SERMON V. I KINGS XVII. 16. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the crufe of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by the prophet Elijah. T HE words of the text are the record of a miracle wrought in behalf of the widow of Zarephath, who had charitably taken Elijah under her roof, and adminiftered unto him in a time of great scarcity and diftrefs. There is fomething very interefting and affectionate in the manner this story is related in holy writ; and as it concludes with a second still more remarkable proof of God's favour to the fame perfon, in the restoration of her dead fon to life, one cannot but confider both miracles as rewards of that act of piety, wrought by infinite power, and left upon re cord cord in scripture, not merely as teftimonies of the prophet's divine miffion, but likewise as two encouraging inftances of God Almighty's blefling upon works of charity and benevo lence. In this view I have made choice of this piece of facred ftory, which I shall beg leave to make ufe of as the ground-work for an exhortation to charity in general: and that it may better answer the particular purpose of this folemnity, I will endeavour to enlarge upon it with fuch reflections, as, I truft in God, will excite some sentiments of compaffion which may be profitable to fo pious a design. Elijah had fled from two dreadful evils, the approach of a famine, and the perfecution of Ahab an enraged enemy: and, in obedience to the command of God, had hid himself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. In this fafe and peaceful folitude, bleffed with daily marks of God's providence, the holy man dwelt free both from the cares and glories of the world: by miraculous impulfe, the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank drank of the brook; till by continuance of drought, (the windows of heaven being shut up in those days for three years and fix months, which was the natural caufe likewife of the famine), it came to pass after a while that the brook, the great fountain of his fupport, dried up; and he is again directed by the word of the Lord where to betake himself for shelter. He is commanded to arife and go to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, with an affurance that he had difpofed the heart of a widow-woman there to fuftain him. The prophet follows the call of his GOD:the fame hand which brought him to the gate of the city, had led alfo the poor widow out of her doors, oppreffed with forrow. She had come forth upon a melancholy errand, to make preparation to eat her last meal, and share it with her child. No doubt, she had long fenced against this tragical event, with all the thrifty management which felf-preservation and parental love could infpire; full, no doubt, of cares and many tender apprehenfions, left her tender stock should fail them before the return of plenty. VOL. I. E But I But as she was a widow, having loft the only faithful friend who would best have affisted her in this virtuous ftruggle, the prefent neceffity of the times at length overcame her; and fhe was juft falling down an eafy prey to it, when Elijah came to the place where she was. And be called unto her, and faid, Fetch me, pray thee, a little water in a veffel that I may drink. And as he was going to fetch it, he called unto her, and faid, Bring me, I pray thee, a morfel of bread in thine hand. And be faid, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a crufe, and behold I am gathering two Sticks, that I may go and dress it for me and my fon, that we may eat it and die. And Elijah faid unto her, Fear not, but go, and do as thou haft faid; but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy fon. For thus faith the Lord God of Ifrael, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither fball the crufe of oil fail, until the day that the Lord fendeth rain upon the earth. True charity is always unwilling to find excufes-elfe here was a fair opportunity of plead |