advantageous light as I have placed it.

There is no burden fo heavy to a grateful mind, as a debt of kindness unpaid; and we may believe Elisha felt it fo, from the earnest defire which he had, upon the immediate receipt of this, to discharge himself of it, which he expreffes in the text in the warmest manner;

"Behold, thou haft been careful for us with all this care:--What fhall be done for thee? Wouldst thou be fpoken for to the king, or the captain of his hoft ?"-There is a degree of honeft impatience in the words, fuch as was natural to a good man, who

would

would not be behind-hand with his benefactor. But there is one thing which may seem strange at first fight, that as her ftation and condition of life was such, that she appeared rather to have abounded already than stood in want of any thing in this world which fuch an application could fupply,-why the prophet should not rather have proposed fome fpiritual advantage, which, as it would better have become the fanctity of his character on the one hand, fo, on the other, it would have done a more real and lasting fervice to his friend.

But we are to reflect, that in returning favours, we act differently from what we do in conferring them:-in the one cafe we fimply confider what is best, -in the other, what is most acceptable.

The

The reafon is, that we have a right to act according to our own ideas of what will do the party moft good, in the cafe where we bestow a favour;-but where we return one, we lofe this right, and act according to his conceptions, who has obliged us, and endeavour to repay in fuch a manner as we think it most likely to be accepted in discharge of the obligation. So that, though we are not to imagine Elisha could be wanting in religious duties, as well as wishes to fo hofpitable a friend, we may yet fuppose he was directed here by this principle of equity, and that in reflecting in what manner he fhould requite his benefactress, he had confidered, that to one of her affluent condition, who had all the reasonable comforts of an independent life,--if there was any paffion